Slitherine

EROMMEL'S WWI CAMBRAI CAMPAIGN

6 scenarios currently available based on historical events.
Original Graphics and Mods: by Tim1966
Developed by Yamamoto
Completed by ERommel

#1: British Iron
20th November 1917. The British launch the first massed tank attack in a sector relatively unbroken by artillery to ensure unhampered movement. The artillery barrage that preceded the assault was short and sharp. A tide of iron sweeps toward the German trenches.

#2: Flesquieres Ridge
The Highlanders advance towards Flesquieres Ridge after an awesome shattering barrage on the targeted trenches on the ridge. German Generals anticipating an attack order the troops to dig in on the reversing slopes keeping losses at a minimum. The German ruse is called in by advancing scouts but regardless, the Ladies are ordered to press on the assault.

#3: Canal Crossings
Major Canals and rivers cut across the route to Cambrai. The mains crossings at Masnieres and Marcoing are the main objectives and are needed to be controlled as quickly as possible. Understanding very well the importance of the bridges, the Germans are prepared.

#4: Fontaine
The Highland ladies from hell advance dressed in kilt and accompanied by bagpipers. Having overcome the defences at Flesquieres the Scots enter Fontaine expecting fierce fighting. They will not be disappointed.

#5: Bourlon Forest
Bourlon Wood, a key obstacle on the road to Cambrai. German forces hurridly set up defences including cutting down trees to slow any advancing infantry. The Germans call this place Das Ringen um Bourlon - the Cauldron of Bourlon.

#6: Assault on Bourlon
The final objective of Cambrai lies beyond the town facing the advancing Brits. They are given orders to muster all remaining forces, reserves, and whatever few operational tanks remaining for an assault on Bourlon. The fighting at Bourlon which would would come to be known among the boys as a "dirty and noisy place" would be seared in the minds of the few survivors as hell on earth.

...more scenarios in development.

*** The above scenarios are technically ready to be played but require tweaking for force balance and to find minor issues. Please post your comments to help me improve the scenarios. Thank you, ERommel

LST FILE: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/100 ... AMBRAI.LST

Love the games, very evocative of what one reads about WW1.

However, I do find it odd that troops in ditches, reverse slopes are so vulnerable to infantry fire ie rifles. It may well be that the map definition denotes a ditch etc, but that the game heuristics do not add a cover factor. I understand that troops in ditches etc, can crawl up to the lip and open fire, but the idea that infantry attacking a ditch, concealed ground etc can inflict severe attrition (in WW1) seems odd - morale apart.

I know that (from my long ago Army days) the accepted infantry:infantry attacker:defender ratio was 3:1 - subject to local and materiel factors etc of course. But given WW1 infantry equipment (although even rifle fired grenades were starting to be employed), the observed attrition appears to be odd.

Gilles

Concur, Gilles. 3:1 is optimum still in the manuals (not taking in to account technological factors). Firepower on the defense in WW1 rendering fortifications invulnerable is a bit of a myth, in the sense that most actions were lost by the side "on the offense" because of a failure to hold ground against counterattacks by the defender, hence the overall stalemate. I'm trying to recall a couple of books on the subject I had read a few years ago, to no avail. More to follow.

Nav

Although Cavalry was shown to be obsolete against, principly, impacts of the machine gun (let alone disciplined modern bolt action rifles), they, if used within reason ie within their limits, did/could have perform(ed) an important reconnaissance role - thus although expendable - did allow for more appropriate forces to be deployed against sighted enemy targets (albeit dependant on the landscape). And Cavaraly units were developed and deployed throughout WW1 (faster than British tanks) and indeed until 1944 in WWII with the SS.

In BA graphic terms, this might be hard to achieve re Horse graphics, but nevertheless they could have in a reconnaissance role (the Intelligence Role) influenced the crucial 1914 battlefield ie as opposed to the aggressive role to which they were assigned and doomed - in other words the very substance of Wargames ie 'WHAT IF'.....

Communications? In WWI radios were available, let's show this via Engineers. The main comms media however was via telephone cable, i.e. point-to-point or via known points again via Engineers, cannot this resource be modelled - albeit subject to Sapper and or artillery cuts? Reconnaissance is fine but only if the message is received within a credible timescale.

In 'WHAT IF' terms, events of 1914/early 1915 actions in the Western and Eastern theatres were decisive across all fronts and once decided, decided the outcome of WWI and indeed the subsequent outbreak of WWII and indeed beyond.......

Again in WHAT IF terms, all main player Commanders i.e. British, French, German, Russian and lesser players eg Austria etc., were to put it bluntly, rubbish in 1914 and early 1915. Indeed, they remained inadequate (regardless of Govt., and Command changes) for the duration of WWI, a legacy of the 1870 campaigns and without regard to the lessons of the US Civil War. Many opportunities for game players?

Given the will and commercial imperative, almost a call for a Campaign mode........starting in 1914.

Gilles

Interesting words Leci and once again thank you very much for the kind words in your PM yesterday. I'm glad a few are enjoying the WWI scenarios....they are not as popular as the fast action WWII scenarios. I watched an interesting documenty on WWI a few days ago that says something similar to your comment regarding some of my scenarios being overly Napoleonic. The documentary stated that in the early parts of WWI, unlike popular belief, it was not trench warfare that dominated the battles but that action was very fluid involving Calvary and fast moving infantry assaults in town.

I was thinking of making a new campaign based on this.

Yes, it was the events of primarily 1914 and to a secondary extent in early 1915 that resulted in trench warfare which subsequently dictated the eventual outcome. Again all commanders were rubbish and even when fluid opportunities presented themselves, they failed to exploit - British tanks are almost a distraction. They, the Commanders, were all embedded in the 1870's and failed to grasp the mechanics of modern warfare. All they knew and could encompass was mass.

The Germans (but not the Austrians in the East) should have succeeded in the West within 1914, ie Blitzkrieg before the term was coined. But of course, the Commanders were rubbish.

Again, a great WHAT IF opportunity for 21st century gamers.

Gilles

I think I have posted this before, if so I apologise. I am not a modder I do wish. However if you are considering WW1 scenararios can I suggest the "what if" scenarios if the fortress villages above the Ancre, Thiepvel, Serre and Pozieres were taken and held. How would that change the face of battle. Would the allies have achieved that fabled breakthrough before the tank and again would the cavalry been utilised before the Somme turned into the Somme.

Someone who has walked those fields so many times.....

I have my Cambrai WWI Game back on.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/100 ... AMBRAI.LST

. The German ruse is called in by advancing scouts but regardless, the Ladies are ordered to press on the assault.

i'm pretty sure you mean Laddies...ladies would be extremely ...inappropriate