AGEOD Forums

Due to the AGEOD engine's unique leader system, I was thinking about doing a character focused AAR for Wars in America. I would play a normal campaign, but the events would be told from the perspective of one of my generals (such as George Washington, General Howe, etc.) I would discuss strategy and events, but through the eyes of the character I had chosen. The game would continue until the end of the scenario, or until the chosen character has died. I just wanted to see if there was any interest in this kind of AAR, and if so, which character to pick and in what scenario (keep in mind, I am a newbie.)

I would suggest a 1775 or 1776 start, from the view of the British commander since that would be a bit different perspective

Thank you for the swift reply and advice. Still learning how the forum works, hopefully it all goes well. This will be my first grand campaign, and I wanted to spice it up a little.
I think I will do the 1775 start, and I have been looking over the different British leaders (all confined in Boston). I am still undecided on which to chose, but Francis Smith (the guy who lost Lexington and Concord) is looking like a fun perspective.

The Scenario:



Our Possible Main Character:

The Journal of Francis Smith: April 1775

Well, this has been embarrassing. Commander-in-Chief Gage wanted me to do one simple thing. All I had to do was confiscate their guns. That should have been easy, seeing as I was on the staff of his Majesty King George III. I expected little to no resistance, but that is not what I got. Not only was I shot, but I lost to the rebels. They chased me all the way back to Boston, it was humiliating. However, now things are looking worse. I have received word that colony after colony are raising their arms in rebellion. I knew the colonies could not be trusted.

The Rebellion Against the Crown:



Now an army, led by a Mr. Artemas Ward, has Gage (and more importantly myself) besieged in the town of Boston. This has not been my month.

The Army of Major General Ward:



Reports have been coming in about the rebellious colonists. While the Northern colonies are hardened with rebel sentiment, the Southern colonists are less excided about this new state of civil war.

The Loyalties of the North:


Loyalties in the South:



Thomas Gage has been drawing up plans(without my input), but both he and myself are unsure what to do. Gage was just as surprised by my defeat as I was, and none of our troops are prepared for a conflict. While our troops may be out of order, that does not prevent us from planning ahead. Only a few days ago, Gage posted the goals we need to go for, should this civil war prove to become a serious conflict. The current plan, it would seem, is to pacify the North in order to cut off the head of this rebellion. The rest of the month of April will provide us with more information, but until then, all we can do is think ahead.

The Objectives Gage Plans on Taking:

Thanks for the effort and please keep your AAR going! I'm not terribly interested in this time period but I am interested in this game; I suspect though if I do get this game I'll develop an interest in the time period.

@JayR- Thank you! This game has peaked my interest in colonial warfare, and I would definitely pick it up (only with the 1.10e patch though)


The Journal of Francis Smith: April-May 1775


The rest of April saw Gage and myself sitting in Boston. Scouts reported that the army led by Artemis Ward had increased in size, further increasing fears in Boston. The month of April was a time of mobilization, with James Hamilton readying up around Lake Ontario. While we mobilized, a new rebel by the name of Seth Warner began to move into small Northern territories toward Fort Ticonderoga.

The Mobilized James Hamilton:


Seth Warner's Small Gains:


These actions were enough to convince the lighthearted Gage that we needed more regulars ready for the coming fight.

The Choice to Recruit More Regulars:


As April turned into May, a glimmer of hope was visible for our besieged forces. Lieutenant General William Howe landed in Boston, with an army comparable to that of Gage's. I had thought, "With Howe's new troops, there is no way the rebels can stand up to us."

The News of Howe's Arrival:


Howe's Troops in Boston:


No sooner had Howe's troops arrived that Gage had a plan for them. I had tried to convince him that we needed Howe in order to defeat Ward's army, but he just ignored me. His plan was to capture Philadelphia, the capital of the rebellion, by landing at Chester. Gage hoped that this would not only weaken the rebel's morale, but that it would also distract Ward, allowing us to move out of Boston. I thought this would lose us both Boston and Philadelphia, but I was silenced. I had asked to at least accompany Howe, but Gage told me to remain in Boston. I hate that man.

