The Battle of Kinver Edge

For our third game here in GHQ since the easing of restrictions caused by all this coronavirus malarkey Phil requested either a 1940 Operation Zeelowe game or a VBCW game. I chose the VBCW for our games setting. The table is laid out as you see in the first picture ~

The scene is the peaceful South Staffordshire village of Kinver, nestling in the lee of Kinver Edge and to the south west of Wolverhampton. Unaware of impending violent confrontation the citizens go about their business amongst bucolic scenes of village life ~

Marching towards Kinver from the south are elements of the Regular Army, loyal to the Government and to Edward VIII. They anticipate being joined by local forces of Militia and Volunteers from the South Staffordshire area. From the north the forces of the People's Republic of Wolverhampton, under command of the Manders, supported by elements of the South Staffordshire Regiment are rushing to block the enemy's advance. Whoever holds the Edge commands the south west of the town and can threaten it's links to Birmingham with its military resources...

Opening of the battle: the probing Chillington Mounted Rifles come under devestating fire from the Manders' 18lb gun.

Militias loyal to the Government of Moseley, supported by the Bilston Steel Legion of the BUF, press forward on the right flank of the attack.

Vickers Mk VI tanks of the RTR  break through the hedge line into open country in a bold gambit to turn the right of the Manders' line.

The A449 south from Wolverhampton towards Kinver is heavily congested by the lead elements of the local Militia. Mander's Mounted Rifles probe for the enemy on the outskirts of the village supported by a boilerplate van sporting a 2lb anti tank gun and the Miners of the Hilton Main Collective.

Banner waving in the breeze and storing music from the Colliery's  Silver Band lead the miners forward into action.

The Mk VIs of the RTR race forward towards the open flank of the enemy. The Regulars of the South Staffords have no anti tank capability, so this could go badly for them.

While the Mounted Rifles and the Rolls Royce AC have succeeded in reaching the village they face a considerable force of the enemy skirting their position to the flank.

As they move into position to block the threat, the boiler plated van is moving up the Edge to give fire support to the South Staffords on the other flank. This will be a close race between the van and the Mk VIs.

Support from the local elements of the Anglican League have been slow to get moving, partly due to congestion on the road and partly to some confusion over orders.

The sudden appearance of a tank on the edge causes some consternation among the Mk VI tank commanders, which is exacerbated when the lead tank suffers Heavy Damage.

The Miners, lead by their Branch banner and their Silver Band are ready to support the Mounted Rifles and the AC in holding the north end of the village.

While Lord Rawnsley carefully coordinated the build up of his flanking attack the Manders' 18ld gun scores a direct hit on the transport of the Express & Star Rifles. They debus with no casualties though!

The attack by the Guards supporting the RTR has not really got going at this stage. The Colonel is struggling to get things going.

Meanwhile the Steel Legion of the BUF occupy one of the Kinver homes as a strong point to split the defensive line of Mander's Militias.

Elements of the South Staffords have reached the Edge in support of the lone tank. Their firepower proves decisive in first slowing, then turning back the Guards' attack.

A direct hit from the RA's 4.5" Howitzer destroys the tank, leaving the infantry without anti tank capacity again.

The battle is moving towards its climatic moments. Casualties are mounting for both sides but the Manders' left flank is being turned by a combined attack from the Tettenhall College Cadets and the Chillington Volunteer Rifles.

The miners and the AC are forced back to the village outskirts leaving only the gardener's of the Whitwick Manor Volunteers exposed to devistating small arms fire.

Despite turning back what proved to be a diversionary attack by the Guards and the RTR's Mk VIs the morale of the Militias holding the north end of the village and the Edge suddenly collapses and they flee leaving the way open for those loyal to the Government.
We played out the game using Rapid Fire2 as the rules with some modifications to increase movement. The failure of Morale when testing for reaching 20 casualties amongst the Militia saw them rout and handed the game to Lord Rawnsley and his men in Turn 9. It came as a bit of a shock to me as I'd thought things were going well for Mander's forces. I should have paid more attention to my left flank and less to the tank attack on my right with hindsight.