The Devils Breath

British Briefing A: 17th (County of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney Rifles) France. Late September 1916. Weather...overcast, damp, cold. Time 7pm There is a fierce, mutual hatred between the British and German regiments facing across this section of No Mans Land. Over the past few weeks, fighting has been very fierce, with both sides believing that atrocities have been committed by their opponents during the fighting. An attack earlier this afternoon by your forces on the German front lines has been repulsed with heavy casualties. The survivors of B Company have withdrawn to your front line trench and are regrouping. You do not expect any further fighting today. Nightfall is about 40 minutes away. The evening serving of Bully Beef is scheduled to arrive in a few minutes... B Company 17th (County of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney Rifles) morale reasonable, experience regular Remnants of First Platoon Deployed in and between the Front Line Trench and Reserve Line Trench Captain Charles Romford (Status III), Sergeant Alf Blackwall (Status II), Corporal Harold Limehouse (Status I), Corporal Bert Aldgate (Status I) and Tom Beckton (Status I). 28 men (comprising one Lewis Gun team of two men, the remainder are riflemen. There are no bombs and no rifle grenades left following the unsuccessful attack this afternoon. 2 x RAMC Stretcher Bearers. All of the First Platoon are tired and worn. Each group starts with TWO shock points. Captain Romford looks particularly done in. VICTORY CONDITIONS: To win, you must hold at least 12 of the Front Line Trench at the end of the game. If you do not hold more than 12 or more of the Front Line Trench, you may claim the game is an Honourable Draw provided that you hold more than 18 of the Reserve Line Trench. Any other result is a defeat for you.

The Devils Breath

British Briefing B: 17th (County of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney Rifles) France. Late September 1916. Weather...overcast, damp, cold. Time 7pm There is a fierce, mutual hatred between the British and German regiments facing across this section of No Mans Land. Over the past few weeks, fighting has been very fierce, with both sides believing that atrocities have been committed by their opponents during the fighting. Todays attack by your regiment on the German front lines has been repulsed with heavy casualties. The survivors of B Company have withdrawn to your front line trench and are regrouping. You have only received very vague information about their casualties and current status. You do not expect any further fighting today, but you are wary in case the Hun is up to his usual tricks. Nightfall is about 40 minutes away. C Company 17th (County of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney Rifles) Third Platoon deployed on the British table edge on blinds First Lieutenant Jasper Bethnal-Green (Status III), Sergeant Charlie Upton (Status II), Corporal Harry Stepney (Status I), Corporal Alf Hackney (Status I), Corporal Dick Burdett (Status I), Corporal Bill Langton (Status I). One platoon of 32 men (consisting of a Lewis gun section of 8 men, a bombing section of 8 men, an 8 man section of rifle grenadiers (4 men carrying rifle grenades and 4 riflemen carrying ammunition) and 8 riflemen). There is plentiful ammunition for the platoon. C company headquarters consisting of Major Tom Whitechapel (Status IV), a Lewis Gun team of three privates, a signals section of 3 men (1 signaller carrier pigeons, 1 signaller flags and one runner), and a section of 8 trench cleaners (moppers up armed with rifles and bayonets). C Company is fresh and did not participate in todays fighting. C Company troops have reasonable morale and are experiences regulars. The section of trench cleaners are aggressive troops. VICTORY CONDITIONS: To win, you must hold at least 12 of the Front Line Trench at the end of the game. If you do not hold more than 12 or more of the Front Line Trench, you may claim the game is an Honourable Draw provided that you hold more than 18 of the Reserve Line Trench. Any other result is a defeat for you.

