War of 1812 Reception and New Orleans Game

This past weekend was the War of 1812 Reception at Indiana University's rare books collection, the Lilly Library. My friend, Jim, and I presented our Battle of New Orleans game as part of it.



The Lilly is a little swankier than where we normally play with food and drink available at the reception.

 

 

 Friday evening's game was the historical set up with an historical result. The players and spectators were quite impressed with the terrain and figures.
On Saturday morning we played the game again, with free set up for both sides. The Americans reversed their line, putting Jackson's "Brigade" on their left, next to the cypress swamp, correcting anticipating that the British would make their main assault there.
The British set up their artillery in front of their infantry lines and bombarded the American line before launching their attack. This allowed them to create a few holes in the American line which required Jackson to commit part of his reserve. The British attack on the US right was a pinning move which worked very well. Two British brigades hit Jackson's left flank and exhausted that command. The American artillery exhausted the British artillery, but it continued to support the attack as best it could. The British crossed the canal and threw back the US left flank. On the other end of the line, the Americans annihilated the British facing them and started to move units toward the threatened flank. Due to scheduling at the Library, we had to stop at noon. On the last turn of the game, the 44th US charged the closest British unit and routed it, sending it back and causing disorder and routs in it's path.
The game ended with the issue still in doubt. One US command was almost gone, another was exhausted and the third was still able to fight.
The British has suffered one command eliminated, another one loss from being exhausted and the last one still in the fight. We will fight this again with plenty of time and see what happens. 

Battle of New Orleans OOB

Next year is not only the bicentennial of Smolensk and Borodino, but also of the last declared war between the US and Britain. Here in Bloomington, on the campus of Indiana University is the Lilly Library. It has a large collection of documents and manuscripts from the War of 1812 and they are planning a celebration. As part of it, my friend, Jim, and I will be running some demo games. One of them will be the Battle of New Orleans.
We will use Volley and Bayonet at a reduced scale for the battle. Jim is painting most of the figures and I am responsible for the OOB. Here is the first take. Each strength point is equal to 100 men or two guns.
I've rated the British 7th and 43rd Foot as morale 6. Packingham planned to use these two regiments to maintain order in New Orleans after it's capture. The Highlanders are also rated morale 6.
For the Americans, Jackson is both Army Commander and Division Commander. The militia units are not rated as militia, merely Poorly Trained. By this point in the campaign, the Americans are very confident, believing they have already beaten the British twice. Due to their training, Plauche's Uniformed Militia retain M4, but are not considered Poorly Trained.

British Army

Pakenham AC

1st Brigade, Reserve, Lambert DC Exhaustion 16

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

14th Light Dragoons, dismounted M5 OOO
7th Foot, Left Wind M6 OOOOO
7th Foot, Right Wing M6 OOOO
43rd Foot, Left Wing M6 OOOOO
43rd Foot, Right Wing M6 OOOOO
5th West India, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
5th West India, Right Wing M5 OOOO

2nd Brigade, Right Wing, Gibbs DC Exhaustion 17

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

4th Foot Light Co, M5 SK O
21st Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
44th Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
5th West India Light Co M6 SK O
95th Foot, 1st Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 2nd Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 3rd Detachment M6 SK O
4th Foot, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
4th Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOO
21st Foot, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
21st Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOO
44th Foot, Left Wing M5 OOOOO
44th Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOO

3rd Brigade, Left Wing, Keane DC Exhaustion 14

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

7th Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
43rd Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
93rd Foot Light Co, M6 SK O
95th Foot, 1st Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 2nd Detachment M6 SK O
95th Foot, 3rd Detachment M6 SK O
93rd Foot, Left Wing M6 OOOOOO
93rd Foot, Right Wing M6 OOOOO
1st West India Foot, Let Wing M5 OOOOOO
1st West India Foot, Right Wing M5 OOOOO


Artillery Reserve Dickson DC Exhaustion 10
OOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOO

Carmichael's Battery 2 9 pdrs, 4 6 pdrs
M6 OO Field
M6 OO Field
M6 OO Field

Crawley's Rocket Battery
M6 OO Rocket
M6 OO Rocket
M6 OO Rocket

Naval Battery
M6 OO Heavy
M6 OO Heavy
M6 OO Heavy







Americans

Jackson AC Exhaustion 11

OOOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOOO

7th US M5 OOOO
Plauche's Uniformed Militia M4 OOO
Lacoste's Free Men of Color M4 PT OOO
Redoubt Battery M5 OO Field
Battery 1 M5 OO Heavy
Battery 3 M5 OO Heavy
Hind's MS Mounted Riflemen M4 Light OO
Ogden's Troop, 1st US Dragoons M5 SK O
Harrison's Bn, KY Militia M4 PT OOO


Caroll DC Exhaustion 10

OOOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOOO

Daquin's Free Men of Color M4 PT OO
44th US M5 OOOO
Caroll's TN Riflemen Left Wing M4 PT OOOOO
Caroll's TN Riflemen Right Wing M4 PT OOOOO
Battery 4 M5 OO Heavy
Battery 5 M5 OO Field



Coffee DC Exhaustion 9

OOOOOOOOO/OOOOOOOOO

Coffee's TN Riflemen Left Wing M4 PT OOOO
Coffee's TN Riflemen Right Wing M4 PT OOO
Adair's KY Riflemen Left Wing M4 PT OOOO
Adair's KY Riflemen Right Wing M4 PT OOO
Battery 6 M5 OO Heavy
Battery 7 M5 OO Field