Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game

Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux:
The General's Game
with Jökull Gíslason

Firestorm games are all about taking your Flames Of War games to the next level and fighting with the armies in their historically correct setting. As with real battles your games are no longer even with the introduction of Firestorm Troops and this creates a completely different fighting environment with the advantage on one side. When I saw that Battlefront was going to release a ruleset for the Great War on the 100 year anniversary I wanted to do a Firestorm for it. Reading every book and internet reference I could find I quickly realised that this would have to be different form my previous designs. For starters the map is only four by five kilometres. So I decided to bring the focus down on a single battle and the obvious choice was the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux which is the same battle as Battlefront’s release is focused on. The battle is famous in military history in that it was the first time that tanks from opposing sides met on the field of battle which happened twice on the 24 April 1918.
To design a good Firestorm Campaign it must work as much the simpler General's game; when only use the board and counters and using a straightforward die roll with variuous modifiers to determine the results rather than playing an actual game of Flames Of War. I recommend you always play any Firestorm a few times this way to make you more familiar with the rules before going on to the full campaign. Below is a sample of the General’s game between myself and Brjánn.
The German Situation

"Punch a hole and let the rest follow."
~ General Erich Ludendorff.

The Second-Battle of Villers-Bretonneux was fought at the end of the German offensive code-named Michael. Since Russia had capitulated; freeing up the German forces on the Eastern Front, the German High Command planned to use their numerical advantage to launch an offensive. The plan hoped to crush the Allies and bring the war to an end before American intervention would swing the fortunes of war in the Allies favour once and for all. Operation Michael was one of the largest of the war but was spread across over the entire front and as a result failed to have the effect the Germans had hoped for. By April, both sides had worn each other down and the Germans, desperate for a breakthrough made one last ditch effort at Amiens to disrupt the North-south railway of the British Expeditionary Force (or BEF).


Right: General der Infanterie Gisli von Gletscher *

* = You might want to try using Google Translate to look up the Icelandic words Jökull and the German word Gletscher to get the joke.

Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game The British Situation

"Into the bastards boys!"
~ AIF battle cry; the night of the 25 April, 1918.

At this point of the war, the British Divisions were depleted and had been reorganised a lesser strength than before. The line at Villers-Bretonneux was held by the 8th Division supported by small detachments of Mark IV and Whippet tanks. The frontline had been established only twenty days before during the first Battle of Villers-Bretonneux hence the trench system was far from optimal and the defences lacked any depth. The key areas were the town of Villers-Bretonneux, D'Arquenne Wood and Hill 104. If the Germans captured these key locations the road to Amiens and its important railroad junctions were at the mercy of the Germans.

Left: Major-General Brian Jonason, DSO.
The British did have one advantage however; they had two full brigades of Australian troops in reserve. These Australian Imperial Force (or AIF) Brigades were at full-strength and far stronger than anything the British could field at the time. Both of the Australian brigades were battle tested, had excellent leadership and most of all, high morale.
Download Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux covers the battle between 24 - 27 April 1918. It is more a battle than an actual campaign and follows events rather well. It is a great way to take your battles with your Great War armies to the next level or download and play as a general's game as is done here.

To find Villers-Bretonneux or other Flames Of War Campaigns go to the Campaign landing page here...

Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
Preparing To Play
I recommend you print out the Firestorm tokens and campaign map; the last pages of the PDF in colour and preferably in A3 / B3 scale. Don’t worry if you do not have such a printer, there are a number of office printing firms that can do it and it won’t cost much. I then recommend you buy 1.5mm cardboard from a hobby or stationary store and glue the printed material to it using a glue stick. Any effort you put into this will improve the look of the game and as with all visual games this will make the game more fun to play.

Turn One:
Morning: 24 April, 1918.

“We looked towards the line and through the trees a sudden flickering was seen, like summer lightning. Like a sudden thundershower, the wood was drenched with all kinds of shell, including gas. ‘Get the men out into the open’ shouted the company commander.”

