Land of the Free: Playtest #2

In another of my “blog posts I really should have done a few weeks ago” series, is an action that Eric and I had done back in November using the Land of the Free rules. Just our second game but we’d both at least read the rules at this point and were ready to give it a shot in our usual “find the corner cases” that our group tends to be really good at doing.

In this scenario, we did a sort of seven years war action where I was fielding my French, Indians and some stand in as French Prussians versus Eric British forces. We each fielded a couple of “large”, mostly “medium” and then 2 field pieces each as “small” formations.

As last game, my command was fairly below average, tho I had one commander above average. I put him on my right flanks and my over all poor command and my other poor commander to cover portion of the middle as well as the right flank shown here. I figured with the reduced open area the two of them could cover whatever Eric might throw this way should he push here.

Here you can see the cannon covering the road and my right flank marching up to form line of battle.

Here you can see the left flank starting to deploy. My largest unit under my best commander with Indians holding the middle and a cannon here to help anchor. I figured I’d send my biggest unit and middle sized group of regulars, my best command on the left flank, engage and hope I could turn the flank while the rest looked to anchor.

During about turn 3 the opportunity presented itself so I pushed these guys out a bit to move up and fire away. Eric and I were using the game mechanic to try and push a men and get in an extra order from time to time. Fail and take a disorder, success and sometimes you’d get another volley off.

For this day, Eric’s artillery was just causing enough little pain that I thought ok to risk it and push a formation forward when the opportunity presented as their target looked like they were getting ready to come up and charge.

Meanwhile in the middle, the Indians took up position behind the fence. If ever there was a force that should dominate in hand it hand, it should be these guys. They don’t shoot well given they are always in open order skirmish line but you’d think in fist to cuffs should do more than fine… least so I thought.

From my left flank, there’s where I needed to start. With with the unit in front of the building in theory getting harassed and kept from pressing against the Indians, wouldn’t be long to see if my plan would work.

Eric wheeled and bit signally he would go after my left flank. I pulled the Indians forward and if the fence hadn’t been in the way could have charged into contact. As it were they were basically stuck right there optimistic of their changes in the next turn…

As fate would have it, I would lose on the initiative roll. So Eric was able to attack first against the Indians, to which they basically dropped back and were not very interested in keeping up the fight for their allies.

On my left flank I would win one and cause one of Eric’s units to falter and run. On the other hand, Eric would through a series of two charges cause my largest unit to run and the medium unit to crack.

With the 3 units in succession gone or in deep hurting, my flank turned that was the game.

For a second play test, it went well. Less looking things up and all in all we liked how it flowed. It wasn’t a huge game and with just the two of us we made it work. Command is pretty huge in this game, as it should be for the period. One can try and make the best with poor command. My right flank seemed to prove that out.

We haven’t played with Cav yet but they largely didn’t exist in North America so really they don’t belong on table until perhaps a War of 1812 game.

Artillery can be pretty powerful in the game. I think maybe too powerful. The mechanics are fine, it’s just too easy to reduce a unit with artillery if the artillery unit is larger than small. The rules are otherwise fine.

The variations they give you to have grenadiers or indians, and so on add flavor and also seem to work well.

All in all, for a battle scale that fits the Americas where it’s just a level or two above skirmish this really seems like the rule set to play.