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 - 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 - 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 - 1916 British (Infantry)

Fielding a complete division for Square Bashing was relatively straight forward with the Pendraken figures.  Four bases make up a Battalion sized unit and it was relatively easy to make sure that the forces constructed could also be used for Great War Spearhead (GWSH)

I have tried to keep the bases pretty simple for this project and have only put small terrain items on a couple of bases spread across all the units.  I have plenty of spare bases which will gradually have additional detail modelled onto them (providing time and interest remains)

The Pendraken range for figures in Helmets is excellent with a mix of plain helmets and covers which meant painting was varied and kept my interest up.  These are the base figures from each of the four packs making up the bulk of the Division.

BP2 is the basic infantry pack with figures wearing the Shrapnel helmet which came into service in 1916. There are 3 poses in the pack, 1 Officer with pistol wearing an uncovered helmet, Infantryman at the High Porte with a covered helment, and an advancing infantryman with a plain helmet. Both Infantrymen have bayonets fitted..

BP37 is Infantry in Helment with a backpack normally worn during the assault. As with the GP23 Germans this is an addition pack so there are only two basic poses; One is a standing firing from the shoulder, wearing a covered helmet, the second is advancing at the high porte with an uncovered helmet. Again both figures have bayonets fitted.

Great War - 1916 British (RFA)

I had two 10mm Pendraken starter armies from a long time ago, to fuel my interest in WW1 Eastern Front operations. As with most things it didn't take too much time until I had delved into the Western Front.  I took most of the Pendraken British packs to make sure I had a wide variety of poses and type of figures to create a 1916 themed Empire force.

These are the results of the Artillery forces (RFA) needed.  I have some more still waiting to get under the paint brush with Soft hats as well as a much needed Howitzer Battery.

Little trick I found when putting the guns together (applies to any 10mm gun probably) is to put a small drop of liquid green stuff into the hole first, then put superglue on the spigot and then push into the hole. Sets quickly and seems to give a stronger joint.