28mm WWI: BART-SUR-AISNES SEPTEMBER 1914 (3)

This report covers the second days play in this fictional action.  For this continuation we had 6 players each commanding one of the sectors of the action.

The first days play had seen almost no German casualties amongst the defenders in the strongly built mine buildings.  This all changed on the second day as the French got their machine guns within effective range and brought on reserves from the eastern flank march.  The German fire was very ineffective with their MG completely missing for 2 turns!   The French stormed the 2 mine buildings and wiped out the flank guard.   The Germans detonated the demolition charges on the eastern temporary bridge but that did not halt the advance.  At the end of the game a small German remnant was still holding the mineshaft but the position had fallen apart.

Eastern bridge explodes in front of the French

In the centre the Belgians continued the struggle along the main highway.  The Minerva armoured car was driven back from the bridge but rallied and returned.  The Belgian infantry were all but wiped out but this action and the heroics by their cavalry charging a ford allowed further French reinforcement to close on the river bank. 



Belgian cavalry reach the riverbank and ford

On the Western flank the British supported by their massed artillery silenced the German MGs covering the western bridge.  Their first dash over the bridge caught the German engineer by surprise and he went down clutching the unused matches for the explosives!  The successful bridge stormers were wiped out at the walls of the western foundry but the British were now streaming over the secured bridge.  An attempted German counterattack was broken by the British artillery fire.

Up and at them lads - the western bridge falls intact to the BEF

So at the end of the action the allies had been successful on both flanks but Bart-Sur-Aisnes itself was still securely held by the Germans.  Given this I declared the game at least a German minor victory.  The Germans were been outnumbered by the allies 2 to 1.

All the photos with descriptions are on flickr at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill26048/sets/72157633170732433/

The Zeppelin manned by the ladies of the Fliegerschule proved the least effective unit on the day failing to score a single hit from its light machine gun!


The shape of things to come......

 

Good game – it was a rare outing for our WWI figures.  The vast bulk of the figures are by Renegade Miniatures except for the Belgians who are Great War Miniatures.  We really need to add artillery to the French and Belgian forces and we probably need more cavalry.  Is there any source of early WWI French artillery crew other than Foundry FPW figures?

28mm WWI: BART-SUR-AISNES SEPTEMBER 1914 (2)

This blog covers the opposing plans and the first days play in this fictional action.

Opposing Plans

Germans

Their plan was to hold the river line and the Col St Bart and hopefully to counter-attack on their eastern flank.

On the east of their line around the Col St Bart mine the German defenders deployed 4 infantry units, their cavalry, a MG and a field gun.


Col St Bart mine

A further 3 infantry units, 2 MGs and a field gun were deployed on the west of their line covering the temporary bridge and the nearby foundry. The rest of their army they deployed in the buildings of Bart-Sur-Aisne covering the main bridge and the eastern temporary

bridge with its nearby fords.

Defenders of Bart-Sur-Aisnes

Allies
The allies deployed with the French on their eastern flank to attack the Col St Bart and the eastern temporary bridge.  As well as their frontal assault they put 3 or 4 units in a flank march against the Col St Bart. The Belgians were allocated the centre of the line with orders to take the main bridge at Bart-Sur-Aisnes.  The British with all the artillery in the allied force were on the western wing allocated the objective of the western temporary bridge.

First Days Play

On the approach of the allies the Germans took up their defensive positions and the bridge guards on the main and western bridges were committed to delaying defensive actions on the south bank of the Aisnes.  The French attacked Col St Bart frontally but suffered heavy casualties from the accurate German fire and three French units were destroyed for almost no German casualties amongst the defenders in the strongly built mine buildings.  At the end of the first days play 2 units of the French flank march force appeared to the east of the Col St Bart and engaged the German reserves beyond the hill.


French close up on abandoned bridge guard camp

The Belgians struck up the main highway led by their Minerva armoured car which led a charmed life against all the Germans could throw against it as it secured a position on the main bridge.  The follow up Belgian infantry units suffered heavy casualties but they did wipe out the bridge guard unit. 



Minerva under shellfire as it approaches the bridge



Minerva on bridge - watched by German engineer

On the Western flank the British made slow ground held up for a long time by the German bridge guard who took up a position in a stone farmhouse and sold their lives dearly.  The three British guns proved remarkably ineffective throughout the action.  However by the end of the days play the first British unit was within a move of the western temporary bridge.  A German engineer on the bridge watched their advance with interest.

German rigid airship supports the defence - yes its crewed by Frauliens

 

The German secret weapon makes its appearance....

 

28mm WWI: BART-SUR-AISNES SEPTEMBER 1914 (1)

I setup a big game for the Easter holiday.  Colin Jack and I decided to get out our joint early WWI collection.  I wrote up a fictional game set in September 1914 in France.  Given that we have far more allied troops than Germans it had to be a scenario with the allies as the attackers.  So I came up with a scenario following the Battle of the Marne.

