Action on the Western Front in 1914

About a month ago we played a Russo-Japanese War game. I commented at the time that it was the first foray of these troops from their storage trays since September 2019. This got me thinking of what otrher armies had been cooped up in their storage for a long time. The early WWI armies, it seemed, had not seen daylight since 16 December 2018, so a game involving them was long overdue.

I thought I would like to replay a game we played in 2014 at one of our Tarawera Weekend events. On that occasion we ran two WWI games on the one day - one set in 1914 and one in 1918 - using the same terrain, but replacing the woods with shattered trees and the town in ruins for 1918. I don't remember if we actually got a complete result in the original game so here was the opportunity to get that result

The scenario for the original game can be found here .

That original scenario was designed for seven players and we had nine available for this one, so I had to make a few minor adjustments. The Germans gained additional infantry company  to create a full battalion and the French dragoons were grouped with two infantry platoons to make an additional command.

The table was relatively easily recreated because all the special terrain pieces had been stored in my roof space for some time. 

The map of the table, north up.

The rules had changed a little, the main difference was incorporating the March Moves tried in the GPW game.

Here is how the game went.

The Germans chose to push three companies north of the town towards the position held by an intercepting force of uhlans, jagers and a machine gun, while one company, with the artillery in support, held post to the east.

In a rare moment of cooperation the British moved to the west of the town while the French went straight for the town (unbeknown to other players the French commander had a personal objective of securing a valuable painting for his personal collection, so entry to the town was especially important to him).

The Belgians were delayed in their departure because the Archduke's armoured car had run out of fuel and they needed to find more. Then when they did refuel it,  the thing refused to turn over! But finally it did start. However, the road out of town was now under German control and they were forced to take the vehicle, loaded with champagne and other loot, across country with a chance of bogging - which it never did.

The Germans made a solid effort to intercept but one company was shot up and dispersed. In the end battalion command was happy enough to take possession of the now abandoned town, while the Allies headed west towards Charleroi. Archduke Charles was escorted off to the west.  Charles had taken the famous painting with him in the armoured car (to protect it from the Bosch) and the French commander secured it while Charles was distracted opening a fresh bottle of champagne.

And the photographs...

The Belgians took up posts within the town

A small force of French approaches the town.

The German uhlans come under fire from the British guns (below).

The French guns joined in

Above and below, the German guns opened

A German company approaches the town

French dragoons under fire

German infantry under fire

The French dragoons evacuate the town

Archduke Charles in his armoured car drives out of the town.

The British block the German move towards Charleroi

The uhlans moving out of the way of the British guns.

The British cavalry threaten the Germans

And now for some additional images from John L, who led one of the French  commands