Guilford Courthouse 1781

Played a game with my 40mm AWI for the first time in a long time.  AWI is really a good
period to play with larger figures as the battles are quite manageable in terms of numbers. 
Perfect for my rules of choice, Carnage and Glory.  The 40mm scale is easy on the older
eyes, both for painting and just for seeing on the battlefield.

Guilford Courthouse is an interesting battle pitching a elite/line force against a larger
militia/line force.  Historically the Americans deployed their troops into three lines.
The first two were milita lines and I rated them raw and trained respectively.  These first
two lines were situated in a wooded area. In history the militia lines were asked not
to fall back until their had fired at least two volley.  In our game the British chose to
be very aggressive charging at every opportunity and pushing the militia before them. 
Out of six milita units in the first and second line, all but one of them retreated without
firing upon being charged. By the time the British moved out if the woods towards the
third line of continentals, the American army morale was starting to be affected on account
of the militia performance.  In history it is aid that the British forces were pretty degraded
by the time they hit the third line and that the fight was toe to toe.  In our game the
continentals gave a good account of themselves but the British still seemed to have the a
advantage.  The militia just did not have much opportunity to affect the British.

I was worried I had created an uneven game but in researching the battle the British
lost about 400 men vs 1300 for the Americans...a 1000 of which were Militia who went
missing.  In our game the British lost about 400 men vs 1900 Americans of which 800
were missing militia.  So.....in retrospect it was not that far from historical.  While the
British won the battle historically, it was considered a strategic loss as Cornwallis was
not able to replace these troops as easily as the Americans could.  That said American
losses were about 3 to one historically, but almost 5 to one in the game.

The view of the battlefield from the American side; just behind the courthouse.

First line of North Carolina Militia awaiting the British advance.

They were rated as raw and it showed.

North Carolina Militia skirmishers. None of the militia stuck around after being charged.  They skedaddled!!

On the British side, Leslie's Brigade on the right flank prepare to advance against the fence line.

British Guards and Artillery under Brigadier O'Hara advance up the road in the centre.

Brigade Webster advancing on the British Left flank.

Aerial view of the British advance once over the Fence and into the woods.

Webster's Light Infantry skirmishing.

The Guards plodding up the road.

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Royal Artillery limbered up and moving up the road.