Last (and First) Game of the Year

Last and First game of the year?  How is that possible?

When one player is situated in the USA on the afternoon of December 31st and the other player hosts the game from Australia on the morning of January 1st.  That is how.

Peter (Grid Based Wargaming) set up his table in a continuation of his WWI Palestine solo campaign.  Rather than fighting the next battle in the campaign solo, he asked if I would consider taking command of one of the armies.  Without hesitation, I said, "of course!"

The scenario background and details can be found on Peter's blog at WWI Palestine Turn 4 - Game 2 prep.  I would command the Turkish defense of the hill objective.  If the Turks can have a unit on the hill at the end of fifteen turns, they will be declared the winner.  Outnumbered and outgunned, I thought the Turks might have a difficult time hanging on for the requisite turns.  To compound the Turkish misery, the EEF can call in a bombardment mission upon the hill before the game begins in earnest.  Ouch.

Let's see how the battle played out.

The Turkish defenders await the attack
but there is only enough trench to protect one unit.
Preliminary bombardment causes heavy casualties
 on the Turks caught in the open.

Lead elements of the EEF arrive.

While one battery deploys to provide support, 
infantry move into the light woods
and mounted cavalry advance along the road.

As the EEF closes in on the hill,
Turkish reinforcements appear on the horizon.
For now, aid comes as one battery and supporting infantry.

Heavy fire is exchanged at the hill.
With the high ground proving too hot to hold,
the Turks fall back off the hillcrest. 
Turkish artillery targets the mounted infantry.
Taking fire, they dismount.

Turkish guns continue to pound the dismounted infantry.

EEF infantry fire from the cover of the woods
 against the approaching Turks.
Caught in a crossfire, the dismounted infantry
 in the open see their casualties rise.

The last of the Turkish reinforcements appear.
Hoorah!

With no targets remaining within sight,
EEF guns must redeploy.
The attack is stalling.

Sharp firefights continue on the EEF right
as the armored car moves to turn the Turkish left.

As the Turks begin to deploy in depth,
 EEF guns move up on the left.

Fighting is intense on the EEF center and right.
Turkish guns and infantry target the armored car.
Dismounted cavalry are destroyed in exchange
 for a Turkish infantry with MG. 
EEF infantry advances to take the hill.
Can this position be held until the final turn?

A second EEF unit is destroyed near the base of the hill.

The EEF holds the objective with its guns
working their way up the hill.

The Turks continue pounding the armored car.
Failing its activation, The armored car is wrecked.  

With EEF infantry on the crest coming under
a deadly crossfire, it can take no more and scatters.

EEF guns destroy the rightmost Turkish infantry.
Before this opening can be exploited, the sole EEF
infantry is hit from the right. Casualties are heavy.

The remaining attacking infantry is destroyed
 as the Turks move up to secure the hill.

Recapturing the hill with only EEF artillery remaining,
Turkish victory is complete. 

Victory to the Turks!

This loss for the EEF likely puts their plans, once again, behind schedule.

Neil Thomas' OHW scenario offered up another interesting and challenging fight.  With only two units on table at the start and two reinforcements arriving on Turn 3 and the remaining two reinforcements arriving on Turn 6, I figured staying in the game might be a challenge for the Turks.

The pre-battle bombardment caused some damage, but follow-on artillery barrages caused a lot of pain on the two Turkish units stationed on the hill.  While both Turkish units on the hill vacated their positions by Turn 3, I probably should have pulled both back off the heights on Turn 1 to preserve their fighting strength.  I realized this almost too late after they both were already heavily damaged by enemy artillery fire.  Once on the back side of the hill, these Turks were protected from enemy fire by the intervening crest.  As it was, heavy casualties prevented these two units from activating time and time again.

In the end, Turkish refusal on their right while concentrating fire against EEF elements on their left, brought about a winning combination.  Three EEF units fell in quick succession as the Turkish left got into range.  The EEF right was open and turned.  Turkish coordinated attacks kept the enemy from securing its objective but only in the nick of time.

This action was the third to see Peter's D3 adaptation of Thomas' OHW.  The third different period too.  Again, the rules and scenario produced a very good game.  Yet again, the result came down to the very last turn.

A great way to end an Old Year and start a New Year.

Happy New Year!