Analysis of the Initial Force Composition
Let’s see the lay of the land at the commencement of the Full Campaign. A quick glance at the map below shows that Boston is, quite rightly, the centre of attention.
Holed up inside the city is General Thomas Gage with 13 regular regiments of redcoats, a couple each of elite Light Infantry and Grenadiers, half a dozen artillery batteries and 3 additional Heavy artillery batteries. The entire army is experienced (av. 69%), in good spirits (morale av. 68%) and ready for action (readiness av. 76%). All in all a formidable force.
On the other hand General Gage is a typical spiteful, well connected British toff with no particular expertise other than that which he learned in Siege school. Boston, luckily, isn’t fortified.
Surrounding Boston are three American armies, all solidly entrenched. To the west is the infamous New Englander, General Artemas Ward, a rolled-gold military dud, with almost 5,000 men, mostly Continental infantry with a sprinkling of militia and several artillery batteries. To the south is General Charles Lee, barely competent, and leading 4,000 men, all northern Continental infantry from Connecticut or Massachusetts plus another couple of artillery batteries.
Finally to the east is General Israel Putnam, a man capable at defending but liable to go AWOL if asked to attack. He has a further 3,200 men, mainly Continentals from New Hampshire and Rhode Island plus the obligatory two artillery batteries.
Lurking nearby at Providence is General George Washington, a shining beacon of military prowess (perhaps not historically justified but nice to have anyway), with 2 batteries of heavy artillery and a single regiment of well trained Continental Riflemen. Unfortunately all three American armies encircling Boston are full to the brim with poorly trained (av. Experience 49%) troops that have yet to be blooded.
All three of the commanders around Boston are politically connected and difficult to replace (Influential trait). To add to the joy General Lee can’t stand being in the same tent as the other two (Jealous trait) and is showing every sign of doing things his way in his own time, thank you very much. Overall it’s not a good look for the Americans.
Somewhat further south at Norwich is Benedict Arnold with one regiment of militia and one of well trained riflemen. Typically both of our best Generals – Washington and Arnold – have been given command of small, largely irrelevant forces while the politically appointed duds have been given the bulk of the Continental forces.
Additionally convoys are en-route and Boston is due to be reinforced on turn two (2nd week) by 2,000 additional redcoats, 300 Dragoons and significant amounts of artillery. Even worse another convoy is expected to make Boston harbour by turn five with a further 1,400 redcoats (a mix of bog standard infantry and elite troops) and a little extra artillery. Both convoys are shipping experienced troops from Mother England. Troops that are buoyed up and ready to fight from the get go.
So within a month and half Boston will be bulging at the gills with over 10,000 professional, well trained troops supported by almost 100 artillery pieces. Not good.
Some difficult initial decisions clearly have to be made for the New England theatre of operations but let’s leave them for the moment and look at the rest of the colonies.
We have three separate armies, all tiny, holding down the approaches from Canada that lead through the upper Hudson.
Fort Triconderoga is garrisoned by Colonel Ethan Allen with a sole regiment of New York Militia and enough artillery batteries to take over the known world. Even the Canadian Geese put a kink in their migration path to avoid overflying ‘cannonball central’.
Fortified on the other bank of the Hudson is Brigadier Seth Warner and his Green Mountain Boys (1 x regiment of riflemen), arguably the best American troops currently in the field.
Further south, at Albany on the junction of the Hudson and the Mohawk rivers is General Richard Montgomery with two regiments of militia and one of riflemen (Whitecombs Rangers).
Sixty miles to the West, fortified overlooking the Mohawk river is Colonel Peter Gansevoort with a single regiment of New York militia and one heavy artillery battery.
There is significant military talent and expertise here in the upper Hudson region. Most of the above mentioned commanders and troops are ideal guerrilla ‘hit-and-run’ operators and I’ll be looking for a way to unlock their potential as quickly as possible.
In a rough arc to the north west are various British outposts, none of which pose any immediate threat. Comfortably ensconced in Quebec is Colonel John Small with a regiment of Canadian militia backed up by one regiment of professional redcoats and supported by a sprinkling of heavy artillery.
General Guy Carelton similarly sips wine and Madeira in Montreal with a like force. Neither gentleman has displayed any inclination to co-operate on anything other than an tendency towards expensive mistresses and are not expected to leave the comforts of their well feathered nests.
Out in the wilds of the woods is the dismal and depressing Colonel Guy Johnson at Fort Niagra with a regiment of redcoats and several batteries of artillery. Bottled up at the northern end of Lake Champlain at Fort St John is Colonel Alured Clarke, a one man military dynamo, with a similar outpost garrison.
Lying doggo at Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario is Colonel William Buttler, another dangerous man in a fight. Dangerous only when leading an army and not the understrength single regiment of Canadian Militia he has to play with.
Colonel Samuel Bayard at Fort Frontenac, where the Saint Lawerence river enters Lake Ontario is a further competent commander with only a handful of Canuk Militia to his name.
In summary the upper Hudson frontier region is a stalemate with neither side currently strong enough to undertake offensive operations. This could easily change, however, if the British activate their Indian allies as a total of 8 separate tribes, including the Huron, Mohawk, Iroquois and the fearsome Seneca are within striking distance.
The Southern Colonies are barely involved. The British have 500 men (including the East Florida Rangers) garrisoned at St. Augustine under the extremely capable Brigadier Augustine (aptly named and placed!) Prevost.
Our nearest force is at Charlestown where there are three South Carolina Regiments of Continentals under the leadership of the Psychotic Colonel Thomas Sumter. Whatever they’ve been up to recently it hasn’t been in any military manual as their readiness is down around 30%. Probably all raving drunk after a hanging party.
Way out in the boondogs is Colonel David Brodhead and some Pennsylvannia Militia at Fort Pitt on the junction of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers. About the only thing they can expect to see out there are bears, bats and Indians. Have fun boys.
Another man who drew the short straw is Brigadier John Thomas at Fort Western on the upper reaches of the Kennebec River in the back blocks of Maine. Apparently his political connections went sour as his only company in this lonely outpost are a couple of rusty cannons, Cecil and Cyril. Boom boom. Too much of that can send a man mad.
Cheers,
Lancer
