This battle was a sort of meeting engagement, with the UPC starting partially entrenched, the Empire arriving with their artillery ready, and a very soggy field preventing artillery bounce through. Both sides needed to drive the other from the field.
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| The Opening Bombardment Caused Only a Few Casualties to the UPC. |
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| With No Artillery of Their Own the UPC Decides Attack is The Only Option. They Launch a Massed Assault Against the Empires Right Flank. The Green Markers Show Where Artillery Fire has Dug the Guns into the Mud Making them Unable to Move or Pivot. |
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| The Empire's Close-Range Fire Fails to Produce the Kind of Casualties Against the UPC Forces They had Hoped for. |
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| On the UPC Right They Hold Back, Suffering Only Minor Damage from Artillery Fire. |
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| The Close Up Fighting Begins in Ernest. The Initial UPC Assaults are Halted and Pushed Back, but not Without Serious Damage to the Empire Forces Holding the Line. More UPC Formations are There to Continue the Work. |
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| The UPC's Numbers Achieve a Breakthrough, as the Empire Finally Responds to This Attack by Bringing up Reinforcements. |
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| The Empire's Left Continues to be Quiet, While the Center is Starting to Receive Action. On the Right the UPC has Eliminated One of the Artillery Batteries and is Pressing Home Their Local Numeric Advantage. |
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| The UPC Begins to Turn the Empire's Right Flank, as the Center Now Comes Under Assault. |
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| The Empire's Right is Now Completely Turned and the Whole Line has Become Vulnerable. In the Center the UPC's Losses are Becoming Serious, but as Usual There are Reinforcements at Hand. |
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| As the Sun Sets and the Days Fighting Nears its End the Empire Begins its Withdrawal from Another Battlefield with Their Tails Between Their Legs. |
The UPC needed to overcome a number of problems, such as the lack of artillery, heavy congestion of their forces and a false sense of security from their earthworks. The Empire was slow to respond to the buildup on their right with sufficient reinforcements. They seemed very focused on winning by their artillery, even when they became bogged in the mud and that contribution became less and less. Still a close battle that either side had the opportunities to win right up to the end.
Hmmm, my memory says our verbal orders as UPC were to defend the table and prevent the Empire from advancing off the road on our center right. We just took it in our minds that the obvious way to do this was to crush the Empire left.
ReplyDeleteBut then we were used to not paying much mind to the GMs version of our orders, as what was evaluated at games end never seemed to match up.
The orders for both sides were to destroy, or drive off the enemy, and protect a portion of the field on your entry side. I left the meaning open to interpretation as I was interested in what would motivate either side to attack. I believe being on the field was the only required motive.
DeleteAs the UPC won, then you choose wisely
Good report and pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt was like playing the game even when I’m miles away.
It’s not that I didn’t believe you, but I’m a Reaganite at heart: trust but verify. Will this comment post?
ReplyDeleteGot an Error at first attempt to Publish but the second try went through.
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