Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Great War => Topic started by: Metternich on September 15, 2021, 09:20:28 PM
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For those playing Through the Mud and Blood, I have a question. Can a Big Man also be a Bomber or Trench Fighter ? The example of Close Assault would seem to indicate yes (the German Big Man indicates that the 6 man Stormtrooper unit of which he was a part consisted of 3 Bombers and 3 Trench Fighters - he also indicates that he added a dice for his Big Man status, which would mean he was either Big Man Status 2 or 3). If so, could more senior Big Men (i.e. officers, generally Status 3 or 4) be deemed to be Trench Fighters ?
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Historically it was certainly possible. But if a leader became immersed in close combat then he ran the risk of losing tactical awareness. Command capability should suffer as a result.
Robert
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I was thinking along the lines of Stosstruppen leaders and raid commanders (Mud and Blood is, after all, a small unit skirmish game essentially at the platoon/company level). Ernst Junger (as commander of a regimental Stosstrupp) notes in his writing taking an active role in at least one combat, and even details his armament (which is pretty heavy for a leader who would only be directing fire !):.
“I’ve been completely geared up: In front of the chest two sand sacks with four stick grenades each, on the left with percussion fuse and on the right with retardation fuse, in the right jacket pocket a Pistol 08 and in the right trouser pocket a small Mauser pistol, in the left jacket pocket five hand grenades, in the left trouser pocket night-compass and a whistle. On the buckle a springs hook to ignite the grenades, dagger and wire cutter. In the inner breast pocket was a stuffed wallet and my home address, in the rear jacket pocket was a flat bottle filled with Cherry Brandy. We had put down the epaulettes and the Gibralter – sleeve – ribbon so that our enemy couldn’t identify our origin. As an identifying mark we carried a white ribbon an each arm.”