IF THE LORD SPARES US

 Sticking with the First World War, this week we moved the action to Mesopotamia, and an old favourite 'If the Lord Spares Us' by the TooFatLardies. It's scary too think that it has been about 15 years since we last played this, so it was interesting to see if this venerable rule set has stood the test of time.

Whereas,  in Square Bashing the player deploys a divisional size force, with units representing battalions, in ITLSU we're looking at a brigade size force, with the smallest sub-unit being a company. That said the figure requirement is almost identical and I can easily use my 15mm collection for both rule sets.

Also, it was nice to be able to use more naturalistic terrain, when not constrained by a grid (although with a bit more work, I think a similar effect could be obtained with a square grid). This was also a bit of a test of my Geek Villain fleece mat. We placed objects under the mat to create some nice realistic contours (although they're not easy to make out on the photos).

We played the Wadi Hu'ara scenario, from the TFL 2005 Christmas Special. A line of sand and grit marked the Wadi, on the table top. The scenario recommends a 7.5 by 5 foot table but, as my mat is 6 by 4 foot, that is what we went with. 

The view from the British lines.

Both sides deploy on 'blinds'.

The Turkish 2nd Tabur (26th Alay) are spotted in shallow trenches and scrapes (more grit!)

The first Tabur defending the date plantation.

The Dorsets advance on the date plantation supported by the Mahrattas on their left.

The Turkish guns deploy and are swiftly knocked out by counter battery fire.

The Turkish centre is pounded into submission by direct fire artillery..............

..............and breaks, fleeing the trenches.

The Mahrattas are halted by loss of their battalion command.

A British barrage pounds the date plantation.

A mob of local Arab tribesmen appear in the rocks and take pot shots at the British artillery.

Heavy casualties amongst the gun crews who limber up and retreat.

The 3rd Tabur, still on blinds, reinforce the 1st Tabur amongst the squashed dates.

British reinforcements arrive, in the form of the Royal Scots Fusiliers,
and storm the Turkish centre, now in full flight.

Unlike more recent offerings, ITLSU has no mechanism for judging the game end but it was obviously a British win, so we ended the game there.

A great game and, hopefully, the first of many.