Late Capture of Washington and Declaration of Independence seal Victory for Leader!

29 games in 3 Rounds, a Semifinal and a Final were played. There were 11 players from last year, and 12 additional players including 7 new players. There were 11 American and 18 British victories including all British victories in the Semifinal and Final.

Washington got captured once, in the Final. Going into the Semifinal there were 3 players with 3 wins and 4 with 2 wins. Strength of schedule (Area rating of opponents played) decided the 4th player in the Semifinal, Mike Mitchell, and the 5th and 6th places Alex Nesenjuk and Tom Dreuding. Tim Miller finished 7th.

The final had Brian Mountford as the Americans and Dan Leader as the British. It was one of those games that one side really wished they had better luck. The British had a strong start and the Americans a weak one. After a couple of turns both the players and I were laughing at the luck and crazy moves as the American became desperate trying to counter better British cards.

1775: The British drew five 3 cards, a 2 card and a British battle card which they used in combat and drew another 3 card. The Americans had two 3 cards, two war end cards, a 2 card, an American battle card, and a British event. Washington ended the turn still in Lexington/Concord so took attrition. The colony count was 6 for the Americans and 5 for the British. Congress was dispersed by the British in 1775.

1776: The Americans were forced to go first. The British had lots of movement three 3 cards, a 2 and 1 plus the Arnold battle card. Arnold was removed from the game, and the Congress was dispersed again. Colony counts 7 American and 5 British colonies.

1777: Few movement cards for either side. The Americans used a 1 and 3 for reinforcements, the British had battle cards and events and 2 movement cards. Colonies 6 American and 5 British.

1778: British had 2 movement cards and a Major Campaign. American used their two 3 cards for reinforcements and had another war end card. Washington lost a battle in Albany at the end of the turn and had to retreat to Saratoga taking winter attrition again. Colonies 5 American 6 British.

1779:The situation developed at the end of 1778 where Washington was in Saratoga with 2 Combat Units (CU) and almost trapped by Howe and 5 CU in Albany and Carleton was in Montreal with 2 CU, blocking 2 of Washington’s 3 escape routes. The Americans finally had some luck and had 2 minor campaigns. But they also drew a war end card. The British had 4 movement cards and the Ben Franklin event card. The Americans used the campaign cards to evacuate Washington and bring along a wingman to cover his rear. The Americans had to move first through Boston and Newport. British could not follow with effectively with Howe having no campaign cards.

Washington escaping the trap in New England, eventually ended up in Morristown NJ and suffered attrition again. Colonies Americans 4 and the British 7.

1780: The Congress was in Basset Town and Washington moved to Pittsburg to cover the Congress. Cornwallis attacked and drove Washington back to Basset Town. Washington attacked a surrounded Cornwallis in Pittsburgh not once but twice, including a battle card the first time and a winter offensive the second. Both times Washington had an off day while Cornwallis brought his A game, and the battle dice were such that even the battle card and the winter offensive together would not have been enough. From that point it was only a matter of time before the British brought Washington back to London in chains. Colony count Americans 3 British 8.

1781: Between the two players they drew 11 events a 2, a 1, and a 3. So not much movement but the Americans had the Declaration of Independence which was not worth much at this late time in the game, and Von Steuben. The French alliance was up to 7. Colony counts 4 American and 9 British at the end of the turn.

1782: The British had a Major Campaign and a Minor so finally managed to capture Washington and pushed the French alliance back to 4. Colony counts 4 American 10 British. The Congress was dispersed again.

1783 was anti-climatic, not much the American could do, but they played the game out. The Americans drew another war end card. The Americans had 3 Generals with 1 CU each on the board at the end. Final colony count 3 for the Americans (South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware). The British controlled the remaining 11.