The Battle of Fismes 1914 - A WWI Batrep

Four Rejects and Evil Postie got together over the past weekend for a 6mm Early WWI bash!

This was one of those games that leave you with brainache. We were all knackered  at the end and pretty glad it ended when it did!

Lee has already posted his batrep of the game here.

And like Lee I just haven't got the time to type out Posties secret code scrawl of an OOB.

So here's the original.

We picked sides out of the hat, I picked French CO along with Surj as my number two, Richard picked the German CO, while Lee was his 2nd in command.

The game is set just after the Second Battle of the Marne. The French are on the attack against a weak German force or so we all thought!!! The German's received more troops each turn which was a bit of a bugger if I'm honest!

My troops, the 71st Infantry Brigade, 6 units facing 3 German units that are dug in.

I threw well for my set up, I could line up 24 inches in.

Surj's 72nd Infantry Brigade facing the Germans on the road.

Surj didn't throw so well, setting up 16 inches in.

All terrain on the German side was worth points, We had to capture or hold these points, to gain their value, while the Germans had to stop us.

Our plan was for Surj to move troops over to the right, to try and take a small village just out of shot. 

While I would attack the centre of Richard's lines but try and go round the flank with my 

Chasseurs a Cheval taking the Windmill and wood on the left and with any luck the German artillery, just out of shot.

We had a D6 throw of each turn to see which side went first. It was a massive advantage going first, as it also meant you fired first. Any casualties caused on a unit were unable to shoot back.

Out of the 10 turns in the game we only managed to win first move twice.....bloody typical!

Ariel view

Richard drew first blood, on my 1/49th 

Gawd don't they look happy!

My 1/49th (center right) who took first casualties have a red marker. This is a great idea that Posties put in the rules. If when firing artillery or rifles you throw a 10 on a D10, this gives you 2 casualties but also the enemy have to take Courage test, basically a morale check  if you fail you are pushed back 4 inches.

My artillery hits Richard's infantry on my left.

Surj starts moving through the hedges, which slowed him down 1 inch per turn!!

Who put them bloody hedges there!!!

Red markers all round!!!

And after the Courage tests!!

Next turn I surge forward.

Richard's 16th Uhlans, dismount which forces me to do the same with my Chasseurs.

Lee, Postie and Surj.

A good shot from Richard, and I lose 2 casualties.

In a great turn for us, we knock back another of Richard's infantry, while another jumps back in

their prepared defences. It looks like I'm getting the upperhand?

And then the Germans get more reinforcments!!

Top left on their baseline, 3 more infantry regts!!!

$%&*(!"£!!!!

Surj isn't having his own way at all. I'm not sure what Lee had for breakfast this morning

but his dice throwing is awesome today.

There are infantry and machine guns in both towns, and they're smashing Surj. Surj must take both towns, especially the one on our right. There's big points to be had there.

Both sides are taking a battering.

Including the 1/49th. Richard can change his target once he throws a 10 and pushes me back 4 inches. He will have to continue firing at the same unit until he either destroys the unit of issues an order to change target. But this takes far to long and might not work. Better hope for a 10 Rich?

The explosion markers are hand made by Postie from the ends of cotton buds. There are 3 explosions on this base, this also means that there are 3 guns shooting at the target.

I'm trying to stear clear on this house in the centre of the table, its got both infantry and machine guns for protection.

The home of Windy Miller!

Another ariel shot.

I've cleared two fortifications, on the left and centre, only the right one remains still in enemy hands.

Surj has nearly taken the village on the left and bang!

More German reinforcement, just to the side of Lee's artillery.

Richard's reinforcements start to move forward, while I just start to enter the woods.

My French artillery.

Looking good
I think?

Next turn

I'm in the woods, Rich has entered the wood from his side and moves his reinforcements up to challenge my dismounted chasseurs.

Rich then abandons his trench and moves back into the paddock behind.

Its a bit of a tight squeeze!

This is taken from the German side, I can't reach over the table anymore!

Again from the German side. Surj finally takes the town on their left, he also takes

 the woods behind.

More German reinforcements, this time artillery!!

But it looks pretty.

This is gonna be really close.

Surj takes the woods and is now in the flank of the Germans.

Lee's dice throwing is still blowing Surj out of the water!

uh oh?

Rich voluntary retreats his entire force a full 12 inches?

I can see his plan. 9 artillery pieces are gonna smash the woods!

Surj charges but loses the melee. Lee's dice do it again!!

Its stalemate. There's no chance I'm setting foot out of the woods!

Surj moves up the hill threatening the German artillery

And there the game ended, we had run out of time, both game time and real time, we'd only been playing for 7 hours straight and were completely knackered!

Postie added up the terrain points and destroyed unit points and it turned out to be a 14 all draw!

Well damn and blast it. Seven hours play and we get a draw!

It would have been great to get a winner, either way, but a draw will have to do.

Great game!