The Battle of Rhode Island

On the night of August 28-29, 1778, the American Army under Major General John Sullivan pulled out of its siege lines around British-held Newport, Rhode Island and began an evacuation northward off of Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay. The withdrawal was precipitated by the departure of the French Fleet and its land forces under Comte d'Estaing after the "Great Storm" several days earlier shattered both the French and British fleets and by expiring enlistments of militia units in the American Army. The Battle of Rhode Island is volume 9 in GMT’s Battles of the American Revolution series by designer Mark S. Miklos. The map board depicts the northern half of the island including the fortified American positions around Butt's Hill. There are 64 America, British and Hessian combat units and leaders giving the game a counter density comparable to Saratoga in the series. Although the tactical situation is somewhat straightforward; Americans retreating and British pursuing primarily up two main roads, the nuanced play and game texture is like that found in all the games of the Battle of the American Revolution series.