Introduction Reading the last couple of issues in MWAN, on the building of period specific armies, has really peaked my interest in wargaming. A couple of years ago I decided to venture into the realm of 25mm wargaming. What got me started? I don't know for sure. Perhaps it was reading about Hal's exploits with his Seven Years War project in his editorials. Or maybe it was seeing Monmouth being played out at Historicon using beautifully painted 25mm figures and expert terrain. Or perhaps it was all the new figures being released by such lines as Old Glory or The Foundry. I suspect it was a combination of all three and many more. Once I decided to build a 25mm army, I then had to decide the most important part: what period should I be concerned with? There are a lot of periods that interest me but I wanted one that was both colorful and particularly suited to the scale. I finally choose the American War of Independence (AWI) as a perfect choice for 25mm gaming. I feel it is a perfect choice for many reasons. First off, the number of figures required to fight many of the battles is relatively small. Troop strengths varied between such battles as Cowpens (roughly 1,000 men per side) or Brandywine (15,000 plus per side). A wargaming club could start playing in a very short time by having each person supply three or four battalions apiece. Fighting smaller battles also requires less table space and allows the wargamer to concentrate on enhancing the terrain features, rather than just filling up a monster table. Secondly, the AWI offers a wide variety in the form of nationalities, uniforms, and troop types. The AWI is best played on the battalion level (rather than a brigade or divisional level like Napoleonics or ACW). This can give us a very colorful tabletop indeed. Despite popular beliefs, the uniforms weren't all either red or blue. In gaming the Revolutionary War, you have a varied amount of troops to choose from. These include British regulars, Hessian mercenaries, Loyalist militia, Indian allies, American militia, Continental regulars, and French allies. Different troop types within these armies include Line infantry, Grenadiers, Light infantry, Highlanders, Rangers, Minutemen, Riflemen, Dragoons, Iroquois warriors, Hessian jagers, and the list goes on. Uniforms can range from a simple buckskin outfit on a militiaman to an elaborate uniform, complete with intricate piping and lacing, on a grenadier drummer. Uniform colors run the full spectrum. Historical Gaming in the American War of Independence Figure Manufacturers There are a number of good lines for the AWI in 25mm. My project required of me to "go large" in figure choice. That is, I prefer the look of the big 25s, which are really 28 or 30nim in actual size. Old Glory produces a wonderful line of 25mm AWI figures, which is continually being updated. The price is also very reasonable at about $24 for a bag of 30 figures. The detail is superb and they fit in well with other big 25mm lines. Old Glory comprises the bulk of my British, American, and French armies. Front Rank also produces a well-detailed line for the AWL They are also on the big side and come in a wide variety of troop types. I have a number of specialty units made by Front Rank as well as a few mounted officers. The Old Glory AWI range does not include Hessians (except for Jagers), but you can use any of their SYW Prussian figures as a substitute. I don't believe there is enough difference in castings between AW1 Hessians and SYW Prussians to preclude their use as Hessians. I, however, decided to go with the new Prussian line by The Foundry. These figures are absolutely beautiftil. They fit in well with my Old Glory and Front Rank stuff and the detail is first rate. Dixon also offers a line of 25mm figures for the period. From the small sample of Dixon figures that I have seen, I can say that the detail is very good. The castings themselves do not lean towards the bulky style of a Front Rank or Foundry figure, so I'm not sure how well they would mix. Just to provide an example of the diversity of units represented in the AWI, I recently purchased four different units from Front Rank to add to my collection. They were a British Light Infantry unit, a unit of dismounted Brunswick dragoons, a Continental line unit, and a unit of British Highlanders. All four units not only have a different cut of uniform, but different colors and details as well. One does not have to worry about getting stuck in a rut painting one type of uniform color over and over again. As unit sizes are generally small, you also have extra time available to pay attention to more minute details. Army Building I decided that the following unit numbers for each side would be sufficient to get me started: 10-15 Infantry units 2-3 Cavalry units 2-3 Artillery units 3-4 Commanders