The Battle of Vervins 1914 - A 6mm WWI batrep

Last weekend Postie put on a humdinger of an early WWI game, using his 6mm Baccus figures.

We all threw a D20, the highest throw could pick their side, either German, French or British.

The sides ended up German Steve CnC, Ray & Surj

French, Richard (check out Richards batrep here)

Dave, British

The game was simple, The Germans have quickly moved a force up to the French/British lines and had to push them back. 

Postie explained to win the game you just had to kill more figures than the enemy.

 The French artillery

Postie used nearly all of the 14 foot table.

The Germans

At the bottom left, Steve's command, I'm in the centre while Surj is on the right at the far end of this pic.

Richard's French at the bottom, our left and Dave's British at the top our right.

Our left

Centre

Right

First casualties of the day, my 1/52, take a pounding from Dave's artillery losing 9 casualties in one hit!

Some Paris Taxi's turn up and out jump some French latecomers to the battle.

On the allies left, Dave gets reinforcements as well. a battery of 3 British artillery.

We got nothing!

The centre right

I'm hindered first move, my troops have got to climb over all the hedges in the centre.

The plan is for Steve to take the woods on our left, he's attacking with a unit of the 9th Uhlans, dismounted and behind them are the 3rd Jagers.

Postie introduced a new rule he was trying out. We (the Germans) didn't like this rule at all.

After every turn each battery of artillery had to throw a D20. If you threw the number of times the gun had fired they'd be low on ammunition and shoot at half effect.

First turn, only fired once and I go and throw a bloody 1. Hence the little cannon ball marker.

You could re-supply your guns with a artillery wagon, unfortunately our one wagon was miles away over by Steve's troops, approx 4 moves away.

Onwards!!!

You can't really see them but the French and Brits are hiding behind the hedges by the farm in the centre.

Steve's unit on the right fails a courage test after being hit by artillery and is pushed back.

On the right Surj is making steady progress.

Artillery shells seem to be landing everywhere!

These are 3 batteries firing at this unit, hence the three pronged cloud.

The Allies behind the hedges are in soft cover which makes them very difficult to hit, we aren't in cover which means we are easy to hit. But we're attacking so them's the rules!

The BBQ Pringle tower stands mighty high in Flanders Fields!

Ready to enter the field, gulp!

Surj has it hard, the Brits are killers! There rate of fire is far superior, They hit Surj in the open on a 4 and up on a D10. Surj shooting back hits on a 8 and above!

Steve manages to destroy the French Chasseurs  and takes a foothold in the woods.

But more French troops are heading his way, fresh from their trip in the Paris taxi's.

Surj is trying for the field next to the river. This will be very difficult.

Moo!

I had a lucky shot with my artillery and threw a few 10's on a D10. A ten not only kills 2 figures it automatically causes a courage test. Dave failed and was moved back 4 inches. Just gotta fill that gap myself now?

Steve's having a hard time, trying to shift the French infantry from the field.

Poor Lee couldn't make the game today, so I sent him a pic of us tucking into lunch, kindly donated my Postie!

Dave deployed his artillery between the hill and wood, Surj moved up to hopefully charge the next turn? 

I moved forward but because I'm straddling the hedge I'm slowed down and can't get to the hedge like I wanted.

Richard blasts his rifles at the Germans, killing many men.

Keep going, not far now.

The French Taxi's and artillery. Richard threw bad last turn and was low on ammo, but luckily for the allies they had a wagon each and Richard was in 1 turn away from resupplying the turn after.

The whole battlefield, were in danger of destroying Posties table, every time I lean 

forward to move my troops I come away with a tree stuck to my belly!!

Men are dropping like flies on both sides.

I urged Steve forward, but he didn't want to advance into the deadly fire.

Disaster, both of Steve units fail their courage test and are pushed back 4 inches.

Me and Steve concentrated our artillery on the French and British unit, trying our very best to

destroy them with our depleted artillery.

After we destroy the units in the fields there's more troops behind, don't think we can do this?

You can see more of their troops behind more hedges at the top of the photo.

Its taken the whole game to move the enemy troops lining the hedge and they're still there!!!

Looks a bit of a mess? Everything in this pic are Surj's troops apart from the two units behind the hedges. I think Surj might have him next turn?

Meanwhile on our left flank, Steve charges in with his Jagers, only to find an elite 65th Chasseurs a Pied regt waiting for him!!!

Will the pain ever end?

Nope.....Steve draws the melee but is still pushed back.

Surj double teams the Brits in the woods, but still loses the melee and is pushed back.

But surely the Brits can't win this melee can they?

Nope they can't as they're hit from behind they can't claim soft cover, and they lose. they are pushed back 4 inches, but have nowhere to run, so all the figures are captured.

Phew!

We actually won a melee!

Richard pulls his troops out of the field, right behind another hedge...........grooooooan!

Dave's British behind the hedge are blasted with rifle and machine gun fire, but its still not enough !

He only has 1 figure left and they're still there.

There's no moving the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry!

And there was when we ran out of time.

Me and Surj were for the last few turns resigned to defeat, Stve was a little more confident.

When Postie added up the scores the Germans had won 25 - 22!!!

To be totally honest I was flabbergasted? We'd been absolutely battered the whole game, I kinda new that would happen as we were the attacking army, you expect to lose casualties getting in. But obviously we'd unknowingly caused them more casualties. There's no doubt if Surj hadn't cahrged and won the last melee and captured the remaining troops, we would have lost the day.

I actually felt sorry for Richard and Dave, they'd played well and used the rules to there best. I think they edged it on dice rolling ability, Dave killed 9 figures with one artillery shot twice, while we just picked off troops 2 by 2, throughout the game.

Well a wins a win, well done to the allies, well done to the Germans and well done to Posties fir the crackin' game!

PS to Postie

Get rid of that stoooopid artillery rule or give us more ammo wagons you tight sod!