On Saturday, we had a great day at Berwick Wargames Association  re-fighting the 100th anniversary of the battles of Cambrai and Villers-Bretonneux and remembering the birth of the Royal Tank Regiment.  

The Regimental Colours are Brown, Red and Green. When it was first formed, the Tank Corps had no distinctive colours. Nothing was done about it until just before the Battle of Cambrai in 1917 when General Elles, wanting some distinguishing mark for his tank, went into a shop to buy material for a flag. Although stocks were small, the General bought some lengths of silk-brown, red and green. The silk was sewn together and was flown from his tank ‘Hilda’ in which he led the Tank Corps into battle.

The colours typified the struggle of the Corps – ‘From mud, through blood to the green fields beyond’. This most apt interpretation of the colours was suggested by Colonel Fuller. The flag is flown with the green uppermost.

Fortunately the on table weather was decidedly better than outside.

The Battle of Cambrai, fought between 20 November and 7 December 1917, was the first battle in history involving the employment of tanks en masse. After a series of failures, largely due to the impassibility of the mud, during the Ypres offensives the proponents of the tank were keen to prove its worth my mounting a massed raid on the German line west of Cambrai in northern France. This raid evolved into a full scale attack employing six infantry divisions, two cavalry divisions, over 1000 guns and 476 tanks, which was launched at dawn on 20 November 2017. The initial assault was a spectacular success, demonstrating the power of the tank when employed in a shock role, and ripped a hole almost ten kilometers wide and six kilometers deep in the German line. Mechanical failures among the tanks, the deployment of German reserves, and the obstacle presented by the St. Quentin Canal sapped the attack of its momentum after the first day. The fighting swayed to and fro for the next nine days, with the British unable to capitalize on their early gains and the Germans unable to force them back to any extent. On 30 November, however, the Germans launched a counterattack with twenty divisions to cut-off the “neck” of the salient. By 7 December, they had recaptured all of the ground lost since 20 November.

The re-fight ended in a resounding victory for the British as the infantry supporting the tank attack were able to secure the German communication trenches, albeit with the loss of all six British tanks.

We also re-fought the only tank v tank battle at the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.

After the Germans took Villers-Bretonneux on the 24^th of April 1918, three British Mark IV tanks (a male and two females) advanced on the town. They were surprised by the German  A7V, “Nixe”. Nixe opened fire ripping holes in the sides of both female tanks exposing the crew.  They both retreated as their machine guns were unable to penetrate the armour of the A7V.

The male Mark IV continued to fire it six pounder guns at the A7V, although as half of its crew had been gas casualties earlier in the days fighting they were severely hampered. In order to try and avoid the German artillery fire and the gun of the German tank they resorted to firing on the move which meant the gunner had difficulty in aiming. Eventually the Mark IV stopped to allow the gunner a clear shot and the gunner scored three hits. The German tank tried to cross a ditch and reeled over on its side – destroyed more by crossing the ditch at the wrong angle than the hits.

The British male tank was then attacked by two more A7Vs. After firing several shots they retired because of the German supporting infantry. When a mortar hit the tracks the crew abandoned it and escaped to nearby trenches.

Seven of the new British Whippet medium tanks then arrived and attacked the advancing German infantry with machine-guns and by running them down. Only four of the seven Whippets came back, the rest being destroyed by artillery fire. An eye witness reported the Whippet’s tracks were covered in blood.

Earlier in the day the A7V No 506 “Mephisto”, had fallen onto its side and had been abandoned. The tank was recovered by Australian and British troops some three months later, and is now in the Australia War Memorial. “Mephisto” is the only surviving A7V in existence.

Unfortunately the re-fight did not follow the “original” script with the German Tanks easily accounting for the Mk1V’s with all three still intact when the Whippets arrived. Pete having a resounding victory over Dave (making up for his failure to stop the British break through at the Cambrai re-fight).

We had another great Wednesday night of DBA gaming, this time in 54mm.

It works really well for midweek as with three players we each get a chance to play each side and each other. The three games mean we still get plenty of time to talk “ship’, drink wine and have supper!!!

This week we ended up playing four games with Andrew W the giant killer winning two games and both Dave’s winning one. Although winning the most games Andrew had the ignomy of his Roman Equites being destroyed on contact by Catharginian psiloi and then the very next combat loosing his Priceps to Numidian light horse!!

Funny how DBA throws up these anomalies on a regular basis.

I have had the Warlord Games “Dr. Who Exterminate!” for some time but have only just had time to paint the figures and sit down and read the rules.

The standard game comes with Daleks and Cybermen, but I also purchased the “Missy” box set that comes with a Missy model and twelve more Cybermen and the Davros expansion with Davros and twelve more Daleks. A box set of the 10th Doctor and his companions makes up my collection (at the moment!!!)

The game is fast play, with simple game mechanics that are easy and quick to learn. The complexity comes with your game selection and use of cards.

With Dave K and Andrew W again acting as guinea pigs we played the first scenario with preset armies. Dave K with the Cybermen had a Cyberman leader, an upgraded Cybermen unit and a basic Cyberman units. The leader choice also gave a cyborg swarm.

The Daleks consisted of a Leader, a unit of , a Cult of Skaro unit , and a basic Dalek patrol.

The game was a basic objective victory point scenario which in the last two turns went from a near run thing to huge victory for the Cybermen.

Like most Warlord Games it played well and was a purchase well made.  I think it will be one of those games that is easy to learn but hard to master its nuances.

