After Action Review Brigade level engagement

After Action Review
This AAR summarizes a small scale engagement between British and German forces, of brigade level approximate size. 


NOTE(1).  Whilst all the bases may look the same colour I promise you in real life they are Khaki for the British and Field Grey for the Germans.


NOTE(2).  Follow the time line from the start, (at the bottom) to the end of the engagement (at the top of the page). 
Game Summary
For both parties orders were given to advance immediately at 05:00hrs towards their respective objectives.  At 05:15hrs the British issued orders for the cyclist detachment to send forward a patrol to reconnoitre the road ahead.  This was followed shortly by the Germans sending out a patrol at 05:30hrs.  At 05:55hrs the British Brigade HQ receives a report from their advanced patrol of enemy troops to their front, however by the time this report was received the British column, (which thus far had continued to advance at a steady pace along the road toward the town and their objective) ran headlong into an advanced party of the Germans.  Likewise the German patrol, once it had finally gained a position upon the high ground to the SE of the town had a position which afforded direct site of the British movements and as such they could communicate with and coordinate artillery fire accordingly. 


Had patrols been sent forth immediately upon the initial movement orders at 05:00 then the British would certainly have had advance notice of German occupation of the town and could have responded accordingly.  Luck was on their side; that superior numbers allowed them to envelop the Germans, taken by surprise, before they could consolidate their position and entrench.




General Idea
German forces are to seize and hold the town and the river crossing to prevent the advance of British forces, thus allowing the rest of the German Division to manoeuvre and deploy in readiness for attacking the advancing British forces.


Special Idea - Germans
To advance and seize the river and defend the town from an hostile enemy forces, expected to be travelling along the main road routes from the South West.


Special Idea - British
To advance rapidly North East and seize the bridges to the North and North East.  Enemy regard action is expected.  The seizure on hold of the main town and river crossing will be vital in the British attack upon the German forces, who are positioning for a counter attack to the East. 

07:00 - The game concluded here with the German Artillery being neutralized by direct rifle fire and indirect machine gun fire.



06:55 - The British advance upon both the left and right flanks of the German position, continuing to cause heavy losses as the Germs are unable to hold their position.

06:55 - The British advance upon both the left and right flanks of the German position, continuing to cause heavy losses as the Germs are unable to hold their position.



06:50 - The Durham's press home rapidly upon the right flank of the Germans supported by a hail of fire from the East York's and their maxim machine gun teams. 2nd Grenadiers continue to take heavy casualties.

06:45 - The Sherwood's on the right flank of the British line open up their formation as they advance upon the enemy's left flank; the 9th grenadiers.  A coy of the west York's reorg's with its battalion as the West York's advance upon the German 9th Grenadiers.  the attack is however stalled by the rain of fire falling from the German defended positions upon the centre of the British line



06:45 - The German artillery is redirects it fire onto the East York's position, the shells though falling short provide some impediment to visibility and hindering fire from some of the East York's positions.

06:40 - On the right flank of the British line the Sherwood's continue to press into the attack and on the left the Durham's get ready to drive forward onto the enemy's right flank, forming into a column of companies in attack formation.  the rifle and machine gun fire from the East Yorks and machine gun fire is causing heavy casualties upon the 2nd grenadiers.



06:35 - The Durham's on the far left od the British are getting ready to attack, their machine gun team finding the range of the enemy.

06:35 - The Sherwood's engaged the left flank of the Germans turning the enemy flank, allowing the West York's to their left to fully deploy.  On the far left flank of the British line the Durham's fully deploy ready to advance and push the right flank of the German line.  All that is holding the British back is the Machineguns of the 2nd Grenadiers.



06:30 - With the left flank of the British brigade continuing to push the German flank - 2nd Grenadiers, the Germans begin to take losses and their line is pushed back after suffering sustained machinegun fire from the Easy York's and Durham's.  their Germans switch their artillery fire to the British left flank to try and disrupt the British attack 

06:25 - Both German and British battalions are engaged in a general exchange of fire.  on the right flank of the British brigade the Sherwood foresters emerge from the tree line that had afforded their cover, during the flanking manoeuvre and have deployed to attack in a box-formation with A=B company leading

06:20 - with both sides squaring off machine gun sections can now engage openly and the British East York's will soon break cover of the tree line they are currently sheltering in.

06:20 - British advance in attack formation to engage with enemy, A coy West York's advances to west end of the apple orchard to protect right flank of the brigade.



06:15 - British West and East Yorks witht eh Durham's in support on the left flank to advance to engage the enemy.

06:15 - German right flank of the 2nd Grenediers falls back.



06:10 - British brigade deploys into attack formation. Right flank of the West York's comes under well directed German artillery fire, pinning the machine gun teams down and rendering them ineffective

06:10 - German 2nd Grenadiers deploy to the right flank of the brigade

06:05 - British West York's C + D Coy;s advance along the road.  A+B Coys hold the right flank whilst the machine guns teams deploy.  Orders are sent to East York's to advance and deploy to the left flank of the West York's.  Orders are sent to the Durham's to deploy and secure the left flank of the brigade and to the Sherwood's to utilize the wood line to the right of their position to flank right - south of the town.

06:05 - German 2nd and 9th Grenadiers deploy to engage enemy.

06:00 - British West York's regiment unable to respond sooner deploys into attack formation to engage enemy. 

06:00 - German artillery begin to shell enemy troops to the front.

05:55 - British HQ receives message of significant German troop movements to the front, approximate strength of 1 battalion moving SW in close order march.  First contact made immediately by leading elements of brigade, West Yorks reporting enemy to the front at around 200yds and retiring NE toward town.

05:55 - German artillery ordered to commence barrage on leading elements of the enemy force.  2nd Grenadiers retire in quick order towards the outskirts of the town.  9th Grenadiers moving into the town to deploy as planned; to defend the approaches to the town.

05:50 - German 2nd Grenadiers advances SW along the road to secure the approaches to the town.  Small enemy patrol to the front observed retiring along the road to the SW. 

05:50 - Cyclist patrol retreats in the face of German infantry regiment coming down the road.  Main column of the British brigade continues along en route toward the town and river crossing.  The Durham's branch off toward the smaller village to the NW and river crossing to secure the flank.

05:45 - German Field artillery has unlimbered at designated location, 2nd Grenadiers advance across the river NW of the town, whilst the brigade HQ encamps within the town itself.  Patrols to the high ground outside the town observe movement of troops and send a messenger to report to HQ.

05:45 - Patrol observes German troop movements around the town and river crossing.  Messenger sent back to brigade HQ to report

05:30 - German brigade reaches the outskirts of the town.  Orders are given to send a patrol to the high ground NE of the town. 

05:30 - British cyclist patrol advances rapidly along the road, scouting the approaches to the town ahead. 



05:15 - German 2nd FA advances forward at the trot in advance of the brigade intent on deployment at the river crossing to the town.  The brigade follows in close order.

05:15 - British 18th Brigade advances swiftly NW up the main road toward objective.  Orders are given to send forward a cyclist patrol.

05:00 - Start point of the German 5th Infantry Brigade.  Brigade HQ followed by the 2nd Grenadier Regiment, 9th Grenadier's then a battery of the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment. 



05:00 - start point of British 18th Brigade.  West York's leading, followed in turn by the brigade HQ, East Yorks, Sherwood Foresters, Durham's and brigade supply train.