From Our Own Correspondent: Robert Cappa reports “Deeper into Normandy”

From Our Own Correspondent:

Robert Cappa reports “Deeper into Normandy”

Poor Bloody Infantry, or PBI as it is known, is a great set of WW2 Wargame rules (Rules For the Common Man - published by Peter Pig). The sense of getting men to operate some kind of cohesive plan in the face of the enemy is almost palpable!

Somewhere in the Normandy Bocage region

The small French village of Maisons-de-Bois, sitting at the crossroads (Obj.1) had, along with its surrounding farms, been eyed thoughtfully by both sides. Mr Cappa and his camera were positioned to the N. of the Battle field.

The Germans had got there first, just two days ago, and elements of the 4th Coy. 52nd SSPzr. Grndrs. had built a substantial MG bunker (Obj.2), principally to defend the road E. of the village. To the N. a bombed-out farm building served as a forward Obs post (Obj.3). The infantry had also hastily dug some defences in the fields to the N.E., to the W. and to the S. of the village.

Forces

The German Coy. Cmdr was confident he could defend Maisons de Bois with two Rfl. Pltns and a support Pltn of 3xHvy MG’s. There was also Arty support promised and, as the British threat became immediate, Armour was dispatched N. to rendezvous at the village.

The British were attacking with elements of C Coy.3rd Bttn West Surrey Rgt. namely: 2xPltns plus Coy. HQ Pltn. Having reconnoitred that morning and seen the extent of the German defences, Coy. Cmdr requested a 3rd Pltn be directed towards the village to bolster the attack. Armour Support came as 1xCromwell, 2xSherman. Arty barrage was also planned to commence the attack.

Deployment

The Germans had deployed with a Pltn in the village and its walled gardens, in the hedged field to the W., and in the field defences to the W. and S. (Obj.1). 

The 2nd Pltn was deployed in the ruined farmhouse (Obj.3) to the N and in the fields and field defences to the N.E. 

The support Pltn of HMG was deployed in the courtyard of houses to the S., along with the Coy. Cmdr., and occupied the MG Bunker (Obj.2).

British deployed swiftly, with 1st Pltn moving rapidly S. along the road, across the open ground. 1xSctn approached through the coppice to the N.W. The infantry crossing open ground were afforded some cover by the supporting Cromwell.

2nd Pltn deployed to the N.E. of the fields with 2xShermans to give weight to their attack. Coy. Cmdr directed the attack.

Magic view to the N.W.

Turn 1

Arty began pre-ordered barrage: salvo landed too far S. of (Obj.3).

From their exposed position on the road, 1st Pltn put up some tentative suppressing fire. Sctn in the coppice unable to add their fire.

Both Cromwell and 1xSherman gave support with H.E. on the enemy in Maisons de Bois whilst laying down covering fire with MG’s.

2nd Pltn opened up a lively suppressing fire across their front, aiming to pin German elements in the field defences ahead. The remaining Sherman also used MG’s to assist.

Turn 2

British Arty was being adjusted and 2nd salvo was delayed.

2nd Pltn gained fire superiority and pinned the German LMG’s in the field defences. 1xSherman advanced towards the observation post and using H.E. managed to pin the defending Germans there.

Cromwell advanced S. along the road to assault the Germans pinned in the village. 

However, German infantry Anti-Tank deterred attack and Cromwell retired to support 1st Pltn when Pltn Cmdr. was shot: he was replaced by a Pltn Sergeant who struggled to lead the Pltn to assault the village under fire.

Turn3

The Supporting Pltn requested as back up, had, as yet failed to make contact.

British Arty landed directly on the farm buildings (Obj.3) and in the fields and lane to the E. causing casualties and pinning the German defenders. 

 Coy. Cmdr. ordered 2nd Pltn to advance through the fields and along the stream to their E. 1xSherman gave support with MG.

1xSherman advanced towards the village and used H.E. to support 1st Pltn.

Following the Arty. salvo, the Germans tried quickly to rally the pinned infantry to defend the anticipated British advance. German Coy. Cmdr. received a message that Armour was on its way, but none could not yet be seen by those anxiously looking S. down the road.  

He was, however, able to call in his own field Arty which landed accurately across the road N. of the village, causing grievous losses among British 1st Pltn and knocking out Cromwell. 

Their temporary leader was himself hit and a Pltn Cprl. took over to rally the remaining troops in the face of determined sniper fire and attempt to move them to attack the village and thereby get out of the open ground.

Turn 4

British Arty was reluctantly called upon the village to clear infantry defenders from their positions in the field defences, the streets and the walled gardens. 