The table is 12ft by 6ft.  The rules we used are Setting the East Ablaze which is based on Chris Peers Contemptible Little Armies.  The infantry units and most of the cavalry are 10 figures strong.  We started the game on Monday with 4 players but were well short of a conclusion by the End of the day so we are continuing the game on Thursday now with 6 players.  In this first post I have set out the scenario and provided some photos of the game terrain setup. 



View from the Col St Bart minehead

Player Briefings
Background

Following the battle of the Marne the Germans retired northwards towards the River Aisne.  The combined allied armies followed hoping to catch and defeat the retiring Germans in an open engagement.  On the 14 September they attacked the Germans along the River Aisne – this is part of that large action.

The German troops arrived at the strategically important crossing at Bart-Sur-Aisnes on the 12th and secured their positions along the river.  As well as the main bridge across the river at the town they have installed temporary bridges over the fords to the east and west of the town. 

The town and its small foundries are north of the river.  The main domestic buildings in the town have been burnt by German Uhlans angry at the quality of the local saucisson.   The country south of the river is largely agricultural.  The bend of the river and its crossings to the south east of the town are dominated by the high ground around the Col St Bart coal mine. 

The Germans are in a defensive line along the north of the river with bridge guards on the south bank and a strong force and artillery around the Col St Bart.



Uhlans burn the town - another outrage!

German Objective

The objective of the game is for the Germans to prevent the allies crossing the river, taking the town and its road network.  If this cannot be achieved then the allied advance must be delayed long enough for stronger defences to be prepared along the high ground to the north.

German OB
12 x Infantry              3/3 Stubborn
2 x Jaeger                 2/3 Stubborn
1 x Cavalry                3/3      
7 x MMGs                  3/3
3 x Field guns            3/3

German deployment

3 infantry units are encamped south of the river acting as bridge guards.  These can be supplement by MGs if required.
At least 3 infantry units with MGs and artillery must be deployed on the Col St Bart.

The rest of the force is deployed north of the river.  Units can be in reserve to the north of the table.

The town streets have been barricaded.  Engineer officers are positioned at each of the bridges supervising the demolition charges.



German bridge guard at Bart-Sur-Aisnes - rest are sleeping

Allied Objective

The objective of the game is for the allies to cross the river, take the town and its road network and drive of the covering German forces.

Allied OB

French Forces
12 x Infantry              3/3  Ferocious
5 x Fusilier Marins     4/3  Ferocious          
5 x Chasseurs           2/3
1 x Cavalry                3/3
7 x MMGs                  3/3

British

9 x Infantry                2/3
1 x Cavalry                3/3
3 x MMGs                  3/3
3 x Field guns            3/3

Belgians

4 x Infantry                3/4
1 x Cavalry                3/3
1x MMG                     3/3
Minerva AC                3/3

Allied deployment

Due to political issues the British and French forces cannot be intermingled.  There has to be a clear demarcation line between them.  The plucky little Belgians will support either of their allies.  Allies can deploy up to 8” onto the south edge of the table.  Units can be kept of table in reserve to the south.  Allied troops can flank march on the east side of the table arriving late.



View showing importance of position of the Col St Bart mine

Next - the day 1 action.....................

 

28MM BOLT ACTION EASTERN FRONT AND NAPOLEONIC UPDATE

This weeks game at the SESWC was a 1944 28mm Bolt Action Eastern Front game.  Colin Jack provided most of the figures and the terrain.  I contributed a platoon of inexperienced Soviet infantry.  The terrain on the table was relatively open.  A German force of a reinforced battalion supported by a Tiger, Panther, Jagdpanther and Panzer IV  holding a line of isolated buildings was attacked by 2 Soviet platoons supported by 2 SU100s and 4 T34/85s. 

SOLIDO T34/85s cross the open fields - more vehicles on the road

It proved to be a German victory when 2 Soviet platoons were wiped out assaulting 2 of the buildings.  Though we played multiple moves and there was much anti-tank fire only a SU100 and a  Panther had been knocked out by the end of the game.

My Soviet inexperienced infantry reach some cover

Sadly I was so busy playing the game and talking to people that I only managed to take these 2 photographs. 

I also spent time this week adding a page to the blog giving details of my Russian Napoleonic army. I also revised the design of the blog by widening the main blog section and right hand lists. 

http://blenheimtoberlin.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-napoleonic-russian-army-now-contains.html

 

BOLT ACTION: 20mm GAMES

I have been trying out the Bolt Action rules with my 20mm collection.   I set up a quick game at the SESWC and this is fully reported in Bart Zynda’s blog at

http://asienieboje.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/market-garden.html  

I then setup a 6ft by 6ft table at home and played 2 games with different players.   In these games we used the hidden rules in Bolt Action for the first time which worked well. 



VIEW FROM RELIEF COLUMN END



VIEW FROM THE TOWN END

All the 3 games involved at one end of the table a British parachute battalion holding a town under attack awaiting a relief force which had to come on at the other end of the table.  A German force of 2 battalions was deployed in the centre of the table with the task of attempting to take the town and delaying the relief force.  Any German vehicles which arrived came on at either side of the table. The arrival of the British and German AFVs was diced for each turn and they were selected by chance from a variety of models.  

All the games worked well but it was a hard or near impossible task for the Germans to take the town.

