Action at Bickley's Rough

A return to the alternate time line of the Very British Civil War here in GHQ for our regular Tuesday game. To refresh your memory, as if I need to, we set our games in the Wolverhampton - South Staffordshire area with the Liberal-Socialist-Workers Alliance lead by the Manders of Wightwick Manor facing off against the Government-Fascist Alliance lead by Lord Rawnsley. The Manders have got wind of a supply column heading from Shropshire towards Rawnsley's operational base at Chillington Hall. Such an opportunity to deal a blow to the forces of repression cannot be passed up so the Manders lead their men out to action...

All of course recorded by the diligent and utterly impartial folk of the BBC - the Bykleigh's Broadcasting Company!

Local Militia loyal to the Manders have erected two improvised barriers hoping to delay the supply column long enough for Mander's force to arrive from his base at Wightwick Manor.

They should hurry as the supply column is already well underway, it's flank screened by units from Wolverhampton Borough Police and the Chillington Mounted Rifles.

Mander's alliance of Liberals and Socialist Workers are strung out across the countryside, unsure where the bulk of Rawnsley's force has deployed in support of the Supply Column. This was to prove crucial as the action unfolded.

Rawnsley has secured the support of two light tanks, a Vickers MkVI and a Renault FT, in addition to a vintage Rolls Royce armoured car.

Mander is rather light on armour: a Vickers Medium tank and an armoured truck, modified with boiler plate and a turret by the LMS  engineers at Oxley Sidings. 

Watched anxiously by Rawnsley the column steadily advances towards the first of the barricades. The steam road roller can simply crush the hastily improvised road blocks.

The tanks and the Mounted Rifles surge forward on the flank, catching Mander's men by surprise. The Vickers Medium tank has the Renault FT in its sights though...

Boom! First blood to the Liberal-Socialist Alliance!

Despite the loss of the Renault FT, the Supply Column is making steady progress. The stores must get through!

The mounted Rifles dismount and take cover in the Rough while the surviving Vickers MkVI takes up position behind a hedgerow.

It is quickly apparent to Mander that his dispositions have been awry! The Heath-Robinson trench mortar is unable to support the units near the roadblocks. Instead it must engage the Rolls Royce armoured car and the supporting militias.

Before the improvised armoured car can fire a shot it is destroyed by the Vickers MkVI. The accompanying Troops of Mander's Household Guard take what cover they can.

Rawnsley has cleverly deployed his Rolls Royce armoured car to draw the fire of the Socialist Militias who oblige by falling into the trap of exchanging fire rather than rushing to the aid of the depleted elements supporting the roadblocks.

The Heath-Robinson trench mortar succeeds in disrupting enemy movement away on their left flank. This has no bearing on the main action!

Elements of the Wolverhampton Borough Police exchange fire with Mander's Household Guard before rushing their position. 

The Guards are overwhelmed, depleted by losses the survivors throw down their weapons and flee for their lives! Too late to be captured in the lunch time edition of the Express & Star!

The steam road roller has taken advantage of the distractions by destroying the first of the roadblocks and is now bearing down on the second. Fire from the Vickers Medium tank has had little effect on its progress.

The Miners of the Hilton Main Cooperative are alerted to the developing crisis opposite the Red Lion and start to move in the direction of the main action at last 

An exchange of fire with the Chillington Rifle Company sees some losses to the miners but sees their enemy flee (as the result of a FUBAR!)

With no effective opposition to delay it's progress the steam road roller destroys the second roadblock. Mander can see it is all up for his force and gets ready to slip away in his motorcar!

Rawnsley has successfully negotiated a tricky engagement and shepherded much needed supplies through to his base at Chillington Hall. Mander has failed in his plan to highjack the much needed supplies for his own force and must slink away to lick his wounds and plan his next course of action!

A splendid game we agreed played out using Bolt Action v2, with Phil as Lord Rawnsley winning in Turn 11 of the 12 allocated. It was close, despite my initial errors in deployment. All hinged on one last shot from Mander's Light Howitzer which failed to destroy the road roller and block the route of the convoy in Turn 10 and so steal the victory! Two FUBARs in one game though, a record for GHQ! Next up here in GHQ should be a SYW game, rather more colourful than the VBCW!