The Last Redoubt - Belgium 1914 - part 3

 

As they galloped (and pedalled) into contact the world held its breath. Imagine then everyone’s surprise when the charge succeeded! This effectively ended the German 5th division's offensive capability, a further blow being the untimely death of the divisional commander killed by a stray artillery shell. It would be ungallant of me to identify the nationality of the responsible gunner, right Simon?

 

By now the German 6 division had crossed the canal in strength and was approaching Louvain from the north east. Helped by corps assets, German gunners had battered the defenders of  the village sufficiently that the surviving Belgian guns were withdrawn to Antwerp, together with the far more important horse drawn field kitchen.

 

At this point we called Endex and talk through what might have happened next. We agreed that the  that the German 5th division would regroup and be reinforced over the next couple of days and the delay would effectively prevent the Germans sealing off Antwerp for that period of time. We talked through everyone’s objectives and individual victory conditions. On balance , the Belgians did slightly better than their opponents.  In terms of the victory points for objective locations, honours were even.

 By popular acclaim the “men of the match“ were the Belgian cavalry cyclists and armoured car crew. Clearly then these are the weapons of the future.

 Everyone claimed to have had a nice day and I was particularly pleased to have deployed my 54 mm Belgians so soon after completing them.  My thanks as always to the players for entering into the spirit of the game and providing such fine entertainment.

 Without wishing to cause undue alarm I can see possibilities for a sequel to this game. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Finally, for those of you wondering about the game's title, I refer you both to the individual objectives and the following quote:

“Accent is the last great redoubt of prejudice.”― A.A. Gill

1914 Belgians - part 1

Following a flood of requests (well OK, one) for more info on my Great War Belgians, here is part one of their story.

I'm sure that most of us are familiar with the fabulous illustrations in the Funcken books.  This painting of the 1st Carabiniers is very atmospheric!

My starting point was the Deetail French Foreign Legion figures - including some of the newer plastic-based copies made by DSG.  First step was to lop their heads off and trim away the havelock (neck cloth).  I took the opportunity at this point to make a few other changes - such as replacing the officer's sword with a flagpole.

New heads came from Tradition Of London.

New paintwork began to transform their appearance...

...with final detailing in the form of the yellow piping being added with paint pens.

.

Here is one with a pair of Tradition cyclists.  I picked them up for rather less than half price at a Paris Eurofigurines show a couple of years back.

And no - before you ask - I haven't built a dog-pulled MG.  Yet.

The Last Redoubt - Belgium 1914 - part 2

 A note on place names.  As this action was very much 'inspired by' rather then 'a recreation of', except for the outer area of Antwerp I hadn't got round to naming the other towns and villages.  Perhaps inevitably, the large town which ended up being heavily shelled and fought over became known during the game as Louvain.  I hear they've had to close the library...

The peaceful citizens of 'Louvain' going about their business.

A particular book seemed to be selling well

The Belgian cavalry, inevitably referred to during the game as the “cavalry mechanised group” started mostly in Louvain but swiftly withdrew when the head of the German column drew near.  They then took up positions near the eastern Canal Crossing. 

The cavalry leave town...

...and close in on the eastern canal crossing

An original* 1914 photo with the mighty Minerva armoured car detachment leading the way..

The Belgian infantry regiment deployed with two companies and the machine gun company in Louvain and the remaining two companies supported by both of the brigades artillery batteries in village A to the north Northwest of the Canal.

 

The other two companies of 27 Rgt.  The crafty Belgians had flooded the fields round this village.  Note the Belgian artillery and German scouts.

Belgian Commander Martin set up his HQ in the Fort and looked to have plans of spending a comfortable war therein.

The medical detachment having a nice lie down.

The German 6th Reserve Division advanced up the main highway and soon engaged by Belgian infantry and machine gun fire. 

The 5RD peeled off to the North and initially busied itself desecrating a monastery.  

German air reconnaissance (it’ll never catch on) found the suburbs of Antwerp to be free of troops. 

And just who was the intrepid aviator?  

Why none other then your humble correspondent.  Looking far too pleased for a supposedly grown man playing with a toy aeroplane.

After a costly struggle 6 division took Louvain and spent some time re-organising and preparing to move on.

As they closed in and prepared to assault village A, the Belgian artillery let rip with some (party popper) shrapnel which rather discouraged the lead German battalion. 

A further salvo or shrapnel discouraged a second German battalion at which point the attack on the village stalled.

Meanwhile, the Belgian cavalry and armoured cars made a nuisance of themselves at the eastern Canal Crossing where the Minerva attachment held up a German division for around half a day. 

While the Germans reorganised, the cavalry redeployed and soon arrived north of Lovain.  At this point - and in a shock development - they heroically charged a German battalion!