~ Lieutenant F.S. Mason.
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
The German attack was preceded by a heavy artillery barrage and gas attack that caused disruption along the British line. With the Stosstruppen leading the way closely followed by nearly the entire German compliment of A7V tanks.
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game In the opening phase of the game, the first three attacks are predetermined and it is left to the players to resolve them out in any order as they see fit.  The Germans must attack from D-2, D-3 and C-5 into C-3, C-4 and B-4 respectively. This is the initial attack aimed at breaking through the trenches. The Germans enjoy a first turn advantage of a gas attack. At this point in the war, gas attacks were common and counter measures had been taken to lessen their effects.

Nevertheless, gas masks were cumbersome and the nature of the gas, which was heavier than air, turned the safety of the trenches into a place for the gas to linger, making it an excellent tool for disrupting a defensive position. This means that the Germans receive a +2 situation bonus that offsets the +2 defensive bonuses for attacking trenches head on. See page 27 of the Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux for more information regarding situational modifiers.

Left: The first attacks go in.
Turn One: First Three Battles
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
1
N / A
D2 - C3
Germans
T Inf. (+2); A7V (+3); Gas (+2).

British
T Inf. (+2); Trench (+2).
5 / 4
12 / 8
Germans capture C3;
destroy British infantry.

2
N / A D3 - C4
Germans
Stoss (+4); A7V (+3); Gas (+2).

British
T Inf. (+2); Trench (+2).
1 / 2
10 / 6 Germans capture C4.
3
N / A C5 - B4
Germans
Stoss (+4); A7V (+3); Gas (+2).
 
British
HMG (+3); Trench (+2).
2 / 6
11 / 11
Stoss destroyed.
In turn one, the Germans gets one final attack into a location of their choosing. If all had gone well in the initial attacks this could have gone to capture Villers-Bretonneux but since the attack against B4 failed the German player elected to attack it from C4. As the Germans attacked from an adjacent British Trench the defensive bonus was +1 instead of +2 if the Germans had attacked from their own trench.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
4
N / A
C4 - B4
Germans
Stoss (+4); A7V (+3); Gas (+2).

British
  HMG (+3); Trench (+1).
3 / 4
12 / 8
Germans capture B4; destroy British infantry.
Turn Two:
Day: 24 April, 1918.

“So we had met our rivals at last! For the first time in history tank was encountering tank!”
~ Frank Mitchell.

The game had started badly for the Germans. They had just managed to break through the trenches but at the cost of losing two precious offensive Firestorm Troops which would be sorely missed.

At this point it is worth mentioning that Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux gives the side that won the last battle a +1 modifier to their initiative in addition to other turn bonuses. Therefore, for this turn is +1 for the Germans in addition to winning any ties. In this Firestorm campaign, each turn also has a predetermined number of battles (five for turn two) and the Germans are eager to press on with their attack.
Below: The start of Turn Two.
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
The Germans started by winning initiative and attacking from C3 into C2.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
1
5+1 / 4
C3 - C2
Germans
Infantry (+2); A7V (+3).

British
  T Infantry (+2).
4 / 3
9 / 5
Germans capture C2.
A hard fought victory which is bitter-sweet for the German as once more they fail to follow-up their success with an inability destroy or capture the British units. The Germans won the initiative again and attempt to capture Villers-Bretonneux.
Designer’s Note
In Firestorm, you resolve each battle one battle at a time. A common mistake players make is to position all of the battle arrows on the map at the same time, but this is not the case. With the exception of predetermined battles, you roll for initiative one battle at a time; resolve the outcome of that battle before moving on to the next.

Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
2
4+2 / 3
C4 - B2
Germans
Infantry (+2); Stoss (+3).

British
  T Infantry (+2); HMG (+3).
2 / 1
7 / 6
Germans capture B2;
destroy British HMG.

