Round 5, Guilford Courthouse -- An Unwarranted Continental Disaster
JimDauphinais, British, Scored 10 banners, Lost 5 blocks
EZPickens, Continental, Scored 3 banners, Lost 46 blocks
Sometimes, even when you play at your best and make no significant mistakes, an utterly horrible outcome can befall you due to the cards and dice going terribly against you. Unfortunately for EZ, this was one of those games. All I can claim is that I took advantage of all of the situations presented to me and made no mistakes. My lopsided victory was solely a function of the cards and dice. I appreciate EZ's good attitude during this horrible experience for him. We have certainly played much more even games in the past and will in the future.
Opening Carronade
EZ's Militia and Artillery were able to wear two of my Regulars down by a block each. My carronade by my Artillery unit was ineffective. EZ chose not to retire because he was sitting on a Militia Combat Card.
Turn 1
Right from the start I got lucky as my starting hand included an
At the Quick Step card. I played it for my opening and had a block of 1 Light, 2 Regulars (one down one block, but with the Leader Webster) backed by a Grenadier and a Guard plow into the right side of his front Militia line. I had a
Training card to help my wounded Regular. One Militia took a loss and another retreated with a successful rally. The third held with no losses.
EZ came back with
Probe Center enhanced by a
Militia Combat Card. He hit my weakened the Regular that was with Webster, but I had an
Ambush Combat Card.
The net impact off all of this was one of his two remaining front right Militia units retreated and failed to rally and the other fell in strength to 1 block. However, he knocked my Regular that was with Webster down to 1 block.
Turn 2
I come back with
Advance Center. I separately activated Webster and the 1 block Regular that was with him. I also activated the Guard just behind Webster. I moved the 1 block Regular back and moved the Guard into Webster's hex. The Guard with Webster in melee eliminated the remaining 1 block Militia unit in EZ's front center and caused his Artillery to its left to retreat a hex.
All EZ had left to do anything in the Center was to play a
Scout card. He used it to have his Artillery unit melee the Guard unit and Webster. However, it went very badly as the Guard took no hits and the Artillery in battle back was forced to retreat three hexes and then failed its rally attempt.
Turn 3
I play
Forward - another lucky draw for me. Webster and the Guard now move to attack EZ's second line of Militia on EZ's right. In the center, I also move my 1 block Regular off the road by backing up a hex. My Highlander unit makes 2 hex charge into the remaining Militia unit on EZ's front left center. My other Guard unit on my right also advanced a hex. On my left, my Light Infantry and Grenadier units advanced.
Webster and his Guard unit caused two losses to one of the EZ's right-side 2nd line Militia units.
The Highlander rocked and between initial melee and bonus melee knocked out of the game both EZ's last front line Militia unit and an adjacent Rifle unit through a combination of hits, retreats and rally failures.
EZ did not have any cards he could use in the center. So, he played an
Advance Right card enhanced by the playing of an
Infantry Skirmish combat card on his right-side Rifle unit. He pulled the remainder of his front right line back except for sending his Rifle unit on a special mission to try to knock out my 1 block Regular. It almost succeeded as he got a retreat result on me. However, my luck continued to be amazing and on a single die I successfully rallied.
Turn 4
Now things start to get quite unfair to EZ. I had drawn and now play
For King or Country. I roll a flag, 1 artillery, 2 cavalry and 1 sword. Good thing I had earlier moved that 1 block Regular off of the road!
Webster and the Guard unit with him continued their attack on the remainder of EZ's right-side 2nd line of Militia. I had my Artillery unit move forward off the road. Tarleton and the Cavalry Unit with him then moved four hexes forward on the road and my other cavalry unit moved forward two hexes onto the road.
Only Webster and the Guard unit with him could attack. They took out the wounded Militia unit on EZ's right and on bonus melee cause the one remaining Militia unit on EZ's right to retreat to EZ's baseline.
EZ comes back with
Line Volley. He has his 3rd line of Regulars on the hill all fire on Webster and the Guard unit that is with him. However, Webster is in a Woods hex and I play a
Return Fire combat card. EZ has no luck with his ranged fire and neither do I with the one return fire I was allowed by my combat card play.
Turn 5
Now, unfortunately, it gets downright cruel for EZ. I had redrawn
For King and Country on the reshuffle and Command Card draw following my previous play of it. I now played it. I once again rolled a flag, 1 artillery, 2 cavalry and 1 sword. So, the Webster and the Guard unit with him and Tarleton and the Cavalry unit were able to attack. My other Cavalry unit moved up the road and adjacent to Tarleton.
Webster and the Guard with him finished off the last Militia unit on EZ's right. Tarleton and the Cavalry unit with him eliminated one of the two Militia units remaining on EZ's left. However, Tarleton was thrown back and forced to retreat by the other remaining Militia unit on EZ's left.
At this point, I will not continue the narrative in detail as it just continued downward for EZ from here and he really no longer had a chance to win. However, essentially, I was able to follow up later with a
Line Command that allowed my Highlander unit and my two Cavalry units to continue their attacks and finish off the Continental front left.
To add to my embarrassment of outrageous luck in my favor and against EZ in this game, I was also holding a
Steal a March card in my hand that I never played.
I have to believe lady luck is going to seek her revenge on me in several future games to make me pay for my outrageously good luck in this game.
