a7v – Felix's Gaming Pages

Sturmpanzerwagen A7V

Introduced by Imperial Germany near the end of World War I in early 1918, the Sturmpanzerwagen A7V was the German Empire’s sole production tank of the war, designed in response to the unsettling appearance of British and French tanks on the Western Front.

Resembling a massive, armoured box on tracks, the 30-ton vehicle was armed with a front-mounted 57mm Maxim-Nordenfelt cannon and six 7.92mm MG 08 machine guns, requiring a unusually large crew of up to 18 men to operate effectively. Despite its thick steel plate protection and formidable firepower, the A7V was plagued by a high centre of gravity and low ground clearance, which severely limited its cross-country mobility and trench-crossing ability compared to the British rhomboid design.

Only 20 chassis were produced, but the A7V secured its place in military history on April 24, 1918, at the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, where three A7Vs engaged three British Mark IVs in the world’s first tank-versus-tank combat.

This replica Sturmpanzerwagen A7V was in the Vehicle Conservation Centre at the Tank Museum.

It is is painted to represent A7V number 504, Schnuck. The actual Schnuck was damaged by friendly fire at Fremicourt on 31 August 1918 then it was abandoned by crew, and captured by troops of the New Zealand Division three days later. Displayed in London on Horse Guards Parade 1918/19 and given to the Imperial War Museum in 1919 but was scrapped and disposed of in 1922.

Flames of War Great War

This week sees the release of the Flames of War Great War supplement. You can either buy a boxed set which comes with the supplement, or you can buy the August issue of Wargames Illustrated, that comes bundled with the supplement for “free”. Alongside the rules there are various models, including two boxed starter sets.

I got my copy of Wargames Illustrated yesterday and spent some time reading the supplement and the plethora of articles in the magazine itself on the new supplement and the rules.

The models look really nice, this is the Mark IV Male.

You can compare that detailed model with the 15mm version I bought many years ago. This version is a lot more detailed, looks much better and really captures the feel of this, one of the first tanks. As well as tanks there are infantry and artillery. I really quite like the introductory boxed set available, Mitchell’s Marauders.

Your rifle company is well-equipped for assaulting and crushing the enemy. Prepare your assault with your Mark IV tanks. They will pulverize Jerry’s gun nests with high-explosives and rake his trenches with machine-gun fire. Then send in your highly-trained rifle platoons to clear out the trenches and breakthrough.

The box provides all you need for an introductory game, infantry, tanks and artillery.

There is also a German boxed set available. Though that boxed set has the A7V, you can of course use captured British tanks for your German forces.

I feel I can’t say too much on the rules, as I have not had a chance for a game with them…

The articles within Wargames Illustrated cover a range of issues, one of the interesting aspects is debunking the myth that the Great War was just about muddy trenches. Towards the end of the war there were more battles that were about movement and breakthroughs across new areas that hadn’t been torn apart from relentless artillery barrages.

With the 100th anniversary of the Great War this month, I can see these models proving popular. For the future I hope we can see some more models, notably missing are armoured cars, which though played little part in the trenches, were well utilised in other theatres of the war.

Flames of War Great War

So what does the screen capture from the recent Battlefront video tell us? Well as they say in the video, next year is 2014, which is the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the Great War. Though blurred out, this is a German A7V tank; it is much easier to see in the video, towards the end.

Update: Video has been removed.

Those of you who follow the blog will know that I already have a 15mm World War One tank that I am using for a Home Guard force.

It will be interesting to see the models from Battlefront as well as the infantry and the rules.