However, after a year of painting, I have ended up with the following: British: 9 units of infantry, 2 units of dragoons, 2 units of artillery, and 4 commanders Hessian: 9 units of infantry, 1 unit of artillery, and 2 commanders Indian: 3 units of Iroquois American: 12 units of infantry, 1 unit of dragoons, 2 units of artillery, and 5 commanders French: 4 units of infantry, 1 unit of lancers, 1 unit of artillery, and 1 commander Somewhat of a diverse mix, but that's goes along with all those unit choices associated with the AWL I still have a way to go, but I now have enough to play out some of the smaller battles on the tabletop. My units are based as per'Warfare in the Age of Reason' (AOR) ruleset. Infantry units consist of 12 figures mounted on four stands of 3 for regular units and six stands of 2 for skirmish units. My cavalry units are 10 figures each, mounted on five stands of 2. Artillery units are one gun per base, with 4 to 5 crew figures per gun. Commanders are mounted singly. The bases themselves are interesting in their construction. Instead of a thin material, like plastic, sheetmetal, or basswood, I choose to use 1/4" thick bases made of wood from Renaissance Ink. The bases can be custom cut in a variety of lengths and widths. The bases also come with a thin magnetic bottom for ease of storage. The routed edges further enhance the bases. This gives a nice appearance as well as reducing the chunky effect of the 1/4" base thickness. The stands are finished off with a black edge and mixed static grass applied with white glue to the top part of the base. The thick bases, routed edges, and mixed static grass on the top give a distinctive feel to my units. Because the AWI period requires fewer units, the time required to paint enough figures is not too demanding. However, some of the Hessian units were sent out to be painted and, after much touching up of the figures, they were ready to be based. The rest were painted by myself Painting style reflects colors painted on a black primed surface (white or gray for the French). This leaves a very nice looking figure and is not too hard to do on 25nun castings. Figures were finished off using a watercolor ink technique before being coated with spray sealer. Printed flags for the AWI are readily available on the commercial market in 25nun scale. Or, if you have a steady hand, you can paint them by hand on either light card stock or primed aluminum foil. I've done this before in the past with satisfying results, but mostly it drove me nuts. Printed flags are the way to go, unless you can't find anything appropriate for a certain unit. Terrain Considerations 3-D Contours provided much of my terrain. Hills, rough going, fences, walls, fields, streams, and marshy areas were provided by 3-D. For wooded areas, I went with K&M trees mounted individually. The autumn foliage trees are particularly nice. Flex-Terrain provided my roads. All excellent looking pieces and very convenient for storage purposes. My buildings were purchased from Architectural Heritage and I must say that they look too good to game with. They are mounted in a vignette arrangement with trees, bushes, walkways, and more making a very nice diorama effect. The Chew House that I have is especially nice. I can't wait to put the British 40th Regiment in its thick masonry walls and shell the hell out of it. Actually, the attack on the Chew House during the battle of Germantown would make a great skirmish scenario. Kind of like a mini-Hougomont. Many of the buildings from Architechural Heritage's Civil War range can also be used for the AWI. The Stone House from Manassis... er, Mannasus... er, First Bull Run makes an excellent Stone House from the Battle of Brooklyn. My gaming area consists of either a 4' by 6' for small scenarios or a 5' by 9' ping-pong table for larger battles. I use Geohex Gamescape mats as the general covering, with a custom 5' by 9' mat being used on the larger table. Small bits of gravel and lichen spread out here and there add a finishing touch to the base setting. As my collection expands, however, I can see the need to add another 5' by 9' table. Rules My knowledge with rulesets in this period is somewhat limited. Some that come to mind are: 'Warfare in the Age of Reason' (AOR) 'Washington's Wars' 'Flint and Steel' 'Loose Files and American Scramble' Fr. Aelrod's, 'Rules for the American Revolution' 'The Final Argument of Kings' 'Patriots and Loyalists' 'Warfare in the Age of Reason' by Tod Kershner and Dale Wood is the ruleset that I have settled on. AOR is easy to learn and gives a very historical feel to the game mechanics. I have also played 'Flint and Steel' and 'Patriots and Loyalists'. Both are very good rulesets as well and can use the AOR basing convention, so rebasing of units is not an issue. Even if you don't play 'Flint and Steel', it is well worth the purchase for the attached compendium alone. This booklet is a wealth of information on the commanders and units of the period. Undoubtedly there are more rulesets out there that I have not heard of. I believe Tiquet' has a supplement for the period. 