The final order of battle for the games is given below

BRITISH PARA PLATOON  - VETERAN

HQ:  2nd LT (SMG), SMG, RIFLE

SECTION: NCO (SMG),  2 SMG, 6 RIFLES, LMG

SECTION: NCO (SMG),  2 SMG, 6 RIFLES, LMG

SECTION: NCO (SMG),  2 SMG, 6 RIFLES, LMG

MMG TEAM
2”  MORTAR TEAM
6 PDR AT GUN
 

BRITISH INFANTRY PLATOON - REGULAR

HQ:  2nd LT (PISTOL), SMG,  RIFLE
SECTION: NCO (SMG),  6 RIFLES, LMG
SECTION: NCO (SMG),  6 RIFLES, LMG
SECTION: NCO (SMG),  6 RIFLES, LMG
MMG TEAM
3” MORTAR TEAM
6 PDR AT GUN

TRANSPORT AS REQUIRED  - 3 M3 HALFTRACKS (UNARMED) AND 2 LT TRUCKS

SCOUT CAR,  HUMBER ARMOURED CAR

AFVs  –  PICKED BY CHANCE.  In the last game a Firefly, 75mm Sherman, Cromwell and Churchill VII arrived.

GERMAN INFANTRY PLATOON A  - REGULAR

HQ:  2ND LT (PISTOL), PISTOL, SMG, RIFLE (PF)
SQUAD: NCO (SMG),  6 RIFLES, LMG
SQUAD: NCO (SMG),   6 RIFLES, LMG
SQUAD: NCO (SMG),   6 RIFLES, LMG

GERMAN INFANTRY PLATOON B  - REGULAR

HQ:  2nd LT (PISTOL), SMG, RIFLE (PF)
SQUAD: NCO (SMG),  SMG, 6 RIFLES, LMG
SQUAD: NCO (SMG),  SMG, 6 RIFLES, LMG
SQUAD: NCO (SMG),  SMG, 6 RIFLES, LMG

TO BE ALLOCATED TO EITHER PLATOON AS DESIRED

75MM PAK 40 HVY AT GUN
MMG TEAM
80MM MORTAR TEAM
VOLKSTURM SQUAD – NCO(SMG), 9 RIFLES (WITH 4 PF)  INEXPERIENCED & SHIRKERS

AFVS  - PICKED BY CHANCE  - up to 4 vehicles.  In the last game a Panzer IV and a softskin 20mm AA arrived.

More Napoleonics

I have continued to work away on my Napoleonic collection.  As I wrote before I ordered the Elite 6Pdr guns to re-equip my Russian foot batteries.   I have now painted up all the new guns.  In the photo below the crew figures are by Foundry which I bought ready painted from South Africa -  I added some more shading and rebased tem.

Russian 6pdr Foot battery

Liking the Elite guns I also ordered French 6pdr guns to re-equip my French horse artillery batteries which had the small Foundry and Hinchliffe 4pdr guns.  The Guard battery has Elite crews and the line battery crews are Foundry.    The crew figures were painted by Reinforcements by Post in Bangladesh as a commission whilst I painted the gun models.   I  have now ordered some 12pdr guns from Elite to replace the Foundry models in my Russian heavy foot batteries.

French Line 6pdr horse battery




French Guard 6pdr horse battery

I have also continued my work on the plastic tents from Renedra.   Having shown the ridge tents here is a photo of the bell tents on a 60mm round edged MDF base from Warbases.   I must say that all deliveries from Renedra have  been very prompt.

Renedra bell tents

ALBANICH 2013

Over the past 2 weeks I have been getting back into wargaming.  Last weekend I took part in a 12 player 2 day Hail Caesar game.  I will write a separate report about that big game at a later date once I have got my Flickr account reorganised.  I am recovering from a  virus attack which wiped out my PC.

This Saturday I helped with the SESWC display game for Albanich the Wargames show in Dumfries.  The display, figures and all the supporting material were from the collection of Colin Jack.  It was a 28mm game of an action in the Russo-Japanese War.  There was enough interest in the display to keep us from playing the game to a conclusion.  Still lots of questions about Colin’s faux fur battle mat which I used for our AWI display at Albanich in 2012.

Russo-Japanese war game.....

The host Dumfries club put on a very good looking FIW Muskets and Tomahawks game.  The West Coast wargamers – from the west coast of Cumbria – put on an impressive 28mm Bolt Action game based the Crossing of the River Bug scenario in the RapidFire Eastern front scenario book.  I have played that scenario myself in 20mm with RapidFire.


FIW - Indian allies land rom the river
 



PZIII explodes on the Soviet mines

 

There seemed to be more traders as Albanich this year.  It is a relatively small show but it definitely seemed busier this year than last year.  It was great to speak to so many people at the show.  Overall it was a good relaxing enjoyable day and I will be back next year.

On the Sunday another team of members from my club, the SESWC, put on a display at the Vikings Exhibition at the Royal Scottish Museum.   Link to their report here.

http://seswc.co.uk/2013/03/13/vikings-at-the-museum-of-scotland/