First off, this series is being done as a bit of a lark as wargaming has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas so if anyone is offended, please just stop reading now.

On the 1st day of Christmas War Gaming, my true love gave to me…

A Patriot Militia Caught in the Open

Liberty or Death: The American Insurrection is a board game belonging to the well known and successful COIN Series from GMT Games that deals with the American Revolutionary War covering the period from 1775 to 1783. It uses the COIN Series system that was developed by Volko Ruhnke to cover modern insurgencies and changes it to suit this multi-faction conflict in the 18th century for the struggle over control of the rich and productive American Colonies. In Liberty or Death, 1-4 players take on the roles of one or more Factions who will fight the war in their own particular way with very different end game victory conditions and different tools to use. These Factions include the powerful British who are attempting to suppress the growing anti-crown sentiment among the 13 American Colonies that lie thousands of miles away and take weeks by sea to reach; the under funded and cagey Patriots who are trying desperately to incite rebellion among their fellow colonists while also attempting to build a sizable army to clash with the British regulars over control of key Provinces and cities; their Indian rivals who are caught between a rock and hard place as they must attempt to cooperate with the British to hold down the expansion and growth of the Patriots as they encroach into their ancestral lands while working to create a network of villages to attract warriors to their cause; and finally the French who have waited to join the war against their bitter rivals England until the colonists have proven their mettle with key victories and growing support.

In the game, the Patriot player has access to Militia units which are represented by blue cylinders with a white star embossed on the top of the piece. These units are not powerful combatants but do serve the Continental Army by being involved in battles and providing support in the form of reserves and skirmishing ability against lighter troops. Historically, the militia could form up rapidly, assembling from nearby farms, small villages and cities bringing their hunting rifles and powder horns along with them to offer assistance to the cause. They were indispensable on the field of battle and also in the shadows as they ambushed British troops, harried supply lines and also acted as messengers and spies to spread the call for the people to rise up in rebellion.

The Militia are most beneficial to the Patriot player when they are Underground, which means that their white star symbol end is down as they can perform various actions and also contribute more fully to combat. Certain actions and Events will flip them from one state to the other and anytime a Militia is brought onto the board they will be placed in their Underground status. One of their most important functions is that of Rabble-Rousing. Rabble-Rousing will build Opposition to the Crown’s rule in America in Provinces or Cities and will also place out Propaganda Markers that will hinder future Royalist efforts to influence it. This is much harder for them to accomplish when they are caught out in the open and especially if they are sandwiched between the British and Continental/French armies on the field of battle!

If you are interested in Liberty or Death: The American Insurrection, you can purchase a new 3rd Printing copy for $85.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-826-liberty-or-death-the-american-insurrection-3rd-printing.aspx

Also, I wrote a fairly lengthy and in-depth review of Liberty or Death and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2017/03/01/turning-the-wargaming-world-upside-down-a-review-of-liberty-or-death-the-american-insurrection-by-gmt-games/

Finally, a few months ago, I wrote an entry in the Beautiful Boards of Wargaming! Series that covered Liberty or Death and its fantastic board illustrated by Terry Leeds and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2023/10/20/the-beautiful-boards-of-wargaming-liberty-or-death-the-american-insurrection-from-gmt-games/

-Grant