Taking the High Road To Berlin with the Glendarrochs.

Operation Martlet; Chain Of Command Pint Sized Campaign

A Foggy Day

Normandy, France. late June 1944. In an attempt to break through into the more open country, where the Allies hope their numerical superiority in armour can be better used to destroy the German forces facing them, Field Marshal Montgomery has decided to launch Operation Epsom which sees the British, Canadian and Polish forces on a drive to the west of Caen. 

Preceding Epsom by a day is Operation Martlet where the British hope to secure the western flank of Epsom by capturing the Raury Spur and the town of Raury. In the forefront of this operation are the infantrymen of the 1st Glendarroch Highlanders and the tank crews of the Isle Of Sheppey Border Mounted Rifles mounted in the ubiquitious Sherman tanks.

The scenario map. The British were attacking from left to right

2Lt Gervaise Regal was lost. Along with the rest of his men from 5 Platoon, B Company, 1 Glendarroch Highlanders, he was supposed to be advancing towards the town of Fontenay. But a heavy fog had descended over night and he, his platoon and, for all he knew, the whole 59th Division, were lost. 

Overhead he could hear the shells roaring towards the enemy postions in Fontenay and the surrounding area

so he knew he was facing roughly in the right direction but, beyond his radio operator, McKenzie 39, and his platoon runner, another McKenzie, this one McKenzie 73, he could see no one else. Sgt Grouse had gone forward a few minutes earlier accompanied by the platoon 2" mortar team, swallowed up by the fog, as he attempted to link up with Cpl Livet's 1 Section. His parting piece of advice to "just keep that 'edge row on your left, sir" spoken in his Cornish burr, wasn't much help as Regal had lost the hedge where it had been broken up by an earlier barrage. Holstering his pistol and trying to look more confident than he felt and more capable than his 23 years , 2Lt Regal stopped his small group and drew out his compass "now how does thing bally thing work again..." he thought to himself...

the farm track leading to Fontenay, the axis of 5 platoons advance

open pasture before the farm house

Sgt Amos Grouse attempted the contradictory act of trying to shout quietly to get the attention of man in front of him. This advance was rapidly turning into a crock of shit. Striding out he caught up with the soldier in front "'Iggins, where's Cpl Livet?" he demanded. "Up front, sarge, I think". "Bloody Hell! Okay, 'Iggins, keep coming" replied Grouse, then breaking into a trot, passed the other section members, urging them to keep up but keep in touch with the man behind, till he saw the imposing frame of Cpl Glen Livet appear out of the mist, kneeling with his Bren team close to the hedge on the sections left  "Jock!" hissed Grouse "any idea where we are?" "Aye, sarge, Jerries up aheid, in that farmhouse" he said, indicating the farmhouse looming up ahead in the mist "saw them moving about; about four ae them".Grouse looked towards the farmhouse now looming in the slowly thinning mist. With it's thinning he was now able to place himself. The platoons axis, the tree lined farm track was across the field from them. The calvary at the road junction was just visible where the tree lined track joined the road. Across the road stood a sturdy walled farmhouse and, near where the section had stopped, was an abandoned house, it's neglected appearance giving it an uninviting air.

"Roight, Jock, get that Bren team o' yours set up 'ere covering the spot where you saw them Jerries and take the rest of your lads into that 'ouse there. Go easy though; keep back from the windows on t'other side. Just 'ee ave a look see and let me know what's on t'other side of that there wall. The mortar will stay 'ere with me an...." a sudden burst of machine gun fire from the farmhouse interrupted Grouse and they all hit the deck as twigs and leaves, torn from the hedge by the firing, rained down on them like confetti. "E's firing high!! e's in that window, Sarge" shouted Wilson the Bren gunner, pointing. "Thankee, Wilson, good of you to point that out..now bleedin' well fire back, man! And don't 'ee miss!!" shouted Grouse and was rewarded by the sound of the Bren replying to the German machine gun fire.

Grouse turned to the 2" mortar man "Blacky, get that there mortar set up. I want smoke in front of that farm 'ouse right away!!" Turning back to Livet, Grouse said, "Wait till the smokes thickened up a bit then get moving, Jock, remember, stay back from the windows, we don't know what were dealing with yet so no 'eroics"

1 Section under Cpl Livet advance towards the
abandoned house covered by the mortar smoke.. 

Accurate mortar smoke from L/Cpl "Blacky" Jack...result!!

Cpl Livet watched the smoke develop in front of the farmhouse "Right lads" he shouted "We go on mah wurd o' command; check your pouches and get ready. Danny, you stay here wi' Sgt Grouse and keep them Jerries heids doon" this last to the section 2i/c, Lcpl McKenzie. The smoke thickened and soon obscured the front of the building. Let's go" shouted Livet and he and his men got to their feet and, crouching as low as possible the rifle team scurried towards the empty house.

