More than two months ago now, I spent one final day by myself to play a game of Elan using my 6mm Miniatures (favorites purchased from Irregular Miniatures back in 2016). That frightens me a bit to think that I first painted this miniatures 8 years ago.
I wanted one final day to lay out my felt, set up a game, and play a battle using the minis that I had a chance to paint before I hung up my brushes in 2017. This is a record of only the third true game I've ever managed to log with my 6mm minis. It was a good one.
Truth be told, as noted in the title, I'm writing this AAR from far afield. As the crow flies, I'm somewhere near six and a half thousand kilometers from home. I miss it, and everyone there. So, it's a little tough to write this one. To keep it short, this is a battle set during the Brusilov Offensive on the eastern front in 1916. As the Russian's have broken through the central powers's lines, the remnants of a battalion are guarding their Brigade HQ as engineer teams work to retool the newly ceased rail line.
The Austrian objective, assigned to a fresh battalion coming to plug one of the many gaps in the line is to hold the sector high ground and evict the Russian brigade HQ. The Russian reinforcements, once the game is underway, is a fresh brigade of their own.
Using the Elan rule set was interesting. Some units ground to a halt during miscommunication just from moving onto the field. Lots of chaos, that's for sure.
A bird's eye view of the battlefield. The high ground lies near center of the scenario map. The rail line, occupied by the Russian's, is just out of view in the top-right hand corner. It is the Austro-Hungarian objective. That, and preventing the Russians from seizing the high ground (a terrain piece I call 'The Crag').
The Austrians (strictly an Austrian unit in this game, no Hungarians in the ranks) arrive on the field. Their scouting cavalry & supporting artillery are lent by Brigade HQ. In the background are several Russian silver-surfer infantry of the battalion remnants that never managed to get painted.
A bird's eye view (with the rail line finally in view): initiative favors the Austrians. Three companies charge ahead, secure the high ground, and occupy the cross-roads. The Russians are slow to react. Annoyingly, one Austrian company flounders in the rear, stuck in the "mud".
The Russians finally spring to action. Two companies try to cut beneath the Austrian flank through the fields. The lead Austrian company at the crossroads is forced to change position, and just as the first volleys of fire stop the Russians in their tracks, reinforcements for the Russians arrive.
The Austrian cavalry keeps the harassing companies of Russians at bay as the Austrian heavy weapons (MGs & Artillery) move to meet the new threat of Russian numerical superiority to their front.
The Austrian cavalry withdraw back across the crossroads to cover the Austrian flank.
As the Russian columns come onto the field, it takes time to coordinate an attack on the high ground. To give the fresh forces time, the other battalion remnants operating on the Austrian right again move through the field to pin the defenders' positions.
The desired effect does not materialize. The defending Austrian company tears one Russian company to ribbons and sensing opportunity, the Austrian cavalry move in for the kill.
Very quickly, with morale falling as well as men, cohesion in the reduced Russian battalion begins to fall apart.
A view of the whole sector: the fresh battalion launches its attack just as their comrades in the fields begin to waver.
The Austrian artillery just get into position by the time the first Russian company advances into the plain, caught in open sights. It's a blood bath. The first company doesn't even get close to reaching the Crag.
Results are not looking good for the Russians elsewhere on the field. Two companies of Austrian infantry and the cavalry effect good, bloody progress grinding the Russian battalion remnants back toward their HQ. It costs the Austrian cavalry dear confidence in particular (as evidenced by their thinning number and troop quality ['5']).
High tide for the Russians: not to be outdone without testing the Austrian defenses along the Crag, Russian cavalry and infantry reach it's base, exchanging close-quarters gunfire with Austrian riflemen and machine guns.
It's a near run thing, but in the end, nothing can dislodge the defenders. Even the Battalion HQ is thick in the fighting. The jig is up for Brusilov's attackers.
The final parting shot of the game. The Russian Brigade HQ is forced to pack its bags and head back east. Hot on their heels are the remaining Austrian cavalrymen, seen not too far off in the distance.
An excellent game -- a fitting way to conclude my time in Maryland. Hopefully I'll be back one day.
Fear not, of course, even far afield, there will be more to come in due time. Bis dann.