Tuesday, 17 May 2022

Battle of Beersheba 1917 game report

This post is a game report on the Battle of Beersheba. Details of the scenario setup can be found here on the previous post.

Troops deployed and objectives shown

The plan and orders for the Commonwealth forces were:

  1. Use two infantry units to take Tel El Saba which would be supported by artillery.
  2. Advance the mounted infantry and cavalry quickly across the plain and capture the guns. They would be followed by infantry supported by machine guns.

How did it all turn out...

The attack on Tel El Saba begins

Mounted infantry and cavalry move forward towards the Turkish lines around the town of Beersheba

First attacking casualties in the assault on Tel El Saba where the defending infantry units has supporting machine guns

The remaining mounted infantry close with Turkish artillery. One unit was lost closing with the Turkish trenches.

The attack on the Turkish trenches is aided by air support (event card)

The Turks counter attack

Tel El Saba is occupied. The first objective is taken and needs to be occupied, so the remaining unit cannot join the attack on the town.

The trenches are hotly contested and the cavalry having eliminated the artillery come under fire from the town.

Turkish aircraft make an appearance (event card again)

Both sides are taking casualties

With the trenches cleared. Commonwealth artillery support the attack on the town

The attack on the town is called off as the supporting infantry unit is eliminated

This is a hard game to win for the attacking Commonwealth forces. Of the four games I played using the scenario, the Turks successfully defended the town on three occasions and lost one time. Most of the games were close, coming down to the last few turns. 

The challenge for the attacking forces are:

  • They lose two units to take and also occupy Tel El Saba to meet victory conditions.
  • They will most of the time lose one cavalry unit to artillery fire as they advance across the plain towards the town. Then they are down to two attacking units to assault the trenches hopefully supported by their artillery.

On the one occasion the attacker won was when the artillery immediately focus on shelling Turkish trenches and Tel El Saba is assaulted by two infantry units, one of which has supporting machine guns.

A most enjoyable scenario to play.


18 comments:

  1. Great looking game Peter, and clearly a tough one if you are the attacking side. Did the appearance of aircraft make a lot of difference?

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    1. Not in this game were the aircraft cards came fairly close together and just evened things up.

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  2. Great to see Dave Sullivan in action!

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    1. Thanks for the comment, unfortunately I don't get the reference and a google search did not help.

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  3. Not so enjoyable for the camelry acting as human shields for the cavalry / mounted infantry.

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    1. They certainly suffered all the hits leading the attack on the guns.

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  4. Hi Peter,

    It is great action to play and yours looked absolutely cracking! I was particularly taken with the Turkish fighter! I have fought this twice on the blog - once using my block armies and once using figures and it was great fun both times. If you have not done so then I recommend watching the film The Lighthorsemen - stirring stuff!

    All the best,

    DC

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    1. It was a fair while ago I saw the film. However, with setting up this game I did view a few snippets of the film on YouTube. As you say stirring stuff.

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  5. Love the whole look and feel of the game Peter:). The event cards are a nice touch and your post game thoughts are good. I thought it might be a tough ask for the Attackers and so it proved to be.

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    1. Yes, it turned out to be a tough ask to take both objectives with the attacking forces as they are. It took me a couple of games to work out the best attacking approach. Thanks.

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  6. Peter, this is a great looking game in an off-the beaten-path theatre of WWI. Excellent stuff!

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    1. Thanks. It is enjoyable to game the WW1 period where all units (infantry, cavalry, artillery, and aircraft) play equally important roles.

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  7. Replies
    1. Thank you. It has been an enjoyable project so far building up the forces and terrain.

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  8. As others have said, this is a lovely looking game with super figures. This is an area of WW1 that I have been keen to refight. I have the figures but so far have not made any progress. Plenty of inspiration here though.

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    1. I am finding it is really interesting campaign to read about and play. Thanks.

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