"Le Cateau via OP14 - OB questions" Topic

I'm setting up Le Cateau, or at least a version of it to have a test run of OP 14 tomorrow night.
My Purnell History of the First World War says BEF II Corps (3 divisions) defended against German IV Corps and IV Reserve Corps, each two divisions and the lead elements of III Corps. I decided the last would be one brigade showing up behind the flank.

If I follow the OP14 guidelines, the British get 9 infantry brigades to the German 9. Hardly seems to be worthwhile to attack. In the actual battle, II Corps suffered nearly 25% losses. So I cut back each British division to 2 brigades making 6 facing 9 German brigades.
I now have 3 British field gun units, 3 each for a total of 9 and a massed howitzer unit strength 4.

The Germans have field guns (4) and (3) for a total of 7, and 3 point howitzer unit. I suspect the Germans had more guns at this fight. Right now the Brits have more tubes on the field. Anyone got a suggestion? I could just upgrade the German guns or downgrade the British ones. Otherwise whoever plays German is going to think this game sucks.

I don't know if I'll take pictures. The figures being used are late war, in steel helmets and all. I do intend to run Peronne 1918 if the lads like this.

I've been looking at Nafziger's 1914 OBs. He says a British division had 54 field guns, 18 howitzers and 6 heavy guns. Assuming no serious gun losses at Mons, that makes 162 field guns, 54 howitzers and 18 heavy guns. In OP14 terms, say 7 field gun points, 2 or 3 howitzer points. For the 18 heavy guns maybe throw in another field gun point, not sure how to handle heavy guns.

For the Germans, assume no serious gun losses at Mons. IV Corps would have 144 field guns and 32 heavy howitzers. In OP14 terms, 6 field gun points and 1 or 2 howitzer points. Since they are heavy I'll give them 2. The IV Reserve Corps has 36 field guns, so 3 points of field guns.

That's how I see it, unless OP14 was giving mighty ratings to the Royal artillery. I think the Germans were about the same, battery for battery.

Did the German batteries have a section of field howitzers?

The key to understanding Le Cateau is not the comparative sizes of the forces. If you want to understand how the battle played out historically then you need to get the terrain right, especially on the British right flank. The inability to defend Le Cateau itself led to the German forces being able to out-manoeuvre II Corps and to bring enfilade the British guns on this flank, while the hill in front of the right flank position provided defilade to the German attack down the main road.

The Germans did not have as many guns in play as you might think but they were used more effectively because of the terrain. The Germans did bring the heavy howitzers into action at Le Cateau.

Purnell is missing the German HKK 2 (equivalent of cavalry corps), whose Jäger and dismounted cavalry fought on the British left flank.

Robert

Just a minor additional point, the Germans never got behind the BEF flank. The refused right flank meant that the Germans could concentrate superior forces, whose fire converged onto the vulnerable point at which the right flank bent back.

Robert

Thank you Robert. I'll incorporate your information in my scenario.

My OP14 scenario for Le Cateau only has 4th Div at full strength and they are downgraded to D8 as they had left most of their divisional assets behind. 3 and 5 Div have 9 and 10 stands respectively (between three brigades each), plus 19th IB as an independant command. I've also included Allenbys cavalry division.

The Germans have got III, IV (both reduced to 12 stands each) and IV Reserve Corps (full strength) plus II Cavalry Corps with three cavalry divisions. III Corps turns up a bit later.

I gave the BEF 3 x div field arty units (3 ea) and one Corps howitzer unit (2).

Jerries have got seven divisional field arty units (2ea, including the cavalry corps) and three howitzer units (3ea).

It is quite a long front if you include Cambrai, both British flanks are threatened, although it is very hard to attack effectively with the dismounted cavalry divisions.

German Divs have got

I think you need to look at what was actually deployed, rather than what's in RB's guidelines in the rules.

The numbers you have look really light to me. Is it just that Purnell is only showing the Germans that actually get engaged, and not the whole lot that were lined up behind them? Reserves are really important in Op14 as you feed bases/figures forwards to keep your front line troops at full strength.

The account I have in Bidwell's "Gunners at War" makes it clear than the Germans outshot the British artillery. The heavy howitzers you have added up is closer to 3 points, rather than 2. As the Brits are firing exclusively shrapnel not HE you might want to look at their effectiveness against anything in cover.

I worn you now that frontal assaults against dug in troops are not for the faint hearted. You need lots of artillery.

Finally, if you feel that one side or the other isn't very well co-ordinated at this stage of the war, you can always deal out individual cards to units, rather than allowing them all to move on the Corps card.

Or use the 'poor staffwork' option – pretty relevant for the BEF in 1914 and 1915.

It seemed to work OK with the forces I outlined above.

As Trebian says, you need to account for the great columns of Germans piled up behind the ones in front. In OP14 you need to pass reserves up from the rear to maintain an attack as the front units thin out fairly quickly!

Account of our version of Le Cateau on Tims blog:

link

We didn't get to Le Cateau last night, instead played "Battle for Moscow" (1941) three times. But thanks for the help, it will be incorporated into the scenario when we do get to it.