world war one Archives - Felix's Gaming Pages

Mark IV Tank

The British Mark IV Tank was introduced in 1917. It significant improvements over the Mark I Tank, and was the next step in tank development and deployment (the intervening designs being small batches used for training).

The “Male” tanks were armed with three machine guns and two 6-pdrs. Whilst the “Female” tanks had Five .303 Lewis machine guns. Additionally there was an unarmed version used to carry supplies.

The Mark IV was first used in mid 1917 at the Battle of Messines Ridge. It remained in British service until the end of the war, and a small number served briefly with other combatants afterwards.

I have been working on a metal 15mm Mark IV Tank for use with the Home Guard. Though I do really like the Flames of War Great War models, which have a lot more detail.

I also have a Bolt Action 28mm Mark IV Tank on the workbench.

I also have a gallery of Mark IV tanks from a wonderful 28mm demonstration game at GamesDay 2007.

Great War demonstration game at Games Day 2007

This was an amazing display game from Games Day 2007.

British Infantry advance through the ruins of a French village.

Mk IV Tank Male slowly trundles forward crushing the barbed wire obstacles in its path.

Ruined house

Heavy British Artillery Gun

Ruined house

Photographs from Aly Morrison’s and Dave Andrews excellent World War One demonstration game which uses the Warhammer Historical rules and was on display at Games Day 2007. The game was full of wonderful details and well painted miniatures and excellent scenery. I spent ages looking at it.

Whippet Medium Tank

While the heavy tanks were designed for direct attacks against enemy trenches the Tank Corps also wanted a lighter, faster tank to work with the cavalry over open country. Designed by Sir William Tritton and built by Fosters of Lincoln the Medium A, or Whippet, was the only such tank to see service with the Tank Corps, starting in 1918. Though originally envisioned with a rotating turret, the production model had an armoured housing for three to four 303 Hotchkiss machine guns, which could be relocated between four gun ports. Approved in June 1917, roughly 200 vehicles were produced starting in October 1917. This was the only type of medium tank to see action in World War I.

These Whippet Medium Tanks were on display at Bovington Tank Museum and the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

The Whippet was a difficult tank to drive; it had two engines, two clutches and two gearboxes but it was fast, by 1918 standards and very manoeuvrable in skilled hands. Even so experience soon showed that it was incapable of working with the cavalry and, in truth, should have been seen as an alternative. The Whippet was powered by a pair of Tylor four-cylinder engines, the same type that would be found in London buses of that period.

I do think that this tank would make for a great base for vehicles for an alternative Great War. It could be converted into a turreted tank, or a self propelled gun. One other idea is to use the tanks for A Very British Civil War background, those in storage are taken out of retirement and used by both sides.

The Great War

I went to Colours 2025 at the Newbury Racecourse last week. Its been a fair few years since I have been to Colours, I have a feeling it might be as long ago when Colours was at the Hexagon in Reading after they changed the name of the show from Armageddon. Anyhow the show was great and there were a fair few traders there, I did buy something.

On the top floor though were all the demonstration and participation games. This beautiful looking 28mm Great War game was put on my Gripping Beast.

It reminded me of The Great War demonstration game that was put on at Games Day 2007 by Aly Morrison and Dave Andrews. See photographs from that game.

Medium Mark A Whippet A347 Firefly

I recently went to the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

The Medium Mark A Whippet was a medium tank employed by the British in World War I. Developed for fast mobile assaults, it was intended to complement the slower British heavy tanks by using its relative mobility and speed in exploiting any break in the enemy lines.

This Medium Mark A Whippet, A347 Firefly, was on display at the museum, and is still in its camouflage paintwork. It still carries battle damage from when it was hit on 17 August 1918.

Though originally envisioned with a rotating turret, the production model had an armoured housing for three to four 303 Hotchkiss machine guns, which could be relocated between four gun ports. Approved in June 1917, roughly 200 vehicles were produced starting in October 1917. Unlike the large crew of the Mark IV, the Whippet managed with a standard crew of three: a commander, driver and gunner. Given the gunner was responsible for manning both machineguns (which could point forward, left, right and rear), sometimes a second gunner was squeezed in.

I do think that this tank would make for a great base for vehicles for an alternative Great War. It could be converted into a turreted tank, or a self propelled gun. One other idea is to use the models for A Very British Civil War background. There are quite a few Great War tanks that could be used for a 1920s or 1930s civil war within the United Kingdom.

