Bolt Action Campaign Market Garden; Hells Highway. Cutting The Road

Scenario 21: Holding The Road

     Intro: The campaign continues with the next scenario in the sequence, surprisingly enough, nmely Holding The Road. This scenario sees the Germans reacting to the XXX Corps thrust towards Nijmegen, Eindhoven and, ultimately, Arnhem by attempting to sever the narrow corridor the Allies have created. The German high command are throwing in kampfgruppen of various strength and ability to cut the corridor and to deny both the airborne divisions and Guards Armoured Division their much needed supplies. In response the overstretched units of XXX Corps, the 82nd and 101st Airborne are forced to act as a fire brigades rushing to deal with each threat as it emerges. They must fight off the Germans and hold the road open.
     Often the first to be aware of the arrival of the attacking kampfgruppen were the Line of Communication troops; the Royal Army Service Corps drivers, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Pioneer Labour Corps soldiers, the Royal Artillery logistics train, etc. For many of them, being caught in an attack was an unnerving experience, something they weren't trained for.However, as the circumstances dictated, they were often called upon to fight too.

     The Forces: The scenario brief states that "any combination of German or Allied forces from any relevant force selector options can be deployed for this game, but the Germans have a considerable advantage in strength given the nature of their objectives; a 3:2 ratio in points values so I had 1200 points whilst Richie had 1500 points.
     The Allies: I went for a mixed force; one third of my units would start the game on the table, in and around the centre. The remaining two thirds would be in reserve and wouldn't be able to deploy till turn 3(which meant the Germans would be just where I want them.....right?) So my force was split with two 9 man sections of Line Of Communication troops, a platoon commander,2nd Lt Martin Blenkinsop, plus runner, a Forward Artillery Observer plus radio operator and a veteran medic. These would set up in the terrain in the centre of the table and, hopefully, just maybe, hold off the Boche long enough for the cavalry to come to the rescue. The cavalry, in the case, were a platoon from the 101st Airborne led by 2Lt Charles "Chuck" Morris with three squads; two armed with rifles, SMGs and a BAR whilst the third, six men strong, had two LMGs and a BAR plus I had a jeep with a HMG (which, to my undying shame, I had to proxy with a US infantry jeep with an MMG on it....oh the shame, oh the ignominy. Why, if my horse hair shirt wasn't at the vets getting cleaned you can bet I would be wearing it in repentance. For the moment I'll make do with sack cloth and ashes, the big fashionista that I am) In support and, indeed, carrying one of the squads on it's engine decks was a British Sherman V from the Isle Of Sheppey Border Horse.
     The Germans, the fiends, had an SS Aufklarungs platoon (these are historically themed units available in the Campaign and are one of the reasons I love the new campaign books...anyway, before I get too carried away..) which consists of squads made up of 5 men each who are/can be armed to the teeth and mounted in 250/1 half tracks. These can be accompanied by 0-2 Sd.Kfz 222, Sd.Kfz 231 and 0-2 250/7 half track mortar carriers, Panzer III H,J, L, M or N, Panzer IV G, H or J or 0-1 Tiger I. As Richie had just finished building and painting his new Jagdpanzer IV we agreed he could take that in place of a Panzer IV. So, what the wily Krauts had was seven squads under a 1st Lt with one squad in an Opel Blitz (another transport option open to the Germans), a Jagdpanzer IV and a Tiger I....a bloody Tiger I....which looked awesome.

     Scenario Specific Rules and Victory Conditions: Victory conditions: The Germans must install a road block not just cut the road. To represent that they must have at least three unpinned units within 12" of the centre of the table at the end of the game all of which must have clear line of sight to the road, the Allies must prevent this.
Deployment; The Germans deploy from either long table edge but not closer than 12" to each board edge. They could deploy their whole force in turn 1 and any German forces left in reserve did not need to test to enter the table. The Allied reserves cannot deploy till turn 3 and must test as normal for deployment. They can deploy from either short table edge.
     If the Germans have not achieved their objective at the end of turn 6, roll a dice, on a 1-3 continue to turn 8 otherwise they have shot their bolt and withdrawn......yeah right :D

