TRENCH ASSAULT

The Race to the Parapet 1916

Version 1 Jim Wallman 2008
Introduction
Purpose of this game is to
simulate the rush across no-
mans-land during a typical
battalion assault in 1916.
These assaults could be very
varied in outcome from very
successful to devastatingly
unsuccessful and many
factors, including copious
uantities of plain luc! "ould
determine the outcome.
These rules are simple and
fast-moving and in many
cases have glossed over a range of technical detail to achieve this.
Units
#ach infantry company is represented by $ infantry bases and an officer figure.
%ome companies "ill have a &e"is gun base or t"o.
'n the case of defending infantry there "ill be a number of rifle and () team
bases generally fe"er than the attac!ers typically * ()s and $ rifles.
+n attac!ing ,ritish battalion is represented by - companies plus a battalion ./
group 0 --1 players, typically.
'f more players are available, then the defenders may be played rather than
umpire controlled.
(odels can be any si2e 13455 or 6mm "ould be ideal as they are closest to the
ground scale.
cales
1 Turn 0 4-- minutes
1cm 0 1m
'nfantry ,ase 0 1cm frontage depth as convenient, but as thin as possible as
infantry deploy in long thin lines.

6ompany frontage 0 -5cm
1
TR!"#$ %%U&T 1916
Pla'in( %rea
'deally there should be a defenders trench line and attac!ers start trench.
7ealistically these should be bet"een 115cm and *55cm apart. The battlefield
needs to be "ide enough to field a battalion in line ideally at least 165cm
8about 1-9: "ide.
'f there is room, the defenders might have a second trench line about 45-15cm
bac! from the first.
e)uence o* Pla'
+e*ore tart, Roll *or -un.er hits *rom preparator' -om-ardment/
1/ %rtiller' hell landin( location and e**ects/
2/ 0irect *ire 1 -oth attac.er and de*ender simultaneousl'/
2/ #ompan' 3orale
4/ %ttac.er 3o5ement 6unless pinned7/
8/ 0e*ender 3o5ement 6unless pinned7/
6/ $and to $and #om-at/
9/ Roll to Unpin units
#ommunications
;nce the assault starts, players may not discuss their actions "ith other players
unless their ;fficer figures are in base-to-base contact, or they a have access to
the telephone net"or!.
Players may al"ays <send a runner "ith a "ritten note to other players. The
runner is moved on the battlefield and at ris! li!e anyone else. 'f !illed, a
runners message is lost.
Preparator' %rtiller'
The defenders "ill start in their deep bun!ers typically there should be * or 4
such bun!ers on the battalions front.
The preparatory bombardment "ill cover the "ire and the defenders trench.
%tray shells "ill fall in no-mans land during this time 8"hich might be important if
the attac!ers choose to creep up during the final stages of the barrage:.
There is a small chance that a bun!er is hit this has the effect of bloc!ing its
entrance and delaying deployment. 7oll 1d6 for each bun!er under the
preparatory bombardment score 1 or 6 for the entrance to be bloc!ed.
The attac!ers are not told "here or "hether this has happened the umpire
notes it and tells the defending player 8if any:.
The bombardment may gap "ire in a number of places as determined by the
umpire.
2
TR!"#$ %%U&T 1916
The Race to the Parapet/
;nce the bombardment is over the defenders can leave their bun!ers.
#ach defending bun!er "ill disgorge its occupants at a rate of 1 base per turn.
The bases then move do"n the trenches to their assigned positions.
'f the bun!er entrance is bloc!ed as a result of the preparatory bombardment, it
"ill ta!e 1d6 turns to unbloc!.
tep 1 , 0e*ensi5e %rtiller'
The )ermans bring no-mans-land under fire from artillery as soon as an attac! is
detected and this !eeps up throughout the assault.
This artillery fire is pretty random 1d6 shells landing in no-mans-land per turn.
This is represented by pro=ecting shells onto the map at random locations and
noting their impact point.
1d6 for every unit "ithin 15cm of impact point>
1, * or 4 0 Pinned
-, 1,or 6 0 ?illed
tep 2 , 0irect :ire
Units that *ire cannot mo5e in step 4 or 8/
The effect of different "eapons is reflected by the number of <shots they get.
These can be allocated to the same target or to several targets so long as they
are ad=acent to each other. +lso the allocation must be to targets of the same
type 8all <moving in open or all <pinned:. The effect of direct fire is simultaneous.
Tar(et Ri*le
33; < &e=is
;un
+dvancing or retreating in open * shots - shots
Pinned or stationary in open 1 shot * shots
'n trenches 3 gun position 5 shots 1 shot
Roll 1d6 per >shot?
core, 1 2 2 4 8 6
Up to 100cm @ @ Pin Pin Pin Aill
B5er 100cm @ @ @ @ Pin Aill
tep 2 , #ompan' 3orale
+fter a 6ompany has ta!en 15@ losses, roll 1d6 e5er' turn
-1 if Aervous last turn.
core Result
- or more Bine > 6arry on
* or 4 Aervous > may not advance 8may retreat unless pinned do"n:.
1 or less Cemoralised > must ma!e bac! for start trench if attac!er "hen no
longer pinned.
Cefender must attempt to escape bac! to neDt defensive line.
'f the enemy are "ithin 11cm then surrender to them.
2
TR!"#$ %%U&T 1916
tep 4 and 8 , 3o5ement
'nfantry moving in the open -5cm
6rossing gapped "ire or through friendly "ire count distance as double
6rossing un-gapped "ire count distance as D- 8in doing so they gap the "ire for
later "aves:
7unner moving in open or through gapped "ire 15cm
7unner moving through un-gapped "ire 11cm
&ateral movement do"n trenches *5cm
Tan!s moving over all terrain 45cm.
'f crossing trench or boggy ground, roll 1 or * to get stuc!.
'f crossing "ire it automatically creates a gap.
tep 6 , $and to $and #om-at 3elee
'f the attac!ers get into an occupied
trench then <hand to hand might
occur.
Bace each base off against an
enemy 8up to a maDimum of *>1:
7oll 1d6 per side, the highest score
"ins>
-* if outnumbered
-* if demoralised
-1 if cornered.
-1 if () cre"
E1 if bombers
'f the "in is by 1 or * then the loser is forced bac! 11cm.
'f unable to escape count as <cornered neDt round.
'f the "in is by 4 or - then the loser is !illed
'f the "in is by 1 or more then the loser is captured,
tep 9 , Un@pinnin(
7oll for each pinned base. %core *E to un-pin.
'f no officer "ithin -5cm -1
'f company morale <nervous -1
'f demoralised -*
4