Buck
Starting positions for Lvov
In previous posts I’ve written about events at which the HAWKs have support Senior Leader Professional Development events and gaming days at Sam Fuson’s War Horse Farm. One of the unit’s members is heading off to the career course, and as a going away event he requested that we run a Look, Sarge, No Charts: World War Two game. How could we turn down such a flattering request? Since we were running these games in September 2014, it was apropos that we chose two battles that took place in September.
Introducing a younger gamer to the joys of wargaming
We elected to reprise our large Lvov scenario. In this scenario, in September 1939, the Russians and Germans are converging on the Polish city of Lvov. The Poles, however, may not rest on the defense. While fighting in two directions to keep the Russians and Germans from linking up, they must also advance to seize German heavy artillery that are shelling Lvov from some high ground.
The action begins to heat up
On the flank shown in the picture (above), Polish horse cavalry and tankettes fought against heavy German armor, halftracks, and infantry to hold a line along a stream. After some fierce fighting, the tankettes and armored cars were overwhelmed, and the Germans broke through. They were heading toward the key village of Zboiska when the game ended.
Poles being pushed off a critical hill by the Russians
On the other flank, the Russian tanks finally broke through another Polish infantry battalion; however, the Poles along another creek and those shown on the hill in the picture (above) managed to strip off most of the Russian infantry support. When the game ended, the Russian tanks were pushing toward Zboiska as well, despite a pummeling by Polish anti-tank rifles.
When the game ended, the Poles were on the slopes above Lvov destroying the German artillery, and the Russians and Germans were in no position to take Zboiska without a protracted fight. We declared the game a Polish victory.
Duncan provides the historical context for his WWI game
The second game of the day was a WWI game with Duncan’s modification of LSNC: WWII (with elements of A Union So Tested rolled in). The scenario involved the beginnings of the battles around the Marne in September 1914. This is a period of history in which I have little knowledge, but I’ve really enjoyed Duncan’s early WWI games. In this scenario, the French were advancing to seize high ground on the far end of the table, while the Germans had to keep the French as far away from the high ground as possible.
French advance across open ground toward the Hun
Despite terrible casualties, the game was a marginal French victory. The French had an isolated regiment on the high ground and another regiment in position to advance to the high ground (against substantial resistance). On the French right (show above early in the game before the carnage), however, the French economy-of-force regiment was nearly wiped out and holding onto the village shown in the picture) by the skin of their teeth.
All-in-all, it was a good gaming day!
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