Philadelphia, Capital of the Rebels:


Gage's New Plan:

great idea - I agree that the AGE system supports character focussed AARs ... of course its a bit of a problem if your character dies early - which can happen in WIA

True, if Francis dies I might have to end the AAR. That or I could switch to another character's perspective.

The Journal of Francis Smith: May-June 1775


May would be a month of delight and despair. As Gage and I remained in Boston for even longer, I watched as Ward's army only grew in strength and cohesion. Meanwhile, with the absence of Howe's troops, we are severely outnumbered and outclassed by what was only a month before a minor threat. Gage assured me that Howe's landing would give us time, but I had my doubts.

The Powerful Army of Ward:


To my surprise, Howe landed in Chester without any opposition. He had a clear sight of Philadelphia, which was greatly undermanned. Gage had, surprisingly, made a good decision. However, the troops suffered from some bad weather while landing, and as a result were in a less than ideal state.

Howe's Army:


The Meager Force Near Philadelphia:


Not all was good outside of Boston. The governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, was forced out by revolutionaries, and he retreated to Yorktown.

News of the Governor's Retreat:


The Governor's Army:


As the month passed, Gage worked out his new plan. He realized the need for more troops, and as a result decided to attempt to make an alliance with the natives to the West.

Gage's Attempt at Alliance:


Howe's forces, while directly outside Philadelphia, were too exhausted to stage any attack. As a result, they were not included in Gage's plan. Meanwhile, Gage had received word that a man named Richard Prescott had raised an army, and was willing to move against Warner's raiders. Gage agreed to use these new forces to counter Warner and even possibly take back Fort Ticonderoga.

Prescott's Offensive:


I asked Gage what he planned to do in Boston. He told me he would recall the fleet he sent to drop off Howe, and that they would sit in the harbor should we need to escape. I could not believe what I was hearing. It was his fault, sending Howe out to a whole other theatre, that we would even need to escape. Had Howe been with us, I am sure we would have beaten the rebels. But now, Gage intends to abandon one of the few towns we hold in the North. How did this man even become Commander-in-Chief!

Gage Recalls the Fleet to Boston:

The Journal of Francis Smith: June-July 1775


As June dragged on, there was finally the first sign of action on the Ontario front. A rebel army led by Warner himself attacked our Indian allies' village. This was the first official battle of the war (other than my defeat). It was a disaster. Warner won the day, inflicting double the casualties that he took. It was a relatively minor battle, but it sure did not set a good example for the coming months. After this battle people took to calling Warner "Hermes" due to his quick movement.

The Battle of Onondaga Village:


Meanwhile, on a more important front, a new leader has risen at the head of the army besieging Boston. A man by the name of George Washington now leads the rebel army. Judging by his record in the previous French-Indian War, I feel like we are safer in Boston than we were before.

George Washington as General:


The rest of the month went without much change, other than the fleet arriving back in Boston harbor. When June became July, Gage re-assessed his options. Richard Prescott had clearly failed in capturing "Hermes", so Gage ordered him to take Fort Ticonderoga. Meanwhile; a new force led by Joseph Brant, an Indian, was assembled to stop Warner's swift raids.

Prescott's Planned Assault on Ticonderoga:


Joseph Brant and the Mohawk Warriors:


In the South, a rather forgotten front, Gage was reminded that he could not ignore it forever. Georgia, considered the last bastion of loyalty, had fallen to rebel sentiment. However, Gage continued his plan as though the South did not exist.

The Growing Worry about Georgia:


On the bright side, Howe is prepared to march on Philadelphia. Lightly defended, it is predicted that the city will fall easily. Gage said, "Once the head of the rebellion is gone, it will lose the will to fight." I still think those troops would be better here in Boston.

Howe moving on Philadelphia:


With ships in Boston harbor, I naturally anticipated that we would be transported out of Boston, like Gage had said last month. But now Gage wants us to stay for another month and see what happens. God, the man can never make up his mind! Why did the King opt for such indecisive leadership!