Great War - 1916+ Brits & Shell Holes

I have been toying with an idea to spread out the lead a little while waiting for 1/600th aircraft to dry.  This was prompted by comments about my "tidy" bases when I first ventured onto the Western Front.  I have played with Barbed wire and posts etc but these are the first I have done with Shell Holes.  There are two flavours.  The first is a simple 30 x 30 base to swop one for one into each 4 stand battalion of British.  This then provides a 3 figure base as reinforcements to the next division in the Corps.  Corps oh well that will be more artillery oh well.........

The second flavour is to act as casualty markers.  I currently use single figure bases but thought about trying something else.  I copied the idea from a fellow gamer who uses 15mm and came up with the concept of shell holes and casualty figures.  I didn't have any casualty figures per se so thought about combining live figures.  The idea is that you just count the shell holes and that tells you how many casualty figures.

Took a little more time than single figures but I am content with the look of these.  (The photos have a mix of flash on and flash off.  I am struggling with my old Samsung digi at the moment and couldn't get the contract right to show the depressions)

Great War - Square Bashing - Stormtroopers

Square Bashings (and GWSH) permit the use of Stormtroops for several nationalies.  SB allows for complete battalions which reflects the attached comanies in the overall performance.  GWSH on the other hand allows the direct modelling of the Companies as independant units.  Either way the latest addtions to the Western Front are two Battalions, with complimentary Half Bases and Casualty figures

The Half Bases are the Casualty step removal element for SB

The battalions as they will be fielded

SB also allows the 1918 German list to field two Flamenwerfer bases.

Great War - GWSH - Jaeger Bns

I have finally found time to finish off the two Pendraken Jaeger Battalions needed for my 1 Kavallerie Divisionen for the 1914 Eastern Front.

They now need a Cyclist Company added.  The Bn MGs were completed at the beginning of the project so just need to be mated up and they are ready to be used

Great War - German A7V

I fancied doing an A7V for my later war German Army.

This is the 10mm one from Pendraken comprising a RTV resin chassis with white metal weapons.  I drilled out the gun mounts and reversed the weapons and then snipped them down to length as I wasn't too sure what the blob on the end of the sprue was.  IMHO these have come out okay

Great War - 1914 Russians (update)

With the impetus to get some SB units finished, I have returned to the Eastern Front.  This is the area that my interest in WW1 started with rather than the Western Front.

My Russian forces are based on a "standard" Infantry Division.  They were based around a Pendraken Starter set with some small additions to get me up and running for the SB playtesting.

Since the play test games I have added more units to provide:

• Two Brigades of 2 Regiments Each of 4 Battalions of Infantry.
• Regimental MG Companies
• Divisional Cavalry Regiment
• Two field regiments of 76.2mm Guns
• One Heavy Regiment of 122mm Guns

GWSH and others seem to suggest the Russians were poorly provided with Artillery compared to the Imperial German Army.  The Batteries were deemed to be inefficient by still retaing 8 gun strucutres rather than 6 pieces.  Stone (The Eastern Front 1914 - 1917) makes a statement on Page 38 that "...their regular Divisions (German) had eighteen such weapons (field-mortars) to fifty-four field cannon, whereas the Russian army, in 1914, had only six per division (and forty-eight field-cannon).  This give me a benchmark for the Germans of:

3 Batteries of 6 Howitzers
9 Batteries of 6 Field Guns

Which translates the Russians to:
1 Battery of 6 Howitzers increasing to two batteries following the reforms
6 Batteries of 8 Field Guns

Great War - SB - Trench Assault Play Test

Latest playtest was a 1916 Western Front game between my British (Attacking) Vs Germans.

Pretty standard forces. I opted for 11 Battalions of Infantry supported by a MkIV tank upagainst a German force with full artillery and MG allocation. Not a blood bath BUT I didn't win. Game was over at the end of turn 4 with some nifty end of game rolls from the Defender. Things not helped out by my poor dice rolling. Out of 30 D6 rolled I managed one 6 which left my attack unsupported. Pretty close in terms of game play with the British finally breaking into the Trench line and taking a forward redoubt but not enough to score a victory and in fact the VPs game an overwhelming victory to the Germans.

Close up view from the Germans looking towards the British start line at the end of the British 3rd Turn, Casualties have started to mount (Top Right corner), however the Germans are very weak. A Damaged gun and a damaged MG are all that oppose two attacking battalions in the objective square (the one with the flag).

Overview at the end of Turn 3. The first attack on the British left flank (Attacking R to L) has been repulsed while the MKIV (unpainted sorry) and infantry have succeeded in taking the forward bunker.

