Setting up a scenario for the attack on Beersheba 1917

Weekends that are rather miserable weather-wise, especially one's involving rain, always provide opportunities to get on with some wargaming. This Saturday was one of those days and gave me the opportunity to setup a scenario for the attack on Beersheba, Palestine, 31st October 1917. 

The attack on Beersheba was part of an overall plan to outflank the Turkish line and eventually take Gaza. The attack was made by the ANZAC Mounded Corps and is known for the charge by the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade. They galloped across the plain to attack the entrenched Turks, and were successful in taking the town and importantly its wells.

The starting point for this scenario was from the "last crusade" rules (the scenario was kindly sent by Duc de Gobin - https://warfareintheageofcynicsandamateurs.blogspot.com). The scenario used a greater number of units than my current forces, which are based around One-Hour Wargames (OHW) games with 4 to 6 units per side.

The scenario had two objectives, the town of Beersheba and its water wells and a defended hill called Tel El Saba. I remembered OHW had a scenario with two objectives (scenario 21) and was able to use that to get an idea for setting up a game with balanced forces. So with some reposition of the town (Beersheba) I was able to rework the OHW scenario into a version for the attack on Beersheba.

The tabletop setup for the game

The tabletop is 5x4 foot. Wadi Saba is impassible and Tel El Saba is  difficult terrain where units can claim cover when positioned on it.

Turkish Order of Battle:

• 2 Infantry
• 1 Artillery
• 1 Infantry with machine gun support

The infantry with supporting machine guns must occupy Tel El Saba. All remaining units occupy the town and trenches.

Units occupying Tel El Saba are treated as being in rough terrain (cover) and cannot be charged.

Turkish troops occupy the town and trenches

The Turks occupying Tel El Saba

Commonwealth order of battle:

• 2 Infantry
• 1 Artillery
• 1 Infantry with machine gun support
• 2 Cavalry/Mounted Infantry

They must deploy in Zone 1.

Commonwealth troops deployed

Commonwealth forces win by taking and occupying the town Beersheba and the hill Tel El Saba. Otherwise it is a Turkish victory.

The game will use Machine Age rules from OHW with the following changes:

• Cavalry/mounted infantry can charge providing they have 8 or less hits. Over 8 hits and they cannot charge. Roll D6+2 when attacking and retire 6" if enemy unit not eliminated.
• Units are eliminated after taking 17 or more hits.
• Units which take hits are tested for disorder. Roll a D6 and multiply the score by 4. If the total is less than or equal to the hits, the unit becomes suppresses. Suppressed units reduce movement by half and shooting by half. (I use an explosion marker to remember when a unit is suppressed.)
• Suppressed markers are removed at the end of a player's turns.

I also use event cards as described in the book. The enemy panic card is an air attack.

WW1 Palestine project continues with a scratch built train

In the WW1 Palestine campaign supply lines were important to both sides due to harsh terrain and distances involved.

For Commonwealth forces the speed of their advances was determined by how quickly they could construct the supply lines. This supply infrastructure included water-pipes, a narrow guide railway, and chicken-wire roads (where the wire was laid down to stabilise the ground).

While the Turks had extensive railway network established. Large numbers of troops were tied up defending the railways against raids from Arab Rebellion forces and the activities of T.E. Lawrence.

As a break from painting figures and given the importance of railways throughout the Sinai and Palestine campaigns. I thought I should make a train and rolling stock so they could be represented on the tabletop and be objectives to be fought over. I opted to continue my scratch building approach and made some track from felt and a simple train. As with my recent scratch built models I rely upon painting the details rather than modelling them.

Supplies are on their way on the latest scratch built model

I used wooden dowel and beading to create the shapes of the train and its running stock. Cardboard is used on the sides to create a smooth finish and wheels.

Wood dowel and beading is cut to create the models

Cardboard is used for the wheels and sides

Additional circles are cut for the wheels to help highlight them and make them easier to paint

The same approach is taken with the running stock

Circles are cut for wheels

The tracks are made from some cut felt material which was lightly brushed with a sand colour. Once dry, I used a dark brown permanent marker to draw the sleepers and rails.

The train with figures to show the scale

A view from the top

I now need to find a suitable scenario to get the train in use on the tabletop.

WW1 Arab Rebellion cavalry and another book to read

I am slowly edging towards the completion of the Arab Rebellion forces. The latest unit leaving the painting table is the first of two Arab Rebellion cavalry units. The figures are from a box of Strelets Mounted Rif Rebels which the very useful www.plasticsoldierreview.com site suggests are better suited as Arab cavalry.

Recent purchase to be used as Arab cavalry.

The painted unit on the tabletop.

The unit on the march.