Suggested terrain layout from the campaign book

     Across the road from the ruined houses the olive green truck burned fiercely. The canvas canopy on it's back had been consumed by the flames and the wooden crates of ammunition the truck had been carrying were now also being consumed by the voracious flames. the ammunition, bullets and grenades for the main part, was now detonating; the bullets whizzing off in all directions whilst the grenades exploded, adding to the carnage. Above the blazing vehicle a dense cloud of smoke was rising into the overcast sky .
     Crouching in the ruined buildings by the road, 2Lt Martin Blenkinsop, RASC, gripped his SMG and attempted to see through the smoke and beyond the burning vehicle. In the treeline, through gaps in the smoke, he could see the low, ugly, squat shape of the tank that had fired at the truck carrying him and his passengers; mostly drivers, mechanics and cooks, a medic and an artillery officer with his radio operator who had hitched a lift, as well as the ammunition to the Guards Brigade only 5 miles up ahead. An alert sentry (Blenkinsop had posted him in the cab's roof hatch) had spotted the tank just before it opened fire. Fortunately that first round had missed and, despite the driver swerving into a shallow ditch, Blenkinsop and the rest of men, had managed to scramble to safety in the ruins before the next tank shell hit the truck. They were safe for the moment but now what.
     A cough behind him drew his attention; it was the artillery officer "Lieutenant?..." he said. "Blenkinsop, Second Lieutenant Martin Blenkisop, Royal Army Service Corps, sir" replied Blenkinsop. "Captain Brown, 12 Heavy Regiment, RA; pleased to make your acquaintance" replied the artilleryman, a short, stocky, dapper looking figure in a neatly pressed uniform wearing glasses and carrying a swagger cane. "Lieutenant Blenkinsop, we appear to be in somewhat of a pickle. Have you noticed the Boche infantry with that tank? There aren't many of them but they appear to be heading our way, no doubt intent on mischief; how many men have you? Blenkinsop paused and considered "Twenty, sir, including myself; twenty one if we count that lance corporal from the RAMC" he said. Captain Brown turned and looked at the lone Royal Army Medical Corps NCO. "We shall have to discount him for the moment; he isn't armed." said Captain Brown "I want you to split the men down into two groups, each under an NCO. Send one half through to the other side of this ruin with me and keep the other here with you. My radio operator has managed to contact my regiment and we should get some artillery support providing they aren't too busy elsewhere" he grinned sardonically at his comment. "We are going to have to hang on and hope someone will come rescue us, Lieutenant Blenkinsop. Our chaps and the Americans are scattered all along this route so hopefully we won't have to wait long; my regimental HQ has made brigade aware of our situation; lets hope we can fend of the Jerry till they come, eh?"     
     Some of the artilleryman's confidence rubbed off on 2Lt Blenkinsop however a nagging doubt lingered. "Sir, my men are only armed with rifles; we can't do much against a panzer with them". Captain Brown smiled at this "We have the might of the heavy guns of the Royal Artillery to assist us, Martin. I have every confidence they will show you why they are nicknamed the Long Range Snipers; we just need to keep the Boche infantry amused; now you crack on and quickly; can't keep the Boche waiting" and he turned away and made his way over the rubble through a hole in the wall to where his radio operator crouched by his radio set.               
     Blenkinsop felt a bit better knowing that their plight was known. Calling in the two NCOs from the group of soldiers, his raised hopes flagged once more; they were both older men in their 50s and both, he noted were from the Pioneer Labour Corps and both wore the 1914-18 Star ribbon on their battledress and one, the shorter oif the two, a stocky, fierce looking little man, even had an MM ribbon too! However they held their rifles like they knew what to do with them and didn't appear too flustered by the current situation. Blenkinsop adopted a confident air and addressed the one with the Military Medal ribbon "What's your name, corporal?" "Corporal Johnstone, sur!" he replied in an Irish brogue. "Jolly good, Corporal Johnstone, I want you to take eight of the men through to Captain Brown and defend that part of the building and you, corporal?" "Corporal Haddock, sur!" This reply also in an Irish brogue "Corporal Haddock, jolly good; you will remain here with me and these chaps here; please distribute them as efficiently as possible, will you? "Right you are, sir" replied the older man and he started shouting directions at the eight men left behind. Blenkinsop couldn't help admiring their professionalism; these chaps certainly knew their stuff; already the troops n the ruin were returning fire under the NCOs direction. He could hear Cpl Haddock's profanity peppered target indications "Fer fecks sake, lad, I said shoot him, not scare him; try again and don't fecking miss this time or you'll have me to answer too; that''s it!! Now don't gawp. reload yer fecking rifle and keep firing!! Jesus, Mary and Joseph!!"

