Of course the truth is rather different, and I am fortunate to have had my negative illusions pleasantly dispelled by the series of Boer War BBB scenarios crafted by Anton van Dellen. He only writes one every couple of years, but the three so far have all been terrific games: Colenso, Spion Kop, and now Magersfontein.
Opening moves at Magersfontein. British artillery bombards the Boer centre,
while Methuen shifts the Guards Brigade from his right flank to send in a left hook attack.
We fought Magersfontein twice in an afternoon, each game taking about 2 hours. In the first one we forgot that the whole battlefield was supposed to be Difficult Terrain, so the British romped rather easily round the Boer right flank for an emphatic win. Game 2 went rather differently, the Brits trying a right flanking attack and being stymied both by the soft sand and rocks, and by aggressive Boer counter-moves.
It's an interesting game because the Boers can't afford to sit passively and rely on just defeating the British with defensive fire. If they do, the attackers will eventually be able to concentrate and overwhelm a targeted sector of the Boer cordon defense. Consequently both sides have to manoeuvre, which is generally a key ingredient for a good game, and so it proved here. The extreme contrast between the two armies also makes for nice tactical challenges and bags of flavour: the Boers really feel like Boers, agile but fragile, and the British army feels like the heavy blunt instrument it was.
Anton wrote an AAR of Game 1 which I reproduce below. A fuller version with more photos is in the files of the BBB Yahoo group.
Apparently Anton is feeling inspired and motivated and further Boer War scenarios should be on their way soon. Let's hope so!
Update: he's already sent me a draft scenario for Modder Spruit (Ladysmith)!
===
Magersfontein
11 December 1899
The morning of 11 December dawns. The British artillery bombardment in the late
afternoon of 10 December 1899 appears to have been ineffectual. The British right flank straddles the Modder
River, with the road to Kimberley heading towards the North-West, to the East
of Magersfontein Hill. On the far right,
South of the Modder River is situated the Jacobsdaal Commando. Immediately North of it is situated the
Zoutpansberg Commando. Both Commandos
are supported by Pom Pom guns. North of those units to the East of the road is
the Potchefstroom, Wolmaranstad and Lichtenberg Commandos in rifle pits. All Boers east of the road are commanded by
General Koos de la Rey. In rifle pits
immediately south of Magersfontein Kop are the Hoopstad, Kroonstad, Boshof,
Bloemhof, Ladybrand and Fauresmith Commandos, also in rifle pits and supported
by Pom Pom guns. The Boers' Transvaal
State Artillery Long Tom is placed on the hill North of Magersfontein Kop. A barbed wire fence runs across the battled
field, transecting the road. The railway
line runs North on the West of the battlefield.
Facing the British left flank West of the railway line are part of the
Potchefstroom commando and the Klerksdrop Commando in rifle pits south of
Langeberg Farm. The British artillery is
deployed on Headquarters Hill. The Highland
Brigade is deployed behind Headquarters Hill, with the 12th Lancers
South of the Modder River.
Turn1
The British are pushing up towards the left
flank to the West of the railway line, with one half of the Highland Brigade
advancing on the left flank being suppressed by accurate Boer rifle and
artillery fire. The British Ninth
Brigade is also advancing in support of half of the Highland Brigade with the
Guards Brigade advancing behind the Ninth Brigade immediately to the West of
the railway line. The British artillery on Headquarters Hill are suppressing
the Boers at the foot of Magersfontein Hill.
The Boers are responding to the British advance in the West by coming
out of their rifle pits to the East of the Road and crossing the road towards
Magersfontein Kop.
Turn 2
The Boers are now advancing across the full
breadth of the British right flank. The
Jacobsdaal Commando are advancing south of the Modder River and threatening to
outflank the British right flank. The
Boers have also advanced across the Hill to the South East of Magersfontein Kop
towards the barbed wire, whilst the Boer unit that cross the road has now
crested Magersfontein Kop to counter the British advance to the West of the
railway line.
Turn 3
On the British left flank, the other half
of the Highland Brigade has been suppressed, with the Ninth Brigade immediately
behind it and angling towards the Boers to the South of Magersfontein Kop. Half of the Guards Brigade has also been
suppressed, advancing on the left flank in support of the Ninth Brigade.
Turn 4
The Boer advance continues on the British
right flank, with British mounted troops shielding half of the Highland Brigade
being driven off. The Jacbosdaal Command
is continuing to advance South of the Modder River, whilst further Boer troops
have exited their rifle pits and advanced to the barbed wire. However the Boers at the foot of
Magersfontein Kop have taken heavy casulaties, with British troops advancing
across the railway line towards Magersfontein Kop. The Boers on Magersfontein Kop are also
suppressed after taking heavy fire.
Turn 5
The Boer right flank has begun to collapse,
with British troops sweeping through the Boer rifle pits on the Boer extreme
right flank. British troops are about to
enter Lange Berg Farm. The Boer Pom Poms
have retreated North West of Magersfontein Kop and the British are about to
start rolling up the Boer right flank.
Turn 6
The British right flank remains under
pressure, with the Jacobsdaal Commando trying to turn it
from the South of the Modder River. The
Boers have now crossed the barbed wire fence.
But it is too late, as the British are continuing to roll up the Boer
right flank with another British unit about to ascend the hill North West of
Magersfontein Kop from which it can make a push on to Magersfontein Kop,
supported by the British artillery on Headquarters Hill.
Turn 7
The Boer right flank has completely collapsed,
with three British infantry units outflanking Magersfontein Kop and the hill to
the North of it, with a mounted unit in support. The British artillery continues to pour fire
on to Magersfontein Kop.
A decisive British win.
AAR
by Anton van Dellen. Game played 2 July 2017.
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