Strike Against Tattenhall

 The Local Scot commander has learned that a BUF contingent has arrived to hold a conference with the Laird, a suspected BUF supporter. A plan was hastily put together to roll up the whole bunch. The attackers would consist of a Crosley Armored Car;  a Lowland squad with Platoon leadership; and a HMG troop; supported by three local militia squads...

The defenders consisted of a Rolls Royce AC; three BUF squads, and the Lairds' personal bodyguard squad...

View southward as the Scots would see the field, with Tattenhall on the hill to the right...

The opposite view with the Guard/gatehouse obscured by the trees near the bridge to the right...

The immediate front of Tattenhall...

To the north of Tattenhall from which the Scot assault will come. Note: one can just see the Guard/gatehouse above left of Tattenhall...

The Lowland squad with the HMG overlooking the Guard/gatehouse to the south (bottom)...

The Scot militia with Platoon HQ north of Tattenhall preparing for their attack...

The signal to commence the attack will be the approach of the Crosley down the main road...

Next up, the attack!

The Invasion of Malaya: The Battle of Nangkja

A few miles down the road, Fitzpatrick attempted a second stand, but this would end in disaster, aided by a Monsoon downpour. 

The view of the battlefield from the Japanese perspective. The weakened Indian troops are at the top..

Just as a squad of Japanese appears on the Punjabi northern flank, an Indian squad takes position in its prepared slit trenches and open fires. But only one Shock is the result. The Japanese fire back and also get one Shock...

Two additional Japanese squads advance from the Rubber trees...

Then the unexpected occurs! A single Chi Ha rumbles onto the battlefield...

Additional Punjabi troops arrive to bring more fire down on the Japanese flanking infantry, but gain two more Shocks...

One of the advancing Japanese troops across the rice paddies now came under fire. Two Shocks were inflicted...

Disaster strikes the Punjabi! Despite the protection of their trenches, they are charged and forced to retire...

The Punjabi squad covering the bridge strikes hard, taking down two of the enemy and two more Shocks as ell...

But its to no avail. The flanking Japanese now charge through the unprotected jungle and capture the Line of Communication marker, ending the battle. The Punjabi soldiers are cut off and destroyed (just as it occurred historically I might add)...

  

The Battle of Whitby

 A few miles outside of York was the small town of Whitby. Local militia had been formed when news reached them of the British Union of Fascists (BUF) raging across the Isles tormenting anyone who would not give their allegiance to King Edward VII. They didn't have much to fight with, but when the local police threw themselves behind the BUF movement, the militia successfully chased them to hold out in the Police building. Then word arrived that a BUF force was approaching Whitby. A fight was coming.

The community of Whitby. Militia HQ was set up in the tavern Admiral Benbow (large white building nearly center). The Police Building is seen at the top edge of the table, directly above the Benbow. The Fascists are coming from that direction...

Acting Captain (elected by the militia) Smythe is seen flanked by the Militia's Battleflag. He has positioned his heaviest weapon, a Vickers HMG behind the barricade, sighted down the main street through town...

The BUF forces are lead by a Rolls Royce Armored Car (bottom). The Police Building is to the left...

The Rolls Royce opens fire with its own HMG, and takes down one of the Militia's HMG crew. Notice the Buff troops in background...

In the Rail Yards, a Militia squad (l) resists the advancing enemy (r)...

The Fascists (who turn out to be British Auxiliaries) eyeballing the Militia and the station-house which appears to house some more enemies (The will turn out to be members of the Home Guard)...

The Militia spring their ambush, as rifle shots strike down the BUF, and molotov cocktails hit the AC...

As the BUF attempt to outflank the Militia, they are brought under fire and have become 'Jumpy' a drop in morale...

The Militia squad, led by 'ole 'major' Lyemouth, charge the battered auxiliaries and destroy them...

These BUF have become suppressed (yellow cap)...

But for the BUF, it gets worse. a Second molotov finishes off the AC, while more BUF are shot down in the street. The inexperience of their commander shows, as he continues to march his men straight down the street into intense fire...

Finally, the BUF can take no more, and they retreat from Whitby! The ill-trained Militia have held their village...

But the fight is not over and there isn't much time to celebrate, as BUF forces are reorganized and reinforced for a second effort...

On their left flank, are more militia, Police and a unit of Regular Army...