Captain Brown considers his charges plight. The British
Line Of Communication troops, the FOO and the Medic
set up in the ruins

The British await the German assault

     The Jagdpanzer growled slowly forward, tracks rattling and squeaking, eager for more prey. Either side of it the SS Panzergrenadiers advanced, firing occasionally at the British soldiers hiding in the ruins beyond the burning truck. Peering over the top of his hatch, the Jagdpanzer commander, SS Oberscharfuhrer Minge, kept a wary eye open for enemy armour. There had been plenty of reports of the Tommy Cookers in the area and though he wasn't unduly worried by these Sherman, he knew that some of them had been fitted with a more deadly, more potent anti tank gun and, not having a turret, his assault gun had to rely on seeing and firing on the enemy first, no matter what they were armed with.

     For the moment though, the panzergrenadiers were the ones doing the shooting. Their commander, Leutnant Steinker kept in the lee of the Jagdpanzer. His men, what few he had, were advancing alongside the assault gun on this side of the road and, beyond the ruin, two more squads accompanying a Tiger were advancing on the British. Already Scharfuhrer Bittman's squad had reached barn across the road from where the British were hiding and, soon, another squad would be roaring up that road in a truck to take the British in the flank; encircling the Tommies and crushing them in a vice.

      Once they took the ruin, the plan was to hold it till dark and to carry out mining of the road and verges then withdraw but for now, he had to focus on clearing the ruin first; shouldn't be too difficult with my men, he mused.

The Germans deployed on both sides of the table, quickly making
their way towards the poor British hiding in the ruins

The 5 man SS Aufklarungs squads are pretty tasty, totting
plenty of fire power. Richie deployed a team towards each
corner to act as speed bumps for my US Airborne

He also deployed a tank either side of the table. In this case a
bloody huge and menacing Tiger 1 which is very nicely painted

     As they crouched in the ruins, the British troops stared goggle eyed. The loud voice of Cpl Haddock bawled out "Right lads, don't be frightened, it's only a fecking tank!" A Scots voice from the remaining troops came back at him "Aye but it's a fucking Tiger tank, Corp! We've only got rifles!!" Haddock's reply came back like a shot "Well shoot the fecking infantry, you Scots git; all of you, open FIRE!!" Beyond the garden wall in the woods they had watched as the huge, menacing bulk of a Tiger tank appeared. Either side of it camouflage clad Panzer grenadiers advanced towards them. Abruptly the Tiger stopped and it's gun roared; the 88mm round smashing through the ruined walls, sending a cloud of dust into the air which coated the soldiers inside, blinding them momentarily. Then it's machine gun opened up and one of the drivers fell back screaming, his right arm hanging limply by his side, blood oozing  from a gash in his upper arm. Lance Corporal Yorky Dwyer, the RAMC medic, crawled over the rubble to the wounded man. "Alright lad, lets have a look at yer" he said, grasping the wounded man and dragging him into the cover of the rubble. Behind him desultory shooting came once more from the British troops which brought a hail of German fire in response. Dwyer, a veteran of North Africa and Normandy harboured no illusions; this was going to end badly. Having finished bandaging the soldiers wound, he pinned the man's sleeve to the front with a safety pin and stuck a cigarette in the soldiers mouth and lit it. "Relax, lad; won't be long now till John Wayne and the bloody cavalry turn up".... 

As the German truck with a squad mounted in it attempts
to rush the position, it's all that the poor drivers and cooks
can do to put a pin on it

...meanwhile the Tiger makes it's menacing presence felt...

...much to the consternation of the British..

...and still the Panzergrenadiers close in on both sides

The noose tightens. SS Panzergrenadiers close up behind the barn
across the road from the tiny British force.

...and the German reserves rush in to administer the coup de grace

...and things begin to look desperate indeed for the British fighting
 from the ruins

     Sgt Bruce Banner of Able Company. 502nd Battalion urged his men forward. Since word of the German attack had reached them, he and his two squads had jogged the mile or so from their company position, sweat pouring down the faces and backs of the tough paratroopers as they were weighed down with as much ammunition as they could lay their hands before they moved to get into position to attack the Krauts. As they neared the scene of the battle, he had slowed his men down to allow them to regain their breathe. The men had been on their feet and on the go for 48 hours with very little rest since landing in Holland. 
     Halting them he had gone forward to assess the situation. There were British holed up in a nearby ruin, fighting it out with the Germans. The Tiger tank and troops bearing down on the ruin weren't his immediate concern; there were two groups of Krauts nearby, either side of the road, he had to deal with them first. He detailed off PFC Kaminsky with two .30 cals to keep one of the groups busy and led the other squad behind a nearby ruin to outflank the second group. "Okay Let's go, men; let them have it" As the paratroopers advanced they fired at the group of Germans in a small copse of trees. One of the Germans fell to the ground as their MG42 sprang into life in reply....

