Loyalist (Tories) Units in the American War of Independence

 

My collection of Loyalist Units.

The Queen's Rangers or 1st American Regiment had a unique organization consisting of 8 line companies, a light company, a grenadier company and a Highland company. It also had a light dragoon troop and a hussar troop.  Jack Scruby (now Historifigs) made a line figure and a hussar figure.

Another view of the Queens Rangers. The figures are 25mm Jack Scruby figures now produced by Historifigs.  Modeling the unit in old school 25mm is a bit of a challenge given that there is only one pose available from Historifigs. The Queens Rangers retained their green coats throughout the war and as a whole functioned as a light infantry unit.

The Historifigs Queens Rangers Hussars. 

The King's American Regiment was raised in New York but saw considerable service in the Southern Campaign. Loyalist units, in general, started the war in green coats, switching to red coats in 1777 and 1778. I modeled most of my Loyalist units in green to distinguish them from British Foot.

Another view of the King's American Regiment

This photo and the subsequent photo feature Emmerich's Chasseurs. The unit functioned like mounted infantry, serving mainly between the lines by raiding and scouting. The figures are Airfix from the Washington's Army set.

The mounted portion of Emmerich's Chasseurs. The figures are Jack Scruby's (Historifigs) mounted infantry. 

Emmerich's Chasseurs as a unit for Rebels and Patriots

The Royal Regiment of New York or Johnson's Royal Greens. The regiment served in Upper New York and Canada, usually serving with the Iroquois who were loyal to Great Britain. 

Johnson's Royal Greens from the Airfix Washington's Army set. 

Butler's Rangers known by the patriots as Butler's baby killers for atrocities both real and imagined for propaganda purposes. Butler's unit always served with the Iroquois and that meant atrocities on both sides..

The figures are 20 Band B Miniatures from the UK. Although 20mm they fit in with my other units. The height difference being imperceptible. They are excellent sculpts with a "chunky" look to them.

Classic Airfix AWI

 My vintage AWI collection includes units of Airfix figures. When I and a friend (JZ) started wargaming in the period (1975) we both had units of Airfix figures.

Airfix made two sets. One was of British Grenadiers, and the other was marketed as Washington's Army.

We threw in the Airfix units with whatever metal figures we could find back in the 1970s. These included Minifigs, Hinchcliffe, and Garrison. Sadly, I sold off my collection in the late 1980s, but my friend JZ kept his.

When we got back together in 2014, we started gaming again in the period with the Rebels and Patriots rules. I had to re-raise the British, German, and Loyalist units. I was sure to include some of the classic Airfix figures.

British Grenadiers. You always needed more than one box to get a unit in the same pose. The detail on the two sets was quite good, considering they originally came out in the 1970s. The set lacked an officer on foot, but the mounted officer was very nice. There is a famous painting of the British Grenadiers storming Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill) and the Airfix Grenadier pose captures the painting nicely.

The Washington's Army set is painted up as British. Standard bearers in both sets were unusable, so conversions had to be made. Here, I substituted command figures (Irregular Miniatures 20mm from the UK). The unit is painted as the 9th Foot. Once again, the mounted officer is a pleasant addition. 

2nd New Hampshire from the classic Lefferts collection

Unlike my figures above, the following pictures of figures date back to the 1970s: My friend (JZ) painted them up as the 2nd New Hampshire. The flags are hand-painted. At least four of the figures have round hats instead of the standard cocked hats that came with the Washington's Army box.

These are conversions from the regular Washington's Army box. One was painted up with a coonskin cap to represent a Continental riflemen. (JZ)

These were painted up in the Continental uniforms of Washington's bodyguard. (JZ)

JZ also did quite a few militia units. This one represents a typical New England unit. The flag is hand-painted.

Rebels and Patriots Confederates in 1\72 plastic

 When I got back into wargaming 10 years ago, I was committed to 1\72 plastics. It's where we started way back in the 1960s. My friend and I have quite a few armies in the old classic scale.

The ACW has always been a favorite of mine. I painted up these Confederates early on in my return to wargaming.

