"Somme Enchanted Evening", Trench Hammer 1916

 I am working with Ivan on version 2 of Trench Hammer to bring it more in line with the current evolution of the Hammer system.  I am doing this VERY slowly, but I am plugging away.

Here is a game I played using the scenario "Somme Enchanted Evening" from Too Fat Lardies Play the Game Great War Compendium.  I cannot over-praise this tome, it is an invaluable resource, go but it now!

See the details of the historical action in Play the Game, but the basic scenario is this.  Ferocious French-Canadian troops attacking a village and a German support trench.  The terrain is no too badly cut up by artillery.  Germans start in dugouts in the trench except for a unit in the village.  French-Canadians need to clear the village and the trench.

The French-Canadians had:

• 3 x Assault Squads (based on the description of the historical events the scenario is based on)
• 1 x Lewis Gun Squad
• 1 x extra Assault Squad as mopper-uppers
• Plus 1 leader

Then Huns had:

• 1 x Rifle Squad in the Village
• 2 x Bombing squads and a Maxim gun in the trench in dugouts
• Plus 1 leader in a dugout

As there had been some bombardment, I decided each german unit would have to roll a 4+ to exit its dugout after it had been issued an order point.

Here we see the German defenses, the French Canadians are jumping off from the wood in the lower right-hand corner. 

The end of turn 1 sees the Canadians caught in the open, every dies roll seemed to go against them.  They tried to Move Out with the assault squads to make it to the cover of the village, but only 1 squad made it. The Lewis Gun squad was left in the woodline to provide covering fire. On the German turn, every single unit exited the dugouts and took up firing positions... it was an uncomfortable turn for the Canadians.

The next turn was evenly split, the Canadians drove the rifle squad in the village back to the trench line to lick its wounds, and one of the squads that had been caught in the open successfully forced its way into the trench.  But was so badly battered by crossing the open in front of the Maxim gun and the assault, that the hun sat back and threw grenades over the traverse, knocking them out

The following turn, another squad gets ready to try to force itself into the trench.

And is driven back

Here is the final Canadian push, with the platoon leader leading the charge. Only to be met by a flurry of grenades from 2 sides, knocking them out.  By this time the Canadians did not have enough combat power to win so I called the game.

After Action Review

My biggest mistake with playing the Canadians was not coordinating attacks and sending the assault squads in one at a time to be eaten piecemeal.  That would have mitigated the ability of Bombing squads to attack enemies down a trench with no immediate risk to themselves.  The game lasted 4 turns and gave I think a realistic result.

I am still tinkering some expect more of these battle reports!