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I just bought this game. I bought it mainly as a filler game for when I'm waiting for PBEM turns in Uncommon Valor.

Because I bought it I suppose I should play it. Because there is not a lot of AAR's on this game for people to see what this game is about or even if it plays any good I will start this AAR. I`ll be finding out myself.

I do not know the history of this war and have only thumbed through the manual a few times. So you can laugh at my mistakes because I`m not sure what I`m supposed to be doing.

If I'm supposed to be attacking or defending and where I do not know because I don`t know the history.

So I`m starting really blind.

As it is 1775 though, I don`t have to worry about paratroops, carrier strikes and armored spearheads ruining my chances for victory in one or two turns before I learn the game...I think.

It's 1775 and a 6 year war so I think I'll be ¨OK¨ starting like this.

My settings are, realistic, with fog of war on.

edit- I`m using 1.75 patch.

June
Week One
1775
Around Boston

The Tea has been thrown overboard. Death to King George! We are not paying British Royals with the profits from our sweat and Labor.

Give me Justice!

Let`s Hang King George from the highest tree...and all this...stuff. [:D]

Well...I look around the board and I see the Americans have encircled a group of British soldiers in Boston. I also note it seems almost everyone likes the idea of revolting in the colonies. So this is good.

In Canada seems the people like King George. (Am I supposed to fight the American revolution in Canada? [:D])

Out west in the wild wilderness it seems the wild Indians like King George too.

So I´m thinking I defend what I got.

Looking at the Americans encircling the British at Boston. I leave them there but change some leaders.

I figure the British are profesional soldiers and the Americans not...but the Americans have fortifications

As well the good citizens of Boston do not like King George it seems. So no doubt they are not happy with British soldiers in their city so we have to try to liberate these people. [:D]

So I stay and bring up Arnold to reinforce the Americans there.

So here is turn one in the Boston area.

June
Week One
1775
West of Albany

Looking out west I see a lot of indian villages flying British flags, that`s really bad. I see west of Albany an American fort that might be in trouble. Just west and south of that fort is LOTS of indians loyal to the crown. I raise some militia and prepare to send them on their way.

Week one...west of Albany.

June
Week Two
1775

Seems the British recieved reinforcements by ship in Boston. They moved northwest and attacked Sullivan and won a Battle.

I was afraid the British soldiers were very profesional and the Americans not. I thought the fortifications would help beat the British but they were too good with too many cannons. At first the battle was going fine but then the Americans starting running away.

So I have Sullivan and his beaten army retreat north towards Portsmouth. I move over Morgan to join Washington because at Plymouth the British fleet came up and shelled him from their ships.

Out west Wayne and his militia move out of Albany towards Gansevoort.

Besides this militia group I have raised no other troops. Looks like I have plenty money and men though so that's good.

I want to wait and see what the British will try to do before calling up soldiers.

I did notice Sullivan losing that battle increased British score by 300 points! That's a lot I think. So I don´t want to lose too many battles.

I do keep Washington where he is because I think with as many cannons and men as he has now with fortifications he should be ¨OK¨ for the moment. Maybe I`m wrong. I might lose 2 battles in a row. However I don´t want the British to drive down into New York, etc. So he will stay where he is.

June
Week Three
1775
Around Boston

The war widens. A group of British calvary come out from Boston and go around the Americans and momentarily capture Providence. No zones of control in this game it seems. (I better look up how supply works)

I also noticed the calvary did not destroy the fortification when it rode through.

Grey returned to Boston. I thought he might follow Sullivan up to fight again.

Seeing this and the British in Boston...now with 86 cannon [X(] I thought it was a good time to leave.

Washington and company moved south and drove Rawdon south out of Providence killing 10 of his troopers in a minor skirmish.

Scott and Stirling are formed up with troops.

Noticing my cannon production is only three. I looked around and it seems I have only three cities capable of producing cannon. One being Springfield where I formed up Scott. I think I need all the cannon I can get so I better not let this city be captured.

June
Week Three
1775
West of Albany

I knew there were going to be indians out here. There are too many tribes in this area.

Here they are where I guessed they`d be. It is really slow for Wayne going through the wilderness. If Gansevoort will be able to hold out until Wayne gets there I don´t know.

I check the indians info but it tells me nothing as to the number of them or their leader. Could be 300, could be 3,000. No idea.

I´m thinking Wayne with his troops and 6 cannons should suffice. Indians don`t have cannons or use them as far as I know.

We´ll see.

June
Week Four
1775
Around Boston

Gage and the British come south out of Boston to attack Morgan. I did not give battle but simply retreated Morgan off the south edge of the board to join Washington and his army in Providence. Seems it still costed me 300 points though for a battle lost...[:(]

The British fleet then made another show shelling Washington and his Army.

Rawdon and his calvary rode around Washington and joined up with Gage north of Providence. Looks like then he got replaced, along with Murray. Those two are gone and two new British leaders in the area.

I brought Sullivan back down to threaten Boston. If this tactic will keep the British tied close to Boston don´t know. We´ll see.

I'm thinking this area might tie down into stalemate and that's fine with me for right now.

Ahhh...looks like Ferguson and Skinner were twins. They use the same face plate.

