The Great War Mini Tournament 5 - French

246 - Verdun (Le Mort Homme) - 13-20 March 1916

MichalK (Germans) 6 medals, 9 figures lost
Togan (French) 3 medals, 18 figures lost

Almost whole game too place on French right / German left. My no man's shelling cleared zero (!) wires and I had to do a lot of range attacking before finally moving on. Pretty quick play (less then hour). Thanks to Togan for two exciting games!

242 - Verdun (Beaumont) - 22 February 1916

theimann (German) - 1 medal, 7 figures lost

EZPickens (French) - 6 medals, 16 figures lost


The German assault got off flatfooted. An early Recon card put the pressure on and some units were caught in the open by their trench foot.
A German officer lead a bold flanking maneuver on the French right to take the buildings there. As they were about to descend on the spot a devastating German artillery barrage flattened the spot into so much rubble, denying the place any strategic importance (vp).
The final trench raid on the French left was met by well prepared troops (First Strike, Ambush) that effectively ended the German efforts at Beaumont.

so from the logfile I deduce that this should read
242 - Verdun (Beaumont) - 22 February 1916

EZPickens (German) - 1 medal, 16 figures lost

theimann (French) - 6 medals, 7 figures lost

242 - Verdun (Beaumont) - 22 February 1916

Pickelhaube (German) - 5 medals, 18 figures lost
gotigerssc (French) - 6 medals, 21 figures lost

Very close game that I was lucky to win - aided by two recons and holding the majority of buildings. Germans pushed hard on their left to start the game, and rolled a heavy dose of burst and deadly die when they initiated close combat . French MG unit on that side disappeared fast. Butt and bayonet (3 hits) played on an open terrain bomber unit proved decisive for setting up the final medal for the French.

242 Verdun

toganalper (German) - 6 medals 25 units lost
Viridovilas (French) - 3 medals 21 figures lost

It was a bloody one with lots of artillery fire. Unfortunately French did not get any Recon medals. So it was a win for the Germans. The germans first destroyed the fortifications with artillery fire then penetrated the trenches from thier left and moved to the center to take the town and the necessary medals for victory were won.

247 Verdun

viridovilas (Germans) 3 medals, 31 units lost
toganalper (French) 7 medals, 18 units lost

the lonly French machine gun at the fortified position was able to get some units before losing the battle to the german infantry. On the French left flank the frenchies were able to defend the village and pushed back all the assults using artillery as well as mortar and mg fire. It was again a bloody battle that could go both ways, but the French were this time the winning side.

241 - Verdun (Bois Des Caures) - 21-22 February 1916

toganalper (Germans) 5 medals, 21 figures lost
Mark McG (French) 6 medals, 17 figures lost

French put on early pressure with 2 Recon cards as the Huns softened up the French left with artillery.
Despite a carpet of shellholes in the centre, the action focused on the French left, with French centre reinforcing. This zone was the main battle with the Germans forcing into the Pillbox after losing several units in the assault. A French officer led a raid on the Germans with the potential take the final 2 medals, but a decisive Surprise Ambush made this an expensive method of presenting the Germans a medal.

French lost a series of units, as did the German, with their hesitant movements on the French right being met with concentrated LMG fire. A last minute push by the Huns fell short, and the French seized their courage and attacked on the Right, stealing the victory.

I see that in my games with EZ (which I reported couple of pages before) I put both scenarios 241 which is of course mistake and that game is missing in running table (as it could look like repetition at the first glance). Cannot edit the post (do not know why) so quickly reporting below the correct results:

Scenario 248 - Verdun (Malancourt) - 20-22 March 1916

EZPickins (Germans) 2 medals, 20 figures lost
mk20336 (French) 6 medals, 11 figures lost

Scenario 248 Malancourt

toganalper (Germans): 6 medals 8 figures lost
mikrobruner (French): 3 medals 27 figures lost

The battle mimicked very much the history. The Germans very early pushed in to the Forest of Malancourt took over the forest rush rotated their additional units into and around the forest, Pushed further to the Termite hill and cleared the Termite hill and that flank.

Meanwhile the mortar and the artillery was weakening the fortified positions and actually killed the Mg as it tried to relocate, catching it in the open.

Then the Germans concentrated to the village. When the soldiers in the very first fortification died during the start of a massive infantry assault. That was enough for the French to loose, i.e. the 6th medal.


The German dice rolls were assuming that the german units were actually battle hardened SS units. They were never skipping a beat. Thanks to mikro for standing tall during my lucky dice rolls.

Scenario 43 - Verdun (Samogneux) - 24 February 1916

MirkoBruner (Germans): 1 medal 18 figures lost
Viridovilas (French): 7 medals 6 figures lost

No chance (and no luck at all) for Germans this time. A really nice French hand, coupled with a little bit better than standard die rolls, immediately stopped any German wishful thinking.