It'll all be over by Christmas

[fred.]

I am considering the trench warfare period - but using 10mm figures and doing it at matching  figure and ground scale - with the trench lines often being within 100m of each other this translates to only 75cm on the table.

I fancy making some custom terrain boards, so the trenches are actual holes going down, rather than ramparts standing up on a green mat.

I've no idea about rules. But looking at more of a skirmish level rather than battalions marching into machine guns.

And it all sounds a bit complex - and may be more of a modelling project than a gaming one...

[Sunray]

I have to say that the death rates in 1914 are the worst of the war.   It was facing HMGs without the cover of the trench.  There was a reckless bravery by soldiers of all sides. 

I like Grumpys idea of the "out of the way" battles.

[Fenton]

From what I have read and heard I thought 1918 had the highest casualty rate  of the war

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

1918 sees a change in tactics and a return to mobility on the Western Front, however the losses were still horrendous.

[Hertsblue]

1918 sees a change in tactics and a return to mobility on the Western Front

Mainly due to i) losses in previous years thinning out troop densities, and ii) the invention of the tank and stoss-truppen

[Fenton]

Also the Allies learning about combined arms as shown at Le Hamel

[Leman]

I know the British and Commonwealth troops took their highest casualties in 1918, right up to the chiming of 11 o'clock. The French, however, lost 250,000 in the first few weeks in 1914 as they tried to refight the FPW in reverse, i.e. attack. The Germans however had better machine guns than those of 1870 and seemed to have a much better understanding of how to use them.

[Sunray]

I know the British and Commonwealth troops took their highest casualties in 1918, right up to the chiming of 11 o'clock. The French, however, lost 250,000 in the first few weeks in 1914 as they tried to refight the FPW in reverse, i.e. attack. The Germans however had better machine guns than those of 1870 and seemed to have a much better understanding of how to use them.

This is quite correct.  It may be that the national experience - ie high British Empire losses in 1918 - has coloured our history. The BEF in 1914 was a modest force whilst in 1918 Britian had a much larger army and on the offensive.

The real prophet of WW1 was Kitchener.  He predicted a long bloody struggle whilst the general mood was that modern industrial nations could not sustain such a drain on their interlinked economies.

[Albie Bach]

For those interested, there is a feature in the July edition (363) of Miniature Wargames (with Battlegames) using Pendraken WWI figures and models.
It covers a wargame recreating the British attack on the Messines ridge in June 1917. There are some interesting ideas including terrain, events and command and control, especially with respect to artillery.

[Leon]

For those interested, there is a feature in the July edition (363) of Miniature Wargames (with Battlegames) using Pendraken WWI figures and models.
It covers a wargame recreating the British attack on the Messines ridge in June 1917. There are some interesting ideas including terrain, events and command and control, especially with respect to artillery.