Author: lukegl
Know Your British – Great War
Know Your Germans- Great War
Great War Q&A
Celebrate the launch of Great War! Alex and Wayne sit down to answer questions sent in from the community!
Great War Now On Flames Of War Digital
You can now download Great War on the Flames Of War Digital App.
The Flames Of War Digital App has been designed to allow you to carry all of your Flames Of War, Team Yankee and Great War books in one place without having to break your back.
Find out how to get the most from the app here (over on the Flames Of War website)…
Download the app from the iTunes Store here (iPad only)…
Download the app from the Google Play store here…
Brett’s Brawlers Army Deal (GUSAB02)
Includes two Rifle Half Platoons each containing one Browing Pistol team, five Springfield rifle teams, two VB rifle Grenade teams, two Chauchat MG teams. one Flame-thrower team, one 37mm mle 1916 team, four Hotchkiss HMG teams, two 76mm Stokes mortar teams, one 75mm mle 1897 guns, one Char Saint Chamond tank, two Renault FT-17 tanks and one Sniper team.
When the Untied Stated finally went to war in April of 1917 its Army was not prepared to meet the challenges that awaited it on the battlefields of Europe. What America did have, which the rest of their allies lacked, was a source of manpower that seemed inexhaustible. Under the command of General John ‘Black Jack’ Pershing, the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) raised an army of over 4 million men and was able to get half of that number sent to France by the time the war ended. The lack of suitable materiel was solved by borrowing heavy weapons and artillery from the French and British, who also trained their new allies in the ways of modern trench warfare.
Check out Brett’s Brawlers Army Deal in the online store here…
The Americans finally got into the fight in October of 1917 seeing action all over the Western Front, and notably helped stop the final German offensive from reaching Paris in the battles of Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood in the summer of 1918. After the success of the Americans in these battles, Pershing lobbied hard for the AEF to be an independent American command in the field as opposed to being broken up and given piecemeal to the French and British armies as manpower to bolster worn out units already in the front line.
The Browning Pistol Team
The Springfield Rifle Team
The VB Rifle Grenade Team
The Chauchat MG Team
The Flame-thrower Team
The 37mm mle 1916 Team
The Hotchkiss HMG Team
The 76mm Stokes Mortar Team
The 75mm mle 1897 Gun
The Renault FT-17 Tank
The Char Saint Chamond Tank
The Sniper Team
The Brett’s Brawlers Army Deal in Great War
Unit cards for Brett’s Brawlers Army Deal are contained in the Great War American Unit Card pack (GUS901)…
Clavery’s Chargers Army Deal (GFRAB02)
Includes two Fusiliers Sections containing one Lebel pistol team (Formation HQ), four berthier rifle teams, two VB rifle grenade teams, two Chauchat MG teams, one Flame-thrower team and one 37mm mle 1916 team. Four Hotchkiss HMG teams, two 76mm Stokes trench mortar teams, one 75mm mle 1897 gun, one Saint Chamond tank, one Schneider CA.1 tank, one White AM 1915/18 armoured car and one Sniper team.
At the start of the war, the French Army was a huge organisation with a large standing army and three classes of reservists that could be called to the colours. This large manpower pool became necessary as the fighting of 1914-1917 took its toll and caused the French to draft men up to the age of 45 and look to its colonies for help. While the French army was organised much like the other armies of Europe, it had some distinct differences such as the makeup of the men who filled its ranks.
Check out the Clavery’s Chargers Army Deal in the online store here…
At the start of the war, most of the active units and mobilised reservists were from Metropolitan France, which is limited to mainland France and the islands nearby such as Corsica. France, like many other European nations, had mandatory conscription under which 21 year old men would be called to serve for a period of three years. Once finished with their active service commitment, the draftees would stay in the Reserve or Territorial Army until the age of 48.
The Poilu of 1918 was tired and weary of war, but in their hearts they knew that they had to carry on the fight against the Germans and expel them from their homeland.
