I am notionally a part of the club, but my job as Dad's Taxi means I never get to go.
However, this was on a Sunday. A Sunday with nothing written on The Calendar. So I got a pass-out request in nice and early and was off.
Simon was also available and keen for some more WW1 action, so we were set for more Square Bashing. Which suits me. I like Square Bashing.
James (optimistically as it turns out) suggested we play two games - re-fighting Cambrai in the morning and then some sort of Verdun game in the afternoon.
Although we'd played Cambrai on the anniversary of the battle back in November we hadn't fought it to a conclusion, so this was the chance to see if the British tanks could break through.
Simon and I once more took command of the Tommies with James in the guise of dastardly Hun.
A pilot's eye view from over the British lines
And from the German side
Supported by tanks the regulars set off at zero hour
The Germans await the advance
Serried ranks of grey
We originally intended to attack on the right and largely refuse the left. However the initial depletions rather changed this plan as the trenches on our left were held by only a handful of badly mauled Germans. Would our raw troops be up to the fight?
The central push gets caught on the wire
The tanks give the Tommies confidence
Forward the Humberside Regiment!
'Morris Corner' looking lightly defended
But the centre is firmly held
Our attempts to call yup assets mostly went awry. Clearly the preliminary barrage had severed the phone lines. Pilots wouldn't take off and barrages did not arrive. Fortunately we were able to sure up the morale of our wavering new recruits.
Our attacks on the left achieved good initial progress, but the inevitable German counter attack reclaimed the trench for the Kaiser
Finally the rolling barrage arrived (several turns after we could have made good use of it!)
Some of the shells inevitable fell short on the advancing British.
Gott in Himmel die Englander artillery is zu short!
Despite an initial plan to bypass the central bunker and take it out from the flank we did rather get bogged down taking pot-shots at it that did no damage for the entire game.
The tanks crush the wire!
The German guns do not tire
'Morris Corner' defenders stand firm
The Tanks rumble ever on
Boom,boom,boom!
Finally over on our right we had a breakthrough! In fact we'd tried three assaults all at once, and the one on the right looked least likely to succeed.
Inevitable they cleared the trench with ease whilst the attack fortified with tanks against a weakened enemy was hurled back - Von Morritz rolled six. Count 'em, six! Six saves out of six and we failed one out of three. Then we took three more casualties as we withdrew.
The Scottish spearhead at least breaches the trenches
Fall back! Fall back!
Jocks in the trench
Flushed with success the Scots ran down the last defenders and achieved one of the British objectives by capturing the village. The rest of their attack then settled to the grim business of trench clearing
Bring up the machine guns
Sporadic shelling continued to impede the Britrish left and centre
And in the end we withdrew at that side of the field to avoid further attrition.
In the end James attempted to give victory to the British, but we pointed out we'd only achieved one objective out of two and at quite considerable cost.
A draw was probably the fair outcome, and the result was pretty redolent of Cambrai (and 1917 in general).
This was a splendid day's leisurely gaming. Although two games would have been nice, one played without feeling under pressure and with plenty of time to break, chat and have lunch and still be finished during daylight was a much better outcome.
Square Bashing gave a good game, horribly reminiscent of WW1 and James and Simon were (of course) great to play with and against.
More games are now planned - perhaps a Spring Offensive game across more open terrain at Easter?
