Intoduction

Last night Paul and I had our first game of IABSM. As we were not familiar with the rules, we made it a small infantry action only with no tanks or artillery. Further, IABSM is normally a 1:1 skirmish game with the figures individually mounted; but as our figures are based in 3s for other rules we modified the ratio and made each base of 3 figures equal to a section of 9 men, with 3 bases being equal to a platoon. Only the "Big Men" were mounted singly.

The British side were attacking and had a reinforced company of 6 platoons, plus 2 Vickers MMGs. They were allowed 4 Big Men, 3 of which were platoon Commanders and the other the Company Commander.

The German side were obviously defending and possessed exactly half of the British forces. 3 platoons and one MG tripod mounted. One of their two Big Men was the Company Commander.

Both sides started off the board, the British are advancing from the South end and The Germans at the North end.

The Terrain

Playing area was 8 feet by 6 feet. Looking from the British viewpoint, a small river runs North to South on the extreme left. (long edge of the board) It has burst its banks and there is marshy ground either side of the river. The only bridge is at the extreme North East corner which is the German entry point.

To the right of the river, about a quarter of the way into the board is a road running directly North and South parallel to the river. The South East Corner is the British entry point in the game. About two-thirds of the way up the board there is a road junction, another road runs off it directly East. A cluster of 5 large buildings surround the junction. (Given the 1:3 ratio, you could if you like imagine this to be actually 15 buildings on the ground, a small village; but for clarity's sake I will treat them as single buildings.) I have given them arbitrary names for the sake of the report; Church, Schoolhouse, Chateau, Hotel, Boat Club.

Church is situated the furthest away from the junction, between the river and