Behind them, Sgt Grouse looked back the way they had come. More figures appeared from the mist. Recognising Cpl Bob More, he beckoned his fellow Cornishman towards him. Cpl More's section advanced, keeping their heads down as they did so. "Alright, Bo? Good to see you" grinned Sgt Grouse. Cpl More returned the grin "We's foine and dandy, Amos. Wos going on 'ere then?" "S'all going tit's up, it is" replied the sergeant "There's no sign of Mr Regal and we've just bumped into them Jerries in that there farm 'ouse. I've sent Jock Livet up to that 'ouse for a look see; any sign of Cpl Horse and 3 section?" Another burst of fire passed overhead. "Last Oi saw they was on our left about five maybe ten minutes ago but we lost touch with 'em passing over that churned up field back aways! said More, jerking his thumb in the direction they had come.

More shots passed close over head "Blacky, were's that fire coming from?" shouted Grouse. "house across the field" replied the lance corporal. "Well chuck some smoke at 'im then, there's a good lad"

"Now, Bo, I wants you to take your lads along past that 'ouse and up to the wall and wait. I'll hang back here for the moment and wait to see if Mr Regal or 3 section turn up. Or better still some of those bloody tanks; off 'ee go now"

Cpl Bo More and 2 Section head for the wall

Cpl  More leads the way 

German SS troops man the ruined building

In the orchard behind the farmhouse, more SS troops
wait for the Tommies to advance

 ""Take cover!" shouted Cpl Wyatt Horse to his section. To a man they dashed forward a pace or two, hit the ground and crawled into  what cover they could find. Spandau bullets whipped over head and around them, churning up the ground. Wyatt Horse peered from beneath the rim of his helmet. The fire was coming from a half wrecked house ahead of them. "Them bastards have got us cold" he thought "well, let's see if our training was any good".  Raising his voice above the sound of the now slackening machine gun fire, Horse shouted "3 section, listen in. Bren team; engage the enemy. Rifle team, on my command "advance!" we will dash forward and then get down, just like in training; got that" A chorus of dissenting voices broke out. "Shut the fook up, get ready and listen in" he cried  the Bren opened up on the German position and Cpl Horse shouted "Rifle team...ADVANCE!" The squad started to their feet and took a step or two before dropping to ground again as bullets whipped around them. "who's hit?" demanded the section commander as screams rose from amongst the men to his right...

L[Cpl Blacky Jack crawled along at the base of the hedge towards the  farmhouse where 1 Section were now firing from. The machine gun fire from the Germans had begun to get too close for comfort, especially as they had started drawing fire from a Spandau near the junction, and a change of firing position was called for "Okay Robbo, this'll do fine" he shouted to the mortar team number 2. Blacky dug the mortar baseplate into the ground and aligned the mortar onto his next target. "Smoke Robbo.." "Thanks; don't mind if I do, Corp" replied Pte Robertson. Blacky grinned "that joke never get's dull, Robbo; now load a smoke round, please, Private Robertson, this particular smoke is for the confusion of the Boche!" Robbo dropped the smoke round into the mortar tube and Blacky aligned the mortar onto the target, tilted his head down and pulled down on the firing cord. "Bloody 'ell, Blacky, that nearly landed back on the beaches" said Robbo, watching the smoke billowing on the far side of the ruined house.

Crouching by the house, Sgt Grouse pondered the platoons situation. They were well spread out, no sign of the platoon commander or their armoured support. The fire from the farmhouse and it's surroundings was increasing; Jerry was certainly well entrenched and judging from the sounds of it, had some armoured support. 5 platoon were out on a limb at the moment "Sod this for a bloody game of soldiers" he thought.....  

Sgt Grouse weighs up his options

German view of 3 Sections position

Medium machine gun position covering the junction

Post Script

A rather unusual end to a game.Talk about a tough nut to crack. With the platoon commander and, more importantly the Sherman tank having failed to turn up on both attempts they are allowed to make before being "lost" for the game the British attack had petered out. Meanwhile the cunning Boche were waiting for the first sign of the British popping their heads above the wall.

Fortunately as it's a campaign game we just reset the clock, so to speak, and the British come back with a more cunning plan...or more armour...or loaded dice...or all three. And as it's a campaign game I couldn't throw my men's lives away just to make a poin as they will be needed as the Glendarrochs fight through to Rauray so 5 Platoon will have to hunker down, redistribute ammo, get a brew on and curse the ruddy fog!!

Clash at the Arreson Ford

Clash At Arreson Ford

A Napoleonic Black Powder battle set in Russia in the early part of the French invasion of 1812. 

With my mate, Danny, and I having a day off from work we decided to head to that Scottish nirvana of gaming, Common Ground in Stirling. If you haven't visited yet then I recommend it most heartily, We make infrequent trips there to satisfy our need for large Napoleonic battles as we can get a 12'x7' table to battle across. 