'Volley and Bayonet'could also be used for 18th century gaming. Period Description The war can be divided into three distinct phases. The first phase consists of the initial growth of the rebellion in the northern colonies and the British attempts to stamp out the growing insurrections. Lexington and Concord offer the wargamer opportunities to conduct skirmish scenarios. Bunker Hill can be played out in more formal style, while the attempt to take Quebec makes for an enjoyable assault scenario. In the second phase of the war, the conflict moves to the middle region of the colonies where British strategy includes the cutting off of New England by operations in New York and the taking of the American capital at Philadelphia. Many pitched battles were fought in this phase and it saw the transformation of the American army from inexperienced militia to a well-trained core of army veterans, capable of standing toe-to-toe with Europe's finest. Contrary to popular belief, Washington did not want his men to fight "Indian style", hiding behind cover and picking off the enemy with long rifles. He wanted an army that could form and maneuver as the Europeans did. Washington chose to rely on smoothbore musket volleys followed up with the bayonet, rather than stealth and accurate rifle fire. Eventually he succeeded. Likewise, the common thought that the British soldier was some staunch automaton, marching along in line with a stiffness of a wooden soldier is also untrue. During the AWI, the average British soldier evolved into one of the finest light-fighting soldier this continent has ever seen. The British shortened their uniforms and adopted more breathable materials, as well as lightening their equipment. They used loose files and speedy attacks to carry enemy positions. In fact, the British adapted so well to American conditions that it was said at the end of the war the British army was quite useless for fighting on the European continent. Another factor that the British had to contend with throughout all phases of the war, was the ability of the colonists to raise large armies seemingly out of nowhere. This lack of proper intelligence information on the part of the British led to such crushing defeats as Bennington and Saratoga. The largest battles of the war were fought in this time frame. The battles of Brooklyn, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Freeman's Farm, Bemis Heights come to mind. Smaller engagements, but no less important, such as Trenton, Princeton, and Bennington offer the wargamer the earliest chance to start using their growing armies of lead. The last phase of the war has the conflict turning south to the Carolinas and Virginia, as Britain tries to lessen it's involvement in the colonies and turn it's attention to dealing with an old enemy, France. The British chose to move operations down south for two reasons. One, the British had convinced themselves that loyalist support was greatest in the South. This would provided an opportunity to rely more heavily on loyalist troops, thereby freeing up British troops for use abroad. Unfortunately for the British, fear of Patriot reprisals and the inability of the Crown to protect it's subjects from these reprisals kept the flow of loyalist militia into the British camp to a minimum. Secondly, Britain wanted to maintain southern ports (such as Charleston) as a base of support to ongoing operations against her European enemies in the Caribbean. The war in the South really could be termed as America's first civil war. Old grudges flared up into bloody conflicts between neighbors. Plantations were burned and atrocities were committed on both sides. Tories and patriots alike were tried and hanged in makeshift kangaroo courts. The wargamer is faced with a wide variety of scenarios ranging from backwoods skirmishes to pitched battles to siege operations at Charleston and Yorktown. Most of the battles were very small as far as participants go, but their effects on the war were enormous. Despite beating the rebels on the field of battle (Cowpens and Kings Mountain excluded), the British were unable to maintain their lines of communications into the Southern countryside with the depleted force that they had. They then made the fateful decision to move to Yorktown to await further instructions and relief from the British navy. The siege of Yorktown and the subsequent surrender of British forces effectively ended military operations on the American continent. Of course, there are areas other than what has