Villers-Bretonneux is captured and those pesky HMG destroyed. Things were looking up for the Germans! In battle three they gained initiative again but where to attack? Both B1 and B3 had a slight advantage in defence than the Germans could muster for an attack. The Germans decided to brave it however, attacking against the British Armour in B3.

In the first clash of armour vs. armour the British had come out on top resulting in the German infantry captured. This meant that the +1 bonus for winning the last battle went to the British.

Right: The first tank vs. tank battle.
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
3
5+2 / 5
B4 - B3
Germans
Infantry (+2);
A7V (+4).

British
Mark IV (+4);
Whippet (+3).
3 / 5
9 / 12
Germans infantry captured.
Designer's Note
Although it was not intentional, the tanks actually met in the same place as they did historically. Then engagement went much as it did in reality except the British should have lost the Whippets.
For the following battle, the British won the initiative and decided to recapture Villers-Bretonneux with the AIF Brigade and Mark IV tanks in B1.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
4
1+1 / 2+1
B1 - B2
Germans
Infantry (+2);
Stoss (+3).

British
Mark IV (+2);
V Infantry (+3).
4 / 5
9 / 10
British infantry destroyed.
Facing even odds the British and Australians failed to capture the city and this time the AIF Brigade was destroyed but again the Germans failed to capture them. Having won the battle the +1 bonus went back to the Germans. The Germans went on to win initiative and captured Hill 104.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
5
3+2 / 5
German win
any ties.

C2 - B1
Germans
Infantry (+2);
A7V (+4).

British
Mark IV (+4);
T Infantry (+1).
3 / 3
9 / 8
Germans capture B1;
British infantry destroyed
.
So at the end of turn two the Germans were halfway to their goal but are quickly running out of steam. Both sides now redeployed and removed their tanks; the Germans received two HMG units as reinforcements while the BEF received two full strength AIF Brigades that had to be deployed in specific areas.
Designer's Note
World War I tanks were notoriously unreliable and had to undergo constant maintenance. Historically both sides withdrew their tanks after the first day of fighting and therefore in this Firestorm campaign you withdraw the tank Firestorm Troops as well. In the full game, I would however recommend that you allow both sides to take tanks in their core force, even if they cannot get them as Firestorm Troops any more.

Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game Turn Three:
Counterattack: 25 April, 1918.
General Foch ordered Rawlinson to recapture Villers-Bretonneux and the 13th and 15th AIF Brigades that were in reserve were ordered to attack. General Glasgow commander of the 13th AIF Brigade refused to attack during daylight hours commenting that:

“If it was God Almighty who gave the order, we couldn’t do it in daylight. Here is all your artillery out of action and the enemy with all his guns in position.”

The counter-attack was postponed until after dark.
Turn three starts with two night attacks, both AIF Brigades must attack the Germans using both Firestorm Troops, in this case the 15th Brigade attacks from A1 to B1 and 13th Brigade attacks from A2 to B2. These are fixed attacks and in a Flames Of War Game they would be night attacks. There is no need to roll for initiative. Also from turn three the initiative bonus is in the BEF favour.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
1
N / A
A1 - B1
British
2x V Infantry (+4).

Germans
HMG (+3);
Infantry (+1).
6 / 3
10 / 7
British capture B1;
German HMG captured
.
2
N / A A2 - B2
British
2x V Infantry (+6).

Germans
Stoss (+3);
Infantry (+2).
2 / 4
8 / 9
British lose one infantry unit.
Unexpectedly, the first attack succeeds on even odds but the British fail to recapture Villers-Bretonneux. Again there are losses; one more German Firestorm Troop captured. Also, since the British lost the second battle the Germans get a +1 on their initiative for the next battle, with both sides having +1 but the British winning on ties.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
3
5+1 / 4+1
B1 - B2

British
2x V Infantry (+6).

