VBCW: Herefordshire Game- Battle of the River Wye

Yesterday I joined by VBCW cronies in Herefordshire for yet another big game. We used Mort's 'Went the day Well?' rules. The game followed on directly from the previous Herefordshire games. The anti-royal coalition of Socialists and Anglican League faired badly in the last game and were on the back foot, desperately trying to hold back the BUF/Royalist forces who have been crushing all resistance under their jackboots. 

We played on three battlefields- each representing a holding action on behalf of the Socailist/Anglicans. My Canal Workers force, supported by some Anglican Land forces (a hodge-podge of local policemen, post office employees and yokels) went toe to toe with three whole platoons of dastardly BUF blackguards, supported by their own armoured boats, cavalry, two tanks and an armoured truck!

The BUF navy and my socialists were equally surprised to be facing off against each other as neither had anticipated that the would have to fight other boats- Both sides had developed a doctrine that involved firing at the river banks, and so had their guns arranged in broadsides, and so had only limited fire-power to bring to bear on each other until they drew along side each other. This was quite a design fault.   

The Wirral Socialist Canals Workers Battalion platoon ready for action!

The BUF Boats- The machine-gun laden The Goliath and the landing craft- neither particularity suited for a boat to boat action!

 In addition to the two BUF armoured boats the BUF moved two full platoons of troops, supported by a tank and cavalry, down one bank, while Royalist right-wing militias, including the Cheltenham Ladies Collage, moved up the opposite bank, suppored by a BUF armored truck, another BUF tank and the BUF boats.  My militia remained in their boats for most of the battle- refusing the flank for the bulk of the BUF force and protecting the AL platoon from being outflanked. By coving the BUF side of the river bank, and bridge, with my machine guns I deterred the BUF from crossing the bridge to out flank the AL platoon.  It was a sound plan- all the Anglicans had to do was defeat the right wing militias- no problem. 

Right wing militias support the BUF boats by moving up the river bank to clear out the remnants of the Anglican League's rear guard. 

 I opened up with a volley from my Dragon boat- six war heads streaked out towards one of the BUF tanks- to everyone's amazement four of the rockets struck the tank- reducing it to molten slag in seconds! First blood to me! This severely hampered the BUF attack on my boats because apart from their HMG's they had little that could effect out boats. 

The BUF tanks scrapped almost as soon as the game started!

BUF cavalry advancing up one flank- until forced back into cover by my machine guns

The Goliath- A BUF armoured boat- Sporting three Vickers K guns, a light mortar and no less than seven lewis guns!- A floating hell for the enemy!

Anglican League tank faces off against a BUF tank

The BUF and AL tanks clashed on the road- and the BUF managed to destroy the AL tanks- a blow or my AL allies. With the armour neutralise the right wing militias advanced as rapidly as they could towards the AL positions and what followed was a brutal and bloody close quarters battle- The Goliath's machine and the BUF tank supported the militias attacks on the Anglicans. 

Anglican League police take cover in the bushes- ready to repel the ladies of the Cheltenham Collage- Unfortunately their tightly packed position was hit by an artillery shell and they suffered heavy casualties.

 The BUF landing graft- a marvel of modern engineering, dropped it's gang-planks and the BUF section deploy to support the right wing militias attacking the Anglican position!

Ready to deploy...

...deploying...

...deployed!

BUF tank supporting attack on the Anglican League position

 The Jenny Marx drew level with The Goliath, and both sides raked each other with ineffective machine gun fire, before The Jenny Marx sailed past. It was something of an anti-climax, but then again neither boats were designed to battle another armoured boat, as their primary role was to suppress infantry on the banks, so the lack of casualties was hardly surprising. 

 The crew of The Jenny Marx were very impressed with the BUF landing vessel- which they had spotted (almost) abandoned by the side of the river. The Petty Officer ordered the pilot of The Jenny Marx to draw along side while the men preprepared to board it. Just then disaster struck (well a mortar shell struck- to be strictly accurate) sinking the Jenny Rose with the loss of nine sailors! the survivors tried to scramble aboard the BUF landing vessel but were machine-gunned in the water by the caddish crew of The Goliath. 

Abandon ship! The Jenny Rose is sunk!

The loss of The Jenny Marx was a blow, but the dismal performance of my Anglican League allies against the right wing militias meant that the game was effectively over. The BUF had all but cleared the road- and while the river was clearly still mine there was little I could do but withdraw. The sailors from The Jenny Marx mad no choice but to surrender to the BUF as they were surrounded. 
The Right Wing militias, who had done the bulk of the work fighting the Anglicans, were severely battered and would have to withdraw, but the BUF could now cross the River Wye at the bridge and press their attack against the retreating Anglicans- while all I could do was to take the odd post shot at them from the river.