We were at Nigel's house today for a game of 20mm World War One using the excellent 'Over by Christmas' rules from the 'Crush the Kaiser' series of rules. Ian used his Early War French, I was his Belgian ally leaving Nigel in control of the Germans. Nigel had devised a scenario where the more numerous Germans had to advance onto the table and take 3 bridges that crossed a central. The French and Belgians were supposed to be trying to hold the bridges thus delaying the German advance but they had arrived late and were only just entering the table.
The table before any troops arrived.
The Germans were coming in from the left, the French and Belgians from the right.
The Belgian/FRench alliance chose to defend by hitting the Germans as they were packed in crossing the bridges.
The German lancers wasted no time in claiming the central bridge. We used the weather chart which decided it was foggy or misty on the first two turns before it finally cleared on turn 3. This allowed both sides to get their units on the table without being 'observed'.
The German lancers moved across the bridge but then as the mist cleared they saw the Belgian Field gun pointing straight at them. The Field gun fired and caused enough casualties on the cavalry to 'pin' them.
The Belgian Minerva armoured car positioned itself to cover any advance over the right hand bridge.
Good shooting from the Belgians destroyed the first german gun to try and cross the central bridge. We left the destroyed gun in place counting it as an obstacle to any troops trying to pass by.
Over on the left side Ian's French took up a strong position only to find that Nigel's Germans had largely ignored that flank.
A view along the German frontline. We judged that the river bank counted as soft cover for any troops behind it.
Back in the centre more Germans were crossing the bridge where a fierce firefight was taking place. The Belgians seemed to be coping well.
Gradually sheer numbers started to turn the battle in favour of the Germans.
The French were holding the left hand bridge but were only facing a tentative German probe.
As the Germans charged into the Belgian troops the Belgians were starting to feel overwhelmed.
Eventually the Belgian Battalion suffered so many casualties they were forced to take a Morale test which they failed and ran. The Germans gleefully stormed over the right hand bridge and had taken the central bridge. Thus a well deserved German victory for Nigel was called.
We had only played these rules a few times before but we had all re-read them before the game so soon picked them up again and the game had moved along quite smoothly. It was so much fun we play again next week as the French/Belgian alliance try to strike back.
