36 Turns. 1st Player: American. [What if?] The War of 1812 began in the Northwest with American defeats at Mackinac and Detroit. This scenario begins with the British landing on Mackinac Island. The American force is spread out in order to stop the British before they reach the fort. The Americans must fight a delaying action to keep the British forces from the other end of the island, or else find a way to get behind the walls of the fort before the British overrun it.