June
Week Four
1775
West of Albany

This is an area I think I might be able to do something in. The indians came up but did not attack. They must not be strong enough or they would have attacked my fort.

I`m thinking Wayne and his men might give a try at attacking that Mohawk indian village in the near future.

On a side note...I really like the large fonts size used in this game. Too many companies are going with the high resolution to get those pretty pictures but they are making their fonts SO SMALL...[X(] Very hard on the eyes but here no problem. I like the whole ¨Big¨ look to the game actually. Except for the jump map/strategic overview map. As a strategic overview map it`s useless. Too small.

July
Week One
1775
Around Boston

Two large battles are fought in the Boston area this turn. The first between British General Grey with...

5,139 men
62 cannon

against Washington with...

6,520 men
37 guns

The battle was fought in the town of Providence and very close right up to the end but the British won it.[:(]

The Casulties

British
732 men
12 cannon

Americans
1,032 men
5 cannon

So Washington retreats south. Meanwhile British calvary ride around and capture Plymouth & Newport.

The second battle happened north of Boston between British General Murray with...

2,880 men
28 cannon
with about 8,000+ militia it seemed.[X(]

against Sullivan with...

4,705 men
6 cannon

This battle was no contest and Sullivan was easily beaten. He was heavily outnumbered and his men seemed in really bad need of training. Some of his troops could only shoot one time a turn, I`ll have to look through the rule book on that.

Casulties....

British

152 men
6 cannon

American

265 men
6 cannon

So now I`m thinking I retreat. I don´t think there is a choice. I`m not strong enough to fight the British now. I did look at the rulebook after running Morgan off the board awhile back that costed me 300 points and a battle lost. Seems I can set the Armies to retreat. Hopefully that will set the American Armies to retreat and not fight a battle if attacked. Maybe I can avoid anymore 300 point battles lost when I don´t really want to fight. So the American Armies are going to be set to retreat.

July
Week One
1775
Around Boston

July
Week One
1775
West of Albany
(In the Mohawk river Valley)

I was thinking Gansevoort and his little fort might hold out until Wayne arrived but it wasn´t meant to be. About 1,000 indians stormed the fort and won easy. I think Waynes going to wip them though. Still have my eyes on that Mohawk Village.

July
Week One
1775
West of Albany
(In the Mohawk river Valley)

Wayne has the men to beat what I saw of the indians.

I love the little bubbles on the screenshots. "I hate white invaders"[:D]

The rulebook does say most American troops will need LOTS of training before they have any hope of standing up to the Redcoats.

Reminds me of Mel Gibson shaking his head in "The Patriot." And me waiting for Heath Ledger to die, die DIE already.

July
Week One
1775
(National Zeal 61)

After registering 4 battles lost in 5 weeks and looking like we all will be hung for treason against the crown soon...some are jumping off ship and into the lifeboats....men are deserting the revolutionary army.

Game Design Note

After getting a glimpse of the indian chief I´m fighting I noticed his name was ¨Thayendaga¨

I thought this was just some Bullsh!t name Hussar Games invented but Noooooo....did a quick search and here he is. [:D]

Here is how I fight the Brits. You can't fight them early with militia.
Build as many regulars and train them to the max (60). I usually build 2 infantry and 1 artillery at a time with a general who has the Trainer trait. Put them far from New England at the start. Good spots are Philly, Baltimore and farther South. Use influence to buy weapons and artillery when they beocmoe available. Once they are trained begin to assembly an army under 3-4 good Generals.
If you fight tactical battles take your army (it should be larger than the British army you are fighting) and attack whenever it looks like you can get at least a draw. Get your supply, morale and effectivness as high as possible before the fight (using influence can help a lot). The goal is to whittle down the British unit strength, morale and effectivness. Try to get the Brits out of supply before you attack OR try to bait them into attacking in winter months. If you can attack the same army turn after tun with one or more 'fresh' armies they will collapse and you will begin to see British unit surrender after the battle.
Try to garrison every city with dual loyalties or they may switch on you, NY can be a particularly painful city to lose this way. The British WILL invade in the South or Mid-Atlantic so make sure you build some forces there to at least contain their advances until you can assemble an army to oppose them.
It's not easy to beat the British early, expect to lose almost every fight in the first year. Don't worry to much about the VP's as you can gain them back later once your army is large and experianced.
Good luck.

July
Week Two
1775
Around Boston

Clinton comes north and attacks Sullivans beaten and battered army. Another British Victory.

Washington retreats south.

July
Week Two
1775
Around Boston

So says the rulebook...

Training – If the experience level of an army is below 60, this stance will be available, and will increase the experience of the unit by 1 per week it remains in this stance.

Experience – firepower and melee strength of units in the army, which is proportional to its experience. Experienced units also have a lesser chance to get routed.

Washington,s army has neither good training or rest. So he runs...and Sullivan is in even worse condition.

More men deserted the Army this week.

July
Week Two
1775
In the Mohawk river Valley

Not all bad news this week though. Wayne did meet up with those Indians and beat them in battle.

July
Week Two
1775
In the Mohawk river Valley

Plans are for Wayne to keep driving and capture that Mohawk village.

I have noticed in this game if your men are not well trained and rested, you don´t have anything. Unit quality seems VERY important, not numbers.