Flanders 1914

I've just completed an action packed encounter between a couple of companies of British and German advance guards. Fought over a densely packed table covered with loads of terrain both forces strove to achieve their objectives. I used the Command Rules again and these gave me a lot of variations which made play less predictable. The British slowly gained an advantage and despite a couple of platoons of scheduled reserves, the Germans had to concede. Here is a fuller account of this engagement.

The rules used were my WWI Period Adaptations of the WWII Ruleset in Introduction. As always they worked really well. I decided to go down an organisation level making platoon the scenario unit size. This gave more of the feel of a large skirmish type game. I must admit that I feel no real limitations as to whatever level you want to play the game at. Once I've designed the scenario and set the scale I'm usually in the way of thinking for the level being represented. I gave both Commands an average rating. This was to provide a bit of activity on the unit activation front which certainly produced some interesting nuances without dominating the game-play. There were a couple of instances of forced retreats and advances which disrupted both commanders strategies. As mentioned the map was well covered with gentle hills, extensive woodland and fields. The two objectives which both sides needed to secure to win the contest were a Chateau to the north of the board and a small village to the south east. The British had a superior force initially of two companies of four platoons each and these deployed along the southern table edge. The Germans held a company in reserve and this was scheduled to appear by turn 4. Both sides had 3 HMG sections to bolster their firepower. These proved useful once setup in fixed positions on hills or covering the infantry advance corridors. The Germans initially did quite well. They secured the chateau and at the same time made a foreceful flank move towards the village. The British had more units to the left flank and seemed poised to perform a sweeping flanking move, however, the British commander responded to this German threat by pulling some of his left flank across to the other to bolster and secure the village. British forces were successfully pinning the Germans on the left flank and the combat on the right intensified with a British push of the remaining German units from the village precincts and back towards the chateau. Despite the entry of a couple of German reserve platoons the writing was on the wall. In the remaining two turns the German battle line disintegrated while the British applied sustained pressure along the entire front. Eventually the chateau was occupied and Major Mallory could reward his lieutenants with a fine vintage from the wine cellar.