| 6mmACW | 02 Dec 2014 1:48 p.m. PST |
Last night our club began what I hope will be the first of many scenarios, chronologically working our way through the first year of the Great War. We're using the new Baccus 6mm miniatures with "Great War Spearhead II" rules. Our first action was the British rearguard action at Mons, August 1914. A brief photo-report is on our club site: link |
| Dynaman8789 | 02 Dec 2014 1:53 p.m. PST |
Very nice table and report. Thanks for sharing! |
| The Wargames Room | 02 Dec 2014 2:09 p.m. PST |
An well presented table displaying a great looking game of Great War Spearhead. Look forward to further reports. |
| rsutton | 02 Dec 2014 2:35 p.m. PST |
Nice work … thanks for posting.
Kind regards
Robin |
| KSmyth | 02 Dec 2014 6:47 p.m. PST |
Really enjoyed your report. Thanks. |
| monk2002uk | 03 Dec 2014 8:27 a.m. PST |
Excellent report, thank you. And I love the HQ background as well! Robert |
| Vimy Ridge | 03 Dec 2014 5:15 p.m. PST |
Fantastic! Thanks for posting! Shawn |
| monk2002uk | 04 Dec 2014 3:10 p.m. PST |
The impact of the flank march illustrates the value of Haig's decision prior to Mons. He was the GOC British First Corps. Smith-Dorrien's Second Corps had arrived earlier in the piece, with time to take over and then strengthen the defensive preparations made by Allenby's cavalry before they moved across to the BEF's left flank. Haig realised that the right flank was weak and that the Germans would attempt to circle around and cut off Second Corps. He arranged for First Corps to be echeloned back along the main road on the right flank. This decision prevented the outflanking manoeuvre from the German 17th Division. Sounds like the British 8th Brigade had to step into the breech in the game. Good that Nimy held. Could have been nasty otherwise. Robert |
| Alan Lauder | 05 Dec 2014 6:29 a.m. PST |
Great work from Army Group York! Really nice terrain and enjoyed your AAR. Have to agree with Robert, your HQ looks first rate. Good to see you are well supplied with 'SRD'. |
| 6mmACW | 05 Dec 2014 7:16 p.m. PST |
It's a really tough scenario for the British--especially if that German flanking effort arrives right away. Had our game gone just one or two more turns, the BEF probably would have been in danger of collapse. I'd like to run it again, though! Great rules--love the fast-playing nature with minimal charts and modifiers that would otherwise bog down play. |
| monk2002uk | 05 Dec 2014 9:28 p.m. PST |
Thank you for the feedback. It is a tough scenario. Most people do not realise what a close run thing Mons was. The usual impression is that Mons was a stout defence by veteran BEF soldiers who mowed down Germans advancing in close Napoleonic-like formations. The reality in the Nimy-Obourg salient was very different. I liked the way the Germans moved their artillery to the fore. This mirrored what happened, especially in 18th Division. In the original battle, the two BEF brigades had very different orders. The 4th Middlesex Regiment had a tough ask, defending Obourg at the apex of a salient – 18th Division coming down one flank and 17th Division attacking around the other. The regiment's job was made much harder on the day, however, when the Royal Fusiliers defending Nimy responded to their overnight orders to fall back if the German attack was too heavy. This left 4th Middlesex hanging in the air. Nice contrast in your game though, with Nimy forming the basis of a significant stand. The game bears repeating. I have run it a few times now and it presents a challenge each time. Once again, thanks for sharing the photos and the AAR. Robert |
