Wednesday, 12 November 2014

The Battle of Roye 27th March 1918 - WWI Batrep



Hello it's me Postie, I've hi-jacked Ray's blog once again to present our most recent game.
Ray was up in London looking at the Poppies in the Tower so couldn't make the game, but he typed all this out because I'm an illiterate sod! 
(Postie's digging his nails in my head as I type!! ouch!)

Kaiserschlacht (Emperor's Battle) is well underway, British and French forces are falling back under the weight and speed of the German offensive. In some areas the front line doesn't exist anymore and so reserve positions are now the front line. French troops resting in Roye are informed that a small German force has broken away from the main attack is is now heading for them.

The Game
The French caught on the hop must try to stop the German advance with whatever troops they can gather together, urgent messages are being sent to any units in the area, to make their way to Roye with all due hast.
German hopes of success are high, the French hope that all the German Tanks break down!!!!


OOB

German

5 A7V Tanks
2 captured Male and Female British tanks
2 Stormtrooper units 6 figures each
2 Cavalry regt's 10 figures each
2 Lorries
1 Heavy Machine gun + crew
1 Light Machine Gun + crew
1 Infantry Battalion 12 figure
1 Flame-thrower figure
1 Battery of Artillery 1 gun + crew
1 Brigade Officer
1 Divisional Officer

French

2 Renault FT17 Tanks
2 Schneider Tanks
2 St Chamond Tanks
1 Cavalry regt 10 figures
3 Infantry Battalions 12 figures each
2 Light Machine Guns + crew
1 Heavy Machine Gun + crew
2 Lorries
2 Batteries of Artillery 2 Guns + crew
1 Car
1 Brigade Officer
1 Divisional Officer
4 Heavy Howitzers + crew



The French troops in Roye await the German onslaught!!!


The French troops look worried as the German Tanks approach.


Start your engines boys!!!! 


Casualties from an earlier air-raid are evacuated.


The Howitzer crews abandon their guns, and fall back to the town, as the enemy 
are too close to fire upon.


The German view of Roye.


Excuse me Sir....what are them shiny things coming our way??
Obviously said in French!


John the French CnC rushes to take command of the situation.
Missing his lunch consisting of Bread, Brie and plenty of Vin Rouge!


Have they moved the bloody hospital again??


An aerial view of Roye.


German tanks thunder down the road...............


as well as the dreaded Stormtroopers and Poor Cavalry!!!


John's lone FT17 ventures out of the town to take on the Hun......the fool!!


They kept a rolling.......just!


John sends out a truck to re-inforce the FT17!!!
WTF????


Is that a truck??


Surj getting on top of the situation!!!


Hhhmmm?


John gets his Tanks out 123 all 3 go up in flames due to great dice rolling from the Hun!


Huzzzaaahh!
John finally gets a hit, and takes out a A7V.


The French CnC fools the Hun into thinking the lorries had Machine guns in them.


French Infantry re-enforcements arrive to hopefully stem the German flow.


Amazingly the German tanks are still moving forward, none have broken down yet.
Every odd turn they had to test for Mechanical Reliability
Throw 2 D6 and don't throw over an 8 or you could either break down for a number of turns or break down for the rest of the game.


The German's quite wisely dis-mount their cavalry.


The killing ground....... Boom!
Poor John!


Nearly there!!


The German's slaughter the French defenders and take the trench.


What was left of the French Cavalry run for cover!!!


Its going bad for the French, a Schneider breaks down for 6 turns, effectively
 taking it out of the game.


Roye falls...

The last remaining French tank that was still operable goes up in flames, (far left, top of pic)
At this point, the final turn had been reached, Victory points were then worked out
The Germans gained 9 points
the French only 5 points.
So the German's were victorious!
Well done to Surj and Dave!!


Dave won the award for most kills of the day and looked 
pretty pleased with himself!

Hope you liked the report
Postie.

In Remembrance of my Great-Grandfather James Till
6th Battalion Royal West Kent Regt, Killed in action 1917 at Ypres.


53 comments:

  1. Excellent looking tabletop! (including all items atop it, obviously)

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  2. Dig the tank up in flames!
    Nice job, Potsie. Looks like a great setup.

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  3. Great looking game and models, Ray. Love those huge landships.

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  4. Some ballsy truck action there, Postie!

    Great set up and figures there, too.

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  5. Excellent game and report -- that town looks amazing!

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  6. Gott mit uns! Well done Dave.

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  7. An interesting AAR. Well done, chaps!

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  8. Great looking game Potsie, even if Frenchies have lost! Love this beautiful terrain...

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  9. Cracking report and lovely looking table Mr. Postie.

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  10. A nice report. A little tank heavy perhaps but a nice set up. The town looks good as well. Well typed Ray and always good to have postie as a guest on a blog.

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    1. The town does indeed look pretty cool, and why not use all the tanks! I think even though he's had them for many years this was most of their first ever outing!

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    2. You ask why not use all the tanks? Simply put they were VERY rare. Germany had produced 20 by the end of the war for example. So to have 5 AV7s in a game might be looked on as being a little bit tank heavy!

      No worries as it is a game and it should be fun and it looks and sounds like it was and that's the most important thing. All the best to you and postie!

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  11. Fantastic game and report. A French town which actually looks like a town! Brilliant! And I particularly liked the French tanks. Really fun post, thanks Ray and Postie!

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  12. O for awesome looking game.

    Nice one.

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  13. What a great looking game gentlemen!

    Christopher

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  14. A very interesting take on a WW1 action, great looking table

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  15. Looks good, sounds exciting and an uncommon theme. Well done everyone. Especially liked the buildings.

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  16. This is one hell of a nice batrep! Great looking table and very suitable for a remembrance game. Fair to say the poppies at the Tower are an awe-inspiring sight at that. I visited the place and was lost for words, that doesn't happen to me a lot you know...

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    1. The Poppies were quite stunning, I gotta agree.

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  17. You'd have won hands down Loki!!!

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  18. Great looking town! Love it! Also the battle report and pictures are excellent! Posties report lifted this blog up to a higher level! (Big Grin; teasing you Ray!).

    Greetings
    Peter

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  19. Great looking game as usual. That is a lot of 4 Ground MDF buildings on show !!

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    1. Certainly is!!! I keep telling everyone that Posties a Megalomaniac!!!

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  20. Another nice game you got me into.

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  21. Bloody (to get in the mood of the battle) nice!
    Nice table, nice little figures and an excellent game! Nice work chaps! :)

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  22. Great looking game. That's a lot of tank models.

    My Grandfather was in uniform from 1917-18 but didn't leave the States.

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