Sgt Banner directs his men towards the enemy

PFC Kaminsky and his squad start engaging the enemy

...who are quick to respond...

     Hanging onto the back of the British Sherman as it rumbled towards the Germans, the paras of the 101st tensed themselves as the prepared to dismount. 2Lt Charles "Chuck" Morris bawled at them over the noise of the tanks engine roaring away inches beneath their feet "Corporal Paton, as soon as we dismount, take your men straight at the nearest enemy; there's some in that copse of trees. Mallarkey, Armstrong; you stay near me till we can get a clear sight of the tank destroyer!" This last was directed at two men carrying a bazooka and a rocket case. The one carrying the bazooka gave the Lieutenant a thumbs up. "Stand by!!"  Morris shouted as they passed the last of the belt of trees that had screened their advance. The Sherman slowed to a crawl and the paratroopers dismounted rapidly. As they did the Sherman's gun barked out... 

     "Achtung, panzer right! Traverse right!!" screamed Oberscharfurher Minge into his intercom. The Sherman's round had passed close over head and he knew he couldn't allow it a second chance. Even as the Jagdpanzer turned slowly, so slowly it appeared to Minge's mind, he could hear the crew carrying out their reload drills and at last, heard the gunner shout "On!". "Fire!" Minge shouted. The tank destroyer rocked back on it's tracks as the gun roared. Minge saw the round ricochet off the Sherman "Reload!!" he screamed...

Oberscharfuhrer Minge's tank destroyer trades shots with the
Sherman from the Isle Of Sheppey Border Horse as both miss
with their initial shot.

     Cpl Johnstone of the Pioneer Labour Corps watched the truck screaming up the road. "Wait for it lads; wait for it..." The truck careened forwards. That driver's after an Iron Cross thought Johnstone; I wonder if they award them posthumously as that's how he'll get his' He roared at the top of his voice "Fire" and a fusillade of shots rang out, riddling the truck, but still it came on, screeching to a halt near the British troops. Glancing behind him at the approaching Tiger, Johnstone shouted again "Right lads, off we go; let's give them bastards in the truck one more volley then we run" The troops needed no second bidding, leaping forward and letting loose another, more ragged volley at the truck then they started running down the road as the Tigers machine guns opened up on them. Most of them fell but Johnstone tripped and fell head long into the ditch by the road and lay there panting...

     Captain Brown watched in horror and dismay as the tank's machine guns cut down the soldiers by the truck. Bastards, he thought, German bastards! He gritted his teeth and drew his pistol. "Okay, Bombardier Moreland, smash the radio; we're infantry from here on in" He felt bitterly angry; due to the pressure from the Germans all along the corridor, his regiment had only been able to fire a short, fairly ineffectual barrage before being tasked elsewhere. He checked his revolver and indicated to the bombardier to follow him. The bombardier, armed with an SMG, nodded to his captain and followed, the SMG held at the ready. The two men crawled towards the gaping doorway in the ruin, keeping low to avoid detection by the Tiger's crew. Reaching the doorway they peered out. Outside a squad of SS Panzergrenadiers were heading for the doorway to the house next door. Angry and embittered, Captain Brown calmly stepped out of the ruined building, levelled his revolver and opened fire at point blank range, the bombardier joining him. Two of the Germans fell but the three others swung their weapons round and returned fire. Brown felt a stab of pain high in his shoulder and spun around before falling onto the prostrate body of Bombardier Moreland....

Captain Brown and Bombardier Moreland attempt to gain
 some revenge for their fallen comrades

     Obersturmfurher Wentzel ordered his driver to turn the Tiger onto the road. With the British in the ruins crushed he now turned his attention to the Sherman. The gunner reported "On!" the instant the Sherman was in his crosshairs. "Fire" ordered Wentzel. The 88mm gun barked out it's shot and the Sherman blew apart! Smoke and flame billowing form it's shattered hull. 

