Tonight, the club saw the first engagement of BP1914, with the huns(fiendish imperialist swine!), commanded by the lesser spotted Blue Team Dave, (making a rare appearance at the club!) and the Brits (Plucky chaps, salt of the earth!) commanded by myself.
We decided just to use the BP rules as written for this game, without adding any of the things that have been suggested over the course of the last few weeks on the forum like Digging In and any other special rules. We also ignored the Brigade Moral Rule (or rather we forgot about it...again.) and used the normal modified command roll system we use for Naps etc. The only mod we made was to reduce moves to 6" in light of the small table used.
All Officers were set to a command rating of 8.
The German force comprised: 2 companies of the 84th (3 platoons in each) and 3 machinegun sections. A 3rd company came on from reserve.
The British force comprised: 2 companies of 4/Royal Fusiliers and 3 machinegun sections ( a bit much I know but these were the models we had).
The Battlefield:
The Objective: to capture the Chateau (top of pic) for use by the divisional headquarters, and to capture the pub (bottom right) to provide the headquarters with refreshments!
Each force came on from the first turn in opposite corners of the field.
Huzzah! With a cheer two companies of the Fusiliers march on to the field, eager to sort out Jerry! A company is heading for the Chateau, while B company heads for the pub!
The huns arrive in the dead ground and head for the Chateau, obviously more in need of comfortable beds than a drink.
The Fusiliers Vickers on the hillside opens up on the advancing jerries with a long range shots and persuades them to keep their heads down, while the infantry advance through the tree line.
The Second company of the 84th arrives, but the German attack is already slowing in the face of long range british rifle fire!
Its slow progress for the Fusiliers too, as they trudge through ditches and over hedges to reach the road before the Chateau.
Come on Fritz! British riflefire takes its toll as the germans advance, and eventually two platoons are forced to quit the field.
The Fusiliers swarm across the road, but the huns are already in the farm house!
The defenders of the Chateau put up a fusillade against the Brits, who advance undeterred!
Two platoons of A company are now on the road with the 3rd and a Vickers covering them. Germans at the end of the road! "Platoon! Huns on the left, 5 Rounds Rapid!"
1st platoon closes on the Chateau, braving the supporting german machineguns to pour fire against the defenders.
The 2nd company of the 84th up the road begun to push into the firefight, trying to match the Fusiliers volley for volley...
...while German Mahineguns take to the heights to cover the defenders in the Chateau...
...and a platoon of B company hooks left to support A company against the Chateau.
The Jerries advance begins to look a little futile as the concentrated volleys of the Fusiliers force a platoon to retire for good. At this point (not wanting the game to be over that fast!) I suggested Blue Team recycle the three platoons he'd lost...
...so he did! "Gott mit uns!"
On the other side of the field B company have managed to secure the pub, but are being a bit slow about reinforcing it. "Hurry up chaps!, Last one to the bar gets 'em in!"
They get there eventually, and the British now form a pretty solid line across the battlefield, pouring fire at any target that presents itself.
As a result, the German company by the hill is beginning to feel the strain! Meanwhile, back at the Chateau....
...the assault goes in! 1st platoon, of A company goes in with bayonets fixed to clear the Huns out of the farm...
...however, despite their determination to press home the assault, the jerries are well situated and confident, and the Fusiliers take heavy casualties...
...They fall back, and come into the field of fire of a jerry machine gun! Sneaky chaps had been working round the flank to cover the front of the Chateau from the tree line.
Further up the road, the Germans on their way to the pub , hoping to arrive before last orders...
...however they have the worst of the firefight, and after suffering heavy casualties they fall back behind the hills to regroup.
They rally again, and with Teutonic resolve, attack again heading directly to the pub, using the roadside hedge to cover them.
The Fusiliers closest to the Chateau are tired now, exhausted by continued firefights and a long advance, but they stubbornly match the 84th, shot for shot!
Back at the Chateau things arent going well for Major Myner and two platoons of A company: These two have borne the brunt of the fighting so far, but despite the attentions of the bulk of the German machine guns and the well dug in troops in the chateau they refuse to break, but give ground, inch by grudging inch.
Up the road and by the pub things go less well for the Huns, as the relatively fresh tommies of B company put several platoons to flight...
...they press home their attack at bayonet point against the confused and battered 84th, and drive off the remaining Germans in the area.
The chateau is now to heavily defended for the Fusiliers to take it just yet: with 2 machine guns covering it and a dug in infantry platoon it will be a tough nut to crack! Best wait for the artillery to come up, thinks the Major...
...but the rest of the field, and more importantly the pub, is in British hands. Huzzah!
Final result:
Objectives: 1 each.
German Losses : 8 platoons, 1 machinegun section.
British Losses: 1 platoon, 1 machinegun section.
I suppose that would be a minor British win then 'eh chaps?
The slightly one sided massacre is probably partly due to BlueTeams inexperience at BP (his first game) compared to myself, and partly due to some absolutely horrible dice at the start of the game which saw three platoons of jerries dead for no loss! Hence the permitted reinforcements.
A cracking game, and one that showed BP works well even out of its supposed comfort zone. Id suggest in future a slight reduction in rifle ranges to make sure it doesnt get bogged down into a long range firefight. Machinguns were about right: often they only got a shot or two off, though it was enough to have people ducking for cover: they have the potential to be a lot more lethal, and were on several occasions, though they never managed to destroy a platoon by themselves.
I think next time we'll add in the suggested rules for grenades, (-1 to moral saves in h2h and within 6"), machineguns (cant fire if moved more than one move) and Going to Ground (on successful order, or as part of a successful order unit gets +1 to save, even in open. Costs equivalent of one move).
We can probably add in national rules too: Id suggest keeping these simple: Probably would make Germans Reliable, and the British Stubborn. Or something like that. Makes the huns more likely to attack (and represents them being better organised, which compared to the Brits most people are!) and the Brits more likely to take root wherever theyre stood regardless of the odds. Which is about right.
Well gentlemen, opinions, heckles, cries of "WTF? I thought you were playing Naps this week?", suggestions, and accusations of cheating and weighted dice are now welcome.
Tally ho!
Fortunately I have a very understanding wife 
