A Fine Day at Bickley Towers

[joroas]

A long time in the planning, I finally got to play on Dave's quality terrain.  Two games with the quartet of Dave, Phil, John and myself.



The morning was taken up with an AWI game, Jon had the British and Phil and I played the rebellious, but considerate, Americans.  We used Black Powder rules and I was pleased that they work just as well on a normal table with 16-20 man units.  To keep it fresh we had to roll for initiative every turn.









A surprise event was the appearance of Dave's Hessian Brigade in turn 5, however, due to some dire dice rolling, they were all dead or fled by the end of turn 6.






The result was a draw, but highly enjoyable.

After a pleasant lunch (thanks, Sue), Dave went and set up a Pulp game set in Howardville.



Four teams, 3 gangsters and 1 law, with the aim of capturing Professor Branestawm.  After a frantic game the results were: Jon, most of the police officers and Captain White killed, the Baldinis were nearly all killed with the Don, in an act of cowardice, hiding out, Don Bicclione lost all of his henchmen and, after another bout of dire dice rolling (familiar?), found himself alone in the middle of the street and, having been beaten up by two police officers, was cold-bloodedly filled full of lead while he lay on the floor, in a pool of blood, by yet another cowardly Baldini.



Oh, the winner, well modesty forbids ..........

[Furt]

Two beautiful looking games that looked a lot of fun!

[Yankeepedlar01]

Glad you enjoyed your visit, John! Despite my 'dire dice rolls' I enjoyed both the games myself.
David

[Captain Blood]

Happy days 

[Trooper]

Great stuff, looks a good days wargaming was had by all. Like many others I am very envious, of your invite. Top stuff as always from Bickley Towers. Thanks for sharing.

[Yankeepedlar01]

A slightly more flattering photo of the main protagonists ~ Front: "Fightin' Phil" Robinson, C-in-C of the American forces and Lord Walton of Stafford, aka Jon White, C-in-C of the British forces: Back Row ~ John Aston, Commanded the American left and yours truely who made a [very] brief and entirely ineffective appearance as the Hessian Brigade on the British Right flank.



John ponders the British course of action at the opening of the game, while...


...Phil and John consider how to proceed and possibly win the day.



The British centr holds firm and the Left flank makes progress against White's Courthouse and Rawnsley Farm.



While the Hessians, over whose performance we shall draw a veil, make an all too brief appearance on the British Right Flank...



Leaving Phil to ponder what might have been...
A drawn game, with the Britsh centre holding and the left flank finally driving the American rebels out of the courthouse, while the American left flank drove off the surprise Hessian assault in short order. Well done John!

In the afternoon, as John said in his post, we played an Astounding Tales game based on my Pulp US layout.


The shot shows the culmination of the afternoon's action. Don Biclionne lies dead in the roadway, gunned down by his arch enemy Baldinni; meanwhile John, aka Wun Ung Lo, delivers the coup-de-grace to Captain White and the Boys in Blue and makes off with Professor Braynstawm ~ which was the object of the game really.

[Colonel Tubby]

Really inspiring pictures.

I really must get more of those Old Glory buildings - 2 dosen't really do it!

[Johnno]

Those OG buildings paint up nicely...
Maybe it's time to get the OG membership....

[Cultist #3]

where are the vehicles from?

I can never seem to find anything suitable for this genre.

[joroas]

Car boot sales often have old Lledo or Matchbox cars, but they were made to fit the box, rather than a scale.  They look right, though.  Usually £1-£2.....

[Yankeepedlar01]

where are the vehicles from?

I can never seem to find anything suitable for this genre.

They are a mixture of LLedo, Days Gone By and Solido; all from local collectors/antiques markets and charity or junk shops. None cost me above £3.00, often they were just £1.00, so I have rather more than is decent really. In Canada & the USA, I'd recommend haunting eBay, they often crop up in auctions, but usually more pricey. Hope this helps.
David