Loose Files again

Another game of Loose Files last night. I wasn't sure how many of us would actually be there due to work commitments and as it turned out the other three lads hadn't played before, so I there down some balanced terrain and figures and off we went.

This time we had both guns and cavalry meaning that over the course of all the gimmes I've played recently I've had a chance to try all the troop types and work out how best to use them. Loose Files is a small scale set of rules at a ratio of 1:10, so not a lot cavalry or guns are need, if any. 

 

This being very much an ad hoc type game there was no scenario and a lack of cover for the continentals meant that eventually the British prevailed.  Decent shots from the American artillery and rifles took and early toll on the British left, but the redcoats were able to redress their ranks when the run of decent dice throws tailed off. On the right the light infantry and a few "hat" companies took on militia in a firefight. Again it went better for the Americans to begin with until the British got fed up and went in with the bayonet. The first line of militia broke and ran. But there was a second unit and by now some continental light dragons which shored up that flank, so the lights retired and the Americans got a breather. 

 

Back on the left the British had by now recovered and charged the disordered riflemen and the large unit of continental line. The riflemen were swiftly ejected from their swampy cover and routed, but the continentals fought off the British and drove them back. Huzzah!

 

However the right flank had been thrown open by the whittling down of the second militia. Another bayonet charge and they were driven off. 

With their flank torn open there was little the Americans could do but retire and as it was by now 10pm it was a handy time to call it quits.

 

All in all a nice wee game. The rules force you to think ahead and don't give you freedom to do as you please. So they are quite challenging. However without a scenario which gives plenty cover to the militia i think it would seldom end up as a fair, balanced, fight. Next time we play we plan on having a CinC player for each side with a number of ADC's to relay messages. The other players would take control of the units but would have to enact the CinC's orders. Should be fun!