Battle of Cheraw Game Map

Battle of Cheraw tabletop. American forces are on the right and British forces are on the left.
Click/double click to enlarge

The basic map of the tabletop battlefield is shown below. The British army has three brigades, of which two are marching onto the table at the start of the game. The Light Brigade (on the right) is hidden from view and is attempting to march through the woods and engage the left flank of the American army, where only some militia are posted.

The American forces begin the game already deployed on the table in three brigades as shown in the map below. The Virginia Brigade (4 regiments) is posted on the American right wing; the Pennsylvania Brigade (3 regiments and 2 x 6-pd cannon) is deployed in the center; and three regiments of militia are posted on the American left flank. A small regiment of Continental dragoons are also posted on the left flank to provide some support and inspiration to the militia, who are prone to running away.

Battle of Cheraw Deployment Map - click/double click to enlarge

Terrain Rules: All of the tabletop is covered with an open woods, which reduces movement to half speed. The exception are the open areas where there are either roads, farms or towns.

Fife & Drum Rules: I used my own Fife & Drum rules for the American Revolution. The system determines the initiative for each turn based on a D10 die roll by the commanders-in-chief of each army, with high die winning. Gates also has a minus one to each die roll while Cornwallis has a plus one for his die rolls. 

The game will last a maximum of 12 game turns. Presumably the results of the battle will be obvious to both sides. Either side may withdraw from the battlefield at the end of turn 12.

British Forces - Lt. General Lord Cornwallis commanding

Phillips' Brigade (left flank)

55th Regiment

27th Regiment

4th Regiment

one-pound amusette

O'Hare's Brigade (center)

5th Regiment

44th Regiment

Queen's Rangers

2 x 3-pound cannon

17th Light Dragoons

Ferguson's Light Brigade

1st Battalion of Converged Light Infantry Companies

2nd Battalion of Converged Light Infantry Companies

Ferguson's Rifles

American Forces - General Horatio Gates commanding

Virginia Brigade (Woffard)
1st Virginia
2nd Virginia
3rd Virginia
4th Virginia

(the Virginia Brigade regiments are all wearing hunting shirts)


Pennsylvania Brigade (Cadwalader)
1st Maryland
1st Pennsylvania
2nd Pennsylvania
2 x 6-pound cannon

Militia (Adams)
3 x regiments of militia


I will follow up with another blog posting tonight or tomorrow that describes the game results and includes lots and lots of nice color pictures.