Trying out "Live Free or Die" - First 6 Moves

 

I've had some reservations about using these rules. They are very simple, being only four pages long, but from the games shown on the Littlewars TV YouTube videos, they seem to move quite quickly.

This test game moves the rules forward from the AWI to 1812 and pits one US Regular and one US militia brigade against a similar British/Canadian force. The Americans are driving up the Niagara peninsula and have to drive the opposition off the hill to their front.

The photos are from the end of move 6.  Dave (The Northumbrian Wargamer) is leading the forces of evil and I've got His Majesty's loyal British North American forces.

Both sides started with their regular brigades on the table, then diced at the end of each move to see if their militia brigades arrived the next turn - the US militia arrived a couple of turns before the Canadians

So far the Americans have driven one British regular battalion back behind the house on the hill, and one of their militia battalions has advanced through the woods on their right and is delaying the deployment of the Canadian Militia.

I'm quite impressed so far with how the rules work. We've made the following three additions so far:

1. There is a ZOC of 6” around all units (musket range) which cannot be entered by an enemy without declaring a charge.

2.  Units reduced to 1 Stand become skirmishers.

3. Brigade Morale Test: If a brigade loses a unit, it must take a morale test at the end of the relevant firing or melee phase at an average of the brigade’s ratings rounded down. One dice is lost for each unit lost from the brigade during the game, with a minimum of 1 dice being thrown.

There are some more amendments by a David Tuck of the rules' Facebook group which I'll probably try some time in the future. He also created the command cards shown on the orbats below.

Test Game Order Of Battle

  General Sir Phineas Riall                                    1 Leader

1^st Brigade

2 Line Infantry Battalions                                     2^nd Class                                                        5 Bases

1 Line Infantry Battalion                                       2^nd Class                                                        3 Bases

Canadian Voltigeurs                                              2^nd Class           Skirmish                               3 Bases

 

Militia Brigade

2 Militia Battalions                                               3^rd Class                                                         3 Bases

  

 Major Jacob Brown                                              1 Leader

1^st Brigade

2 Line Infantry Battalions                                     2^nd Class                                                        5 Bases

1 Line Infantry Battalion                                       2^nd Class                                                        3 Bases

Rifle Regiment                                                      2^nd Class           Skirmish, Rifles                   3 Bases

 

2^nd Brigade

1Militia Battalion                                                      3^rd Class                                                    3 Bases

1 Militia Battalion                                                     3^rd Class             May Skirmish                3 Bases

1 Militia Battalion                                                     3^rd Class                                                    4 Bases