Yons 1914 – Great War DBA

This week I thought we’d try a couple different things. First I thought we’d switch to the 1914 Western Front, second I thought we’d try using a different variant as our guideline – the DBA1500-1900 Extension by Tony Barr – though obviously we extended it a bit beyond 1900…

The main differences between this and the Last Game was, beyond using DBA instead of HOTT, was that Rifles could move 300 paces/turn, were +4vs foot/+5 vs Mounted and NOT quick-killed by all mounted! The cavalry we were using this week were Uhlans – which I classed as Light Horse and were only +2 vs everything and WERE quick-killed by rifles they’d just moved into contact with! Quick –firing Artillery we extended the range to 1800 paces, MGs we had at 500 and the same factors as rifles, and we allowed them to move through bad going, but would require an extra PIP to do so!

Yons, 1914

SITUATION

The French to the British right have crumbled and the British Corps, in danger of being flanked and enveloped, is falling back to establish a new line. A holding force has been left behind to cover the Corps retreat and stall the German advance long enough for the British forces to establish their new line of defence.

SCENARIO

The table was 3000 x 3000 paces (~4’x4’) The defending British could set up anywhere within 2250 paces of their (South) table edge. The Germans could then set up anywhere north of the river (approximately 300 paces from the North table edge. The Germans had 16 turns to move half their force off the south table edge, and could be broken by losing 1/3 of their original number (6 stands). The British would ignore the regular loss rules. But would instead keep on fighting until they had caused the Germans to fail in their mission (either by casualties caused or keeping them away from the south table edge for 16 turns) or (I decided later in the game) if they lost their general and had lost more then the Germans that would lose the game for the British)


FORCES

BRITISH FORCES (All veteran – 4 recoils!)
General (Spear) Brigadier Jackson
8x Rifles (2 Battalions of 4 stands)
2x MG (1per battalion)

GERMAN FORCES (All veteran – 4 recoils)
General (Cavalry) Oberst Lowell
2x Light Horse (Uhlans – from Divisional Reconnaissance regt.)
12x Rifles (1 Regiment of 3 battalions of 4 stands each)
1x MG
1x Quick-Firing Artillery

THE GAME

I figured this was going to be a tough one for both players. The British had a large front to defend with a small force which they would likely have to disperse across the entire front otherwise the Germans would simply march through whatever gap they left open. The Germans had a pretty tight timeline to get half their force across the table – in good going it would have taken 10-12 turns to get across – depending on whether they took the bridge or tried to cross the river.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The British Deployment


Oberst Lowell setting up the Gemran forces.


Brigadier Jackson desperately trying to redeploy his forces to meet the German force. For the first couple of turns Jackson was blessed with a number of high PIP rolls which really helped out with the re-deployment of this troops…


The Germans were not so blessed and took some time getting across the river.


The Germans slowly making their way across the river and trying to deploy into something like a line.


Shots are finally exchanged and the British (and Scottish!) seem to be taking the worst of it!


The gemrans surge forward and the British line is broken up in a mad battle!


Because his attention was focused on the desperate situation directly to his front two companies of the British were left well out of the battle for some time… It wasn’t until turn nine or ten or so they finished their “brew up” and started to march…


The British attempt to reform their line and stem the tide of Huns sweeping down on them!


The steady British hold but are slowly pushed back by the sheer weight of the force opposing them.


With the resistance all but wiped out the Germans surge forward again!


With nothing in their way but the British headquarters, Oberst Lowell desperately tries to get his troops formed up into a column to march down the road and make their way to the British second line before it can be established!


Though the small group of reinforcements was on the way the British headquarters is overrun.

We liked this a lot better than the HOTT variant we were using previously. We need to make a few further tweak. I think the MGs range will be increased to at least 600paces… maybe more.

I need to finish up some more British!

(...and maybe get some more germans and some French off of John to re-base!)