Regular readers of my blog (thanks, Mom) know that I teach an elective in Military History to high school seniors at Germantown Academy. Our School is over 250 years old, and before it came out to the Philadelphia suburbs, ir was situated right in the heart of Germantown. The schoolhouse bore witness to the battle in 1777, serving as a barracks and then a hospital for British troops. Thus, there are sentimental reasons why I choose to recreate the battle each year as the students apply what they learned from Clausewitz and Sun Tzu on the field of battle. Given the importance of terrain, weather, command, and morale, it's a good teaching battle for other reasons as well.
This year we're fighting with my 15mm AWI armies and using the Black Powder rules more or less as written (I simplified them last year but didn't really see the need to continue to do so).
A view of the battlefield looking east. The Pennsylvania militia are trying to pin down the Hessians in the foreground on the British left. Unfortunately, their advance mirrored that of their historical counterparts, and botched command rolls left their attack fizzling. meanwhile, the Hessians redeployed to meet Stepehn's column (I let the Contental reserve choose to come in at an entry point of their choice--they will arrive next turn in the center of the board on the left of the photo), ignoring the militia. Insult to injury! They're even blocked from using their long-range rifles!
This is the scene on the east end of the battlefield after the first turn. Washington's and Greene's columns surrounded the Chew House in the upper right, but the 40th Light Foot held out just as valiantly as their historical forbears did. The anxious garrison in Gernmantown marched forward to make the Continental rebels pay, but did they leavve themselves vulnerable by this Sickles-esque maneuver?
The British commanders. From the left are Cornwallis, Howe, Grant, and Knyphausen.
And here are the Continental commanders. From the left are Armstrong, Stephen (Command rating of 6! Her quote: "Great. I'm the drunk. Woo."), Washington (seated), and Greene. They're doing their best to look badass. Keep trying, guys.
Now they're more relaxed, having driven the British from the Chew House and hammered the exposed British brigade. Sadly, a perfectly-lined flank shot did not yield a single casualty, and the Brits may live to shake the hands of Grant's column, who is taking their damn time to relieve them.
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