German Turn 3 however was a different picture as a point barrage hits the newly captured position before the two weakened battalions (2 Bases and 3 bases) can be assaulted. End result is the withdrawal of the British to their start lines.

As this was a playtest we spent a few moments checking the mechanism for main and supporting attacks from two flank attacks being launched.in a pincer movement.

8 to 9 on the left hand attack and 8 to 8 on the right hand attack. Not great odds however the German defenders are a single base and I am hoping to win by virtue of destroying the enemy.

All told an enjoyable game again. I need to review my terrain but Western Front isn't my main focus in the Great War so will have to see what happens.

Great War - Square Bashing - 1916 Western Front

Quick AAR unfortunately no pictures.  I had arranged to stay over at my best mate's house the other night unfortunately in my rush to leave i managed to leave my SB books at home.  Luckily we had access to an earlier SB playtest copy and playsheet so we could at least get a 90% solution in.

Pete chose Western Front Germans and I took British with both of us picking a 1916 options.

After taking the minimums I was faced with choosing an extra 107 points which ended up being an extra Regular Battalion, 2 MG Companies and 2 18 Pounders, Pete had a force with two Cavalry Regiments which I rubbed my hand in glee at, 4 77mm Batteries and the rest being split between MG and Regular Infantry.  I was sorely hoping to be the attacker.

Unfortunately that didn't happen.  Pete had elected for an offensive posture and soundly beat me in the pre-game set up.
My Artillery was low and ammo and could only fire 4 Square width barrages.  My Suppression Barrage was reduced to 4 Points.  He had an option to use his artillery against my armour (which luckily I hadn't taken for a change) and worse he ended up with a Stormtrooper unit to spearhead his attack and reducing my Point Barrage.  In addition he could move some of his MGs (remember this is a playtest list so isn't the same as the final print version)

I ended up being 21 points behind and was facing a 7D6 depletion roll once the units were all set up.

Terrain was duly set up and I had placed three objectives in Row 3 (9 Points) and one in Row 4 (4 Points) so that was fine.  I was hoping do keep him confined in the terrain and hope for some good end turn rolls.  That wasn't such a good idea facing Cavalry and his terrain roll moved my rough terrain that I was relying on to hold up his attack in front on the objectives.

The depletion rolls were horrid as well and I ended up with the three objectives in Row 3 being held with Profession Infantry and MGs and one Regular Battalion.  In terms of support I had 3 Field batteries the rest of the force were reinforcements.

Pete's first turn saw a suppression barrage on my defensive line which meant I couldn't fire out or over which left his force unscathed and on top of my positions.  In my turn despite an asset general I ended up with no support and unlikely to sortie out from the objectives into the open  I managed to get one reinforcement unit on (Reservist Infantry Grrrr).  An End Game roll of 1 set the tone that this really was going to be a bad day for the British.

I can't remember Pete's next asset roll but I managed to repulse two assualts he launched with no casualties.  The thrird assault however pushed me off of the centre objective. In my turn 2 I managed to land a small suppression barrage which effectively pinned his centre and right flank infantry.  A counter attack managed to recapture the lost objective and an end game roll of 6 meant that I was facing at least 3 more turns.

Next turn saw more assaults coming in which I shrugged off and thought that I might have a chance. The dice gods were not on my side and a point barrage intended to hit the attackers in the open dropped short on the Left hand objective causing casualties on the Professional Infantry which i could weather but both MGs took a loss meaning I had just lost 4D6 of Defensive firepower. 

With a barrage on my own position Pete rubbed his hands in glee for his own assets and promptly failed to add anything.  That said the damage was already done and his free roaming cavalry on the flank and rear coupled with losing 7D6 of defensive power (Damaged MGs and the 3 Barrage markers) meant that the assault was going one way in the favour of the Germans. I conceded at this point.

Lessons Identified -

• Terrain can only do so much and it is better to sit in it than in the open! 
• Asset Generals are fine but once you have rolled all your dice then they are gone.  Possibly better if defending to use a morale General.  Only really helpful if you have been shot up as has no effect in an assault. 
• You can never have enough barrage markers (only applies to me as I supply both forces and therefore need all the markers for boths sides)

Thoroughly good evening and the nice postman has delivered Pendraken order 6544 which contains some more late war Western Front additions to the British and Germans (I am daunted by the A7V though!)

Great War - Eastern Front Cavalry

As the Eastern Front Cavalry operations were the spark that set this particular fire off running I thought it was about time they had some more attention.

