The saga of Sacher Regiment in the 1917 Strafexpedtiion continues...
3rd and 4th company, led by the latter, pressed south to overtake the second line of Italian defenses.
An ineffective artillery barrage was followed in short order by the loss of the assigned sturmplatoon to fire from the Italian trench.
4th company pushed further south to flank the Italian position but the surprise appearance of a squadron of lancieri bearing down on their forward units diverted their attention.
The cavalry threat would prove to be a short-lived.
 |
| Continuing the grand tradition of units taking a shellacking in their first appearance on the table, the lanceiri did not disappoint. |
With the arrival of 3rd company and an MG platoon, it seemed momentum was building for the success of the assault. However, Italian reinforcements arrived north west of the trench and swung around to engage the Austro-Hungarian forces.
In an illustration of the way the battle was going for each side:
The Austro-Hungarian machine gun platoon moved to a position in the woods south of the trench but were silenced before they make a difference in the outcome.
The Italian machine gun unit poured fire into 4th company, whittling down their numbers before combined fire from the remaining platoons of 4th company, along with the lead platoons of 3rd company, could stop them.
The remnants of 4th company made an ill-fated effort to assault the trench as the Italians gave better than they got.
Overwhelmed by fire from the trench and from the Italians arriving behind the hill, the Austro-Hungarians were down 4th company and suffering nearly 50% losses in 3rd company when Oberstleutnant Trenker ordered the remaining units to fall back.
The Italians had stopped the advance in this sector.
*****
This was scenario 8, "Melee", from One Hour Wargames. I field two units for every infantry unit, and one for each assault or cavalry unit. Heavy infantry is replaced with a machine gun base. Bases are platoons or their equivalent.
Rules were Trench Hammer - the v2 version of the rules, with some additions from the Expansion. I treat bases as platoons instead of squads for this campaign.
The observant among you have probably noticed I changed basing again. These things happen.
Next up, Sacher Regiment's 3rd battalion will get its chance against the Italians..
The Italians held, excellent! The lancieri look so dashing and lethal, they should improve with practice! Great game John, I really enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brad! Things went from bad to worse for the Austrians in this one. I really should have held the lancieri and brought them in on the north west side of the hill (that's the arrival point for the 2nd reinforcement). The dice even told me to do that, but I really wanted them on the table and overruled the dice. They paid the price for my enthusiasm!
DeleteHi John, enjoyed the view of your game and how it played out. Lovely seeing figures in actual use. Thanks for uploading.
ReplyDeleteMichael
Hi Michael,
DeleteWhen I first got involved in wargaming, it was to make use of a tub of "army men" that I had sitting on my desk at work. So, for me, playing games has always been first and foremost. Which probably explains why I have a hard time painting anything but smallish forces - anything more stands between me and my main enjoyment!
I was wondering about the bases-2x2 inches? 40mm?
ReplyDeleteGive Peppermint a belly rub for me.
Peppermint thanks you!
DeleteThe squares are 2" (hand measured and cut and not very well, so give or take). They formerly served for my 54mm WWII collection which I (probably rashly) decided was more fun for smaller games of the 1 figure = 1 man type and moved to single basing.
Stirring stuff! You have shamed me into painting some of the HAT Italians I've had in stock for the best part of a decade. I do like the lancers - must look into making some!
ReplyDeleteAre those the 1/72 WWI Italians? Sometimes I blasphemously think I should have gone with 1/72 for this project like i had originally started doing. I need to make a few more of the lancers myself - I have a bunch of headless bodies awaiting transplants!
Delete1/72? Have you taken leave of your senses sir?
ReplyDeleteI can hardly believe I even thought that!
DeleteJohn, your 54mm actions are really quite neat! This is a favorite WWI front of mine.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jonathan! I promised myself I'd keep this collection to a minimum of figures, but I really want to bring in the Germans for Caporetto and the British for Asiago!
Delete'Trench Hammer v2' is one of the best things I've heard all week!
ReplyDeleteI've downloaded it and like the changes so far, although there's still plenty of work to be done I reckon.
I was pretty excited when I stumbled on that. It looks like a combination of some ideas from the Expansion along with bringing it in line with developments from other Hammer games.
Delete