At the weekend I happened by the local library and spotted another WW1 Sinai and Palestine campaign book called "Allenby's Gunners". As the title suggests it focuses on how artillery were used throughout the campaign and in some of the key battles.

The latest library book borrowed.

WW1 Palestine campaign - A OHW game report

I have yet to finish painting the WW1 Arabs Rebellion figures, having only completed three units. However, by adding the recently scratch-built Rolls-Royce armoured car to support the Arab units I have a reasonable raiding force.

The game is using One-Hour Wargames (OHW) Scenario 27 - Disordered Defence - reworking the narrative for an Arab raid on a well. Throughout the Sinai and Palestine campaigns water, or access to water, was important for the attacking armies. Often they had to rely upon existing roads and tracks and the wells along those routes. The game begins with the Turks having three dispersed infantry units deployed on the tabletop. There is a nearby relief force which will arrive on game turn 8.

The initial deployments. The building and palm trees are too sparse to provide any cover.

The Arab raiding force arrive on the right. They have:

• Mounted unit on camels
• Infantry unit
• Infantry unit plus supporting machine gun
• Roll-Royce armoured car

All units arrive on game turn 1. 

The objective of the raid is the well and the force that holds the well on game turn 15 wins.

The well and the game's objective

Th game used the Machine Age rules from OHW with the following changes:

• Units are eliminated after taking 17 or more hits.
• Units which take hits are tested for disorder. Roll a D6 and multiply the score by 4. If the total is less than or equal to the hits, the unit becomes suppresses.
• Suppressed unit reduce movement by half and shooting by half. (I use an explosion marker to remember when a unit is suppressed.)
• Suppressed markers are removed at the end of a player's turns.
• I also use event cards as described in the book. The enemy panic card is an air attack.
• Armoured cars move 12", shoot D6-2 with a 360 shooting arc, all hits are halved unless shot at by artillery, and if suppressed are considered broken down and out of the game.

Opening game moves...

The Arabs target one of the forward positioned Turkish infantry.  A camel mounted unit arrives on the flank and the armoured car unit on the other flank along the road. The bulk of Arab infantry arrive but remain out of range.

Turkish forces react to the arrival and try and consolidate their units around the well.

The first Turkish unit is eliminated on their right flank.

Turkish forces have almost stabilised their position, but are suffering casualties.

The middle game...

An Allied aircraft arrives to strafe the last unit of initial Turkish force.

The Arab units reorganise in readiness for the Turkish relief force.

The Relief Force Arrives...

The relief force arrives just as Arab forces are preparing to secure and defend the well.

Arab units take-up position around the well. Turkish mounted troops have successfully defeated their counterparts and take up a flanking position.

Both sides are taking casualties in the fighting around the well.

Arab forces, infantry and armoured car, hold their position and the attacking Turks are reduced to an artillery unit and mounted unit.

At turn 15 Arab forces still hold the well (objective) and win the game.

This was an enjoyable scenario to play and one I cannot remember playing before. I played this a further couple of times and the defenders won on both occasions.

WW1 Palestine project gets wings

A WW1 Albatros aircraft has been added to the Turkish forces and a S.E.4a is being made for the Commonwealth forces. I am continuing with a scratch building approach for the various vehicles I plan for this project. This time I am using balsa wood and wire.

Latest addition to the Turkish forces

A side shot. The fuselage took a while to shape.

A view from the top.

To help get the right shape, particularly the wings, I printed off a couple of copies of blueprints grabbed off the internet. These are sized to 1/72 scale (or as near as possible) before printing. The wings and tail pieces are cutout and stuck to 1 mm sheet balsa wood. Once dry these are cutout.

Blueprints from the internet proved very useful.

The printed blueprints were cutout at stuck to a sheet of balsa wood.

The most time consuming part of making these models is the shaping of the fuselage from balsa wood. The blueprints help as the shape is gradually carved out. When attaching the wings I cheat somewhat and use some balsa wood to pack the gap between the top wing and fuselage. This adds to the model's strength and wire is used for the struts between the top and bottom wings.

Shaping the fuselage takes time.

Wings and tail pieces are added.

The propeller is a disk cut from 1 mm balsa wood sheet. This is much easier than making a propeller, but take I bit more to paint later on.

The whole model gets a think coat of PVA glue followed by artists gesso primer. The model is then ready for painting.

Next up will be some scratch built palm trees.

Adding some Arab units and an armoured car

Progress continues on the WW1 Palestine Campaign project. I have been able to keep focused and not get distracted. Units have been added to my growing Arab Rebellion force and yesterday I finished a simple scratch built Rolls-Royce armoured car.  

The recent arrival of a Rolls-Royce Armoured Car

I used paint to highlight details rather than any modelling skills.

Cardboard was eventually used for the wheels after some trial and error.

