Taking the town-1914

This was the second game I ran at Enfilade.  This one pitted the Germans attempting to take a Russian village in 1914.  The rules for this game were the Two Fat Lardies' "Through the Mud and the Blood."  The rules are essentially a platoon based game.

I made a few tweaks to the game to let it run smoothly and to get everyone involved in the game and keep them involved.  For those who don't play the rules, most Lardy rules have a card that ends a turn.  In this set it's called the "Time for a Snifter."  I removed that card and allowed the commanders to run the deck.  Playing the last card ended a turn for this game.  

The scenario itself was based in 1914 with the Germans attacking a Russian held village.  This battle was not based on anything historical but more from a compilation of events I have read about over the years.

Two pictures of the board setup.  The Russian held the small village in the center/right of the board and the Germans attacked from the left.

The German commanders placed their blinds.  Since the Russians held the village, blinds were not used until the Germans got within 6 inches of an area where the Russian were hiding.

The Germans move out!  The three German players.  The gentleman closest to the camera has played Sharp's Practice before.

The Russian Commanders wait patiently while the Germans come forward.

The Russians Spot a German unit.

A Russian squad is seen and they pay the price!  This house became a bloody piece of swiss cheese.

The Germans continue their advance but start taking fire from the Russians.

More Russians appear!  The white cap on the house was target marker for a Barrage the Germans called in.  The German command hit his spot each time he rolled for his artillery.

The Germans begin to move into the fields in front of them.  The fields proved to be a deadly place to be for them.

The Russians continue to hold on.

More Russians spotted in a house.

More Russians die holding this house and section of woods.

The Germans are taking a beating trying to cross that field.

The Germans on the far side of the board try to outflank the village.  It didn't work out so well.

That little house caused a lot causalities to the Germans. Making them fight for every yard.

Finally close enough to close assault the house.

Moving through the field.

Remember the flanking move.  Here's the result. Lots of dead Germans.

There are the Russians who are responsible for stopping the flank move.

The house has been taken but at great cost.

The retreating Russian squad from the house.  Only 3 guys left from a 12 man squad.

Over view of the battle from the German perspective.

Lots of dead Germans.

The Germans finally make it across the field but leave a string of dead along the way.

The Russians continue to fire on the advancing Germans.

The Deadly field!

The woods provides little help to the beaten back Germans.

More Russians appear!!!

Close up on the house behind the swiss cheese house.

The heroic Russians continue to fall back or attempt too.  They have lost their bottle and it is difficult to move now.

One last shot of the Germans who finally said enough, we can't take the town.

Over all the battle went well.  The Russians held out against a weak attack by the Germans. I had given the Germans a 3 to 1 advantage for the attack.  They failed press their attack with the numbers they had at the start.  The German players spent too much time trying to shoot it out with the Russians and that cost them time and men.  By the time they had figured that out, it was too late.  Everyone had a fun time and seemed to enjoy the scenario.  I think if I had replayed this one with them the Germans might have come closer to winning.  For now the Czar is happy with the victory and the Germans are regrouping and licking their wounds.