The Left bank 1916 part 9 - the thin red lines

The German Jager battalion in reserve.  Note the telephone lines made from red wool.

German troops in position on Artillery Hill.  

 Day 2 - the German defence plan:

1/32 will dig in on Dog Hill - first priority for pioneers

2/94 will dig in on Artillery Hill (should be able to reuse some of the French defences) - second priority for pioneers

1/94 will dig in on Telegraph Hill - third priority for pioneers

 an MG will be attached to each of 1/32 and 2/94, positioned to allow a crossfire as per the map (so left flank of 2/94, right flank of 1/32)

 The Jagers and Stormtroops will move to reserve positions as marked - essentially on the reverse slope and offset to the left and right respectively. If they have time, dig in as much as possible.

 Final Protective Fire locations 'Anton' and 'Bruno' are marked.

Own positions are also pre registered in the event of a counterattack - Dog, Artillery, Telegraph.

Fire called by telephone ideally, or if needed by flare.

If the guns need to be on table, just back in the valley somewhere one gun behind each regiment, ideally where they can see the ridgeline if direct fire is required.

 The Telephone team will establish an exchange (red circle on map) behind Telegraph Hill and run a wire forward via Telegraph Hill to Artillery Hill. A second wire will run via JG/94, Stosstrupp and then to Dog Hill.  If there is time, run a third wire to any on table artillery positions but I doubt there will be.

 The Field Hospital can keep up the good work!

Dog Hill with it's new German garrison.

The Germans brought forward a field battery.

French PLAN B

Clear I/211 (Artillery Hill) position first, using all artillery, then take on I/215 (Dog Hill)

 Turn 1 - Aircraft bomb position formerly held by  I/211

 Turns 2 and 3 – both batteries fire on I/211’s position.

 Turn 4 –both  infantry battalions enter on southern edge due south of I/211’s position. Artillery continues firing on previous target.

 Turn 5 – infantry advance on their objective. Artillery continues to fire.

 Turn 6  and 7 - both battalions assault I/211’s former position.  Both batteries fire on I/215’s former position.

 Turn 8 and 9 – leaving one company to garrison the I/211 position, the rest of the infantry move to I/215’s position. Artillery keep firing

 Turn 10 –Artillery cease fire. Infantry assault  the I/215 position.

Next time we'll see what happened when the plans were executed.

The Left Bank 1916 part 8 - a storm of steel?

 Meanwhile back on the left bank of the Meuse.....

German infantry surges forward  - less through a storm of steel than a desultory hail of matchsticks. This is one of two battalions closing in on....

....Artillery Hill, where gunfire has at least removed some of the French wire.

Meanwhile at Dog Hill the assault goes in....

...and soon the ranks are thinned on both sides!

But the wily Boche have Stosstruppe Von Gow in reserve.

Artillery Hill (left) with Telegraph Hill in the background.  The slightly tatty German battalions prepare to hurl themselves against the French defences.  

In the bloody melee which ensued, the Germans prevailed - but only just!

Back at Dog Hill, the stormtroopers have joined the fight and it's all too much for the weakened defence.

The dog captured the French flag - giving the hill it's name.

At this point I told the French that one of their Colonels was to be court-martialled for losing the position, but he got away with it by virtue of being dead. (this actually happened)

A fresh regiment was rushed to the front from a rather better division and the French players were asked to plan an immediate counterattack.  (this too actually happened)

The Germans were asked to prepare a defensive plan.

Next time I will share with you the plans

Italeri Panzer crew

 

I need some tank crews for a couple of games I have in mind, so this venerable set was cracked open today.  Venerable?  Definitely!  Although the box is marked ‘1995’, I remember this set from the 1970s.

Despite it’s antiquity the mouldings are pretty crisp.  Not up to Tamiya standards but still very respectable.  I think that their 1970s equivalents was moulded in white plastic.  For a set still readily available for under  £10 there’s quite a lot in it. Six figures, two barrels, a wooden crate, four buckets(!) and three helmets. 

You don’t see box art like this on modern kits!  But in those far-off days before the widespread availability of reasonably price uniform books this would no doubt have been very useful. 

M-163 Vulcan (Israeli)

 

Another of my M-113 bodges now.  3D printed turret atop my usual insulation foam/card/balsa bodge. It looks the part though.