First up are a couple of new German bases.  The one on the left is a standard Uhlan base which will just be added to the pile of cavalry being painted up to give me the 1st Cavalry Division for some early 1914 games.  In the middle is my Cavalry Brigade command stand for GWSH and on the right is a WIP for the dismounted cavalry that both SB and GWSH can use.  These will go on to fill up 1st Kavallerie Divisionen which is now in the painting queue.

From a slightly different angle

 And the other side

The Russian Brigade HQ being worked up

Great War - 1916+ British Current Progress

Problem with so many projects is that you keep finding things you hadn't gotten around to.  In this case my 1916+ British Artillery, HQs and Tanks had sat unloved for a while.

Now completed this lot with another load on order from those very nice people at Pendraken

HQ Set with Motorcylist and Carrier Pidgeons and Telephones

MkIV Male

Lions

The Divisional Artillery 

 Supports waiting for the next batch of metal (MGs and another Regiment of 18 Pdrs)

3 Brigades of British Empire Infantry

Great War - GWSH - "They Shall Not Pass"

I haven't played against a "real" opponent with GWSH.  So I took the Scenario from the book as a learning exercise.

First up then is a straight 1915 Slugfest with a German Division assaulting French trenches near Verdun. The battle was deliberately restricted to a Regiment of Defenders as this keeps the table size down to a 2' x 4' which is a strange table size for most gamers when considering this will be a 3 Regiment Assault but reflects troop density and tactics in this year of the War.

French Defenders: (Using my Russians as Proxy units )

Regiment HQ Stand

• 37mm Infantry Gun Battery
• 3 Battalions each with:
• Hotchkiss MG
• 4 Infantry Companies.

Divisional Artillery Support:

• Regiment of 75mm Guns (3)
• Trench Mortar Battery

Corps Artillery Support:

• 2 Regiments of 75mm Guns (3) (6 Fire Missions each)

Trench Defences

1 Bunker
3 Pillboxes (assumed provided on Divisional frontage by Engineer battalion)
24" of Trenches (First Line)
24" of Trenches (Second Line)
24" of Barbed Wire (10 Sections laid in one continuous strip)
12" of Barbed wire (5 Sections placed as required by the defender)

German Attackers:

Division HQ Stand

4 Infantry Regiments, each with

• Regiment HQ Stand
• 3 Battalions each with:
• MG08
• 4 Infantry Companies

Divisional Engineer Company

Divisional Artillery:

• 3 Regiments 77mm Gun (3)
• 1 Regiment 105mm Howitzer (3)

Corps Artillery Support:

• 1 Regiment 150mm Howitzers (2)

Army Artillery Support:

• 1 Super Heavy Regiment
• 2 Heavy Regiments

On Table forces set up (both sides) See GWSH map.

• French decided to go with 2 Battalions (at 50%) in the Front Line plus the two pillboxes containing the Bn MGs. The rest of the two forward Battalions were held in the Second line together with the Complete 3rd Battalion. The Bunker (containing the 37mm IG) and the final pillbox were in the second trench line with two battalions HQ and support. The idea would be to reinforce the threatened sector with reserves as soon as the German assault began.
• German idea was to lead with 2 Regiments into the first trench line and then pass through the two fresh regiments against the second line trench system supported by Div Arty.

Preliminary Bombardment

I had 3 days Preliminary bombardment, I didn't extend it otherwise the French would have been allowed an additional regiment of troops.

So... Germans have, 1 SH Regt, 3 H Regts, and 4 Field Regiments to support the attack.

To destroy the Wire, I need the Field Regiments, while only the SH and H Regiments can damage the Bunkers and Pillboxes.

The defenders can replace 1/2 a stand of wire and on a roll of 4+ may replace a full stand (the rules let me replace 3 pieces per 2 engineer bases so 1 base can replace 1.5. As mine are double width I thought it sensible to give them a 50/50 chance of replacing a full stand.

Three days of 4 Field Regiments shooting gives me 12 shots so on average I might destroy 2 stands of wire. As hitting the same area twice causes a terrain effect, I may as well keep shooting and hope that day 3 will clear a path through.

Using the H Regiments against the Infantry should reduce the defenders firepower as they kill infantry 50% of the time. This then leaves the SH Regiment to 3 days to target 3 separate bunkers/pillboxes. Obviously this means I am aiming for the forward trench area.

Fire plan written off we go.......

