"Best AWI battles to run at a convention" Topic

So what do AWI gamers think are the best battles to run at wargame conventions?

Cowpens- Evenly matched sides with enough troops for about six players. Simple layout and terrain and a good mix of unit types.

Germantown would be fun.

I've run the Wyoming Massacre locally, but it's an acquired taste.

Cowpens is a good game but it is so small that I use 4 players in total. I stretched it to six once, but I like players to have 3-4 units to command in a game.

Guilford Court House is a very good game scenario and can accommodate more players.

Brandywine is good if you want a larger battle. Trenton is good too.

DAF:

The challenge I find with Guilford is that more than 2/3s of the American units aren't in the battle, at least for a couple of moves. I hate to have players standing around and waiting -- but I like the battle.

I've hosted Eutaw Springs several times. The players have enjoyed themselves. Being a retired teacher, they always get a little history lesson, too ;)
John

A number of those southern battles are big enough and small enough to provide excellent games without getting out of lhand size-wise.

Bunker Hill, pretty well balanced, nicely contained.

Chelsea Creek, fun running battle and cattle raid over various terrains and shifting tides literally changing the shape of the ground.

I hosted Hobkirk's Hill some years back. It was fun, with a lot of back and forth.

Cowpens.

I've had successful games of Guilford Court House, Monmouth, and Brandywine at Nashcon. All three present interesting tactical problems.

Joe Collins

" The challenge I find with Guilford is that more than 2/3s of the American units aren't in the battle, at least for a couple of moves. I hate to have players standing around and waiting -- but I like the battle. "

i agree Historygamer. So, my solution is to set up the battle on the table top a little differently. I did this at a convention years ago and it worked.

British player was told local loyalists suggest American troops seriously out number you. In front of you are American militia, and in far distance along a low ridge could be seen blue coated regulars. In between were heavy thick woods.

The table was set up using the entire 6' x 4' ground cloth depicting only the first line. The four American commanders included two militia commands of two battalions each and Washington's and Lee's commands on each flank. Once the British broke the American first line all players got a 15 minute break. During that time I removed all first line terrain and set up the table with the second line terrain and replaced the troops. surprise surprise when both sides returned! Once the British fought through the second line, I have them take another break and replaced the second line with the third line terrain.

This worked very well, and I think depicted the British issues with what they could see well. It replicated the British frustration in that each time they broke the American line It was replaced by another line of better qyality. It also have the American players plenty of troops to play with; and if your first troops ran away you got increasingly better replacements. It made additional work for the game master but that is to be expected.

Cool idea. :-)

Eutaw Springs and Hobkirks Hill. I have only a "southern" army but Bennington looks like it has the right features for a good convention game.

I ran Guilford Court House before and it turn out great. I would think Hubbardton would do well too.

Springfield