Saturday 27 February 2016

The Battle of Queenston Heights

The Battle of Queenston Heights; October 13th, 1812

The most well known painting of the battle shows all troop movements at once. 

An accurate depiction of the attack up the heights when Brock was shot.  The soldiers have the wrong shakos however. They should have stovepipe shakos. 


A view from the heights showing how it would have looked at the time. Queenston would be just out of sight to the lower left. The American side of the river is on the right. 


A map from "The Call to Arms" showing the repeated attacks of the natives. 

A second map showing Sheaffe's attack while militia and natives attack the flanks. 

1 Man = 5    1 Cannon = 1

The Battle of Queenston Heights

Stage 1; American Forces land at Queenston and push back the small groups of defenders. They capture the heights and the 2 British guns but spike the cannons.   
Stage 2; In the darkness, General Brock attempts to frontally attack the much larger force. He is killed and the British retreat.
Stage 3; Brock's Aide McDonnell attempts to take the heights a second time and is also killed. 

*This scenario starts here.
Stage 4; Norton leads his 160 Mohawks in a route around the flank of the Americans. When the natives hear of the British retreat half leave the battle. A group of 80 to 100 natives engage the Americans. Lt.Col.Winfield Scott attempts to drive them off but they just evade and continue to harass the Americans from the tree line for several hours. In addition, two 6 pounders are positioned at Vrooman's point and begin firing at the Americans boats. Hearing the yells of the natives just across the river, and under fire from the guns, all remaining American troops (mostly militia) refuse to cross for the rest of the battle.
Stage 5; General Sheaffe arrives in force. He sends his militia and 3 cannons to drive the Americans out of Queenston. He circles around with his regulars and two 3 pounders to the rear of the American position. He then awaits more troops from Fort Chippewa. When they attack, the entire American army routs, is killed, or captured.

British / Canadian Scenario Rules

Victory Conditions; The British have to occupy the heights. No unbroken American units can be on the heights. 

1. British Infantry Shooting in Line Bonus; British / Canadian infantry get +1 to shooting rolls when in line. Militia and Indians do not get this bonus.


Total British Forces
General Isaac Brock *Killed in Action
Major General Sheaffe (Average)

Mohawks *Independent Unit
John Norton (Excellent)

Grand River Mohawks (100 men) x21 (Enthusiastic Conscripts)

Classed as an open order horde

Move up to half and fire

Can change direction freely

Cannot be unformed (they are already)

Move normally through difficult terrain

Can only charge the front of close order units if they are unformed or faltering

-2 open order modifier

May evade as skirmishers

Ignore brigade morale

If routed immediately disperse

0 Open order melee modifier

Fire as conscripts (-2_with just the front rank of figures

May deploy entirely as skirmishers; 2nd Rate Skirmishers (Roll 2D6 per 8 figures)



Upper Canada Militia *Start at Vrooman's Point
Major Thomas Merritt (Average)

5th Lincoln Flank Co. (80 men) x30 (Second Line)
2nd York Flank Co. (40 men)
Raunchy's Coloured Corps (38 men) 
-1 morale

1st and 4th Lincoln, plus 1st York (150 men) x30 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-1 firing modifier

2nd York Militia (40 men) x21 (Conscript)
3rd Lincoln Militia (30 men)
Merritt's Niagara Light Dragoons (25 men) 
*Fought dismounted
-1 morale
-1 melee
-1 firing modifier

Royal Artillery Holcroft's 2 6 Pounders, 1 Howitzer (Veteran)
*advances to the landing
+1 morale


Regulars 
Regulars (Average Command)

49th (Hertfordshire) Foot (184 men) x36 (Veteran)
Grenadier and Light Cos.

+1 morale

Can refuse a flank

+1 to shooting in line

*Up to half this formation can skirmish 


41st (The Welsh) Foot (234 men) x48 (Line)
3 Cos.

+1 to shooting in line


Artillery
Crowther's 2 3 Pounders x2 Cannons (Veteran)
+1 morale


Forces From Fort Chippewa; Arrive at the Heights at 2:00 PM
Captain Richard Bullock, 41st (Average)

41st Foot (156 men) x30 (Line)
2 cos.

+1 to shooting in line



Militia (100 men) x18
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier


American Scenario Rules


Victory Conditions; The Americans have to keep the British from capturing the heights.


1. Linear Tactics; Whole brigades have to have the same formation except to go around terrain and other units.

 

2. Buck and Ball; American Regulars used “Buck and Ball”; a round shot with 3 buck shots, they get +1 to hit at close range. 

 

3. Ammunition Problems; American troops carried less ammunition than their British counter parts, and had logistical problems becoming resupplied during battles. Any American infantry unit which rolls a double one for their shooting roll in any turn but their first turn is at half ammunition (inflicts half casualties). A unit will be at full ammunition that does not move or fire for one turn. 


4. Reinforcements; The Americans had thousands of troops that refused to cross the river. They roll 2 dice each turn to see if more milita have crossed. New reinforcements arrive at Queenston. If there are British troops within 8 inches of the landing at Queenston reinforcements arrive at the foot of the bluff instead.


Roll 2 D6s at the end of each turn to see if more reinforcements have landed.

12; Unbroken Indians AND cannons deployed in Queenston. 


10+; Unbroken Indians OR cannons deployed in Queenston. 


7+; No unbroken Indians AND no cannons deployed in Queenston. 


On a Successful Roll;

D6 models arrive (rounded up to the nearest base).They join an existing unit of militia. If there are enough bases, a new unit of militia can be formed. For example; Rolling 1,2,3 would be 3 or 4 models. 4,5,6 would be 6 or 8 models.


American Forces
Overall Command; Brigadier General Wadworth (Poor)

Regulars 
(Average Command)

6th (100 men) x24 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

13th (130 men) x24 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

13th (130 men) x24 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

26th (215 men) x40 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

Captain Gibson's Light Artillery 1 6 Pounder (2nd Line)

-1 morale



Artillerymen (Fighting as Infantry)
Lt.Col.Winfield Scott

2nd Artillery (100 men) x24 (2nd Line)
Light Artillery (25 men)

-1 morale

Round down half casualties (at long range only)


3rd Artillery (100 men) x24 (2nd Line)
Light Artillery (35 men)

-1 morale

Round down half casualties (at long range only)


NY Militia
Average Command

16th NY Militia (200 men) x36 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

17th NY Militia (140 men) x30 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

18th NY Militia (200 men) x36 (Conscript)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier

20th NY Militia (100 men) x30 (Conscript)
19th NY Militia (25 men)
NY Volunteers (40 men)
-1 morale
-1 melee
-2 firing modifier


NY Rifles (50 men) x9 (Enthusiastic Conscripts)
-1 melee
-1 firing modifier


Fort Gray; Lewiston Heights *Can hit Queenston Heights at Long Range

Foot Artillery 2 18 pounders (Second Line)

-1 morale



From Lewiston Heights *Can hit Queenston at Long Range


Foot Artillery 2 18 pounders (Second Line)

-1 morale







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