Great War - SB Play test 1 (German v Russian)

I have been fortunate to help out with the play testing of the new version of square bashing. I NEVER played the old version which according to web lore people either loved or hated, but as with most RFCM sets there are good ideas and things which some won't like. The rules are set for the specific period, so I can't draw any comparisons with anything else, and the mechanisms are there to reflect the flavour of warfare in the early 20th Century so each to his own. I have played the new SB and found it enjoyable so as a GAME I am keeping with it. If I want something more technical there is GWSH.
I will not steal Martin's thunder about Army Book contents and rule mechanisms. I will only give you a taste of a game in progress (Eastern Front 1914 Germans vs Russians). The thing with RFCM rules is just that, they can be picked and played almost anywhere, this one is no different. The table size is 4' x 3' or 120cm x 90cm, so it will fit quite easily on the average dining table. The new version keeps with squares but as this is a reduced table size the square size is down from 12" to 6", which is the same as PBI. This gives a playing area of 48 squares. Effects and results affect the whole square which means terrain can be moved out of the way of figures etc in the same way as some other RFCM sets.
Open source info (ie if you look on the RFCM Yahoo group will give you an idea that both sides equal about 600 points and comprise (depending on quality and equipment) 8 - 12 Infantry Units, 1 - 4 Cavalry, Half a dozen MGs and another Half dozen or so Artillery pieces. This should provide a game last about 3 hours (including set up etc) but uses the RFCM stock random count down system which means a game can have as few as 4 turns or as many as 21.
 The two forces in this game (Monday 12 Mar 12) are as follows:

Germans

• 1 Unit of Average quality Cavalry
• 2 Units of Green quality infantry
• 8 Units of Average quality infantry
• 6 MG08 Companies
• 6 Batteries of 77mm Guns
• Higher Command

Russians

• 1 Unit of Green Quality Cavalry
• 1 Units of Average Quality Cavalry
• 6 Units of Green quality Infantry
• 5 Units of Average quality Infantry
• 1 Unit of Veteran Quality Infantry
• 6 Maxim Companies
• 4 76mm Field Guns
• Higher Command

Both sides provide 4 pieces of terrain (which will then be placed by the defender) but each player can only have 2 of each allowable type (amended by specifc items in the army lists) for this game we have Village, 4 Woods, Rough Hill, 2 Low hills; each of which is 12" x 6" in size and can be placed either horizontally or vertically. The other terrain items involved are objectives (4 off including the road junction formed by each side placing a road). I won't go into how the objectives are placed but again this needs a bit of thought by the defender. 
The new version has a pre-battle mechansim to determine the attacker/defender as well altering the deployment areas and in game attributes such as the amount of off table artillery support etc. If you have played Bloody Barons then you get the general idea. Again I wont spoil the rules by showing you how it works but just give you the outcome.......
Unfortunately, despite the best effort of the 1914 Germans, the Russians ended up being the attacker "Along the front" this would mean that the German force should lose about 1 base per unit, which should make the attack a bit easier...In the end the Germans lost a total of 3 bases rather than the 12 I was expecting.....
So onto terrain set up. 



First the defender and attack place roads, with an objective becoming the road junction.
The "barren, featureless desert" with the roads added.



The defender then places the rest of the game objectives (which I have called "The Chateau", "High Wood" and "Hill 60". The actual game has different names etc



Defender placed the rest of the terrain provided by both players (Village, 4 Woods, Rough Hill, 2 Low hills), The attacker was allowed to move 3 pieces of terrain and the battlefield was set



Attacking force deploys (at the top). The bulk of the Regular Infantry and going to try and push up the left flank.



Defenders deploy, one of the battle events allows 2 units to move forward.







Russian advance starts off well, as a point barrage hits the reservist unit in the objective and the assault formation is in the perfect place to attack. The other rounds were over hitting the empty hills and the village.







The attack didn't come off and the attackers were repulsed.

 
Over on the right flank the Russian Infantry is caught by defending artillery, which punishes the reservist units badly.





German reinforcements begin to arrive and their on table artillery begins to whittle down the attacking infantry.





While the German units on the far left flank have been pushed back in disarray the objectives are still not taken. The Russian attack flounders in the face of German firepower. The defenders have used their assets well to reinforce the position with hasty defences. In a final desparate bid the Russian artillery is called in to clear the last of the defenders from the objective and drops short hitting the assaulting troops, causing a rout and retirement of the Professional and Regular units. This is the end of the Russian assault.




SB and other RFCM rules have a countdown process and then game ended on turn five, for a massive german defensive victory although losses were roughly equal in terms of numbers of troops lost, the Russian regular and professional troops had taken a beating and the reservists were not in a position to clear out the reinforced regular germans with intact support.

Some random Eye Candy