Belgian Great War Artillery

I recently went to the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels. They had quite a few examples of artillery pieces from the Great War.

They still have their original authentic 1918 colours and markings.

Mark IV Tank Lodestar III

The Mark IV was a British tank of the First World War. Introduced in 1917, it benefited from significant developments of the Mark I tank (the intervening designs being small batches used for training). The main improvements were in armour, the re-siting of the fuel tank and ease of transport. A total of 1,220 Mk IV were built: 420 “Males”, 595 “Females” and 205 Tank Tenders (unarmed vehicles used to carry supplies), which made it the most numerous British tank of the war.

The “Male” tanks were armed with three machine guns and two 6-pdrs. Whilst the “Female” tanks had Five .303 Lewis machine guns.

This Mark IV Tank, Lodestar III, was on display at the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

The Mark IV Tank Lodestar III, serial number 4093, was manufactured by Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth & Co. LTD in Newcastle upon Tyne. It was part of a 100-tank order (serial numbers 4001-4100) and joined the 12th Tank Battalion in early September 1918. This battalion was one of only two tank corps that continued to use Mark IV tanks during the final months of World War I.

Combat History and Challenges

The 12th Tank Battalion first saw action in January 1918 and played a significant role in the “Hundred Days Offensive” at the end of the war. Tracing the history of individual tanks like the Lodestar III is challenging because battle reports rarely mentioned specific vehicles. Additionally, the battalion frequently rotated its tanks, often receiving older Mark IV models after returning their vehicles or being reassigned. For instance, a crew assigned to Lodestar I (serial number 8081) in August 1918 might have later operated Lodestar III if their original tank was lost in battle or suffered mechanical issues.

Evidence of Operational Use

Several factors confirm the Lodestar III’s active service in World War I. The 12th Tank Battalion was almost continuously engaged in combat between August and October 1918. Given that the unit had only a few operational vehicles by the war’s end, it’s highly probable that every deployable tank, including the Lodestar III, was put into action.

Physical evidence on the tank itself supports this:

- It’s equipped with an original unditching beam, used to free the tank from mud.
- There are traces of a fascine, which was used to fill trenches and rivers for crossing.
- The tank bears numerous bullet and shrapnel impacts, indicating its presence in battle.

Notably, the Lodestar III is the only Mark IV tank in the world that still retains its authentic 1918 colours and markings.

The Mark IV tank was first used in mid 1917 at the Battle of Messines Ridge. It remained in British service until the end of the war, and a small number served briefly with other combatants afterwards.

I have been working on a metal 15mm Mark IV Tank for use with the Home Guard. Though I do really like the Flames of War Great War models, which have a lot more detail.

I also have a Bolt Action 28mm Mark IV Tank on the workbench.

I also have a gallery of Mark IV tanks from a wonderful 28mm demonstration game at GamesDay 2007.

Lanchester Armoured Car

The Lanchester armoured car was a British armoured car built on the chassis of the Lanchester “Sporting Forty”, it saw wide service with the Royal Naval Air Service and British Army during the First World War. The Lanchester was the second most numerous World War I armoured car in British service after the Rolls-Royce armoured car.

Thirty-nine armoured Lanchesters were built, starting in 1928, and they were issued to the newly mechanised cavalry regiments. They spent most of their time in Britain although in 1935 the 12th Lancers took some cars out to the Saarland and a few were tested in the Middle East. The cars were used for training in the early years of the war and one was converted into a secure VIP transport for use in London. A few were still operating in Malaya in 1941 with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders; these ultimately fell into Japanese hands.

This got me thinking about possible uses for the Lanchester armoured car in A Very British Civil War scenarios, but also in an Operation Sealion scenario where German paratroopers attempt to kidnap Winston Churchill who is being moved in a convoy including the Lanchester armoured car which was converted into a secure VIP transport for use in London.

More photographs of the Lanchester Armoured Car.

Little Willie

Little Willie is the oldest surviving individual tank, and is preserved as one of the most famous pieces in the collection of The Tank Museum, Bovington, England.

Little Willie was a prototype in the development of the British Mark I tank. Constructed in the autumn of 1915 at the behest of the Landship Committee, it was the first completed tank prototype in history.

Replica Mark IV Tank from Warhorse

This realistic replica was built for the movie ‘War Horse’ and is now maintained in running condition to save wear and tear on the museums original WW1 tanks at events, including Tankfest.