One hundred and five years (and two days) ago at 0800 hours, two 750 kg shells fired from two 380 mm Langer Max guns were the signal for what was to become the ten-month Battle of Verdun. These shells unleashed a ten-hour bombardment, involving some 808 guns, after which the guns switched target to the second line of French trenches and the stormtroopers advanced...
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| Scan from Kaufmann and Kaufmann's excellent book |
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| Blog author's representation of same. |
This anniversary signals an increase in my non-Napoleonic wargaming activities for this year, which are focussed around the third year of the First World War; in particular, the battles of Verdun and Somme.
Wargaming has many facets: reading, researching, collecting (figures, books, terrain...), painting, modelling, terrain-building and, of course, the games. For many, the last is the most important. For me, the original interest in wargaming came about because of my interest in history, particularly military history and a love of military miniatures. My 'aim' with wargaming, the 'place' of it in my life— and the enjoyment that I derive from it—has always been to increase my knowledge and understanding history (mostly of specific eras/campaigns). This focus has become clearer to me in recent years, such that I have devised a somewhat structured approach. This has lead to some fairly grand plans!
I have a file that I have called ‘battles for wargamers’. In there I have dates of as many actions as I can find from the late Revolutionary & Napoleonic Wars, various Ottoman/Turkish wars from 1663–1791 (not entirely exclusive), the Great Northern War and First World War. I have then constructed a table of years from 2020–2036 and past years based on a range of 'irregular' anniversaries (105, 110, 220, 225, 235, 315, 325, 340, 350, 360).
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| Battles for Wargamers |
My plan is to focus attention on the particular anniversary year in each calendar year from 2021–2036 (another of those gambles on longevity!). My activities in each year will involve a 'study' of the specific campaigns and battles (and broader aspects) with some kind of wargame or re-fight of as many actions as I can/want to do.
It begins this year, for Napoleonics, with 1796 + 225 and for non-Napoleonics with
1916 + 105.
Like all good plans, it will not survive engagement with the enemy! I am already behind with Verdun-105 as I have only just begun the detailed reading and have more figures (and especially guns and planes) to complete/paint. The good thing, from a recognition/recreation such as this is that the battle ran for ten months! Trouble is, the Somme comes along in July. Prior to that I have the start of the Italian campaign in April...
My fall-back is that it is my plan, my activities and my desire to learn more. If I begin an anniversary weeks or months late, no matter. If I do not bother with the game aspect, no drama.
To quote one of those many popularisms that I dislike greatly: “it is about the journey”.
A helpful reality that is on my side is that, as each anniversary passes, I will be better ‘equipped' to attend to the next, figure-wise at least. The reading does not generally carry over from one to the next, of course!
The initial books that I have ear-marked to learn more about Verdun, especially which phases and sections that I might represent on the tabletop are listed below. For this campaign, and the First World War in general, I begin from a 'low base', little more than general knowledge, amongst wargamers/history buffs.So, I have been learning at an exponential rate; and enjoying it immensely.
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| These books are first in line in my quest to learn more about Verdun |
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| Petain's account that I have as a pdf, thanks to the wonderful archive.org |
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| Another older account from archive.org |
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| This one, highly recommended, is on its way. Hopefully to arrive this week. I have his "Napoleon, Master of Europe 1805-1807", which is a fine book. |
My (initial) Reading List
Buckingham, W. F. (2018). Verdun 1916 : the deadliest battle of the First World War. Merrywalks, Stroud, England, William F. Buckingham (Amberley Publishing).
Desagneaux, H. (2014). A French Soldier's War Diary 1914-1918. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, Pen & Sword Military.
Holstein, C. (2012). Fort Vaux Verdun. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK, Battleground (an imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd).
Horne, A. (1993). The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916. London, Penguin Press.
Kaufmann, J. E. and H. W. Kaufmann (2016). Verdun 1916 The Renaissance of the Fortress. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK, Pen & Sword Military (an imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd).
Petain, H. P. (1930). Verdun. New York, Lincoln Mac Veagh, The Dial Press.
Simonds, F. H. (1916). They shall not pass. Garden City, New York Doubleday, Page & Company.
Internet sites
http://memorial-verdun.fr/en/
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1910-1919/Battle-of-Verdun/
Good luck with your WW1 reading and eventual wargaming. It will be interesting to see how you decide to recreate these battles on the tabletop.
ReplyDeleteThank you Peter. Slowly and in parts, I think will be the answer—and at a couple of scales.
DeleteA fantastic project!
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil.
DeleteVery cool posts, James. I like the idea of games coinciding with the historical anniversary of the battle. I've sometimes thought of doing games like these, then find out the date is either long past or too far ahead in the future - and in the latter's case, I may have either lost interest or found another one more engaging. Great concept in any case!
ReplyDelete"...lost interest or found another one more engaging", love it! I'll only get some of them done, but will stick with it as I have had it in mind for ages. Some of the most enjoyable wargaming I have done was recreating battles of the Napoleonic bicentennial.
DeleteVery interesting. Good luck with Great War project!
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's great to be introduced to your excellent blog too; now added to the list of those that I follow.
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