The Defenders at the barricade and in the Church yard. Unfortunately for the defenders, they will pull a random event on the first turn which will restrict the unit with a lack of ammo. They therefore will only fire when fire upon! (As it turns out, they will never shoot in this game!)...

At the barricade, the militia have their HMG (l) one squad, (c) and Captain Smythe himself (r) awaiting the countterattack...

Finally, on the militia's right flank is one squad at the hedge, with a half-squad still in the Station House...

Unfortunately there are no more photos, but the game turned into a very exciting struggle. The BUF forces turned out to be to strong (and it didn't help that 1/3 of the defenders couldn't be utilized) and would succeed in taking Whitby this time around. There was a great finish at the end with Captain Smythe, the Flag bearer, and the HMG with one surviving gunner, and two more militiamen. Just as the Captain asked his gunner to remain and give them cover fire for the others, BUF troops stormed into the Benbow Inn and up the stairs. Smythe was able to gun one of the attackers down as he, the flag bearer and two militiamen escaped down the stairs and into the lower courtyard. The BUF then fired at the retreating militiamen, taking down the bearer of the Militia flag. Smythe bravely recovered the flag and was able to escape! The rear guard HMG gunner stayed at his post till the end. He was eventually attacked in his upstairs room by three enemy troopers. He survived two turns, taking down one until he was finally overwhelmed on the third turn! A game Legend is born!

A Very British Civil War VBCW

 Something a little different. A couple of years ago, I discovered something called the VBCW. Purchased a few figures and many of the booklets that covered this hypothetical campaign. But it didn't go anywhere.  Until now. More will follow but, but here is a small preview. A British Vickers Independent Tank (only one actually manufactured) and some British Home Guard figs...

A squad of Lowland Scots with their Platoon Command behind and a  Rolls Royce Armored Car...

Some Highlander regulars...

One of the intriguing possibilities of this campaign, is the almost unlimited opportunities to bring out those funky vehicles and tanks that abounded between the two Wars. Added to that is the varied units that make up the VBCW. It promises to be a great deal of fun, so we'll see...

Invasion of Malaya, Dec 10, 1941: The Battle of Changlun

 Going to use the Chain of Command rules and their mini-campaign "A Driving Charge: Breaking the Jitra Line, 1941", covering the early days and struggles near Jitra located in northern Malaya.

It is December 10, 1941, remembering the this is west of the International Dateline, so the Pearl Harbor attack took place on Dec 8. Looking south over the Rubber Plantation at the bottom hiding advanced elements of the the Japanese 5th Division's Reconnaisance Regiment commanded by Colonel Saeki. At the top of the photo, are the British/Indian positions (1/14 Punjab under Lt. Colonel Fitzpatrick) behind a flooded river, just south of the village of Changlun. The entire area south (bottom) of the river is jungle (although we've kept it fairly light so as to permit gaming). Engineers are already preparing the bridge for demolition as the game begins. You can just make out advanced Japanese troops in the rice paddy upper right...

The Punjabi have constructed some slit trenches facing the river at the bridge for one squad (upper left), while a second squad (lower left) has taken some fire from advancing Japanese across the river (out of view to left, but mentioned previously)...

The Japanese previously mentioned...

A second Japanese squad emerges from the Rubber trees and rushes across the cleared ground towards the bridge (hidden behind the small patch of jungle at top) They take the first loss from the Punjabi fire...

The Punjabi take the Japanese HMG under fire...successfully...

To the nw of the bridge, fire is exchanged between the Japanese and Punjabi with casualties on both sides. A Japanese mortar barrage is falling on the Punjabi near the bridge (note cotton ball)...

Indian casualties are beginning to mount...

The Japanese make their first assault on the bridge and inflict some casualties but are driven back 9hidden in jungle patch at bottom)...

The Punjabi mortar causes some loss among the Japanese HMG located at the edge of the Rubber trees...

But the squad of Punjabi to the west of the bridge are being chopped up!...

The Engineers had now completed their preparations (but according to the rules, the British commander now had to roll x5 5s on the Command dice! That was going to be very difficult as the Japanese had already stormed the Punjabi position at the bridge. They were driven back, and took further losses from cover fire...

View of the Japanese following their second retreat...

The Punjabi troops to the west of the bridge were now broken and forced to retreat...

With the Japanese preparing to attack again, and casualties mounting, the British commander had to order his men to retire before they were overrun! The bridge will not be destroyed! So close...

the campaign continues...