The Battle: Bridgehead, Part 1

In my last post, I went over the map and OB to be used in this test of About Bonaparte. Let me expand that and describe the forces in a little more detail. Under the rules, troops are classified using the terms Green/Militia, Trained/Regular, Veteran, and Elite. Each of these is in turn assigned a point value per figure. Thus multiplying the number of figures in the unit (8 for infantry), we can arrive at the unit's value. Trained/ Regulars for example are 3 points per figure, or 24 points per unit. Veterans on the other hand are 5 points per figure, or 40 per unit. Theoretically then armies of equal points should be well-matched against each other.

The initial American position. 

 Another key concept is the use of the specialized dice mentioned in the previous post. Flags are especially critical. Rolling one or more flags when firing on a unit will, depending on its training type, and can result in catastrophic failure of their morale, although various mitigations are in play. For example, Veterans can ignore the first flag thrown that turn. If an officer is attached (at extra points), even a second flag thrown could be ignored.
The picture on the left shows the American unit occupying the "unfriendly" side of the bridge. On the right in the woods are two skirmishers from the unit. The photo below shows the initial advance of the British.

British skirmishers and gun enter the board from the North.

 According to the OHW scenario, the Americans (Blue) have crossed the river and have taken up their position. The unit is classified as Trained/Regular, and since it is a detachment from the main body, an officer has been attached in command. During the initial exchange of volleys (Blue) has fired. The roll of 4 dice 1-blank, 1-C, 2-F. The blank and the C caused no casualties (infantry targets require and "I"). But the two Flags...well normally, that would be another story. BUT, the British Light Infantry (Red) are Veterans, with an officer. Veterans can ignore the first flag, and the officer allows them to ignore the second.
Return fire from Red inflicted 2 casualties on the infantry.
Turn 2 saw the first reinforcement for Blue. Trundling across the bridge from the road, an American light (6 pdr.) iron gun took up position to the right of the Americans. Red was not scheduled for reinforcement this turn. Meanwhile, the British advanced and fired without effect. American return fire saw one skirmisher down.

The Lights advance. The gun is desperately trying to deploy.

British casualties begin to mount.

The Americans had a space before more, and more deadly, British infantry entered the fray. Now luck turned against the British. Since the officer was attached to the lights, the gun needed an "A" roll to activate. It didn't. The Americans on the other hand did roll an "A", and the gun was able to deploy. But the Lights were game and advanced. But now, facing a gun, and an almost full unit. The firefight was one sided at best (rolling 3 flags, and an "I" certainly helped. the remaining 3 dice would turn out to be 2 blanks and a "C"). The British lights fell back

Game fellows, All. But the combined firepower was too much!

Well, we'll finish up here today. I'll be posting part 2 later in the week (at least, that's the plan).