Galicia 1914.. an introductory game

There is a simple joy in introducing someone to something that they love. Having talked to Murray about the Spearhead stable of rules, he expressed an interest in trying out the Great War Spearhead rules. I set up a simplified 1914 scenario with understrength Russian and Austro-Hungarian divisions advancing with poor reconnaissance, creating an unexpected 'meeting engagement'.

The Austro-Hungarian force comprised three regiments, a cavalry regiment, and a regiment of 76mm field guns.

The Russian force comprised two infantry brigades, and a regiment of 76mm field guns. To keep things simple, I'd not included any off table artillery, nor any entrenchments.

The ganme was playe dusing my 20mm armies.

The Russian advance

The Austro-Hungarian plan of advance

Both forces advanced at full speed, as they are required to do in the absence of any spotted enemy.

The Russian left managed to deploy into a wooded area before the Austrians could arrive, leaving them in the open facing a stiff fire fight. 

The forces on both sides were played as 'random morale'. All of the Austrian regiments turned out to be Regular. The Russian left flank brigade was Veteran, but the right flank turned out to be Green.

On the Russian right, their right flank brigade was kept back in reserve until it had spotted Austrian cavalry advancing. The right flank brigade was supported by the artillery brigaded on table. However the artillery spotted the cavalry dismounting as it had tried to take the Russians in the flank, and brought them under fire.

The firefight begins on the Russian left

The Russian brigade on the left flank sends five companies around to try and outflank the Austrian right

On the Russian right, the Austrians decide to assault, and advanced in to withering fire (the Austrians are at the top of the photo advancing against the Russians in the wood)

Austrian casalties are heavy

The Austrian cavalry begin to take casualties from the Russian artillery

The firefight on the Russian left intensifies

On the right, the Austrians assault the wood

One Austrian company makes it into the assault

... and wins the combat.. the Austrians are able to advance into the wood, but at a heavy price

On the Russian left, the flanking force wins the firefight against the Austrians

Meanwhile the major part of the Russian left continues a fierce duel with the Austrians

Overview of the Russian right at this stage

Given the amount of talking and 'instruction;, we ran out of time. In normal circumstances we would have had time to fight the game to a conclusion. At this stage things were very much in the balance. The centre Austrian regiment had just begun its own advance against the Russian right, bringing numbers and firepower that were sure to bring about a result.

For something so simple, this was a stirring wee game, with some interesting nuance. In the next game we'll bring in off table artillery, and counter battery fire.

What we read as children ....

I've written several times before about those things from our childhood that might have inspired us in our hobby. The influences are many and varied. Without any doubt at all we can say that the things our parents do matter, even if they don't set out to have those influences on us. My Dad's model making mattered to me.

Similarly what we read as children matters. My parents weren't highly educated, but they understood that reading mattered, so there were always plenty of books around. As we cleared out our parents' house, and then reduced our own accumulation of 'stuff', we'd thinned out the book collections. I did keep several of my own childhood books, and this was one of them.

Looking for something to read the other evening, I grabbed this book from the shelves and read it. It was published in 1962, and this is a 1962 edition. The memories flooded back. The 'Fighting Four' were four tommies who had gone through Dunkirk, trained as commandoes, and been involved in several tight situations in that role. They are members of the LRDG operating in North Africa, and are asked to support the first SAS raid on a German airfield well behind Rommel's lines. Things don't quite go to plan, and the four are left to find their way back to British lines, taking their seriously wounded commanding officer with them. They capture an Italian fort (yes, just the four of them) kidnap an Italian doctor, get captured .. and so it goes on.

I did once also have a copy of the prequel by AR Channel, "The Fighting Four", but it must have been culled as I reduced book volumes. It was a story of a commando raid on a German heavy water plant in Norway. A little part of me wishes I'd kept it.

With books like this, and with my father's inspiring model making, it's little wonder that I became a wargamer with a deep interest in military history. I think this was an unintended consequence of their action. They were not fans of military history per se.

The book itself is a fun read, one of those inspiring reads for children. Despite its age and my years I enjoyed it.