Guise 1914

I played thought this Op14 game over the course of several evenings.  The total playing time was probably about two hours.  The photo above shows the initial setup - north (and the Germans) are to the top. 
The scenario saw two German corps from Bulow's 2 Army attempting to push aside the unsupported (or so they thought!) French X Corps.  The French - actually amounting to two corps - were heading west, the head of the column being just short of Sains (just to the left of centre on the photo).  Part of a further French corps was on the western edge of the table.

This was the first outing for my 1914 French 6mm troops.

The field grey hordes crossing the river and heading south.

More Germans crossing the river south of Guise.

I decided to give my veterans a rest, so the Germans I used came from a batch I picked up at Triples last year.

An overview of the battlefield as the opposing forces come into contact.

The French X Corps occupies the area of Guise.  Most of the toys are Irregular, although this '75 is from Heroics & Ros.

French troops crest the ridge and are confronted with a plain full of Germans.

The battle for Sains develops - the Germans launch the first attacks while the French frantically try to deploy.

Soon two full corps opposed each other at Sains.

Further east the French had the benefit of a ridge to defend.

X Corps artillery engages the enemy.

Another overview - showing the armies largely engaged.

Op14 uses a card activation system - in 1914 drawing a spade means troops must attack adjacent enemy - as in the case of these Germans.

The French corps at Sains soon began to teeter on the brink of exhaustion.

Once the German artillery was deployed the attacks intensified.

The French on the right are being bombarded - the brigade has lost 50% of it's original four stands!

The French at Sains had also suffered and had been trying to dig in when they became exhausted.

The new management of Sains.

German corps HQ and artillery.

The second German corps HQ.

German casualties were by now mounting.

The Germans at Sains by no had come under pressure from a fresh French division approaching from the west.

The Germans at Sains had to face two enemy formations.

The French further east were saved only by the Germans running out of steam.

French army HQ.  These chaps are actually 1870 figures by Baccus which I picked up (painted) on Ebay.

The French gunners get their own back - they needed to roll '3' or less on each of the two dice, so the target German brigade dropped from 75% to 25% strength!

The French from the west soon began to lose momentum.

An overview of the battle's latter stages.

German air recce arrived too late to make any difference.

The high-tech digital display I used as a turn counter.

By now both sides were largely worn out, although the French still had a couple of divisions in decent condition.  It is likely that the Germans would withdraw to the north.  Perhaps Paris has been saved?

I hope to run this game again - with real players - next month.