Second Game of the Year - AAR

OK, this was the second (!?!?) wargame that I got in this year.  The game was put on by Blake at his house (Thanks!).  The game was a 28mm Darkest Africa game using "The Sword & The Flame" rules.  The action takes place during WW1 with the Belgians ruthlessly attacking the jolly, happy Germans who just want their "little place under the sun." (Evil Belgians!)  Glenn W. played the Belgians and I ran the Germans.

First, a break down of forces.  The Belgians had four Askari units, two on each flank, and in the center was a unit of cannibals and an Askari artillery piece.  The Germans had two Seebataillon  (marines) units, plus one artillery piece manned by marines, two Askari units, and a group of trade bearers (non-combatants).  My set-up was one marine unit on the left flank with the center having one Askari unit and the artillery protecting the non-combatants, and finally having the second Askari unit on the right flank.  The remaining marine unit was held in reserve towards the center/right flank.  (see picture.)

Initial deployment.  The prone figure is to represent that the whole unit is prone.

After the first turn of movement and firing, I saw that the Belgians were trying to do a double envelopment.  I shifted my center to the right and wheeled my right flanks to create a Vee defensive position with my artillery on the anchor to keep firing on the Belgian artillery until it was silenced.  By shifting my center, it meant that my left flank was unsupported, but as they were German marines, I felt that they could hold by themselves for a few rounds.

Right flank

Left flank.  They are now standing as I needed to wheel them to face the flanking movement to their left.  Initially, I was moving the bearers to protect my flank by creating a "speed bump" for the Belgians to push through, but then decided that was 'gamey' and marched them back towards the main defensive position.

In short time, I was able to silence the Belgian artillery and turn my cannon on to the Belgian cannibals in the center.

The view of the Belgian artillery for most of the game - yeah, the German artillery gunners are that good!

Glenn's assault on my left flank was proceeding good order with his cannibals crawling closer and closer to my marine unit.  With the events on the my right flank, I decided that is was safe to advance one of my Askari units towards the cannibals to force the issue.  Either they would have to stand up, preventing them from moving closer, or remain prone and giving my Askaris a big advantage in close combat.

The left flank is facing superior numbers but still holding on.  The guy on the mule with the Belgian cannibals is their overall commander.  The fact that I am mention this should be a sign of foreshadowing...hint, hint!

I felt safe enough to send the one unit of Askaris to force the cannibals to react as Glenn's attack on my right flank was falling apart.  One unit was able to close in, but the other really didn't want to get close to the Germans (poor dice rolls for movement for them!)  I was able to roll decent enough to hit the lead unit.

The right flank with the reserve marine unit moving up into the line with the intent of wheeling to create a inverted Vee position to create a deadly kill zone where the Belgian Askaris are located now.

Luckily I had decided to advance my Askaris against the cannibals in the center, as Glenn had rolled extremely well this round and put a big hurt on German marines on the left flank causing them to rout.  But the Askaris did enough damage to the cannibals in the center that they routed too!  As a bonus, the overall Belgian commander was attached to the cannibals when they were routed.

After the running away by both the German marines and the Belgian cannibals

On the right flank, more good news for the Germans with the one Belgian Askari unit also routed!

OH!  How the brave Belgians ran away! Hey! Hey!

I was able to rally my German marines, but Glenn failed to rally his cannibals and off they fled the board dragging the Belgian overall commander with them.  So the game was an automatic victory for the Germans, who promptly walked around the battlefield picking up the surplus of Belgian chocolate bars to enjoy at their victory dinner!

The total losses for the Germans: seven marines from the same unit and five Askaris between the two units, mostly from the one unit from the far right flank, killed (12 total).

The total losses for the Belgians: one Belgian officer, five Askari infantrymen, three Askari artillerymen, and seven cannibals killed and one Belgian officer and three cannibals routed off the board (16 killed / 4 routed)