This example uses scenario 10.7.1 Kemal’s Counter Attack, a two-player scenario designed to be played in an afternoon. To catch up, check out Part 1 of the Gallipoli Example of Play on InsideGMT, now updated using the final game rules.
Turn 2 (2pm-4pm)
This example focuses on fire and movement, so the Command Phase will only be summarized. Apart from The NZ Brigade, all ANZAC brigades are now on disorganized defense, and will remain so unless they can pull back to a safe place and reorganize. That is not going to happen in this scenario. A Brigiment needs to be at least three hexes from the enemy in order to Regroup, plus a sane player will ensure that other troops replace them in the firing line. There are no other troops, so the Anzacs just have to hold. The NZ Brigade is only partly ashore, and the remainder won’t land until next game turn[1]. The Entente player decides to wait one turn before committing them to the battle.
The Ottoman player wins the first initiative roll, and also rolls low enough for sequencing. The player chooses to activate 57th Regiment, plus the two mountain batteries from the 19th Division. The artillery fires at the big stacks in the open terrain on 400 plateau, with the goal of causing maximum casualties. The Ottoman infantry will take care of the Anzacs on Battleship Hill.
The 8 Mtn/39 battery fires 4 fire points at Johnson’s Jolly (34.55), DRM is 1 for range, nothing for terrain, and -6 for stacking. The DRM for stacking is -6 because there are 9 steps of infantry on Johnson’s Jolly, MGs always have zero steps for stacking. The roll is 0, 12, 89, i.e. a result of 1.18. That is two hits, and the stack fails its morale check and is confused. The hits are distributed one each to the two units with the most steps.
The 7 Mtn/39 battery similarly inflicts 1 hit on the stack on Lone Pine.
Now for the infantry fire. The reason for the location of R 2/57 now becomes clear. Although it only contributes 1
of a fire point (it has two step and is confused, therefore one point), its location means that it creates crossfire against Battleship Hill when combined with 1/57. This fire includes 4 rifle steps and the MG from 37.56, plus the ¼ point from R 2/57 against Battleship Hill. Remember that only 2 steps of rifles can fire across a hexside. Therefore R 1/57 fires, but R 1/57 does not. The total is 4.25 points, rounded down to 4. DRMs are +1 for scrub, +1 for uphill, -3 for crossfire, net -1. Hmm, not as good as it might have been. The Australians elect not to hide, they want to retain their opportunity fire. The roll is 5, 89, 76 – no effect.
The 1/57 and 2/57 now go in for assault, L 2/57 from 37.57 and R 1/57 from 37.56 (the units that fired cannot move). The first stack to move is 2/57. It rolls its pre-assault morale check and passes. Only L 11 Bn on Battleship Hill can fire, the other Anzac units would need to be adjacent to both the attacker and defenders hex to perform opportunity fire. So that is 2 fire points (1 point doubled at range zero), -3 DRM for moving, +1 for scrub, net -2. The roll is 2, 16, 87, which is 0.25. So the result is 1 step loss, and L 2/57 fails its morale check and is confused. However, it is still in the assault, but at half strength. An assault marker is placed on the hex. The second stack rolls its pre-assault morale check and passes. This stack must spend 2 MP to move up hill. The opportunity fire is 2 points, +1 for scrub, -6 for moving with 2 MPs, and +2 for second wave entering assault; net -3. The roll is 9, 45, 65 – no result. The assault will be resolved after all movement.
Map 4 – The Assault on Battleship Hill
The assault is therefore resolved. The Ottomans have 3 steps, but one is confused, therefore 2.5 fire points total. The Anzacs have only 1 step. Terrain DRMs applies for the first round of assault, although they are used as column shifts, not dice modifiers. The Ottomans are in scrub (+1), so the Anzac total is column shifted to 0.75. The Anzacs are in a Fire Trench (+4), so the Ottoman total is shifted to 1. A pair of percentile dice are used for assault; the result is 50. Checking the 1-1 square of the Assault Table, a roll of 37 falls in the 00-38 band, and therefore the attacker takes a step loss. It must be from the largest unit, so L 1/57 drops from 2 to 1. The Ottomans needs to take a morale check because they took a step loss. They pass the morale check. Both sides have the option to retreat (attacker first), but neither chooses to do so. The Ottoman player really wants this hex.
Terrain only applies for the first round, so the strengths in round two are 1.5 and 1. The roll is 35 – one step lost from the Anzacs, destroying them.
The final position is shown in Map 5. There is only one turn of daylight left. The Ottoman player intends to bombard and assault Baby 700 next turn. It is fortunate that L 1 Bn immediately south is hiding, because it won’t be able to contribute to any opportunity fire.
Map 5
[1] The Ottoman Battleship Turgut Reis is bombarding the transports by firing from the Narrows, over the Peninsula and into the Aegean! The Royal Navy Air Service float planes have begun to spot for HMS Triumph, whose counter fire from the Aegean into The Narrows will eventually force the Turgut Reis to cease fire.
Articles in this Series: Part 1 Part 2
Author: Geoffrey Phipps
Gamer since 1975, designer of "Gallipoli 1915" and "Mons 1914"
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