And....that seems like a good cliffhanger.  The final part of this sorry tale will follow.

The Last Redoubt - Belgium 1914 - part 1

This was a toy soldier game played last week with 54 mm figures, the Belgians provided by me and the Germans by Lloyd. The scenario was more inspired by than based on any particular action but took as its setting the general situation in Belgium in the early weeks of the Great War.

A vast horde of Germans.  This photo by Russell, others by Pete, Martin and myself.

The Belgian Army, having inflicted something of a reverse on the Germans on the river gat is now pulling back in a degree of disarray towards the national redoubt at Antwerp.  In our game we had a Belgian mixed brigade with orders and secret individual objectives as follows:

Overall Belgian objective: carry out an heroic defence and inflict reverses on the Germans.

Nominate three objectives.

 
General J Van Acker (Martin) – 6^th Mixed Brigade
                                                HQ
                                                2 supply columns
                                                Fort Affreuse
                                                3^rd Carabiniers Rgt (-)
                                                                        HQ
                                                                        Inf Co
                                                                        MG Plt
                                                2^nd Artillery Group (-)
                                                                        2 Bty, 75mm guns
 
Personal objectives:     Speak with a French or (if you can manage it) Flemish accent.
Give press interviews and pose for photos, perpetuating the ‘plucky little Belgium’ image.
Be seen to be supporting your subordinates while secretly gathering as much resource as possible for the defence of Antwerp.
Issue lengthy and ‘inspiring’ orders to your subordinates.
  

The fort and it's garrison.  The CO is heroically/stupidly waving from atop the ramparts.

 
Colonel W Bogaerts (Russell) – 4^th Chasseurs a Cheval
                                                            HQ
                                                            2 Cavalry Sqns
                                                            Cyclist Sqn
                                                            Armoured Car troop
                                                5^th Chasseurs a Pied
                                                            HQ
                                                            2 Inf Co
 
Personal objectives:     Speak with a French or (if you can manage it) Flemish accent.
                                    Carry out an heroic action with your cavalry.
Refuse to cooperate with Bresseleers – he is an over-promoted bumpkin who knows nothing of modern war.
Demonstrate the usefulness of armoured cars
  

 
Colonel G Bresseleers (John) – 27^th Regiment de Ligne
                                                            HQ
                                                            4 Inf Co
                                                            MG Plt
                                                            Field Kitchen Co
 
Personal objectives:     Speak with a French or (if you can manage it) Flemish accent.
Undermine the General at every opportunity – everyone knows that job should be yours!
Protect the field kitchen.
Inflict an embarrassing defeat on the Germans.

27 Rgt de Ligne

The all-important field kitchen.  A Cobri (not quite Lego) model.

The Germans had a reserve corps of two divisions with the prospects of a reinforcement brigade depending on dice rolls. The letter never showed up as Corps commander Simon rolled an unbroken run of ones and twos.

Overall German objective: complete the encirclement of Antwerp and prevent it’s reinforcement.

Secretly allocate 15, 10 and 5 VPs to three objectives nominated by the Belgian player.

Lt General E Draeger (Simon) – IX (Reserve) Corps

                        HQ - 4 staff officers, 2 motor cars

                         3 Transport Columns

                         Artillery Rgt 17 – 2 howitzers

                         Feld Flieger Abt 17 – 1 aeroplane          

Personal objectives:  Speak with a German accent

                                 Strut around like the conquering hero you want to be seen as.

                                 Avoid military embarrassments.

Address your troops with the contempt they deserve – they are mostly fat old reservists.

Major General S Dubourg (Lloyd) – 5^th Reserve Division

                                                            HQ

                                                            Cavalry Sqn (2)

                                                            Reserve Inf Rgts 33,44,45 (20 figs each)

                                                            Reserve Feld Art Rgt 37 – 2 guns

                                                            MG Co

                                                            Transport column

                                                           

Personal objectives:    Speak with a German accent

                                    Carry out atrocities against the local populace

                                    Lead your men heroically, from the front!

                                    Win a great military victory

  

Prime targets for German 'frightfulness'.  A convent and....

...a monastery.  Possibly one of the orders which brews beer?

                                   

Major General Colonel S Jeschke (Pete) - 6th Reserve Division

                                                            HQ

                                                            Cavalry Sqn

                                                            Reserve Inf Rgts 141,176,2 (20 figs each)

                                                            Reserve Feld Art Rgt 71

                                                            MG co

                                                            Transport column

                                                           

Personal objectives:     Speak with a German accent

                                    You are a sensitive academic, given to quoting Schiller and                                                 Goethe

                                    Prevent unnecessary casualties on both sides

                                    Lead your men heroically, from the front!

Next time...the battle commences!