Bashing the trenches

 A Square-bashing game where we tested the trench attack rules.  They are perhaps more focused on the Western Front, but let's blame it on The Turks!

The Turks are on the attack,  and our trenches have suffered in the bombardment.

Still the Mmg on the bunker survives.

And our gun is damaged!

They push forwards on our left.  We swap troops to reinforce.

But we suspect they are going to hit our right first.  We push our reinforcements right.

Still the left is looking sparse for the Imperials.

So i spend and lay down a barrage stopping his attack on our left.

And we actually start whittling them down

Two attacks are thrown back on the left.
The attack on the right fails as the countdown ticks onto game over.

Honestly I thought I took more photos!

Square bashing Gallipoli

The second outing for Square bashing, and once again it's Gallipoli.  The previous game had been a re-learn the rules exercise (for me at least) and given that it was an ignominious defeat, it went unrecorded!

This time the Allies are determined to win against the Turks (a particularly unsavoury woolen hatted pair during this game - with the beast from the east as till holding  Durham in it's freezing grip outside)

The terrain.  Our objectives are, left to right, the woods, the grassy knoll, the crossroads and the village /building.

Deployment by the attacking Imperials.  Those nasty rough terrain hills cause some initial movement issues.

15mm.  These really look the part.

The Turks lose a huge piece of these army in deployment.  Many units are thrown into reserve.

Well done the R.A for keeping them disorganised.

And we land an initial barrage along their line doing yet more damage.

It allows the Imperials to advance to the mid point, the road.

Although a combination of the building and rough ground necessitates a wide loop around on the right.

I leave a single mg company garrisoning the building

And just to demonstrate that my dice are not always "pants."

The first assault on the crossroads.  Very narrow result, but the Turks hold.

We assault in the centre too.  Against treble the numbers the Turks hold 

I barrage the crossroads.  It's the real point of contention for the game.  Another assault goes in 

But that too is thrown back.  The Turks hold in an epic struggle.

Undaunted I reform and go from the other flank, despite yet more hasty defences having gone up.

Still the Turks hold.

I push a brigade onto the Turk base line, cutting his forces.

The overview as the battle starts to roll the Turks back

We give up on the crossroads as too tough a nut.  The grassy knoll is the new target.

The Gurkhas push the Turks back onto the knoll, where those sneaky wooden hatted fiends deploy yet more hasty defences.

The Imperials cobble together and assault force, and advance on the knoll.

But a quick barrage is needed to see the Turks reel back

And when needed I roll a stinker!

The Turks are thrown back in rout.

At the end game we hold the knoll

And the building

And the woods

But annoyingly it's not a clean sweep.  The tenacious Turks hold on at the crossroads by their fingertips.  

A win for the forces of blind Imperial optimism.  A brave but tenacious defeat for Johnny woolen hat.