A Very British Civil War, Triumph & Tragedy, 28mm

As I had to be up in Orkney, this game report is brought to you by Colin Jack, who’s enthusiasm for his ficticious “Very British Civil War” – an alternative history take on the aftermath of Edward VIII’s abdication – has led to its development into a fully-fledged “period”, with its own particular – and peculiar – style. Here’s what he says; This was the game that our SESWC Club put on at Albanich, the small wargame show held in Dumfries in January. As is usual with display games very little of it got played at the show, as the guys were too busy talking to visitors, and explaining exactly what !1938″ was all about.The scenario revolved around a British Union of Facist and Royalist attack on Acklington airfield, just south of Alnwick in County Durham.  Bill’s job as the Socialist commander was to use his miners militias to blunt the attack, which would then leave less for Hugh’s better-armed Anglican League defenders to do.  As the attackers led with their armour the initial clash was one-sided, and over very quickly. The surviving miners – classed as “raw” militiamen – were soon in retreat.  The Anglican League then threw their two Vickers Mark II tanks into the fray, and were soon engaged in a full-scale armoured battle with a Royalist Vickers Mark III tank and a Lanchester armoured car. Meanwhile, the 2pdr anti-tank gun defending the airfield airfield knocked out the truck transporting one of the Royal Naval Brigade’s units, killing several of the passengers. That blunted the advance towards the airfiled – at least for the moment. Dissatisfied with the speed of the attack, Dave the BUF commander (that’s him with the glasses) sent his infantry buses up the road at full speed, heading towards the gates of the airfield. The buses even managed to run over several enemy infantry on the way. He also detached his own armour – the massive French tank “Black Prince” – to bolster the Royalist tankers. Once again the players ran out of time – the danger of putting on a large and complex game on a normal club night. As the game ended, the first bus had reached the gates of the airfield, where it had ground to a halt, while it’s passengers were pinned inside and unable to de-bus. Things had been looking bad for the Miners and the Anglican League, until the last-minute arrival of reinforcements.Two “Armadillos” arrived to support the fleeing Socialists – the Armadillo being essentially a pillbox mounted on the back of a truck! The troops in the Armadillos managed to pour fire onto the Fascist column, and so thwart the madcap charge by the buses. They were the heroes of the left – apart from the AT gun and the armour, most of the Anglican defenders never fired a shot! A few more turns might have been interesting, but the time had come to pack our shiny toys away, ready for another outing some other day.

Tags: Triumph & Tragedy