Crush the Kaiser, the decider!

 Nigel was hosting again for another 1914 themed battle. Could Ian (French) and myself (British and Belgians) defeat Nigel and his Germans in a final encounter battle. All figures are 20mm from a variety of ranges. We soon sorted out an easy random deployment system using a simple d6 throw.

Nigel's early dice throws were great, far better than ours so the Germans quickly got lots of troops on the table including this unit of lancers heading for the central bridge. 

Nigel went for a quick advance before to many of the allied troops turned up. 

Loads of Germans, all advancing. 

Eventually the allied troops arrived (on the right) and decided to use the shallow river as a defensive line.

Ian sent his two units of French lancers charging into some German artillery before they could fire and destroyed 2 out of 3 of the guns. 

My newly painted Belgian Carabinier Cyclists, were just getting into position when Nigel fired on them, pinning them in place. They never managed to recover so remained by the river for the rest of the game.  

Ian got his French troops tucked in along the river bank just in time as the massed German attack down that flank arrived. 

Lots of Germans advancing.  

The game developed into a fierce firefight across the river with many casualties on both sides. However, as we had spent so long chatting and setting the world right we failed to finish more than 6 moves. Thus with both sides set for a long fight we had to call the game a draw. We had perhaps used too many troops but it looked great and we had fun with many of the situations that cropped up.  So this game was not really a decider!

Next week Nigel is treating us to a game of old school Napoleonics using his 25mm Mini-Figs, Hinchliffe and Lamming miniatures and some rules from the same date. Should be fun. 

More 'Crush the Kaiser', 20mm WW1.

 We were back at Nigel's house today for another game of 20mm  early war WW1 using the 'Crush the Kaiser' rules again. With the weather so nice Nigel had set the table up in his garden which was lovely although the sun played havoc with some of my photo's. 

For today's game the scenario was that the Belgian/French alliance had to fight back after last week's defeat by advancing on the German defensive line and drive them back. Both sides drew plans of their deployment and the Belgian/French alliance took the first move advancing onto the table.

Ian's French are nearest on our left flank, my Belgians took the centre with just a couple of French mounted units on the right flank, on the other side of the river. 

The French advancing.

(note the pale ones at the rear, these are Nigel's French figures lent to Ian for today. When he spray varnished them he had the nightmare of the varnish causing a clouded effect on his figures).

Some of my Belgian infantry trying to advance in column down the road. 

That was a mistake as Nigel's heavy artillery targeted them causing many casualties on the front unit and 'pinning' them in place. 

Over on the right flank, the two French cavalry units dismounted and charged some German dismounted cavalry that had taken cover in the houses. Much to my surprise the French won and drove the Germans out of the building allowing us to occupy it. 

This completed the French Cavalry's orders. 

A view of the Belgian infantry advancing. 

Here is the German 105mm artillery that were targeting my Belgian Infantry. 

After the first two rounds they were then largely ineffective. 

They were tucked behind the slope of the hill and so difficult for us to target back. 

The Belgians sent a runner to change to French Cavalry's orders, it was too far for him and he never arrived before the end of the game. 

Two of the general's sporting their summer headgear. 

(at our age we need it). 

Ian's French managed to 'pin' the Germans hiding in and around the ruined church. 

Ian sent his French infantry storming in, pushing the Germans out of the church and also defeating them in the fields.  

The victorious French infantry are now storming around the flank of the church. With the Belgians also now pushing the German infantry back in the centre the Germans broke and fled leaving the Belgian/French alliance victorious. 

We all really enjoyed the game again this week. The rules worked well and flowed more quickly this week as we had all reread them. We hope to play another game in a couple of weeks. 

20mm WW1,using 'Crush the Kaiser' rules.

 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.