The Battle of Bonnel 24th August 1914 - A fictional WWI batrep

 

Last Sunday some of the Rejects got together in the Shed O' War for another bash at Posties early WWI rules. Postie, Surj, Steve and myself were joined by 2 Rejects in the making, Colin and Chris.

Chris joined Surj and me playing the Germans. Colin joined Steve and Lee on the British side.

Lee's been having a pretty awful week, so decided he won't do a full battle report of he game, but you can see a few pics of the game on his latest post, see it here.

OOB

The Brits

5th Division/II Corps

13th Brigade c/o

2/Kings Own Scottish Borderers

2/Duke of Wellington's

1/Royal West Kent

2/Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry




14th Brigade 31/c

2/Suffolks

1/East Surrey

1/Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry

2/Manchester's

15th Brigade 21/c

1/Norfolk's

1/Bedfordshire

1/Cheshire

1/Dorsetshire

1 squadron 19th Husars

12 Batteries Feild Artillery (9x18pders) (3x4.5' H)

1 Battery Heavy Field Artillery (60pder) Off table




German

13th Division/ VII Corps/ 2ndArmy

25th Brigade c/o

13th Regiment 3 battalions

158th Regiment 3 Battalions

26th Brigade

15th Regiment 3 Battalions

55th Regiment 3 Battalions

14th Division

79th Brigade 31/c

56th Regiment 3 Battalions

57th Regiment 3 Battalions




16th Uhlans

15 Battalions Field Artillery (9x7.7cm) (6x10.5cm H)

The battle was set near Mons in August 1914, the dreaded trench's of WWI were yet to be built. The British plan was very simple, to delay the German advance towards Mons, 

While the German's had to advance and take strategic points off of British hands. There were a total of 22 points available, but we only needed to take 11 of them. And here they are below.....

Surj was our CnC and on our left facing Steve, in the red box are 5 points, 1 for each of the buildings and 1 for the crossroads.

I was in the centre facing newbie Colin, I had it a bit easier the Surj and Chris. I only had to take he one building, but a more important job was to keep all of Colin's troops in place, so they couldn't swing either way and attack or reinforce their defence.

Chris on our right was fighting Lee's troops. Chris had 5 points to collect. The 2 buildings on the left and the T junction and the building on the right, when captured would also give us the bridge. 

That was our plan to capture the 11 poits needed to win the game.

First casualties of the day go to Surj's troops on his right. Steve's artillery bombarded the area and knocked back a unit.

As we, the German's were advancing, none of our artillery was set up. So we had to get into a decent position to shoot.

Obviously Chris hadn't played the rules before, but seemed to get the gist of them very quickly, so after a brief chat, informing him what we needed him to do, I left him to it.

Surj, unlimbers and loses one immediately as Steve targeted one piece!

Forward I go, trying to hide my machine guns as I dd.

Chris also got a battering almost straight away, not only were we not set up to fire our artillery, we were also outnumbered from the start. 

Surj moves in for the kill.

I shoot whatever I can at the building to either kill or get them to abandon the area.

Chris is doing well!

While I try and shoot my way into the woods, which is very hard, after of course placing my machine gun into the building, after Colin's troops were shot.

The white markers designate that the unit has fired this turn, which also means the unit can only perform a normal move during that turn and not a double move. So as the attacker you choose, a fast double move into contact or a slow single move, but you can fire???

What to do eh?

I'm finding it difficult to cause casualties on Colin's troops!

My artillery need to start making their mark!

Surj tries for the British flank.

Back on the right, we get some reinforcements, a unit of Uhlans, only trouble is they're on the wrong side of the bridge?

Remember take the building take the bridge, but it's gonna have to be the other way round?

In the centre me and Colin are battling away!

Surj is doing everything possible to get into the town, but Steve keeps up a valiant defence.

Chris charges the hedge....

And bounces back off.

Colin loses a stand in the centre.

but still holds firm.

Surj hits the British in their slit trenches on our left, while also attacking the two front buildings.

Ah? That's handy, we get more artillery, we decided to place them on Surj's flank, he needs more help than me and Chris.

Chris wanted to charge over the bridge in column, with his Uhlans, me and Surj didn't think that'd be a good idea. So he dismounted them to shoot at the building the other side of the river.

Surj's attack on our left before........

And after.

Some great dice from Steve, he threw a few 10's, giving Surj the red markers and double casualties to boot!

Finally I threw a 10 too, which if they failed their morale would push Colin back

Surj battered the Brits in the slit trench to the right of the town. The unit has only got 1 figure left, but Steve threw well and saved them.......again!

Chris, shot at the building on the right and destroyed its occupants.

it should be hard trying t dislodge the enemy from a building

And Steve proved the point again.

Another charge for Surj.

And another.....

Chris begins to what would become a bit of an onslaught

Than he goes and throws this!

Giving 6 casualties to Lee's troops

Chris takes the first building and attacks the troops in front of the second.

Lee loses the melee and is knocked back. He then decided all was lost at his first defensive position and pulls back his entire lines. This gave Chris the 5 points we needed on his side of the table.

It was my chance to knock Colin out of the woods now.

We both threw well, but drew the melee, so I was pushed back.Dammit!

And there we ran out of time, the sun was setting, had we done enough to win the game?

It was very close, but we had failed. We needed 11 points to win and scored 9 points!

Crap!

As much as he tried Surj just couldn't get Steve's last remaining stand of troops out of the last building at the back of the town, he shot at it knocked figures off and Steve kept passing the morale tests.

If we'd have pushed him out or destroyed the unit, we would have had another point for the building and as we'd captured the whole town another point for the crossroads. If we'd had one more turn the German's would have had a victory, but it just wasn't to be.

So well done to Steve, Lee and Colin on a well deserved win. It was a real fun game to play and I hope that both Colin and Chris enjoyed themselves, I think they did as they both joined in on the smack talk that we Rejects so enjoy.

A great and hard game by setup by the most evil one Postie. Well done to all involved!