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The Devils Breath

German Briefing, Stosstruppen detachment, 171st Infantry Regiment France. Late September 1916. Weather...overcast, damp, chill. Time 7pm There is a fierce, mutual hatred between the British and German regiments facing across this section of No Mans Land. Over the past few weeks, fighting has been very fierce, with both sides believing that atrocities have been committed by their opponents during the fighting. Todays attack by the opposing British regiment on the your front line trench has been repulsed with heavy casualties. The British survivors have withdrawn to their trench line and are likely to be regrouping. Nightfall is about 40 minutes away. Rather than disengaging for the evening, your commanding officer wants to demonstrate to die Englnder that your regiment will not be cowed by British attacks and raids. He has planned a Gegenangriff (a counter-attack) against the British at dusk. You are an experienced officer with specific stosstrupptaktik training. Stosstruppen detachment, 171st Infantry Regiment Hauptmann Ulrich Meyer (Status IV), Feldwebel Hans Bauer (Status III), Sergeant Fritz Langer (Status II), Gefreiter Willi Schaeffer (Status I), Gefreiter Bruno Heisse (Status I). One zug of 8 Riflemen. Two zug of 8 Grenadiers, all of which are bombers. One zug of 8 trench cleaners, 6 with rifles and 2 with trench brooms and grenades (the trench brooms are C96 Mauser automatic pistols with snail drum magazine). One Lewis Gun team (two men). Two light flamethrowers, each carried by a team of two men (deploy as standard rifleman until used), although the actual flammenwerfer is carried by one of the team. One Granatenwerfer 16 with crew of two men (neither is a Big Man) off table, or on table (your choice). The Stosstruppen detachment are aggressive troops with good morale. 1st Battery, Field Artillery Regiment 77 deployed off table The battery has fired a quick preliminary bombardment onto the British trenches. This has taken place before the start of the game. The battery is now about to fire with a barrage of gas shells (lachrymatory and asphyxiates chlorine and phosgene gas). The gas cloud is an area of 24 by 18 and moves 2 with the wind (roll for wind direction (see rule 2.5). The Wind Strength is light. The German battery have enough gas for THREE barrages. Each gas barrage will dissipate after 3D4 turns of the snifter card. VICTORY CONDITIONS: To WIN, you must (i) prevent the British holding 12 or more of the Front Line Trench; and (2) prevent the British holding 18 or more of the Reserve Trench; at the end of the game. Considering the forces you have at your disposal, any other result is a DEFEAT. -3-

Umpires Notes
Add a British Friction Card to reflect the fact that the British platoons have been caught off guard and are improvising a defence in the face of an aggressive German assault. Shell-shocked Officer Captain Romford is close to being shell-shocked and is suffering from combat stress. Total the number of Shock inflicted of any unit he is attached to (even if that Shock is later removed). On reaching 5 Shellshock points, reduce Captain Romfords Status from Status III to Status II. On reaching 10 Shellshock points, treat Captain Romford as badly wounded (see rule 9.5.1). He will have no further influence on the game, but the British player must attempt to remove him from the field of battle. The two RAMC stretcher bearers can be tasked with escorting the Captain to the rear. If the RAMC stretcher bearers are dead, two of the British troops should be tasked with doing this. Shellshock Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

[Note: I suggest that the use of the Shell-shocked Officer rule is used very sparingly, and only in circumstances where, viewed objectively, one of the Big Men would be at risk of succumbing to combat stress during the battle. These circumstances would be rare, but are documented in accounts by contemporaries. In addition to providing an insight (however small) into the terrifying experience of junior commanders of all sides on the Western Front, the use of the rule creates significant challenges for the British in the scenario. In the play-test, I mentioned that Captain Romford was almost completely done-in, although other umpires might prefer to inform the British players of exactly what this means in terms of game mechanics.] German Chlorine and Phosgene Gas The German gas barrage used in this scenario consists of chlorine and phosgene gas shells. As per rule 10.8.2, the gas barrage inflicts 1D4 wounds on a group or weapons team (counting no cover) on the first turn ONLY that such a Group or weapons team is ni the barrage. Add a Poor Gas Discipline Card to the deck on the FIRST turn of the German gas barrage, add the Poor Gas Discipline card into the deck. If the Poor Gas Discipline card is drawn, the next British Group or weapons team which is deployed in the gas barrage suffers 1D3 additional wounds (counting no cover). The Poor Gas Discipline is removed once all the gas has dissipated. Each gas barrage will have a duration of 3D4 turns. One deployed, the gas barrage will move 4 per turn with the wind, the gas being moved on the Snifter Card. Terrain We played the game on a table which was 8 x 4, fighting down the table. The Front Trench Line was positioned 28 from the German edge of the table. The Reserve Trench Line was located approximately 24 back from the Front Trench Line.

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Deployment The German starting position was 6 from the British Front Trench Line, representing the stosstruppen leaning into the barrage. German forces start on blinds, but are likely to be deployed on an automatic spot once they move. The British forces in British Briefing A (Captain Romford) started anywhere in and between the Front Trench Line and the Reserve Trench Line. Captain Romfords troops started the game on blinds. The British reinforcements in British Briefing B (First Lieutenant Jasper Bethnal-Green started on the British base line, approximately 44 from the Reserve Trench Line. The British reinforcements started on blinds at the commencement of the game and remained on blinds until spotted by German forces or voluntarily deployed.

Helpful books World War I Gas Warfare Tactics and Equipment, Simon Jones (Osprey Publishing) "GAS!": The Story of the Special Brigade, C. H. Foulkes Other Sources My blog with photographs of a game played on 22 March 2011 http://sidneyroundwood.blogspot.com/2011/03/devils-breath.html

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