     Firing another burst at the Germans in the copse, 2Lt Morris screamed at the squad forward of him. "2nd squad, start pulling back; we'll cover you!" As Cpl Paton acknowledged his order, Morris opened fire on the nearest German position with his Garand rifle, his radio operator adding to the firepower with short bursts from his Thompson....  

The remaining Panzer Grenadiers move into the ruins;as the
Tiger turns it's attention to the Sherman, cutting off the road
in the process 

The Sherman destroyed, the US paras start to withdraw

     And with the destruction of the Sherman the Allies had shot their bolt. That was as uphill a struggle as I have ever had. Right from the off the Allies were on the back foot. With two sections of Inexperienced Line Of Communication troops armed with only rifles, even led by my old Basic Training NCOs,  I was hoping against hope that my FOO could pull off a shock with his artillery barrage. Alas, it was not to be, surprise, surprise.

     As ever we forgot to use the Tiger Fear rule and I'm kind of glad in a way as it was already proving hard to get any effect on the advancing German troops; having to take a leadership test every time would probably have resulted in my troops spending the game on a Down order. As it was by turn 3, when, thankfully, almost all my paras and the Sherman turned up, the British troops goose was all but cooked. Still, never say never, eh?

     

     The Germans under Richie's command, were incredibly effective. Those small veteran Aufklarungs squads are certainly difficult opponents to deal with, especially when you only have rifles!! They had a very good, very simple plan; two speed bumps in cover either end of the table whilst the remaining squads and the tanks advanced on the road. Once the Tiger got onto the road it was goodnight Vienna and a well earned victory for Richie and his SS Panzer Grenadiers. It was great to see both his Jagdpanzer and Tiger on the table, very nice kits very nicely painted and Richie's Tiger will be getting yet another kill ring on it's barrel.

     Looking back, it's difficult to say if I would have done anything differently. With my Sherman and Paras not coming on till the third turn I had no time for subtlety (not, dear reader, that you should be fooled by that statement into thinking that I would ever employ subtle tactics in a game of Bolt Action or any other for that matter :D ) so it was more down to deployment. I guess I could have brought all my units onto one edge but that would have left the Germans at the far end with time and space to move into the centre and reinforce the troops already there.

     If we were to play this again, I think the only change I would propose would be for the Allied reinforcements to be able to arrive on turn two but with, perhaps, a -2 to their leadership roll. But who knows, with Fortress Budapest due for release, we're collecting the materials for making a winter battlefield or two so it will be some considerable time before we revisit this scenario.

So, all that remains to be said is thanks as ever to Richie for hosting the game, for being such a good opponent and thanks to you for stopping by and reading what I have written. I appreciate it.

pip pip,

Jimbob

The Irregular Update

      Well it's been a while since I have written a general hobby update as opposed to the more specific ones that I had written of late; end of last year to be accurate, and in that time I have managed to do a fair bit and that needs blogging. 

Painting the Web Red, Calling Mulder and Scully and Building Up My Dashed Hopes

     Obviously there's stuff that I have blogged about already such as the Sharp Practice event in Bristol, games of Bolt Action and In Her Majesty's Name but I have also been beavering away at the painting desk in the McCubbyhole (I say that like there is more than one desk in the McCubbyhole; there is, of course, only one...apart from the front desk where the receptionist sits...and of course the news desk where the blog posts are written up for my army of eager readers....but I digress...) on stuff other than my Redcoats that I had painted up for A Most Despicable Place.

    I should like to add that one of those Redcoats ended up as the subject of a "how to" tutorial on the Paint All The Minis website after Travis Hiett of Tabletop CP fame suggested to Dan Adams, main man at Paint All The Minis, that some of my efforts might be worthwhile adding to the site. 

     Paint All The Minis site isn't like Cool Mini Or What; it's not about the very best painters in the hobby, it's more about the everyman painter, you and me (unless your name is Sasha Herm, Kev Dallimore or Dave Imrie to name but a few of those chaps who's painting causes your jaw to regularly drop open in wonder...but I am digressing yet again). But even at that I was flattered to be asked to contribute and plan on adding more, hopefully, useful tutorials. I heartily recommend checking it out for all the other content in there as it's a really good source of advice and inspiration. The Paint All The Minis podcast is very good too.