The armoured car is made from bits of wood beading, dowel, cardboard, and green-stuff. It took a while to make as originally I used round dowel for the wheels, but this made the whole thing far too wide. Instead I reverted to using cardboard for the wheels. 

When I finished the modelling I was a bit dubious on how the simple shape was going to turn out. I used paint to show various details rather than modelling them. Painting fortunately hides and disguises many faults.

The armoured car before the painting took place

The Arab Rebellion forces are gradually increasing. Some cavalry arrived recently and will soon be added.

Arab Rebellion force. Cavalry will soon be added.

I am sure the armoured car will be seen supporting any Arab attacks on the Turkish forces.

WW1 Tank added to Palestine campaign

As the Palestine project has progressed two fellow wargamers have been kind enough to digout and scan  some scenarios from an old ruleset and also rules from old magazines. A quick thank you is due to https://warfareintheageofcynicsandamateurs.blogspot.com to and Rob. These have both been very useful.

One of the scenarios covered part of the Second Battle of Gaza which I have reworked for a One-Hour Wargame style game with influences from scenario 14 - Static defence. One unit type I was missing for the scenario was a tank. So this weekend I found some time to quickly scratch build a WW1 British heavy tank.

New addition to my WW1 Palestine campaign project

A very basic model for my very simply painted figures.

The tank is made from wood, various square and rectangular dowel, and MDF sheets. I used blueprints found online as a guide for getting the shape as best I could.

The tank is made from bits of wood and MDF 3mm sheet stuck together to make the tracks.

The model gets a coat of artists gesso which helps provide a good undercoat and fills in any small gaps.

A base colour is applied.

Lighter and darker colours to the base colours are used to highlight and shade to give impressions of details, for example, the tracks and hatches. 

The sponsons used highlighting and shading around the guns.

Tank Redoubt Scenario - 2nd Battle of Gaza

This game was played using One Hour Wargames Machine Age rules. There were a couple of modifications:

• Units are eliminated after taking 17 or more hits.
• Units have to activate to move or shoot. Roll D6 and multiply score by 4. If this total is greater than the hits a unit has accumulated, then it performs the action. If less or equal, no action is performed by the unit this turn.
• Artillery units have to spend one turn of ranging fire to target a unit before shooting. I use explosion markers to show which units have been targeted. No hits are caused by ranging fire. Once a unit is targeted shooting is as per the rules, even if the unit moves it remains targeted. A change of target will require artillery units to spend a turn to range again.
• I used event cards from the One-Hour Wargames book.

Tabletop with the initial troop deployments. (Tank Redoubt was named after the battle)

Situation

The defending Turkish forces are to hold both redoubts. Commonwealth forces have been ordered to capture and hold either redoubt. 

Forces

Turkish:

• 4 infantry units
• 1 infantry unit with supporting machine gun
• 1 artillery unit

Commonwealth:

• 2 infantry units with supporting machine guns
• 1 infantry unit
• 2 artillery units
• 1 camelry (mounted infantry) unit
• 1 tank

Special Rules

1. Two Turkish units must remain within 12" of each redoubt.
2. Commonwealth can target 3 units with an opening artillery bombardment (no ranging required).
3. Wadi Sihan is impassable except at two crossing two areas.
4. The tank unit moves 6" and shoots D6+2 at targets within 6" range. Any failed activation and the tank has broken-down (eliminated).

Game Length and Turn Order

The game ends after 15 turns and Commonwealth forces start the game.

Victory Conditions

Commonwealth forces must hold one of the redoubts by turn 15 with no Turkish forces within 6". If they do not hold a redoubt then it is a Turkish victory.

Inspiration

This scenario is based on a scenario from the Last Crusade WW1 rules called "Tank Redoubt - Second Gaza, Palestine, 19th April, 1917". Not having the quantity of units required, the scenario has been scaled down to a One-Hour Wargames sized game and influenced by the "Static Defence" scenario from the book.

Game Report

Commonwealth forces decided to make Tank Redoubt their primary objective and used their preliminary bombardment to target all units in entrenched positions.

Following the initial bombardment Commonwealth forces move on the primary objective supported by the tank unit which draws the majority of Turkish fire.

The "enemy panic" event card is drawn for which I treat as an aircraft attack. A single Turkish unit in the open is attacked. The camelry unit moves to support the right flank attack.

The tank unit fails and activation and is destroyed. However, the supporting Commonwealth units remain unscathed and continue their attack on Tank Redoubt.

The Turks defending Tank redoubt are taking casualties as their position is attacked by all available Commonwealth units.

Success for Commonwealth forces which take and eventually drive off Turkish units.

An enjoyable game. It was pleasing to see the tank unit performed well in its first game. How often do recently painted units get to the tabletop only to be removed quickly from play? As for the rules, I am still tinkering with them and may yet convert them to use D3 dice rather than D6 dice.