It had been a while since we last went there so a visit was overdue. With the recent release of A Clash Of Eagles, the 1812 invasion of Russia campaign book from Warlord Games my Russians actually and finally had stats and characteristics and new rules!! There were also new Napoleonic themed rules for all armies of this period as well as stats and characteristic for Austrians, another favourite of mine, as well as Italians, Saxons, Prussians, Polish etc etc. Praise be!! 

So with very little time to truly prepare a unique scenario we fell back on one from the original rule book (see map below) and, with newly revised army lists we came up with this..

The Russians would hold the redoubts marked on the map and the French would have to take them. The river is fordable for its full length. The French have a superiority in numbers;

French forces: 

Divisional Commander; General de Division Nathaniel Bonaparte

On the French left flank and centre;  

Brigade of the Imperial Guard:

Commander: General de Brigade Gaston Le Fromage-Grande.  

3 Bns of Old Guard, 

1 Bn Middle Guard:

Guard Artillery 

 Commander: General d'Artillery Rene Le Chien

1 battery of heavy artillery of the Guard;

1st Brigade of Swiss Infantry

Commander: General d'Infantry Lucas Le Fru-Fru

 3 Bns of Swiss Ligne 

1 Bn of National Guard 

1 light horse artillery battery, 

2 skirmishers screens of Voltiguers

Light Cavalry Brigade

Commander;Colonel Gabriel Dux-Baton

1 Regiment of Dutch Red Lancers 

2nd and 9th Regiments of Line Lancers. 

On the French right flank: 

30th Brigade of Ligne:

Commander: General de Brigade Francois Le Bon-Flop

 4 Bns of Ligne Infantry 

1 battery of medium artillery 

1 half battery of howitzers. 

Heavy Cavalry Brigade 

Commander General de Cavalry Michele Le Whinney

 1 Cuirassier Regiment

 1 Carabinier Regiment

Brigade of Dragoons 

2 Regiments of Dragoons

Russian Forces;  

Divisonal Commander: General Jacob Charles Baccy De Rolly

Russian Centre

Guard Brigade:

Commander: General Ivan Chestikoff 

1st Bn Izmailovsky Guard,

2nd and 3rd Battalions of Life Jager. 

1st Bn Archangelogrod Infantry

2 companies of 49th Jaeger (skirmish screen)

Simbirsk and Vilna Brigade

Commander: Colonel Fritz Egzund-Baykon

Commander; 1st and 2nd Bns Simbirsk Infantry

2nd and 3rd Bns Vilna Infantry

2 companies of 49th Jaeger (skirmish screen)

Marine and Tarnopol Brigade

Commander: Colonel Igor Olgonrongski

1st and 2nd Bns Marine Infantry

2nd and 3rd Tarnopol Infantry

2 companies of 49th Jaeger (skirmish screen)

Heavy Cavalry Brigade

Commander; Colonel Pietor Von Dei Attatiem

 Glukov Cuirrasiers

Riga Dragoons

Light Cavalry Brigade

Commander; Count Etienne De Pennys

Lifeguard Hussars

White Russia Hussars

Alexandrija Hussars

Divisonal Artillery

6th Medium Battery

14th Light Battery

Divisional Cavalry Reserve

The Attaboy Cossack group (a large unit)  

It is 1812 and Napoleon Bonaparte has unleashed the largest army known in modern times on the Russians. The Russian forces are trading space for time till they have a chance of defeating the French and their allies. As they fall back, Napoleon attempts to pin them in place and bring them to battle.

On the southern front, the French have spotted a chance of doing just that with at least part of the Russian 4th Army. This army was withdrawing across the River Schtenki at the Arreson Ford and through the forest that bordered it's eastern side. As a bottle neck was bound to occur, Napoleon's least favourite and least known brother, Nathaniel, a fairly capable soldier, had been given command of a small, fast moving division with which to win his spurs. His mission, to catch the Russians before they can complete their crossing of the Schtenki at the Arreson Ford. Arriving too late to effect this, Nathaniel decided to push on and at least harangue the Russians.

The Russians, under General Baccy De Rolly, grandson of a Scottish tobacco lord who emigrated to Baltic Russia, had moved most of their forces through the woods and only the tail of the army was still in the bottle neck. To quell the grumbling of the Russian officers who were heart sick of always running, Baccy De Rolly decided to plug the bottle neck with a division and give the French a bloody nose. Sending back a what artillery was at hand to re-garrison the redoubts on the eastern side of the river overlooking the ford, the Russians had managed to get half their forces in place before the French appeared on the west bank of the Schtenki. 

the Russian centre. The medium battery is the nearest. The 14th Light 
Battery is only covered by the heavy brigade, not a good situation for shock cavalry

the Russians left flank with Count De Pennys massed Hussar 
brigade literally chomping at the bit

Deploying into line on the western bank, Gen d'Div Bonouparte orders
 the French forces advance across the Schtenki

Cursing Baccy De Rolly's poor plan of deployment, Colonel Von Dei Attatiem's Heavy 
Brigade find themselves in the unusual role of being the only defenders nearest the 14th Light Battery..

