Megagame: Iron Dice - Turn 2

From the second turn onwards each turn covers the period of a week. Turn 2 is 24-31 August 1914.

BEF Report to the War Office – 31 August 1914

Situation

The Belgian Army is falling back westwards towards TOURNAI, LILLE and GHENT. The Belgian right flank has been badly hammered by German First Army and the Belgians retired to LILLE. German First Army are at SOIGNES advancing West.

We have moved up into a reserve position in the line between LILLE and VALENCIENNES. III Corps and the Artillery are concentrated at ARRAS.

In conjunction with the Belgians the BEF will move to left along the riverline MENIN-GHENT with a fallback position at YPRES-DIXMUDE. The right will remain at LILLE, III Corps will move into the Centre. This will lock our left on the coast. I intend to fight a defensive battle to inflict maximum casualties on the Germans and stop them. If pressed we will trade space and avoid casualties.

Concern is German breakthrough moving through CHARLEROI towards MAUBERGE. The French have undertaken cover that possibility and our right flank.

Team Control gloss

The BEF counters are deliberately not on the map so as to hide their location until the point when they will be in contact with the enemy. This was intended to give some uncertainty to the Germans on where they appeared as the players had the freedom to depart from the historical deployments of the BEF.

Turn 1 – Iron Dice – Turn 3