"Sambre 1914" Topic

We played out this scenario from GWSH2 yesterday in 6mm

link

Nice looking game and AAR.

Good game and AAR! :-)

Thank you for posting this detailed AAR and the photos. I like the use of the chalk lines to mark the relevant contours. The terrain in this area is quite complex, being typical of the rivers winding and cutting through the higher plateau-like terrain on either side – a feature of this part of Belgium and further down into northern France. Well done.

Robert

Thanks,

Actually they are lines of sand (as I didn't want to deface my playing surface!).

I racked my brains how to depict the contours without building bespoke hills or similar, and eventually came up with the sand, it is visible enough without being too intrusive.

Ah sand, even better. Building bespoke hills for this sort of battlefield would be a real drag. And then you couldn't re-use them. This way you don't get stands at odd angles as well. No sneezing when in a tight spot though…

Robert

What a great AAR. A hard fought victory by the French. It'd be a weary withdrawal overnight.

I really like the cavalry three to a stand and you have some very nice buildings there.

Alan

yes, we found the sand did rub off a bit with some particularly aggressive dice throwing! But enough lasted to see the battle out. I might try dampening it next time I use it with a light spray of water.

Yes, I think three cavalry to a stand works well too. The buildings are a mixture of sources, if you are a follower of my blog some you may recognise some from our attempt last year on the battles of the Waterloo campaign. If you look carefully you should be able to pick out La Belle Alliance and La Haie Sainte.

Further to your point, Alan, you can see the parallels with the historical battle. The march objectives for von Bülow's forces were further to the south, having been based on the usual estimate for how far a German infantry corps could advance unhindered. Lanrezac's forces put a spanner in that works by virtue of defending the passages over the Sambre and slowing things down. The French Fifth Army was too thinly spread to mount a consistent ongoing defense. The dispositions reflected the need to maintain flank protection to the ever-increasing risk of an enveloping attack from the east, based on von Hausen's Third Army.

German forces were able to cross the Sambre and to open up holes for future exploitation. This meant that elements within Lanrezac's Army were vulnerable to being cut off, confirming his decision to withdraw rather than desperately try and reduce the bridgeheads. Von Hausen threatened his whole army; von Bülow threatened some of his corps – not a lot of choice in the end. The latter was reflected in the game.

Robert