Against the Odds: Trying Men's Souls - The Campaign for New York, August-October 1776

From Against the Odds:

“What to do with New York, I own puzzles me, it is so encircle’d with deep navigable water, that whoever commands the Sea must command the Town...”  -- Gen. Charles Lee to Gen. Washington, Feb. 19th 1776

“We expect a very bloody summer in New York...”  -- Gen. Washington to his brother, May 31st 1776

In early 1776, King George III convinced hardliners in Parliament to raise a massive army and fleet that would bring the colonists to heel and end the rebellion. During July a British fleet of over 400 ships, including 73 warships, arrived in New York harbor and disgorged its troops to initially occupy undefended Staten Island. In August, the fleet ferried over 32,000 men onto the shores of Long Island. Opposing them was the largest American army ever assembled with 23,000 men under the command of General George Washington.

Washington took a bold gamble by defending on Long Island. Hoping to replicate what happened in Boston on a larger scale by defending the Gowanus Heights and fortifying those about Brooklyn, as well as constructing numerous obstructions in the Hudson and East Rivers, he hoped the British would incur such high losses in taking the American defenses that an assault on Manhattan would be impossible. However, the British had also learned from what had happened in Boston and would make use of the many loyalists’ knowledge and sentiments in and around New York in their efforts to bring the rebels to heel.

For the American player, Trying Men's Souls will be a game that can indeed, try one’s soul. You must transition from a static defense in depth to a more mobile fight in which defiant stands must be matched with bold counter-attacks. For the British player, you have a preponderance of force but will need a delicate blend of activation among your commands to keep the Americans off balance while pressing the attack. Use of the Royal Navy requires a deft touch in and around the American forts, but can open up opportunities along the rivers.

Trying Men's Souls and issue #63 of ATO:

• Map - One full color 22" x 34" area mapsheet and postcard mini-map
• Counters - 264 full color large 5/8" die-cut pieces
• Rules length - 15 pages
• Charts and tables - 1 page
• Complexity - Medium
• How challenging is it solitaire? - Average

Design - Paul Rohrbaugh
Development - Russ Lockwood
Graphics - Mark Mahaffey