Col. Egzund Baykon encourages his men of the Simbirsk and Vilna Regiments to make best speed. In an attemtp to cover ghis advance he sends out a skirmish screen provided by the 49th Jager

Count De Pennys deploys the Life Guard Hussars and The White Russia Hussars to 
cover the extreme left flank of the Russian line

Le Fru-Fru's French Swiss Brigade make a bold thrust toward the weaker Russian flank

Realising the danger to their guns, Colonel Von Dei Attatiem sends forward the Glukov Cuirassier to slow down the French advance. Placing them in some peril as they are shot at from both the front and the flank. They stood there, unflinching, most of the day taking a lot of fire and becoming disordered several times but only breaking when the flank was reinforced by the Russian infantry

 The Russian infantry pour into the centre to stem the French flood. Col. Egzund Baykon sends the Simbirsk Regiment and the Jaeger skirmish  toward the advancing enemy whilst the Vilna Regiment head toward the weak right flank

 General d'Infantry Le Fru-Fru observes proceedings and likes what he sees. Only a regiment of cuirassiers in front. As they aren't French they must be inferior.


 The skirmishers of the 49th get left behind as first the Simbirsk then
the Izmailovsky Guards send their French opponents reeling

 
The French left wing.. Both the Riga Dragoons and Glukov Cuirassiers are holding
 up a massed infantry advance of Line, Old Guard and Middle Guard. Joining them
in the fray are the Divisions only reserves, the Cossacks, who with typical disregard
for their General's wishes, have committed themslves too early...or have they?

Count De Pennys, impoverished emigre French Royalist Hussar Colonel.

De Pennys sends the Life Guard Hussars to the prop up the Russian's right flank

The Cossacks send the Dutch Red Lancers reeling...

..carried away with this success, the charge the 9th French Line Lancers

...but they bite off more than they can chew and break. But they have made a major contribution to the battle as the Dutch Red Lancers are unable to participate further

Meanwhile, the French  2nd Line Lancers are charged by the Riga Dragoons, 

who send them cantering back to their own lines

On the French right flank, General de Cavalry Le Bon-Flop, his Cuirassiers and

 Carabiniers in a state of disorganisation from the Russian firing, 

sends the Dragoons in  a sweeping flank attack on the White Russia Hussars

..who, though caught off guard, aquit themselves well and defeat the Dragoons

On the French left flank, things are looking rosier. The Riga Dragoons 

can take no more of the French infantry and cannon shot and break, 

much to the dismay of Col. Von Dei Attatiem, who suddenly
 finds himself without a command

A study of command under fire and under bicornes;

General Lucas Le Fru-Fru

and General Ivan Chestikoff


Under the guns of the 14th Battery a giant, swirling melee begins
as the Archangelogrod Infantry are struck by the hammer blow of Pas
De Charge delivered by the French Old Guard and withstand the shock

The combat is joined by the 2nd Line Lancers and the
Life Guard Hussars and lasts for what seems an eternity

until the Archangelogord Regiment, having
withstood shot and steel for too long, break.
But their sacrifice wasn't in vain. The French forces are
exhausted and, as night falls, they pull back

View from the centre of the French position

..and the right of their position

General Baccy De Rolly congratulates General Chestikoff

 on his Guards Brigades performance 

Post Script

Well that was a brilliant battle. It had it all from a Napoleonic perspective; bold advances, sweeping cavalry charges and swirling combats with game changing results, bad shooting and grim, deadly combats. Black Powder, in my opinion, certainly delivers when it comes to big battles like this. 

The new rules in A Clash Of Eagles are great and give plenty of flavour to the armies in its pages. Whilst being pretty naff at shooting, the Russians make up for it in combat and staying power.

We normally ignore the Broken Brigade rule in games this size as we seldom get to play games this size and after building and painting all these troops you want to have them participate in the game.

Thanks to Danny for being such a sporting opponent. His French still had enough forces and plenty of fire in their bellies and a turn or two more would've seen them take the 14th Battery position on the Russian right flank and gain a minor victory. 

All praise to the Archangelogrod Infantry Battalion. After being bested in combat by the Old Guard and 2nd Line Lancers and being pushed beyond their stamina twice, once by +5 and the second by+3 I managed to roll high enough for them to remain in the game.

The French were let down by their heavy artillery which failed to get in position during the whole game; their commander, Rene Le Chein, was more interested in spending his time entertaining dancing girls than battering the foe. A swift posting sideways will no doubt be his reward.

Rene Le Chein; the shame of the French artillery