WWI Action, in 1914

Today's game was 1914 WWI. The scenario was relatively straightforward with three German infantry battalions, a company of jägers, a squadron of uhlans and two batteries defending against a counter-attacking Allied force of a battalion each of French, Belgian and British infantry, supported by three regiments  of cavalry, three batteries and one armoured car.

House rules were used as usual.

On the Allied side the British, with two batteries took the left, intending to sweep against the German right flank. The French took the centre, while the Belgians took the right. 

The French intended to strike an exposed German battalion in the centre, but things got of to a bad start when the two lead companies were cut to pieces by artillery and machine gun fire. The French infantry went to ground and awaited the British to get into position.

But the British advance was a long one and the Belgians, operating on the extreme right with a squadron of guides and an armoured car attempted to skirt around the German left. The guides were badly cut up and eventually driven from the field by the jägers and their attached machine. The armoured car remained on the flank for some time, ineffectually engaging the Germans. Eventually the car was shot up and destroyed.

With the Belgians on the back foot the German left began to push against them. One Belgian company was soon destroyed and their machine gun quickly followed suit. The three remaining Belgian companies fell back to the woods.

Meanwhile the British infantry and dismounted cavalry entered the fray, easily disposing of the German uhlans and pressing forward against the German centre. To add pressure on the Germans there the French infantry renewed their advance. With the enemy closing in and casualties mounting the Germans took advantage of a momentary pause to pull back in the centre and re-established a position in a wood.

The German artillery began to bite into the French infantry and the Germans drove hard against the Belgians. A sudden charge by a squadron of French dragoons drove back one German company, but failed to do enough damage to destroy the Germans. Nonetheless the German advance was momentarily delayed.

Finally the British artillery got into action and began to shell the Germans along the river, with mixed results. The British infantry, supported by the French machineguns, began to cut up the Germans in the wood, finally driving them out after a prolonged struggle. 

But the end was near. The French collapsed under intense German gun fire and the Belgians followed shortly afterwards. The game ended with the Germans in control of the river crossing, while only the British in any sort of condition to fight on.