Last night, we had our second playtest of the Great War, using the same army lists as in the first game.
The Indians had:
Battalion Command
Sikh Company (two platoons of nine plus company command)
Muslim Company (two platoons of nine plus company command)
Gurkha Company (two platoons of nine plus company command, rated as “highlanders”)
MG
Composite cavalry squadron (squadron command plus three troops of nine)
This army faced a German force of:
Battalion Command
Four companies, each with company command and two platoons of 16 each
One platoon of 16 jaegers
Three Maxim guns
One field gun
(a pox on those Germans with their superior communications technology!)
For this battle, we used the random scenario generator and came up with meeting engagement with hidden deployment. Hidden deployment being more of an inconvenience than it seemed worth, we switched that to alternate deployment. We deployed along the long sides of the table. I had the Indians and Mario had the Germans. Mario kept one company in reserve.
Seeing that Mario’s left was weakly held, I saw an opportunity for a sweeping cavalry charge to flank the Germans and roll them up. I deployed my cavalry in the place of honour on the right, with my infantry on the left and centre of the line.
The beastly hun deployed two companies on the right, with his support weapons in the centre and one company on the left.
On my left (Mario’s right) the infantry from both sides advanced and engaged in a fierce close combat for control of the woods and the ruins. My better quality troops were overwhelmed by the superior numbers that Mario was able to mass against them. The battles in the woods were particularly nasty, as the defenders all rated as being “in cover”, and thus getting the initiative bonus in close combat – although this bonus was offset by the extra attack the chargers got from the “fix bayonets” rule.
Indians being overwhelmed by superior German numbers:
Gurkhas battle in the woods. They inflict heavy casualties…
But there are more Germans!
Unlike our first game, Mario’s field gun was rather effective, causing heavy casualties and teaching the infantry to make better use of cover.
In the centre, the Sikhs seized control of the farmhouse. Unfortunately, a wall of mealie bags is a better defence against Zulu assegais than it is against Maxim fire!
On the right flank, I learnt a particularly effective lesson about cavalry in modern warfare. My previous experience had been using cavalry in ancient warfare, where they could simply charge and follow up, rolling up the line from one unit to the next. Had this been a game of (for example) WAB, it would have been the end for Mario’s Germans. I had managed to mass my cavalry on his flank and was prepared to simply sweep down the line, with visions of l’arme blanche riding to glory!
Alas, we were now in the 20th Century. The first troop of cavalry slammed into the defending infantry and cut them down like wheat.
It was only then that I read the rule requiring that the assaulting troops must make a consolidation move, and could not consolidate onto another enemy unit. This turned out to be a particularly bad time for Mario’s reserve company to arrive. The 35 soldiers walked on to the table, saw the enemy right in front of them, and gunned down the horsemen.
Things did not improve for the following troops of cavalry. Again, I was able to show that cavalry charging into infantry in the open would easily sweep them from the field, and Mario would follow up by showing me that massed rifle fire is particularly effective in getting rid of pesky cavalry.
So, as it turned out, the ranks of cavalry looked magnificent, but in practice were about as effective as they had been in the real war. The game mechanics certainly seemed to work, and got us thinking of how we could adapt the Great War to fight the Franco-Prussian war or the Crimean War – idle thoughts, no doubt, that can only lead to shattered bank accounts and yet more unpainted lead.
But I’m not through with cavalry yet – they look too damn good to be left off the table. I’ve learnt their vulnerability and need now to learn to use them more effectively. The British cavalry in particular have some significant advantages as they are equipped with rifles rather than carbines, and are good shots with them too. This is in addition to being as good as or better at close combat than any other troops on the field, makes them a double threat.
We’re already planning our next game. The French will take the field against the Germans. That should be a battle with a different character, as it will be infantry against infantry!
More photos here for those that are interested:
http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/Great%20War%20Playtest/?start=allRegards
Will
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April 19, 2024, 04:54:59 PM
August 26, 2010, 11:45:34 PM