Some stubborn Anti-Tank armed infantry remained in the village. the remnants of 1 st Pltn were gathering themselves to leave their fallen comrades and cross the daunting open ground between them and their objective.

2nd Pltn advanced under HMG fire from the Bunker (Obj.2), to capture the German field defences with heavy losses.

Elements of 3rd Pltn then arrived and Coy. Comdr. waited to check the way was clear to advance and capture the forward Obs post (Obj.3). The German Suppt Pltn. kept trying to intervene with HMG fire from the cluster of buildings to the S. of the road.

Turn 5

German defenders in the village, outflanked by the British 3rd Pltn in the forward Obs post to the E. and by 12nst Pltn in the fields to their W. then retired to the crossroads (Obj.1).

2xShermans carefully advanced through the village and against the field defences in the open ground to the S.W.

Coy. Cmdr. led the remaining 1st Pltn in the wake of the Sherman.

Turn 6

As the British were approaching the S. end of the village and fighting hard to secure the crossroads (Obj.1), some of the German Armour finally arrived. 

1xPzrIV rolled N. along the road and 1xStuG crossed the open ground to the S. Immediately, 2xShermans were engaged in an armoured duel to prevent these beasts dislodging the infantry from their, as yet, slim hold on the crossroads (Obj.1).

 3rd Pltn with the remains of 2nd Pltn were being hampered by stiff resistance from the HMG’s from the Bunker (Obj.2) and the houses to the S.

The game ended and the victory decided by British 21 dice and German 18 dice. Result British 78, German 65, so a narrow victory by the British and, conceivably, in another turn the result might turn the other way if the German Armour continued to thwart the British attack on Obj.2 and loosened their hold on Obj.1

A frustrated attack facing dogged defence; a great game.

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 2 Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 2 

Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

Continuing the Battle of Hannahon, in the south of modern day Lebanon, in the low lands just north of the plains of Megiddo; a wargame using Impetus rules; a later Hebrew army, with Syrian-Aramaean allies stands in the way of a Neo-Hittite Army from the north.

All views are from the North, Hittite side of the field.

The initial moves have closed the ground between the armies and committed the commands to their targets. The battle is now to unfold; opportunities exposed, gambles taken, domination sought, forces shattered, spears broken...

The Hebrew King at the centre, rode forth with his body guard, all mounted in Heavy Chariots, outdistancing the light foot in the rough ground. The Light chariots and camels, on the Hittite right flank, seeing this chink appear, themselves dashed forward across the face of the gathered hoards of Hebrew tribesmen. Their infantry were trying to close the gap that was opening to the flank of the mounted troops.

As they advanced, the Aramaean light chariots to the east are disordered by arrows shot from the elite Hittite chariots [the brown "dust clouds" are used to indicate disorder].

Now, in turn 5, the armies meet hand to hand.

In the clash to the east, the Hittite Light chariots act quickly to capitalise on the weakness of the Hebrew Heavy chariots when trying to hold their ground, but misjudge the extent of the rough ground (impenetrable to chariots), and take losses from both chariot mounted, bow armed elite and foot archers. The Camels move easily into the rough ground to shield the Chariot flank.

But the strike is indecisive and, with disorder on both sides all along this part of the line, the initiative passes to the opposing Hebrew forces.

whilst the Hebrew left flank, teeters in the balance, at the far side of the battle, the Hittite nobles sweep aside the rag-tag Aramaean chariots, leaving the Syrian, Aramaean foot disordered and exposed.

With little strength left to keep them in the field, the Aramaean foot fight aggressively; light foot race forward to desperately engage the hesitant, Hittite nobles and disorder them and inflict further losses. 

But it is not enough and the next turn, it is the Aramaean command that breaks.

With the Hittite left flank victorious but weakened, Hebrew light chariots from the centre race to engage the remaining Hittite Light Chariots.

The counter-strike by the heavy, Hebrew chariots to the West,and the relentless rain of arrows and javelins form the infantry, break the Hittite mounted, although with some significant losses of their own

The next turn, the Hittite command to the east fails its cohesion test, is broken and flees. The Hebrew tribes emerge from the rough gullies and run forward, triumphant.

Now, in desperation, the mighty Hittite centre moves forward. The Hebrew Gibborim are positioned in the rough ground, screened by sling armed skirmishers. The hill has a the tough Philistine mercenary spearmen with archers to their flank.

the Hebrew tribes try to dash across the battlefield to themselves threaten the Hittite centre, but the wheel is slow

Surprised by the aggression of the Gibborim, the Hittite king is unable to call the charge in time and his chariots receive losses and are disordered.

the Hittite “Super-weapon” is broken. The King remains amid the disordered casualties of his elite bodyguard. 

