Monday, 14 February 2011

Cambrai, 1917

As I mentioned in my earlier post 'Landships', my WW1 tanks were painted very quickly for use in a game.  I can't remember much detail of it so I'll let you try to figure it out from the photos.  To save your eyes, there are no fewer than 19 tanks on the table at the start of the game!  My three are in the middle (identifiable by the white/red/white flashes on the front).  Those at the far end may look like 15mm toys but they're just far away.  Honest.
Turn 1 - deployed and ready to roll!
Turn 2 - the tanks break trough the German line.
Turn 3 - to the green fields beyond?
Turn 4 - a major breakthrough
Turn 5 - more German resistance is encountered on the left
Turn 6 - the final German line is reached...
Turn 7 - ...in two places!  Happily one of my toys is in the front row.
Turn 8 - Endgame - will these new-fangled tanks ever catch on?
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11 comments:

  1. Martin Rapier14 February 2011 at 12:47

    This was my old Cambrai game, each infantry base represents a battalion, and IIRC each tank model roughly 30 real tanks.

    The game covered the first day of the Cambrai and a frontage of 12,000 yards. Six British infntry divisions supported by three cavalry divisions vs two unlucky divisions of German defenders.

    As in the historical battle, German artilery firing direct from Bourlon Wood proved an unpleasant anti-tank obstacle, but as I recall elements of the cavalry did make it to the 'green fields beyond'.

    Tanks are a mixture of Airfix, Emhar and some metal ones (maybe Minifigs?). Infantry are Emhar, Revell and HaT. The troops further away are indeed 15mm, but they are further away so obviously they look smaller.

    It seemed sensible at the time:)

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  2. Tim Gow14 February 2011 at 12:51

    Martin
    Thanks for that summary - my recollections of the game are fairly hazy! The trick with the 15mm toys was to always stand at the other end of the table - that way they looked fine. It was an impressive show - I don't ever recall seeing more toy tanks in a WW1 game.

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  3. Bill14 February 2011 at 18:46

    Well done Martin!

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  4. Paul´s Bods14 February 2011 at 19:40

    Wow!! That´s a heck of a lot of WWI tanks and here´s me chuffed that I´ve managed to put two together.
    Cheers
    paul

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  5. Tim Gow14 February 2011 at 21:00

    Paul
    I suspect that yours have been finished to a rather higher standard then mine!

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  6. Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com14 February 2011 at 21:43

    Fascinating! and intriguing.

    I suppose now that my WWI plans have shrunk to 1/72nd, I should replace my unassembled 1/35th WWI tank kit with some 1/72nd ones.

    -Ross

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  7. Tim Gow14 February 2011 at 22:17

    Ross
    There should be room in your life for at least one 1/35 scale WW1 tank. Hmm - Cambrai in 54mm - theres a challenge!

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  8. Geordie an Exiled FoG14 February 2011 at 22:58

    Were there any Germans lrft on the table?

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  9. Paul15 February 2011 at 03:28

    Nice post with good looking shots and explanations. Well done!

    I hope the hazy recollection were from shell shock rather than anything liquid related!

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  10. Tim Gow15 February 2011 at 15:36

    Geordie
    That's a good question - I think at the very least they were an endangered species by the last game turn! All the players were on the Allied side and the Germans were 'programmed'.

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  11. Tim Gow15 February 2011 at 15:39

    Paul
    Although there is a bar at the Wargames Club and I have been a member there since 1992,I believe I have had two alcoholic drinks there! I drive everywhere...
    I think the varnish fumes (see the post 'Landships') may have clouded my recollections somewhat.

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