009 Cowpens (17 January 1781)

Details
Written by: Alessandro Crespi
Category: Southern Theater (1780-1783)
Hits: 4530
Victory Results:
 75 %
Record a victory for BOTTOM ARMY  25 %
Total plays 28 - Last reported by Hawkmoon on 2024-05-01 14:29:40

Historical Background

Major General Nathanael Greene, commander of the Continental Army in South Carolina, divided his forces sending Brigadier General Daniel Morgan to attack the British back country fort, Ninety-Six. Cornwallis dispatched Banastre Tarleton to catch the Continental forces. Morgan prepared for the encounter with Tarleton by backing his men up to a river at Cowpens just north of Ninety-Six. As Tarleton’s men attacked, Morgan instructed the militia to skirmish with them, but to leave the front line after firing two rounds. The British mistook the repositioning of the Continental militia as a rout and ran into concentrated fire from Morgan’s third line, on the hill, which was manned by his best troops. This unexpected volley coupled with a cavalry charge proved too much for the British and nearly half of the British and Loyalist infantrymen surrendered. Tarleton escaped, but Morgan’s troops had decimated his attacking force.
The stage is set. The battle lines are drawn and you are in command. The rest is history?

Empty Board

Battle Notes

Continental Army

• Commander: Morgan
• 6 Command Cards & 4 Combat Cards
• Move First

British Army

• Commander: Tarleton
• 5 Command Cards & 3 Combat Cards

Victory

7 Victory Banners

Special Rules

• Opening Cannonade rules are in effect. Continental Rifle units will participate in the Opening Cannonade and may fire and retire prior to the start of the battle.
• The Continental player gains 1 Permanent Victory Banner for each Scout Command card he plays.

Additional Explanation: The Scout Command Card victory condition for this scenario is considered a Time Pressure Victory Banner Objective. After playing a Scout Command Card, the Continental player at the end of his turn may either:
(i) draw 1 Command Card and take 1 Permanent Victory Banner or
(ii) draw 2 Command Cards as normal. Taking a Permanent Victory Banner is not allowed if doing so would give the Continental player his final Victory Banner to win the battle. (French and More Expansion, see Page 8)

 

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Posts in discussion: 009 Cowpens (17 January 1781)
Hawkmoon replied the topic:
#790
5 months 1 week ago
Two victories for the Continental Army : 7-1 / 7-5. Riflemen have done a great job.
Hawkmoon replied the topic:
#789
5 months 1 week ago
Two victories for the Continental Army : 7-1 / 7-5. Riflemen have doe a great job.
Riclev replied the topic:
#768
10 months 3 days ago
A 7-3 win for the British. The battle was mainly fought at a distance. The Americans advanced their right flank into the woods but did not withdraw the centre, which got shot up, and the British raced into a 6-0 lead. Eventually the Highlanders with supporting regulars closed with the American right but the Americans had some devastating melee cards in their hand of 12 combat cards and both Highland units and General MacArthur were killed. So the British used Steal a March to close with the American left and the next turn eliminated a cavalry unit for victory.
ozzie replied the topic:
#267
4 years 11 months ago
A 7-3 win to the Americans. The long rifles fired, damaged the British artillery and retired. The British advanced and shot and surprisingly routed a long rifle unit. The Americans retired all the militia and light infantry with a Steal a March card and formed a solid battle line across the hills. The British advanced on the left pushing the highlanders and some regulars forward. An all-out assault saw the Americans lose a couple of units but the British lost both Highlanders, a general carried away in rout and both units standing next to him. The 16th Dragoons tried a mounted charge which caused damage but did not throw the victorious American right back. The Dragoons were fired upon and lost 2 bases. A long shot from a rifle unit caused a retreat and the Dragoons were reduced to 1 base as they retreated and then failed the rout test. 7-3 and the British left was entirely wiped out.
ozzie replied the topic:
#184
6 years 2 months ago
A 7-4 win to the British. The first 2 rounds of British fire saw two American Rifles and a Militia unit each take a hit and then rout from the field. The Americans were taking sustained damage but then played two Rally cards in succession and put most of their damaged units on their right flank back to full strength and the British turn to suffer with 2 Regular units and a Highland unit being shot to pieces and routing. The British right and centre advanced and delivered two Line Volleys which left the American centre and left reeling with a Provincial unit and General Triolett fleeing the field. A bayonet attack from the British Lights and some Regulars decimated the damaged American centre and broke multiple units plus General Picken. Historically, this American army had its back to a river so on this result history was reversed and the Americans would have been destroyed and Tarleton regarded as a hero. A well balanced scenario and the game mechanisms played out very well.
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