been previously mention that offer some exciting opportunities for wargaming. Operations conducted out west can give many scenarios involving Indian skirmishes, attacks on Indian villages and forts, and battles fought in the deep woods (such as Oriskany). The campaigns in the Caribbean can pit British landing forces against French defenders, or vice versa. Naval actions can range from simple privateering to large-scale battles off the Chesapeake Capes and the Caribbean Ocean. As the AWI became a global conflict after the entry of France and others into the war, places all over the world became witnesses to combat. The British fought desperate actions to maintain control of India and keep France from dominating the region. Resources on the Period For a painting resource one can not go wrong with John Mollo's, 'Uniforms of the American Revolution'. This book contains page after page of valuable uniform information, along with many color plates. The various Osprey books available on the subject are also excellent. Current titles include 'George Washington's Army', 'King George's Army', 'The British Army in North America', 'British Redcoat', and'The French Army in the American War of Independence'. Two video series that contain many shots of period reenactors are 'The American Revolution' by A&E television network and 'The Revolutionary War' put out by The Learning Channel. The battle sequences show many of the different unit types in action and give the wargamer clues to lesser-known details, such as the colors used for artillery carriages. Also, much of the two programs contain historical facts presented in a more meaningful and emotional manner. I prefer this method of documentary (made famous by Ken Burns' 'The Civil War') to the old, boring public school method of teaching the AWL that I feel takes all the humanity and tragedy out of the conflict. There are many other printed resources on the AWL in both book and magazine format, however not as much as you may have assumed. Despite being the birth of the American nation, printed resources on the subject lag far behind that available on such conflicts as the American Civil War or World War II. The Canadian Wargamers Group have published a wonderful booklet on the conflict entitled, 'The Whites of Their Eyes'. This is a wealth of information on uniforms, tactics, and orders of battle for the major engagements of the war. One book that comes to mind, as an all-encompassing source on the AWL is Mark Boatner's, 'Encyclopedia of the American Revolution'. Recently reprinted, this rather large volume contains just about everything you would ever want to know about the war itself. Need a battle map of Bennington? Not a problem. Want to know who Jane McCrae is? It's all in there. Jim Purky, of the Seven Years War Association, has recently started publishing the 'Journal of the American Revolution'. This is a quarterly magazine devoted to miniature wargaming and reenacting for the AWL In it, you can find such topics as scenario data, unit history, uniform descriptions, and other general information on upcoming AWI events. The rest you will just have to pick and choose from. In between all the old, standby schoolbook types you should be able to find some very interesting campaign-specific texts. Recently, we have benefited from an explosion of work coming out from the southern universities on the previously, little known war in the South. Also, many older, out-of-print titles are being re-released that include some important uniform and weapon information. Conclusion I have always enjoyed reading about wargamer's exploits in adopting a new period. I'm sure it must be an impressive sight to see Hal's SYW project laid out on the gaming table (and I hope you continue building those monster battalions!). It's very satisfying to know that someone's plans are coming together. If you feel that the time is right to get into 25min and your not sure about which period, I suggest that you give the American War of Independence a look. The varied nature of the war also lends to diversity on the tabletop. My ultimate goal is to look down at a table filled with color. I'll have my green-jacketed Jagers advancing alongside my scarlet British light infantry. Following up will be the bearskinned British Grenadiers and the tall, mitered hats of the Hessian grenadiers in blue. Guarding the flanks will be the green dragoons of Tarleton's Legion and the British dragoons in red with their black, death's head caps. In the reserve will be the plaid-colored Highlanders. Facing them will be the blue, brown, white, red, yellow, gray, buff, and even purple (yes, purple) colors of the American forces. What a pity to spoil with bullets and dice, such a scene of martial beauty... Back to MWAN #97 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com