      Now as you may be aware my gaming chum, Richie and I are battling through the Bolt Action Campaign Market Garden supplement and we are currently fighting the battles along Hells Highway at the moment. The next scenario we were due to play, after the attempt to break out from the Neerpelt Bridgehead (see my batrep elsewhere on the blog) offered the chance of playing a mixed force consisting of British armour, British Line Of Communication troops and US Airborne; not your usual BA force and so to that end, over that last four weeks or so I have been painting up a platoons worth of 101st Airborne amongst all my other projects.

     I used the new-ish Warlord Games plastic figures from their Band of Brothers starter set that Rich had given me an age ago. These had been gathering dust in one of my many bits boxes. I must admit I was not a huge fan of these figures; I don't like their musette bag/web gear combos or the fact that you can't leave the musette bag off and just have the guys wearing their belt gear and web braces as they don't have that detail sculpted on them. Also the heads don't sit quite right on the torsos either; the socket for them is too deep for their necks, if you catch my drift, and I had to do some filling with green stuff to get the heads sitting right.

     But that being said I am actually pleased with them. 

     I had an X Files moment whilst putting the platoon together though. In the Band of Brothers set you get four sprues which equals 24 figures. Realising that I would need more figures....okay, wanted more figures I bought another sprue of them from eBay and awaited it's arrival. 

     Now over the weeks I also ordered a few other bits and bobs online and as these arrived in due course I sort of lost track of what I had ordered and what had arrived and what hadn't.

     As it was getting near to the day of battle I began organising the platoon list and I found myself wondering where that spare sprue had gotten too as I didn't appear to have the amount of figures that I needed

     I couldn't recall whether it had arrived or not and, in checking my figures I found that I had 25 plastic figures so I reasoned that it had arrived and that I had built one figure from it and put it aside whist I was working on another project and had forgotten it. However, despite having a thorough rummage through my bits boxes I couldn't find that spare sprue..flummoxed wasn't the word.

     So imagine my surprise when it was delivered the other day along with some other mail that had been misdirected. I was glad that it had turned up but, and here's where Mulder and Scully would get called in; where did that 25th plastic figure come from? No one I know uses the same figures and I know I haven't bough a spare one so...as the kids say these days....WTF? Spooky eh?

     So, anyway, spooky 25th figure aside, the platoon has been augmented by an MMG and a platoon command group by Black Tree Designs as I only had enough figures from to make three under strength squads once I had put together a bazooka team. No doubt, I will be adding to this ginger haired baby of a project; medium mortar, light howitzer etc because why not; a few support units and it's a complete new force; a new arrow in my quiver, if you will. 

     And speaking of the Market Garden campaign I also put this beast together. Allow me to give you some advice so that you might benefit from my hard earned experience; if you are constructing one of these; read the construction leaflet.....thoroughly. Then read it again.  Damn near broke my heart putting this together. I paid scant attention to the construction leaflet and had to revisit it with a knife and super glue. It is a whopper though and I am looking forward to getting it painted up and on the table.

Gaming

      Asides from playing Sharp Practice, Bolt Action and In Her Majesty's Name; I have also been playing Lion Rampant. My other long suffering gaming chum, Danny, has finally put together a force of medieval Scandinavian types for Lion Rampant so I took all my medieval figures over to Dannigrad for some Lion Rampant action. 

     We managed two games; one at 24 points and the second somewhere around the 38 points level and played two different scenarios; The Messenger and Bloodbath, and excellent fun they were too. They certainly got both of us frothing over more medieval stuff and we are planning to get more games played based on the Baltic Crusades era (hence the Scandinavian types); Teutonic Knights anybody? 

      After these games and whilst the froth was still hot upon me (that doesn't sound quite right but hey ho, back to my frothing) I had another rummage through my bits boxes on my return home and I found that have enough figures for a few more Lion Rampant sized units so some even bugger games beckon. Who knows, with a bit more effort in the unit constructing and painting department we could actually be playing medieval Hail Caesar soon....one of our wargaming Holy Grails!! Gasp!

     In the meantime, here are some photos from our games.

     Lastly, for this post at least, we; Danny, Richie and I, all have, to a greater or lesser degree, succumbed to Fortress Budapest fever. This is the new Bolt Action campaign book that is due to drop next month and we're all excited about having a dedicated Germans v Russians campaign book to work our way through. And as it was fought over the winter of 1944-45 that means winter themed forces and winter terrain!! 

