The Great War Mini Tournament 2 - The Somme

The Great War VASSAL Tournament #2
Schedule of Games
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The Great War Mini Tournament 2 - The Somme

Please record results here in the following form

Scenario #
Player 1 (German) # banners ## figures lost
Player 2 (Allies) # banners ## figures lost

Let the Killing Begin !!!

Round 1 Result:
Scenario 008 - Somme (Hawthorn Ridge Mine Explosion) 1st July 1916
Player 1 (German) Chris0: 6 Victory Medals and 22 figures lost
Player 2 (Allies) CapitanBlood: 1 Victory Medal and 26 figures lost but 4 recovered during the game, so 22 lost at game end.

This seems to be a difficult scenario for the British as they have to do all the moving. In our game, the British came upon the Germans on a wide front, but the German forces were able to hold their front line trench. The British quickly took control of the Mine Crater area giving them an early Victory Medal. British loses mounted and units were lost as they continued to try and take the front trench. Then a couple of very good rounds for the Germans with lots of dice Burst results gave them 5 Victory Medals due to British loses. With the use of the Rush and Rotation Card, the Germans retook the Mine Crater. The British responses was impressive and almost cleared the Germans back off the Hills but they hung on to give them the 6th Victory Medal. In all a very good game.

Still looking for my burst symbols...

CapitanBlood wrote: Still looking for my burst symbols...

Do not worry, it will come. Sometimes couple at the same time just when you do not need them :whistle:

Round 3
Scenario: 009 - Somme (Mash Valley & La Boisselle) - 1 July 1916
Mark McG (German) 4 banners, 18 figures lost
MichalK (mk20336) (Allies) 7 banners, 20 figures lost

The whole game concentrated on Allied right flank, with sporadic clashes in center and left. To get thro the woods, into the towns was a hard task, which with significant losses came at great cost to British. However, the numbers were against Huns, and in the end they started to break. Couple of very clever moves gave Germans 2 additional banners.

Most depressing moment of the whole game? When Mark Rolled 3 bursts and Dead Eye on my infantry in La Boisselle, taking one banner for this. However, I still remember my Reserve Artillery roll inflicting 8 hits so I will not complaint...

The more I play that game, the more I like it. Initial 3 scenarios were pretty static, but Loos and now Somme are really great.

Round 2
Scenario: 010 - Somme (Sausage Valley & La Boisselle) - 1 July 1916
chris01 (German) 3 banners, 23 figures lost
MichalK (mk20336) (Allies) 7 banners, 19 figures lost

Quick, intensive and interesting scenario. Playing the British I did not hesitate for a moment – having card “General Advance” I built a line and moved forward on both flanks. Attack was going well, war of attrition with amount of units I had was what I needed. And then… came marvelous counter attack by Chris with his Machine Guns. That stopped me for a while but another devastating artillery barrage (5 hits on 5d roll with Box Barrage only – still not 8 hits like in one of my games) broke right flank of Germans.
Then it was just a matter of time to eliminate one more unit. This time 2 out of 7 banners for British were special ones while in game with Mark I had as much as 3 out of 7. This is really key in those attack scenarios plus relentless attacking and not giving Germans time to catch breath.
Thanks for Chris for good game – as already said, Somme scenarios are really very interesting and give a lot of fun.

Round 1
Scenario: 008 - Somme (Hawthorn Ridge Mine Explosion) - 1 July 1916
plainscape (German) 4 banners, 21 figures lost
MichalK (mk20336) (Allies) 6 banners, 18 figures lost

Another dynamic Somme scenario. We played very quickly, gaining a lot of special banners - I for trenches and crater, Todd for two recon cards. Initial clash in front trench on my right was won thanks to Machine Gun barrage. Then both sides seemed to lost all good cards and some stalemate occurred. In the meantime, Todd rolled twice on 2d with mortar 2 bursts. My whole 4 block infantry was gone after that…

Then I got Infantry assault and moved forward. At some moment Todd had 3 one block units in front line but rolled well on Big Show and was able to counterattack… only to learn one of his soldiers had a trench foot! That actually prevented another one from moving. In the end, I escaped with one unit from board (my first banner won in that way) and eliminated 1 one block unit, finishing the game.

There were moments where our play was really “dramatic” with sudden twists. And that makes that scenario really interesting.

Thanks Todd for good game!

Round 3 Result:
Scenario 009 - Somme (Mash Valley & Le Boisselle)
Player 1 (German) chris01: 7 Victory Medals and 12 figures lost but 2 recovered during the game, so 10 lost at game end.
Player 2 (Allies) theimann: 2 Victory Medals at game end and 33 figures lost.

The overwhelming number of British units that start this scenario allowed the British to take the extra Temporary medal for the Mine Crater and presence in a German trench within 2 turns. They also gained one for a destroyed German Inf unit so at the start of turn 3 they were on 3 Medals and the Germans zero. It looked a done game, but constant fire from the German units and a good artillery turn changed the situation as the British casualties mounted up the British hold on the front line thinned out. A mad dash for a building was then mounted by a single British Inf unit, but it was gunned down in the trenches before it could reach a building. Suddenly the trenches and Mine Hex were clear of British and a few more Mortar hits on weakened British units ended the game. Another enjoyable game.