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.