My original theme was early war Hampton's Legion since it comprised of infantry, cavalry, and artillery in the manner of the War of Independence legions.

I added units to the theme but kept the basic idea of a South Carolina Rebels and Patriots "company" although I use unit names.

These are IMEX figures. This was my original Hampton's Legion battery. I use two guns instead of the RP one for looks purposes.

These are my metal exceptions in the group. They are Musket Miniatures they picked off of eBay because they are cool figures. In RP they will be used as mounted skirmishers.

Italeri Confederate cavalry. Beautiful set of figures. I did them in regulation uniforms to depict early war Hampton's Legion.

The mounted cavalry figures are Italeri and look like they are supposed to be the famous 1st Virginia. The dismt figures are IMEX. 

General Wade Hampton from the Italeri set.

In Rebels and Patriots, dismounted cavalry are in 6 fig skirmish units. I use them in 12 fig units as light infantry but change their stats to 5\12" to represent the carbines and mixed weapons. Most of these are Italeri, but the command figures are Musket Miniatures.

Italeri Confederate infantry. I have two units of 18 for Rebels and Patriots.

The unit in front is ESCI except for the command figures, which are metal 20mm from Newline. The back unit is classic Airfix. They are the infantry component of Hampton's Legion.

Three units of skirmishers. They are a mix of Italeri and ESCI.

Rebels and Patriots: Mexican-American War Scenario

Rebels and Patriots by Osprey (Daniel Mersey) has opened a wide world of gaming that we could not accomplish prior simply because we are interested in just about everything.

Being interested in all things historical gaming is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing, because interest means gaming in many periods of interest. The curse is finding the time to paint and organize the armies in our chosen scale which is most often 1\72 or 25mm.

Daniel Mersey's rules (the ones we use are Rebels and Patriots, The Men Who be Kings and Lion Rampant 2) have enabled us to produce armies that number less than a 100 figures in 6-10 units.

While the official scale is for skirmish games if you don't care about that so much you can call your units whatever you want like we have in the orders of battle below.

We like it that way and the units all have historical names.

The scenario chosen for this engagement was drawn from One-Hour-Wargames by Neil Thomas. I modified it a bit.

The Americans were the aggressor. The Mexicans held a forward position with light infantry and cavalry.

The Americans contested the advanced position (a ridgeline that ran alongside a road) with light infantry, dragoons and Texas Rangers.

The Americans easily pushed the Mexicans off the ridge but the dragoons were destroyed by Mexican follow up units. That's what you get for being cocky.

Both sides brought up reserves to contest the ridge and road. The Americans has a qualitative advantage with 46 points while the Mexicans had a numerical advantage (two more units) but with 36 points.

Both sides struggled with units that simply would not do what they were told. That kind of FOW rule always makes our games interesting and hard to predict.

While the American regulars were rated aggressive (fighting 5 or 6) and were in large units (18 figs each) I could never quite get them in a decisive position to use their advantage. The Mexican reserves formed a formidable battle line and the surviving Mexican cavalry did good work on the flank I hoped to turn. 

The result was a major Mexican victory because they easily retook the ridge after losing it early on. After the OB's below I will attempt to say something about the actions in the pictures.

American OB

2nd Dragoons

3rd Regulars

7th Regulars

1st Regiment of Voltigeurs (never saw historical action)

Provisional Battalion of Artillery men serving as infantry.

2nd Indiana (Volunteers)

1st Mississippi (Volunteers) (Jefferson Davis's regiment)

Bragg's Flying Artillery (a type of horse artillery as the Americans pushed their artillery forward)

Texas Rangers company of scouts

Mexican OB

3rd Line Infantry

11th Line Infantry

4th Light Infantry

Standing Battalion of Mexico City (Militia)

Pueblo Activo (Militia)

Marine Battalion

San Patricio Battalion (Irish deserters from the American army)

Tampico Coast Guard

2nd Line Cavalry

7th Line Cavalry

Tulacingo Cuirassiers (how could a person not paint this unique unit?)

