"WW1 Tunnel Warfare" Topic

I was pondering the possibilities of gaming the tunnel war of the First World War:

link

Not so much the laying of large mines aspect, but the situations that arose when one unit of tunnellers broke into the galleries of the opposition and firefights and melee would break out. Does any one do a set of rule which would reflect this? I am guessing something akin to Vietnam tunnel rat games, do these exist?

It would have to be skirmish rules and 1:1 scale, but on a tiny board, almost like Space Hulk.

Any ideas/comments?

Interesting! I was not aware that subterranean combat took place during the war. Tunneling for mines and counter tunnels, yes – but actual skirmishing with what I assume would be pickaxes, shovels, pistols and the odd rifle or trench gun…no.

My first thought was the old "Snapshot" rules from GDW for Traveller. But Space Hulk could work too.

Here's a thought – the old Space:1889 board game "Temple of the Beastmen."

Nothing useful to contribute, but what a BRILLIANT idea! I'm COMPLETELY going to copy it! Thanks, Comrade!

Interesting, I was just thinking about this the other day while reading about the war. Not sure about the third dimension aspect of the tunnels though. Sorry don't know of any rules, but maybe something from a fantasy rules in dungeons.

There was combat in the tunnels and also the blowing of small mines (camoflets) to collapse the enemy tunnel.

I read a book about Messines Ridge many years ago, cannot recall the title. The Brits blew 17 (I think) large mines under the German positions. The blast was heard in England.

imdb.com/title/tt1418646

There is a museum in France, the Caverne du Dragon, east of Soissons where the Germans and French fought underground in a pre-war mine complex which ran between the trench lines.
I visited it a number of years ago and it is well worth a trip if you are ever in the area.

For inspiration, some of the underground unpleasantness is covered very adequately in Birdsong and Passcheandale, the latter even has cool cut down tunnel fighting Lee Enfields.

Any old skirmish rules would do, at a man to man level.

Using books to make the tunnel complexes as in Encounter 2 would probably work.

This may be of interest
link

Does anyone make suitable figures in 15-28mm?

I would imagine most WWI figures would work – I like the Peter Pig WWI line for 15s.

great ideal please keep us informed

It's good to see it's an idea that may not have been covered before.

They certainly did skirmish below ground, along with the ever present threat of camoflet attack. There is a lot of detail in Peter Barton's book 'Beneath Flanders Fields': link

As for figures, most First War ones would do, but I would think the chaps would be stripped to undershirts and not wearing helmets. But that particular line of minis would be hard to find, so it would have to be any other figures stripped of as much equipment as possible.

The Messines ridge attack was made up of 21 mines, 19 of which were blown on the day and yes, it was said to have been heard in Westminster. One of the remaining ones went off in the 1950s during an electrical storm, killing a cow.

As an aside, I certainly wouldn't be using Birdsong as a source… But I will be putting more thought into this.

Trench raid rules would work, close up a tion, limited numbers too…….

One of the remaining ones went off in the 1950s

Does this mean there are tons of ammonal still buried under the ridge?

Apparently so. I was incorrect, 25 were actually laid, of which 19 were blown, 1 went off in the 50s and the others are still sitting there. There's an interesting thread on the Great War Forum about the mines:

link

I know the chance of them going off is very low, but I still wouldn't want to be a farmer in the area of Messines…

As for figures, most First War ones would do, but I would think the chaps would be stripped to undershirts and not wearing helmets. But that particular line of minis would be hard to find, so it would have to be any other figures stripped of as much equipment as possible.

Not sure who else does figures like this, but it would definitely be a use for the Airfix early war RHA gun crews. Turn the puttees into boots for Germans maybe?

A potentially interesting "tunnel fighting" scenario might be based upon the Germans and French fighting inside the subterranean passages of Fort Vaux during the Battle of Verdun.

… or perhaps the capture of Fort Douamont played in a mode similar to Dungeons and Dragons where the plucky section of Brandenbergers find their way in and then explore the interior of the fort with various discoveries and enemy threats randomly generated.

B

I second Blutarksi's suggestion about Verdun. It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember that "The Price of Glory" by Alistair Horne had a gripping description of all that. I remember thinking about what an interesting scenarion that might be when I was reading it.