The Lebel Pistol Team
The Berthier Rifle Team
The VB Rifle Grenade Team
The Flame-thrower Team
The 37mm mle 1916 Team
The Chauchat MG Team
The 76mm Stokes Mortar Team
The 75mm mle 1897 Gun
The Char Saint Chamond Tank
The Schneider CA.1 Tank
The White AM 1915/1918 Armoured Car
The Sniper Team
The Fusiliers Platoon in Great War
Unit cards for the Fusiliers Platoon are contained in the Great War French Unit Card pack (GFR901)…
Mitchell’s Marauders Army Deal (GBRAB02)
Includes two Rifle Platoons which contain: one Webley Pistol Team (Formation HQ), three SMLE Rifle Teams, one Hales Rifle Grenade Team, one Lewis MG Team. Four Vickers HMG teams, four 3″ Stokes trench mortar teams, two OQF 18pdr Field guns, one Mark V male or female tank, one Mark IV male or female tank, one Mark A Whippet tank and one Sniper Team.
The British started the war with a small but professional army. Great Britain’s initial response to the invasion of Belgium was to send the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to France. By the end of 1914 it had grown to two Armies (the First and Second) drawn from the British regular army. However, the heavy fighting of the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Aisne, and the First Ypres had taken a heavy toll on the manpower of the regulars of the BEF. The arrival of the volunteers of Kitchener’s ‘New Army’, the Canadians, and then the Australians and New Zealanders after Gallipoli, went someway to filling the void.
Check out Mitchell’s Marauders Army Deal in the online store here…
As the war progressed it became clear that the British high command preferred particular divisions to lead its attacks and the same divisions were used again and again in offensive operations. This practice meant these divisions were able to spend more time training out of the frontline, absorbing new tactics and learning the new weapons. This cycle of training and offensives led to these divisions naturally being the first choice to lead the next offensive. They were often lead by proactive commanders and officers who ensured the training standards of their units was high and up to date with the latest fighting methods.
The Formation HQ Team
The SMLE Rifle Team
The Hales Rifle Grenade Team
The Lewis MG Team
The Vickers HMG team
The 3″ Stokes Mortar Team
The OQF 18 pdr Guns
The Mark V Tank
The Mark IV Tank
The Mark IV Tank
The Sniper Team
The Rifle Platoon in Great War
Unit cards for the Rifle Platoon are contained in the Great War British Unit Card pack (GBR901)…
Steiner’s Strosstruppen Army Deal (GGEAB02)
Includes two Stoss Platoons each with Stosskompanie HQ team, Seven Mauser pistols, one MG 08/15 teams, one Flame-thrower team, four Maxim MG 08 HMG teams, one 7.6cm Minenwefer, two 7.62cm Infantry guns, two 7.7cm FK96 n.A. guns, two A7V tanks and one Sniper team.
Developed as a response to trench warfare, Stosstruppen (Assault Troops) were trained in the use of infiltration tactics combined with speed and mobility in order to move past enemy strongpoints and attack rear areas such as supply dumps, headquarters, and artillery emplacements. While the Stoss may be most identified with the German offensives made in 1918, the concept was developed much earlier in the war.
Check out Steiner’s Strosstruppen Army Deal in the online store here…
In an attack, the Stosskompanie would move out in front of the main body of troops and bypass enemy strong points that were left for regular troops to contend with. Once in the enemy’s rear area, Stosstruppen would create mayhem, disrupting communications and preventing the enemy from mounting a counterattack.
The Formation Command Mauser Pistol Team
The Mauser Pistol Team
The MG 08/15 Team
The Flame Thrower Team
The Maxim MG 08 HMG team
The 7.6cm Minenwerfer Team
The 7.62cm Infantry Guns
The 7.7cm Artillery Guns
The A7V Tank
The Sniper Team
The Steiner’s Strosstruppen Army Deal in Great War
Unit cards for the Steiner’s Strosstruppen Army Deal are contained in the Great War German Unit Card pack (GGE901)…
Trench Mortars (GUS715)
Includes four 76mm Stokes or 58mm Type 2 mortar teams.
Both our allies have provided us with trench mortars to deal with enemy pillboxes, nests, or strongpoints. The British 3” Stokes mortar can advance with our troops, while the heavier French 58mm Type 2 mortar can stay in the rear, knocking out any points of resistance we may face.
Check out the Trench Mortars in the online store here…
Designed by Evan Allen
Painted by Aaron Mathie
The 58mm Type 2 Mortar Team
The 76mm Stokes Mortar Team
The Machine-gun Platoon in Great War
Unit cards for the Machine-gun Platoon are contained in the Great War American Unit Card pack (GUS901)…