It's the Great War, not the Boer War (a wish list of sorts)

Here's what I would like to see from the various manufacturers out there covering this time period. Nothing obscure (no South Persia Rifles or Bikanir Camel Corps) just necessary odds and ends to accurately play this theater:

1. It would be great if they would make an effort to release all appropriate figures necessary to construct a normal Infantry Platoon. This would mean that British / Imperial Infantry would have packs that included Lewis Gunners, Rifle grenadiers, Vickers teams, NCOs armed with rifles and Bomber teams.
2. Mountain Guns-- These were common on both sides and would be much more likely to show up on-table than the field artillery that's commonly available.
3. Hotchkiss Rifles (LMGs)-- from 1916 all British and Indian cavalry had these LMGs available at the troop level. Releasing cavalry without these weapons makes it impossible to replicate the cavalry tactics of this theater. At present no one makes these.
4. Signals teams-- It would be great to be able to integrate these figures into our games. Artillery spotters, telephonists, heliograph operators, figures shooting verey lights and other signalists(?) would allow a more appropriate use of off-board artillery and other scenario specific possibilities. Communications difficulties were often a central part of why Great War battles played out the way they did. Also some rules (notably If the Lord Spares Us) depend on signals bases as part of their C & C rules.
5. Turkish Cavalry-- Only one company makes these, and they are not lancers.
6. Hussars-- several regiments were posted in Mesopotamia
7. Imperial Camel Corps-- mounted & dismounted; 'nuff said
   

Plans

Worcestershire Yeomanry, Palestine 1916

Here are my priorities for painting:

1. Finish my Sikh force. I've got two sections of infantry, a mountain gun section and a Vickers to paint (about 28 figures, some of which are in progress).
2. Western Front support weapons for the Germans (Mg 08/15, captured Lewis guns) (about 6 figures).
3. Start my Yeomanry (above) which will be represented using Battle Honors South African Horse (16 mounted, 16 dismounted).
4. Harlem Hellfighters (16)
5. More Arabs, much more (I've got about 34 to paint)
6. More Turkish infantry (I've got more Woodbine and Copplestone infantry 30-40)
7. Asienkorps (a Maximum, a Field Gun and two sections of infantry)
8. Indian Cavalry (1 section)

So at my painting speeds that's about... oh say 6 months or more... and more figures are being released every day...

Palestine 1918 game

Price Of Glory Game (Dec. 13, 2008)

(I will adds more photos as they become available)

also see Jim's report of the same game at http://napoleon91.blogspot.com/2008/12/ww1-wargaming-in-palestine.html

Setting: Palestine, near the Coast sometime during the first couple of days of the Battle of Megiddo.

Combatants:

Central Powers:

1 Platoon of Ottoman Turks (5 sections of 8-10 figures)

1 Ottoman Maxim Gun

1 Unit Ottoman Cavalry (10 figures)

1 Platoon AsienKorps (4 sections of 9 figures each) (Jim provided 2 units of germans)

2 Asienkorps independent LMG units

3 units mounted Arab infantry (10 figures each) (Jim's figures)

1 unit Arab cavalry (8 figures)

3 independent Arab snipers

British Empire:

1 Platoon Indian Army “British” Infantry (4 sections of 9 figures each, 1 section included a Lewis gun)

1 Platoon Indian Army “Indian” Infantry (4 sections of 9 figures each, 1 section included a Lewis gun)

1 Light Car with Lewis gun

3 units Indian Lancers (2 units of lancers were provided by Mike)

1 SE-5a making strafing runs

Terrain:

Western Sector: SW a village with large walled orchards; several large hills in the NW region

Central Sector: SW Shellholes; Center a 48” Wadi running from S to N; E a large Hill and (just to it’s North) a redoubt; N a small village

Eastern Sector: S walled olive yards; SE a Large Village with some adjoining walled orchards

The game was played as a meeting engagement contesting the ownership of three villages, a wadi and an abandoned redoubt.

