Trench Hammer, Infantry Platoon in the Attack 1917

I christened my gaming space this evening with a quick game of Trench Hammer.  I played (again) the first training scenario from Stout Hearts and Iron Troopers, a British Infantry platoon attacking a German strongpoint.

In the background, you can see the Hun in his trench with 2 Rifle Sections, 1 Maxim HMG, and 1 Officer, a young Lt. Klink.  In the foreground is the British platoon forming up behind a small hill. From left to right you have: Rifle Section, the platoon commander, the Bomber section, the Lewis Gun section, and the Rifle Grenade section.

The plan was to send the Lewis gun team to the top of the hill and suppress the left rifle squad, send the rifle grenades to the shell hole to keep the Maxim gun under fire, and maneuver the Rifle section and bombers to roll up the German position.

What actually happened was the Rifle Grenadiers were put out of action by the Maxim gun,  but the Lewis Section did manage to lay down some suppressive fire.  The Rifle Section and Bombers received some fire as the maneuvered around.

The Rifle Section and Bombers made it to the Hun trench and assaulted while the Bosche swung his other rifle gruppe around to counter attack.  It was touch and go with the Germans holding out for some time, but eventually, they succumbed to Mills bombs and bayonets.  The Bombing Section was exhausted and unable to continue, though, after subduing the enemy and were out of action.  The Rifle Section meanwhile dealt with the flanking Germans.

And here is the end game, with the Rifle Section in the Hun trench about the assault the Maxim position from the flank,  Lt. Klink decides discretion is the better part of valor and pulls back to regroup the survivors of his platoon.  The British have carried the day, but at a cost, with the platoon combat ineffective as the Bombers and Rifle Bombers need to be rallied and reorganized and wounded sent back to the aid station.  They are unable to continue the attack and will be passed through by another platoon.

(Out of action does not mean the unit is necessarily destroyed but has taken enough casualties and are disordered or demoralized enough that they are just hunkering down and are combat ineffective for the rest of this fight)


And here is a better shot of mt total workspace.  The grey boxes on the top shelf hold my 28mm buildings and the spool cotton box is from my Great-Great-Grandfather's roadside store.

Thanks for reading and until next time, good gaming!