Early WW1 Action - including Minerva

[Sakura]

It has been a while since our WW1 figures had an outing and the holiday weekend gave us the opportunity.

As we have far more Allied figures than German, it had to be an Allied attack, maybe a few days after the Marne with the Allies following up their success and finding the Germans holding defensive positions on both banks of another river, perhaps the Aisne.


A Zeppelin eye view of the battlefield

The river had three obvious crossing points, an old stone bridge and two temporary engineer bridges.  The French contingent attacked towards the right hand bridge but was stopped by the German defenders of a coal mine and a firefight developed with the advantage very much to the defenders and their well placed artillery and HMGs.


French line infantry advancing


The German-held coalmine.

In the centre, the Belgians pushed forwards to test the defenders of the stone bridge.  The leading Chasseurs suffered heavily but their morale held.  The Minerva armoured car caused casualties on the  Germany infantry holding the approaches to the bridge then backed carefully up to the crown of the bridge from where it could fire into the buildings overlooking the bridge.


The Belgians advance with the Chasseurs in the lead.


Minerva parked on the bridge; German traffic warden advancing with ticket!

Finally on the left, the British, with the only Allied artillery in support, captured a building at bayonet point and closed up to the bridge ready to attempt a crossing.





With the game in the balance we had to stop but the battlefield was left set up and the action will continue on Thursday evening.

We are using "Setting the East Ablaze" rules and finding that they work well for this period.

[The Gray Ghost]

Good looking game
Renegade figures?

[Mancha]

I think I spy Hinterland minis in the zeppelin??   

[Sakura]

Generally Renegade figures but the Belgians are a mixture of Great War and Brigade, and yes, there are some Hinterland sailoresses crewing the zeppelin.

[joekano]

Great looking game!

[Phil Robinson]

Great stuff Colin, nice to see some early Great War games.