Germans
Stoss (+3);
Infantry (+2).
4 / 3
10 / 8
British capture B2.
With the 13th Brigade having lost one Firestorm Troop it is for the 15th Brigade to save the day and they recapture Villers-Bretonneux. They move both Firestorm Troops from the 15th Brigade and the remaining Firestorm Troop from the 13th Brigade into the town.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
4
6+2 / 2
B2 - B3

British
2x V Infantry (+4).

Germans
HMG (+3).
3 / 3
7 / 6
British capture B3.
The British keep the pressure on the Germans and pushed the Germans back by capturing B3.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
5
1+2 / 5
C2 - B1

Germans
Stoss (+2);
Infantry (+1).

British
N / A.
2 / 3
5 / 3
German capture B1.
Last battle goes the Germans way who decide to attack into B1. There are no British Firestorm Troops in that B1 but they still defend but the Germans capture the area with ease. Both forces are now spent but there is one more turn with three more battles as both sides consolidate their gains. Both players move their forces to fight for the final turn.
Turn Four:
Consolidation: 26 - 27 April, 1918.

“The enemy, however, did not succeed in attaining his objectives, which were the villages of Fouilloy, south of Corbie, and Cachy,west of Viller-Bretonneux, and the temporary progress which the enemy was able to make near Villers-Bretonneux was paid for in heavy sacrifices of blood.”

~ The Scarborough Mercury.
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
1
1+1 / 6
C2 - B2

Germans
Stoss (+3);
HMG (+2).

British
2x V Infantry (+6)
3 / 2
8 / 8
Draw.
The Germans push once again for Villers-Bretonneux only to fail. A draw is sufficient for a defender to win.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
2
5+2 / 2
B2 - C2
British
2x V Infantry (+4)

Germans
Stoss (+2);
HMG (+3).
4 / 6
8 / 11
 
The British attempt to cut-off the Germans in B1 by capturing C2 but the Germans fend off the attack.
Battle
Number

Initiative Roll
(German First)

Area Attacked
(From - Into)

Firestorm Troops
& Bonuses

Die Roll
(Attacker / Defender)

Total
Result
3
3+1 / 3+1
B2 - C2
British
2x V Infantry (+4)

Germans

Stoss (+2);
HMG (+3).
5 / 1
9 / 6
British capture C2 and then B1 with both Firestorm Troops.
For the last round the British were going to attack B1 but there is a rule at the end of turn four that all areas cut-off from supply are captured by the enemy as well as any Firestorm Troops present in those areas so the British repeated the attack into C2. Since C1 is still in British hands, B1 is automatically captured with both Firestorm Troops present. All that the Germans have to show for their efforts is three areas of trenches and a total of 20 Victory Points. The British however, have amassed 320 Victory Points for terrain they control and a further 40 points for the captured Firestorm Troops captured ending in an Entente Strategic Victory.
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game
Firestorm Villers-Bretonneux: The General's Game Conclusion
The battle ran true to life. In fact, the Germans did a little better than their historical counterparts. It was a fun battle but losing both a Stoss Troop and a Tank troop at the start made it very difficult for the Germans. A lot of Firestorm Troops were lost and at the end the British had only five Firestorm troops left and the Germans only three.  In other games, the Germans were able to make deeper inroads resulting in a thinning out of the German lines once the tanks leave the field and a need to defend all areas.

Left: Villers-Bretonneux in 1918.
True to life, the timely arrival of the Australian AIF that saved the day. This sector of the front didn’t quite down until July 1918 when the AIF under Monash recaptured Hamel.

It is a fascinating battle. The Germans were able to penetrate 2 km before being stopped and then pushed back at the cost of 15,000 casualties on the Allied side and a further 10,000 suffered by the Germans. But the Germans were now spent and soon the tide would turn irrevocably leading to the coup de grâce of Imperial Germany in the Hundred day offensive.

~ Jökull.


Last Updated On Tuesday, September 30, 2014 by Blake at Battlefront