The War in North America, 1755

I'm playing a game of Wilderness War with an old friend over the internet. This is one of the best designed wargames I've ever played. It's a very good simulation of the entire French and Indian War in North America. I'm playing the British.

Early season, 1755: The French try to foment a British Ministerial Crisis to disrupt any reinforcements I might be getting, but since none are planned, their machinations have no effect. I decide to recruit my Cherokee allies and bring their war parties to join Braddock's army at Alexandria. My intent is to have Braddock advance over the Laurel Mountains and build a road toward the Ohio Forks. Instead, I'm rewarded with a Cherokee Uprising. The Indians desert, and I have to send two regular regiments and a provincial regiment to South Carolina to put down the rebellion. Ugh. I then intercept a French courier and wind up getting significant reinforcements: four new Royal American regiments, which I put in Albany. The French regulars in Quebec make a move by boat to Naiore Bay on Lake Ontario, with the intention of threatening my fort at Oswego. In preparation for his attack, he has his Indian allies raid my stockade at Oneida Carry East in the Mohawk Valley. I use Francis Bigot to steal another card from him. Ha! He's getting frustrated. I then march my Royal Americans, along with some provincials and my Mohawk allies to repair the damage to Oneida Carry East. The French now know that they can't take Oswego, so they retreat by boat and slip down the Hudson valley to Ticonderoga. Meanwhile, I advance against an Abenaki war party at Naiore Bay and kill them, but they ding one of my provinical regiments, too. I then march back to Albany, leaving provincials to garrison the Mohawk Valley. I also call out the Northern Department militia.

By the end of the early season, I think my situation in the north is stronger than it was. Apart from my strategic miscalculation regarding the Cherokees, I have done pretty well so far.