"Great War Spearhead Question" Topic

I am gradually assembling a small collection of early period British and Germans for Belgium 1914 using the GWSH set of rules.

I have a question arising from the allocation of machine guns. The army organisation lists show the British with 1 machine gun base (MG) per battalion; this accords, as far as my research goes with 1 MG section per battalion. The Germans are shown with 1 MG base per regiment (3 battalions), which accords with 1 MG company per regiment.

From my reading, the bases are treated similarly when firing (i.e. there seems to be no distinction in firing between a British base representing 2-3 MGs and a German base representing around 12 MGs). Both powers are supposed to have had broadly the same number of MGs but, unless I have missed something obvious, the rules appear to grant the British a 3 to 1 advantage.

I would be grateful if someone has an explanation to this, even if it is to point out where I have gone wrong in my reading.

You appear to be looking at the German Reserve Corps organization. German regulars have 1 MG stand per battalion.

There is a very significant difference between the AI values for early British MGs (4) and their German MG company equivalents (6). This translates into quite different impacts on the battlefield.

Note that recent research indicates German MG companies were sometimes distributed as MG sections per battalion, as per British and French tactics. The German MG stands are increased in some scenarios but when this tactical option is taken then the AI falls to 4.

Robert

German regular regiment formations had 12 infantry companies, distributed in 3 battalions, with a 13th company of machine guns. Hence the normal allocation of a single MG stand (AI 6) per infantry regiment versus the MG stand (AI 4) per battalion in British and French TO&Es.

Robert

tbh I ignore the British battalion MG sections in 1914 and just give them an AI(6) MG stand at brigade level.

As Robert points out, the British MG section firepower is waay lower than the German 1914 Regimental MG company.

There were historical precedents to support your approach as well, Martin. In the reverse of what the German MG companies did (detaching MG sections to battalions), there were examples where British MG sections were aggregated together. Your point is a broader one though, pointing to a more pragmatic approach in the first instance.

Robert

Thank you very much guys.

I've tracked down the relevant section, which I'd clearly missed in my skims through; although I had been concentrating mainly on organisation up to this point.

The difference between the British being more numerous but typically operating at -1 versus the fewer number of German bases typically operating at +1 suggests that the British may achieve more suppressions but the Germans will achieve more kills.

Yes, that is spot on. Bear in mind that 1914 games are more open generally, so the -1 is improved by the enemy moving in the open.

Robert