Siege of the Farm

[Mick A]

My local club has just started having 12-5 gaming sessions on the first Sunday of each month so I put on a VBCW show style game today as some of the guys can't make it to shows plus I wanted to use my new farm that I bought at Devizes

The scenario was that the BUF, in the guise of Black Shorts and their militia lackeys, has taken it on themselves to try and take an Albrtine HQ stationed in a local farm, the Albertines just had to hold it. The BUF forces were one motorised Black Short platoon with Vickers and Boys as support, two platoons of militia with a Vickers as support, one Matilda I, one Romfel armoured car and a Carden Lloyd. The Albertines had one platoon of LDV with a Vickers and Boys, a platoon of militia with Boys and 2" mortar, one 18pdr, one Rolls Royce armoured car and one mkIV male tank. Special rules for the game- the mkIV needed to be started before it could be used by rolling a 6 on turn two, a 5 or 6 on turn three and so on, once started needed to roll 4+ each turn to actually move and only had ammo for the mg's (the Black Shorts players didn't know this last bit) and the 18pdr only had 6 shells...

The Albertines set up first with the 18pdr being towed towards the farm and the mkIV at the back of it. The LDV set up one unit in each of the dugouts to the front of the farm and the third hidden in the woods next to the farm with the Vickers, the LDV Boys was stationed behind the side gate at the the farms main entrance. The Albertine militia were positioned in the barn and behind the wall and dugout to the right of the farm.



The Black Shorts headed down the right flank with the militia heading down the centre.



By keeping their forces in one rough area it made the defence of the farm so much easier for the Albertines, they managed to get the mkIV going on their first roll but it only managed to move every other turn and never actually made it into combat! The 18pdr was set up in the main entrance making short work of the BUF militia as they came over the hill in front. The Black Shorts managed to get the LDV out of the woods in hand to hand combat but it cost them almost one and a half units to do it (man of the match went to 'Mad Scot' Hamish McTavish who took out the last of the the first unit and three of the second unit before falling heroically ). This severally weekend them and losing the Romfel and Carden Lloyd to Boys anti-tank fire just as they got near to the farm didn't help... The Albertine LDV on their right flank left their dugout and headed up the field to hit the BUF militia in their flank, even though the militia had the Matilda and the Vickers they managed to do a lot of damage before being wiped out. With the loss of the centre and taking  heavy casualties themselves the Black Shorts beat a hasty retreat...

A few more pictures from the game-

The Albertine right flank LDV head up the table while the mkIV slowly trundles along (it didn't make it much further than this the whole game!)


The BUF advance and start to disembark their vehicles


The 18pdr sets up in the main gateway


The Albertine hassle the BUF militias flank

[pocoloco]

Beautiful terrain and minis, the set-up looks excellent 

Seemed to be a great game, what rules did you use?

[Mick A]

Thanks chap used my own fast play rules that have evolved over the last year or so (almost two full pages now! )

[pocoloco]

Oh, sounds intriguing. How is the force balance handled or is it at all?

[Mick A]

No points or anything, I tend to use forces that I think will fit the scenario such as today's, its worked so far I like games that you need to think about rather than just charge or shoot each other. (the BUF could have taken the farm with the right strategy, it was only because they kept their forces so close together that the defenders didn't have to spread themselves thinly)

[Dalauppror]

Stunning looking game !!!

Best regards Michael

[pocoloco]

Mick, sounds very good. I am not that keen on systems or scenarios that need to have forces in balance, much more interesting to have that (subtle) difference and see how things from there.

Any plans for more AARs soonish?

[von Lucky]

Thanks for sharing - very beautiful looking game. This is what I hope my VBCW games look like next year!

[Mick A]

Mick, sounds very good. I am not that keen on systems or scenarios that need to have forces in balance, much more interesting to have that (subtle) difference and see how things from there.

Any plans for more AARs soonish?

The next Sunday game i plan to do on 6th October will be a Bolt Action fall of France scenario. The plan for that one is to have the British doing a rear guard action trying to hold up a German advance for as long as possible.

[FramFramson]

What a table! 

[joekano]

Quite a nice table and game - thanks for sharing!

[Funghy-Fipps]

Great looking game. We are talking about the Exmouth club right? I can't do Wednesday evenings, but Sundays are doable. Might have to swing by in Oct.

[Schogun]

Great table! Who makes the farm?

[Mick A]

Thanks everyone

Dinghy-Fipps, yes its the Exmouth club and you would be more than welcome

Schogun, eM4 sell the farm, its pricey buying it online but they do a show special price if you go to any they attend...

[Schogun]

em4 farm. Thanks. I see today they're selling it at a lower price for pickup at Colours. Sadly I'm in the US. Nice model though.

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Once again, the Farm is on special offer for collection at Colours. £65.00 GBP instead of the website price of £91.25 GBP, plus a big saving by not having to pay shipping.