AWI Campaigning: Seven Lessons

Thought I would kick off a series of articles on AWI campaigns with my usual incoherent ramblings on what I want to achieve. The bottom line is, of course, that I am doing this safe in the knowledge that it’s unlikely to happen, but I enjoy planning more than playing and if others take something useful away from it, then it’s not time wasted.

I have always thought the best way to go about the AWI is through a campaign. I have seen rules that massively distort troop quality to give the US a chance in a one-off action: but that’s not the way it worked. Although it is a gross simplification, the British are more likely to win the battles; the US just has to ensure they live to fight another day. A constant British walkover is no fun, either. Both sides need to have an equal chance of joy and frustration to give it the ‘feel’ of the AWI: without the ‘fight, get beat, rise and fight again’ element it’s just another horse and musket game with different hats.

My first attempt at campaigning was at the very beginning of my AWI adventure. I was with the Staines club and me & a chap called Bob McQueen found a mutual interest in the war and decided to give it a go. By quirk of fate, Wargames Illustrated appeared and published Andy Callan’s ‘Loose Files’ rules, which we took to after a faltering start (I’ve been wedded to them ever since...). We played a number of games based on the S&T Colonies in Revolt game. It worked for a while, but collapsed under the weight of the map rules.

Lesson 1: campaign rules need to be simple!

I moved on from Staines and it was a few years before I had another crack. Armed with a variety of map games, I finally settled on Columbia Games’ Liberty as offering me the simplest backdrop. What is more, the hex map is attractive, a nice size and provides enough detail to work out tabletop terrain. The rules were simple so I modified them a bit into my own set called Howe’s About That Then. A few games later, I learned more lessons:

Lesson 2: campaign rules need to be even more simple!
Lesson 3: play with people who want to ‘play the game’ and not be a Class 1 Dick.
Lesson 4: smaller actions are more fun than covering the table with troops.

The final few stages of the campaign consisted of me playing the map moves solo with smaller armies using Howe’s About as a guide. I kept the group playing the same sides and allowed a limited strategic choice at the end of a game. More battles were played that way and there was a conclusion which left intriguing possibilities for 1777. The group then broke up, so it was left hanging appropriately enough in the year of the hangman.*

Lesson 5: play the map game solo.
Lesson 6: allow other people in for the tabletop action, but keep them on the same side throughout. Give them limited influence over strategy post-battle (stand, retreat, etc) to maintain the pretence they are anything other than your playthings.
Lesson 7: campaign rules are for the guidance of wise men...

So nothing really out of the ordinary, but so armed I can embark on a campaign with clear ideas on what works from the start.

The Liberty Map

*If you are interested...

Howe landed on Long Island and Washington immediately retreated to New Brunswick. A bloody, but inconsequential battle followed but Washington spent most of his time avoiding any further engagement. That pretty much settled the north for that year, as neither side was able to land a knockout blow on the other. Howe bored with ‘playing Bo-peep’ and began to look for a way of stretching Washington’s army.

Meanwhile in Florida, Prevost had gathered a small force of regulars and loyalist Rangers. Advancing into Georgia, he defeated a gathering of militia and took Savannah. Sensing a weakness, Howe sent a force south under Cornwallis, hoping to draw Washington away from New York. A small force of Continentals under Robert Howe attempted to besiege Savannah but was chased west by Prevost to Ninety Six. This drew the British away from Charleston, which allowed Lincoln to raise reinforcements in time for Cornwallis’ arrival. In a controversial decision, Lincoln abandoned Charleston, leaving a rearguard at Georgetown to delay Cornwallis. This worked, but destroyed the South Carolina militia in the process. Coupled with the loss of Charleston, support for Congress collapsed and South Carolina fell easily to Cornwallis. Lincoln was replaced by Robert Howe, who, after an inconclusive action at Ninety Six, successfully avoided Prevost to join up with Lincoln at Wilmington. On the positive side, Washington now had a capable commander (in Jefworld!) with a substantial force blocking Cornwallis.