The American Voltigeurs, 2nd Dragoons  and Texas Ranger Scouts approach the ridge line.

The Mexican 4th Light Infantry. The unit is something off an elite for the Mexicans, Sadly, it did not last long and routed after only a few turns. 

The 7th Line Cavalry of the Mexicans. The American 2nd Dragoons charged them as soon as possible destroying them as a unit. The ridge belonged to the Americans. Huzza!

The 2nd Dragoons were rated aggressive and had a plus 1 to discipline. They were the best unit in the American OB. (and cockiest)

The charge noted above. The Americans were converted from old Airfix US Cavalry set.

The Texas Ranger scouts were mounted skirmishers in the game and good shots. They got off one shot before being ridden down. The figures are from the Italeri Confederate Cavalry set supplemented by a few  dismounted figures from the old Airfix Confederate Infantry.

The 3rd Line and Marine Battalion avante! 

The Standing Battalion of Mexico City (blue pants) and 11th Line (red pants) form up with the Marine Battalion and 3rd Line.

The Tulacingo Cuirassiers (converted from the Airfix French Cuirassiers)

The 2nd Dragoons impetously charge the Tulacingo Cuirassiers unsupported and are destroyed but take most of the cuirassiers with them. The Texas Ranger scouts finish off the cuirassiers as they refuse to move after their victory over the cocky Americans.

American reserves start to move up. The Provisional Battalion, Bragg's Flying Artillery (I need a limber!) The 1st Mississippi in red, the 3rd and 7th Regulars and the 2nd Indiana (barely seen), The 2nd Indiana simply would not move until it was too little too late. 

Nice shot of the 1st Mississippi. Converted from the Airfix Confederate set and painted by JZ. It's hard to see in the picture but JZ put ramrods in the ground in front of the shooters.

The Mexican battle line begins to cross the road. General Vega (on the right) directs them.

The San Patricio Battalion (Irish). If captured by the Americans they would be hung and historically were. In the game they must have known their fate because they usually refused to move!

The Mexican 2nd Line Cavalry. They rode down the Texas Rangers as the Rangers failed to evade. Sigh. The cavalry would survive the game bragging about the destruction of the hated Texans.

Nice shot of the 3rd Regulars. Figures by IMEX.

The Provisional Battalion of artillerymen serving as infantry. Historically, the Americans had more artillery crews than they had guns!

The Americans form a battle line to face the Mexican battle line. The difference was the American battle line fell apart.

The American Voltigeurs did their job until they reached 1\2 strength. They fell back to the woods and stayed there.

The Mexican 2nd Line Cavalry. I believe they are converted from the Strelets set of Napoleon's Guides

The Mexican left center. My opponent mixed his militia and regular units well minimizing the risk to poorly trained militia. The Mexican artillery (far right) was well served.

The 3rd US Regulars get to the top of the ridge only to be driven off by the Mexican artillery and an  impressive battle line of Mexican infantry,

The picture is a little blurred but I think it's the Tampico Coast Guard. My friend (JZ) has produced a very colorful and unusual army. It added a lot to the game.

My ill fated flanking move. Once the 1st Mississippi left the cover they got shot to pieces by the Mexican artillery and infantry. It proved to be a poor decision on my part since the 1st Mississippi were as good as the regulars.

The Americans have lost the advantage by now. My flanking move is doomed to failure and the regulars are held in place by the Mexican infantry battle line and artillery. My own artillery was taken out and largely ineffective.

The Mexicans are refusing their left. I hoped to take advantage of the weakness but to no avail. The cows were not concerned with the sounds of battle.

Looks like one of the last scenes from the 1962 version of The Alamo!

You can see disorder markers on the 2nd Indiana, 7th Regulars and the remnants of the 1st Mississippi. The Mexican battle line is intact. A charge on my part would have been a forlorn hope so I conceded. Viva Mexico.

The game was a lot of fun. The Mexican War is a period we never thought we would get too but Rebels and Patriots have made a lot of things doable.

As noted some of the figures are conversions from various sets but most of the figures are from the IMEX sets for the period.