One of my favorite wargame periods is the War of 1812. One nice thing is I didn't have to paint any figures! My main wargame opponent, Vic Hiris does this period on the side as part of his Napoleonics. I credit this scenario to Vic's work. He's able to quickly conjure scenarios out of books written on the war like this ambush based on a historical incident.

Historical Background

When the War of 1812 started, Michigan Territorial Governor William Hull was ordered to take and hold Detroit to threaten the British in Canada. Hull's lifeline was supply trains from Ohio. However, the Indians and the British attempted to stop them.

A supply train on the way to Detroit was stopped south of Detroit at the River Raisin. To relieve the train, Hull sent Lieutenant Colonel James Miller with a relief column. Miller took 300 men from his own 4th regiment, 200 Ohio Volunteer Rifleman, 60 Michigan militiamen and 40 volunteer dragoons from Ohio.

On August 9th, 14 miles south of Detroit, they encountered 150 British behind a breastwork commanded by Captain Muir at the Indian village of Monguagon. The trail to the village was flanked on both sides by an undetermined number of Indians. As the American player, can you take the breastwork fighting the Indians on your flanks? As the British, can you hold out?

Rule Notes

I have tried to keep the scenario as generic as possible to allow use for any ruleset. We use Rocket's Red Glare published by the Canadian Wargamer's Group. This booklet features simple but effective command control rules plus over a dozen War of 1812 scenarios.

Rocket's Red Glare rules feature leadership levels of commanders. Each commander is rated from "plodding" to "excellent". An action deck consisting of ten cards numbered from one to three is used. A card is drawn each turn with the number on the card being the number of actions all units receive to move, fire and change formation. Units receiving three actions do three times as a much as a unit receiving one action.

A "plodding" commander receives a deck consisting of mostly cards with one action to an "excellent" leader getting cards, most having three actions. Hopefully your ruleset includes command and control rules that show the differences between leaders.

Morale is percentage based in Rocket's Red Glare rules. By each unit on the scenario order of battle is the percent chance that the unit passes a morale check when it receives a casualty. The negative number next to the morale figure is the morale reduction per figure lost. A unit failing a morale check routs. However, a unit failing a morale check at 50% or less is removed from play.

For combat, musket range is 6" and rifle range is 9" using the skirmish part of Rocket's Red Glare rules. These ranges are not decreased by woods. Combat is percentage based and is quite bloody. Basically, infantry has a 10% fire factor which means with eight figures firing, theres an 80% chance of a casualty. The cavalry is quite ineffective as was the case historically.

Rocket's Red Glare also differentiates between units in line and skirmish formation. Units in skirmish formation suffer half of the casualties compared to a unit in line formation for fire combat. Only rifleman, some militia and Indians can operate in skirmish. Indians are almost impossible to take out operating in the woods in skirmish formation. Hopefully, your ruleset shows this.

American Order of Battle

Lt. Colonel James Miller (Plodding)

5 companies of the 4th Regiment, 12 figures each (80% morale, -5% per hit)
4 companies of Ohio volunteer rifleman, 10 figures each (70% morale, -5% per hit)
1 company of Michigan militiaman, 12 figures (70% morale, -5% per hit)
1 troop of volunteer dragoons, 8 figures (70% morale, -7% per hit)

British Order of Battle

Captain A.C. Muir (Excellent)

3 companies 41st Regiment, 10 figures each (90% morale, -5% per hit)
2 Indian warbands, 16 figures each (100% morale in woods, 50% outside woods, -5% per Hit)

Scenario Setup

Lay a trail down the middle of your wargame table. At the end of trail, set up the British held breastwork. Behind the breastwork, put a few huts for the Indian Village. The table is completely covered by woods except for a slight clearing around the village.

The Americans enter the trail on one end of the table, opposite the British breastwork. The two Indian warbands set up in the woods flanking the trail. Of course, the British sit behind the breastwork.

Victory Conditions

Rocket's Red Glare uses a morale point system for victory conditions that is adaptable to your favorite ruleset. Each side receives one moral point per unit it has. Therefore, the British begin with five morale points and the Americans with eleven. The side controlling the breastwork receives an additional two points. Thus, the British begin the game with seven morale points. Both sides lose one point per unit routed during combat and two points per unit lost.

The British lose two points if they lose the Breastwork. The Americans receive two points for gaining control of it. Whichever side goes down to zero morale points loses the game. Though the British are heavily outnumbered, the scenario is balanced. While the Americans have numbers, the British have superior leadership which really makes a difference plus the two bands of hard to kill Indians lurking in the woods.

Historical Outcome

When Miller encountered the British breastwork, he ordered a bayonet charge which broke through on the right causing a British retreat. Miller's left flank commander, Van Horne sent word that he needed more support. This delay allowed the British to retreat to another position a mile away.

The Americans advanced to the new position and Miller ordered the dragoons to charge. but they refused. Miller set up camp and waited for men and rations. Muir had lost 6 killed and 16 wounded while the Americans had lost 18 killed and 57 wounded. Hull finally ordered Muir to retreat back to Detroit which he gladly did.

Hopefully, you will have fun with this scenario. Vic and I enjoyed it. It takes few figures and is adaptable to other periods and rule systems. Why don't you write up your own for MWAN?