Game report by honorary P.I.G.S member Steve N.

The C&C Napoleonics day at Western Suburbs was excellent. Wayne E had set it up as all tables connected to a single battle for each round.  Wayne would put on his bicorne hat, draw players aside and announce to them new orders from the Emperor or command based on what historically happened.

I won all 3 games I took part in and rolled dice like Pierre possessed (no one’s on these dice).

In the first game (doubles), we won the extreme right flank against Russians who historically crushed us. Basically, blew the Russians out of the central town with artillery and musketry, stormed across the river with line infantry and chasseurs led by generals (we were French, where else would our generals be? – perhaps with their mistress Steve? Nah Dave in the Bordellos of the town they are storming!), and then led an attack out of the town where the Eagles bayoneted all in the Russian units that couldn’t get out of their way.

The second game was a singles one where I attempted another attack against Russians who were entrenched in town across a swamp infested river. My initial probe on the left saw my brave “Froggies” decimated by withering Russian fire. This was where I nhought I had my best chance to penetrate the Russian line so I was at a bit of a loss as to where to attack next.

Napoleon then turned up to tell me not to take unnecessary casualties as the main attack with the Guard on the table to my left would win the day. Just pin the “Ruskies” whilst pulling back and not risking defeat.  But the “Ruskies” sensed they could win and I couldn’t so launched an attack across the easy part of the river on their left with 5 units of (expendable) Cossacks and 3 units of Russian Light Cavalry.  My infantry took some hits and were bogged down in squares but they didn’t count that my only mounted unit, a light hussar regiment was led by none other than Lasalle himself.  With nothing else left to play I threw in the Cavalry Charge card and two Cossack units were wiped (Russians don’t care about losing these).  Lasalle then charged back and wiped out a third (still without a scratch).

Then a fourth.

Then a fifth.

Then another Cavalry Charge and (two Cavalry Charge cards and only one unit of mounted – always the way!). Scratch two Russian Light Cavalry units. I shot the third dead for good measure.  My Hussars now crossed the river (against the Emperor’s orders) and sabred a lone “Ruskie” general).  They then took on the Russian Guard Heavy cavalry but that was a ride too far and they limped back to (supposed) safety with one hit left. Unfortunately a cowardly Russian musket voley from behid took the last breathe from the Hussars.

The Russians moved a lot of their centre to now plug the gaps on their left (I had wiped it out) so my brave line crossed the river. Russians stormed off the hill and destroyed my brave lads.  With Russians now off the hill and in musket range of the river my light chasseurs rolled out of the centre wood, took aim and (with some artillery support) blew them away.  An unexpected French victory!

The supposed victory table to my left descended into a draw (French Guard tackling Austrian grenadiers who both beat themselves to one unit off victory each). However, it was deemed that late in the day I had turned the flank and drove into the tired Austrians and drove them from the field.  I shall never despise having only a single cavalry unit as useless.

The third game (doubles with me as the Frog Grand Poohbah) saw us tackle John’s Prussians at Dresden with both of us in strong defensive positions.   The game looked like a draw, especially as Napoleon told me that the main attack was on the table to my left and we were a holding action.

However, after several desultory turns of a cannon popping off a shot here and there I thought that this was going to be a boring end to the day and decided that the only Prussian week point was a town in the centre and we could reach it, with the town covering us from their artillery batteries.

We mounted up our horse artillery and they rode straight in to point blank range as well. Our attack was defeated (3 units down), and the surviving horse artillery limping away trying to avoid total destruction, but we had taken several units with us and weakened some more.

The Prussians attacked our weakish left and we looked in trouble as his artillery shelled us out of the town there. But with true Gaulish gall (and with no other card we could play) I moved straight back in, opened fire and by the end of the next turn two Prussian infantry units were shot down.  Looking liked I’d staved off defeat but our best troops were still trapped on the baseline (2 units of Young Guard and Light Cavalry Guard, and some ligth hussars and heavy cavalry).

I then had a cunning plan, opening up channels in the line and played the Grand Manoeuvre card so I could move 4 units up to 4 hexes but not to attack and I put the Guard (each with a general – where else should they be? – I think I answered this one Steve) one hex from his Landwher infantry.

Next turn, in went everything, after some line  infantry was sacrificed to protect the Guard, the Young Guard and light cavalry destroyed everything in their path. In my next two turns plus my opponent’s return bout in between, I rolled like Lucky Pierre and decimated nearly every Prussian unit that got into contact, taking down 7 units plus a general to get us past the lucky 10 flags required for victory.  Even the light hussars got in a charge against John’s prized and beautifully painted Prussian cuirassier regiment, inflicted a couple of sharp cuts and rode away without a scratch – such derring-do from the plucky and highly fashionable hussars!

Just good fun all round The 20mm plastic figures used on both sides were wonderful and well painted.  After being inspired by John’s lovely massed Prussians my French co-general explained that he has got to get more French.

Again, the supposed French victory table to my left was defeated!  Just can’t count on those Grandstanders on the table to the left!

Commands & Colours Napoleonics is a fun game system and works well. The command cards give the game a sense of ebb and flow as attacks build then peter out as the cards are played.  Sometimes you just don’t hold enough cards to continue attacking on the same flank just when success is within your grasp and sometimes you have that right card for the right moment that can stop an enemy attack in its tracks.  The event was a great success and congratulations to Wayne and the Western Suburbs club for staging the day.