Raid on Ft. Sandusky

John & I ran through this scenario again prior to running it at ATC.  It is heavily based on a British Raid from Lake Erie (via Sandusky Bay) on a French occupied frontier fort.  Most of the records for Ft. Sandusky are vague.  We do know that there was a fort near the mouth of Cold Creek and that the British occupied it up to the American War of Independence.  There are a few suggestions that the French actually built it (I'm not sure on this) prior to the F&IW.  So with that assumption John crafted a great "what if" scenario for his new F&IW skirmish rules.  He is running it at Advance the Colors this month.  Basically, a small French force occupies the fort while outside the fort they are trying to 'convince' several local Ohio indian tribes to join them. The British arrive via the lake.  Some are already on land while the ship need to land others to join the raid.  Victory points are for the small outlying cabins/homesteads along with the indian villages and of course the fort itself. 

Here a Jesuit Priest tries to 'persuade' war chiefs to join in the fight.

Three out of four war bands raise the tomahawk to join the French by the end of turn two.  The fourth war band decides to leave for home. 

 

Wyandot Indians advance down a path.

 

Homesteaders prepare to defend themselves by joining the French militia.

Ugh... Redcoats advance.

British grenadiers come ashore via a landing boat. Notice the swivel gun on the bow!

Another war band moving up through a field.

A good look at Fort Sandusky.  There is one small cannon firing out of the far side's gun port. Doesn't look like many French marines inside!

British rangers heading south towards the fort.

A British squad is welcomed by the French!

The grenadiers land at a beach site on Cold Creek and are greeted by some French trappers!

 

British allied Iroquois is line up behind a hedge.  One of them is wounded (red marker).

Delaware reinforcements join the French.

A small band of Wyandot Indians try to slow down the advancing Brits.

The British and their allies start to 'stage' for an assault.

Marshy ground.  Best to stay on the path!

Ohh... the French trappers make the grenadiers pay for that out building!

British lights start to cross a ford in Cold Creek.

Well the first cabin is cleared and ready to burn...

Some Royal Navy lads that just couldn't wait on the boats any longer.

By turn 4 heavy fighting starts to break out East of Cold Creek.

The small bands of Wyandot Indians start to feel really pressed.

They fire and fall back but they are starting to run out of room.

Delaware war bands spread to both sides of the creek.  A much needed war band shows up from upstream via canoes.

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Turn six a firefight breaks out of the far West side of the creek.  The British are trying to take another out building but the Indians are not having it!

This is the building that the Wyandots are trying to defend.

The fighting East of the creek is becoming bloody.

A melee breaks out when the Iroquois charge the Wyandots.  The Iroquois are successful but they really pay for the victory. 

The British get to the cabin first and occupy it.  They do suffer quite a few wounds though.  The Wyandots keep up a steady fire on the windows.

East of creek the Delaware start to get into the action while the Brits press forward.

A reserve band of Delaware form up to defend their village.

Some Delaware and British exchange shots across Cold Creek.

 

 

After ten turns we decided to call it quits for the game.  This scenario is designed for 4 to 6 players so it is really too much for two players to handle.  We ran it to the point where we agreed that the British would gain a victory.  They burned one of the out buildings and occupied another, blasted a hole in the fort (see the picture above) from the ships cannon, and really pressed the French & Indians back upon the fort and their villages.  This is a great scenario and hopefully is included in the rule book as such.  I am confident that players will enjoy at Advance the Colors (Sept. 20-22 in Springfield, Ohio).