All senses scream that the battle is within the Hebrew's grasp. Their light chariots to the West risk everything and press forward, with sacrificial zeal to engage the great lines of Hittite infantry; but are able to tip the balance decisively!

And so, Kate Aide, somewhat south of war-torn Beirut, gets her piece, reporting the tragedy as it happens.

The Hittites flee northward. One strike south has met with ruin, but the key trading super-highway from Aleppo and all points North and East, to Raphia and all points South and West, remains a bleached bone of contention in the desert for time to come...

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 1 Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

From Our Own Correspondent: Part 1

Kate Aide reports “A Biblical Epic”

when I last war-gamed with these 15mm biblical armies (Essex Miniatures with a few Chariot Miniatures), using Armarti or DBM rules, my friends and I would position Cecil B D Mille and his film crew atop some vantage point to indicate the "Biblical Epic" was being played to enjoy.

More recently I have found a 15mm reporter and TV cameraman (among my 15mm Vietnam forces) who now represents Kate Aide: famous BBC war correspondent from the days of incessant civil war in Lebanon.

Following a burst of excitement, having come across Impetus rules, I embarked on a mega rebasing: fixing two or four DBM elements to a base to make a unit. This game was my first using full Impetus rules (without any rule amendments from supplement books).

So here, a later Hebrew army, with Syrian-Aramaean allies stands in the way of a Neo-Hittite Army from the north.

a small amount of map-work pregame, meant the battle was to be fought in the south of modern day Lebanon, in the low lands just north of the plains of Megiddo; mostly open, dry rock and desert, with some low hills and rough areas.

As the day began the armies broke camp in the chill morning, and moved to the open ground that would be a field of battle. Each force rumbled out of the mists and dust, to await the sun’s warmth. Deployment was by commands

The Hittite King deployed in their centre, himself commanding the Noble, heavy chariots with open ground to their south. His guard foot formed to his rear, themselves flanked by regular units of archers and spears extending in line almost to the small village of Hannahon to their east.

The Hebrew King matched this with his largest force; heavy chariots with a hoard of fleet-footed, javelin armed tribesmen to their west. The light foot were south of some rough gullies; hoping to shield them from the lighter Hittite chariots yet to appear from the dust. These tribes had archers on either flank and were screened by the skirmishing bow armed tribesmen. A unit of mounted, Bedouin scouts hoped to protect their west flank as it lay open.

A more agile Hittite command deployed to the west, with a low hill before them and the rough terrain further to their south. This command had the light chariots and a unit of camel mounted spears backed up by some lighter spear and bow armed foot. Skirmishing slingers protected the extreme right of the line.

The Hebrew King’s regular foot, the Mighty Gibborim, deployed south of another small area of rough ground with the bow armed Benjamite tribesmen skirmishing ahead. The household archers took the large hill to their east. In their midst was a tough unit of Philistine heavy, spear armed mercenaries.

The Hittite King then deployed another command with lighter infantry in the village and on the hill to the east, with a column of light chariots to their left flank; sweeping south. In response, the Hebrew line also extended east of the large hill with a small, ally army of Aramaean light chariots, light javelin and bow armed foot behind a thin cloud of sling armed skirmishers.

[The small pebbles are used to keep track of unit losses – white denote permanent losses]

With the stage set, Kate Aide, our intrepid reporter, did her piece to camera talking of the air, charged with anticipation and the grim determination of the soldiers arrayed as far as the eye could see on both sides of the plain.

As the sun continued to climb, the trumpets signaled the coming of the fated moment, and both armies moved forward.

The Hittites to the east emerged to the south of the village and the lower slopes of the hill. The light chariots began to open out to form a more aggressive line.

Aramaean Chariots wheeled from behind the big hill with their foot following close behind. Hebrew Light chariots swung east ready to protect the right flank of their archers on the hill.

The Hittite centre kept pace but the faster light chariots and the camels to their west wheeled over the small hill before them to threaten the Hebrew centre, with as much open ground ahead as they dared.

[The individual spearmen on 20mm bases are used to show (and keep track of) a command that has activated]

The Israelite tribesmen advanced swiftly to occupy the rough ground, confident the Hittite Light chariots intended to bypass them. Bedouin scouts moved to prevent the Hittites using the small olive grove as a secure flank.

To the east, Aramaeans advanced boldly to close on the Hittite Light chariots and deny them the open ground to manoeuvre 

That's where I'll leave it, at the end of turn 3.

How the battle unfolded, next time