The photo below shows the British Left and Center near the beginning of the game

1. The Ottoman players deployed with The Turks in the center, Germans on the right and Arabs on the left. The Germans deployed a firing line and took hold of the Northern Village. They then began to lay down a murderous fire that swept ground being advanced over by the “British” Infantry and Indian Cavalry. The photo shows the Asienkorps early in the game, in the Northern Village
2. The Indian Platoon began to move through the olive yards towards the Eastern village while a band of Arabs countered by occupying that village. A sniper in the near by hills took aim at the Gurkha’s NCO and took him out but was himself killed by replying fire. Todd’s Biplane made its first (ineffectual) strafing run against the front units of the Turkish and Arab forces.
3. Todd’s Brits worked their way up the Wadi and into the shell-holes while on his right the Indian Cavalry Galloped straight forward towards the Turkish Center. An initial volley from several German and Turkish units routed the leading unit of Lancers, who retreated down the Wadi. The following unit was then hit by a charge from the Turkish cavalry who met their demise on the lance-tips of the Indians. Below, the lancers about to be charged after losing one section to enemy fire.
4. Jim’s Asienkorps LMG teams began to enfilade the Wadi even as the British Infantry worked their way up it. Unfortunately for the Imperial players it was at about this time that the effects of fire began to tell on the lancers and they fell back (down the Wadi) to regroup in the Olive yards Gary’s Indians had recently occupied.At around the same time the model T was hit by Lewis gun fire from the Northern village and burst into flames. Two crew members were killed, the third crawled out, dismounting and setting up his Lewis gun, only to be killed by Arab sniper fire!
5. The Se-5 was called away to other actions having only inflicted two casualties in its three strafing runs. Meanwhile the Arabs had moved into the Eastern village and it’s adjoining orchards. At this point Gary rushed abut two-thirds of the Indian platoon in to contest the village, while leaving his last section to lay down a murderous hail of lewis gun and rifle fire against the Eastern village’s orchards. This resulted in the Disbandment of one of the Arab units. The Indians and Arabs in the village began hose to house fighting, with many grenades being lobbed.
6. The Turks had advanced, in line, while laying down a steady fire against Todd's British in the Wadi. This Platoon was also taking fire from most of Jim's AsienKorps infantry and LMG teams. The steady attrition began to tell against him and finally, after the Turkish Maxim began to enfilade he Wadi from the Northern village, the British had to relinquish the ground they had occupied. Below, the Asienkorps enfilade the Wadi; in the background Turks and Arabs.
7. At this point we called the game for the Ottoman / German players. They held 2 of 5 victory locations (The Northern Vilage,The abandoned redoubt), were about to occupy one (the Wadi) and were contesting another (the Eastern Village). Also a section of Asienkorps was approaching the Western Village through the Western Olive Yards
   

It seems that a good time was had by all. We felt that the rules regarding charges need to be amended to more adequately deal with Cavalry.

Special Rules for Saturdays Game

Strafing

1. Strafing attacks may only take place against targets in the open, rough or on the roofs of buildings. Units on hills, in orchards, fortifications or Wadis are not eligible for attack (since they are not considered visible from the plane.)
2. The attack is on a straight line from one table edge to another, at any angle.
3. Any eligible target unit that is under the flight path of the strafing plane will be fired on by a Lewis Gun.
4. Hits are only scored on a roll of “1”. Targets receive no Cover modifiers.
5. Arab units that are strafed take an extra –1 to the MM of the attack (for a cumulative –3).

“Bombers” / Grenadiers

1. Any Bomber figure will receive a +1 Marksmanship on all Grenade attacks.
2. All Bomber figures are considered to be armed with a rifle even if the actual model is not so armed.

Light Patrol Car

1. The Model T moves 30” It may only move in the open, in Rough or on roads.
2. If the LC has a dash-mounted Lewis gun, that gun may fire in the front 180° angle of the model. A pintel-mounted LMG has a 360° field of fire

Arabs

1. For purposes of this game all Arab units move the same (as cavalry) if the units are shown with a mix of mounted and foot figures.
2. Such mixed units will melee as infantry.
3. If you would like to create an Arab Cavalry unit then spend one action combining mounted figures from any units that are within a cavalry move of the figure who will become the leader. All foot units then move as foot units and cavalry at the cavalry rates.
4. All Arab units will Disband instead of Rout on the third Suppression marker.
5. Arab snipers (there may be up to three) operate independently as per all Sniper rules

Terrain

1. Orchards count as -2 cover with 6” visibility into the terrain. Blocks LOS through the terrain.
2. Hills are impassable except to snipers
3. All figures are considered to be on the roof of village buildings, but receive full cover benefits of the building.
4. The Wadi gives -3 cover to infantry in it and -2 to cavalry.
5. The Wadi may not be crossed by any wheeled vehicle

If you game with me here's some previews of Saturdays Game

Notice the Helmets, August 1918 Palestine

From the same E-bay auctioneer as the posting below. I thought the head gear was particularly interesting. Brody Helmets with a "neck curtain". Soapy take note.

Indian Troops Clear an Arab Stronghold (1915)

I saw this page is for sale on e-bay by a Scottish dealer of ephemera (http://cgi.ebay.com/MESOPOTAMIA-ARAB-INDIAN-TROOPS-WAR-AMUSEMENT-1915_W0QQitemZ40000864). It's apparently from the Graphic July 24, 1915. Indian troops are shown besieging a stronghold of the Bani Turuf (sp?) tribe who had killed wounded British troops. I post it since it immediately brings scenario ideas to mind.

Drums, aka The Drum on TCM Dec. 3

TCM sent me a reminder that Drums the classic 1938 Colonial adventure film will be showing at 12 am on Wed Dec. 3. This movie is a little bit like Wee Willie Winkie but with Sabu instead of Shirley Temple. Action against a evil usurper in a fictional Northwest Frontier principate. Set (nebulously) in the thirties so you get to see the Indian Army in the inter-war field uniform. If you like colonial epics, you'll like this one.
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=73689