     Having been wowed by Pat Smith's winter terrain guide, Setting The Scene, after seeing Richie's copy, I had bought my own copy a good while back but not with any real intent to start on winter terrain as we were busy playing games that didn't require it. However, a combination of the imminent release of the Fortress Budapest book and a renewed interest in playing some of the scenarios from the Battle Of The Bulge campaign book as well as Stalingrad etc on the Eastern Front, having winter terrain suddenly became a very desirable thing for the three of us.

     (Hang in there folks, we're nearly there ) To that end I have dug out a few spare terrain pieces that I plan to winter-ize for our collective gaming. Danny and Richie, having actual gaming spaces worth talking about at the bottom of their respective gardens, are purchasing winter gaming mats, trees etc so I plan to contribute by chipping in some buildings and ruins; these ones in fact

Hornby battlefield terrain piece

Ruined Russian houses by Hovels Ltd

GW gothic looking church ruin

Resin farmstead from whom I know not...

     These will get the winter treatment over the next few weeks and I'll blog the results along with an update as to how far we are along the road to getting not one but two winter tables worth of terrian together.

     As for the forces for the Fortress Budapest campaign. I intend on playing my Germans and have bought various winter figures as well as armour kits for this era and, likewise, I will blog about these in the very near future.

     For the moment though, it's 6am and I'm just about finished my night cap courtesy of those master distillers at the Laphroaig (I have suffered from a head cold over this weekend and it's thrown my body clock out something chronic; thank goodness it's my weekend off )...not that they sent me it or poured it for me, just that they distilled it and for that I am truly grateful. So on that happy if slightly confusing note I'll say pip pip for the mo'...

pip pip

The General 

In Her Majesty's Name batrep.The Case of the Dancer And The Bishop

The Grey Section Files  

The British Secret Service Records as recalled
 by Watchmaster Mr William T McGonagall

Grey Section of the Secret Service Bureau. L to R, Barney

Stockdale, Neville St Claire, Josiah Amberley, Watch

Commander William Topaz McGonagall, Jabez Wilson,

Hilton Cibbit and Dennis "Dandy" Nichols

File no. 27A; The Abduction Of Miss Ava Goodbody

     T'was in the spring of '95

When last we saw Miss Goodbody alive,

Our promise to protect her we couldnae keep,

For the Pontiff's agents, with intentions deep,

Upon us, in stealth, did creep.

And catching us all unawares

Forcibly removed Miss Goodbody from our care!!

                                   William T. McGonagall

     In the early in April of 1895 when I was called into the Chief's office down in Battersea for a briefing. The Chief at the time was the redoubtable young Edinburgh lassie, Miss Emma Austen, whom I held in the highest esteem. As I was shown into her large office, she was sat behind a great, oaken desk piled high with papers, a tea set of unusually delicate blue china, a tray of sandwiches and a macrame set. Both the windows in the office were thrown wide open and there was a strong smell of gun oil in the air. The chief looked up "I'll be with you in a moment, Mr McGonagall. Please take a seat and help yourself to tea and a sandwich" I nodded my thanks, drew up a chair and helped myself to a cucumber sandwich and a cup of Earl Grey.

     Behind the desk, Miss Austen was busy cleaning a revolver. I whistled in admiration "My but thon's a grand looking pistol you have there, Miss Austen; would that be one of Mr Webley's remarkable service revolvers?" The Chief, as I shall refer to Miss Austen smiled. "Well spotted, Mr McGonagall; it is indeed one of the same. I recently had a run in with a group of scoundrels whilst I was carrying out some Government business, who, it transpired, were hell bent on doing me and my colleagues some mischief. We saw them off after an exchange of shots but I was somewhat disappointed with the stopping power of the Colt Derringer I had tucked into my....that I was carrying, I only managed to wound the two fiends I hit. However, hearing wonderful reports from military chums about the new Webley I decided to indulge. I have just been trying it in the staff dining room; after the clerk's and the staff had finished their lunch of course" she said, chuckling. "I must say it certainly lives up to it's reputation. I must confess I wouldn't mind having a brace of them but I fear it will be difficult enough to conceal one in my handbag let alone two" She was frowning now.

     I smiled at her enthusiasm and replied "Man, but I must say I wouldnae have minded having one o' them back in '78 out in Kabul  when I was attached to poor Sir Louis Cavagnari's staff in an, shall we say, advisory capacity. Man, I can still see those savages running into the entrance hall, brandishing their pulwars and Sir Louis standing there in his mess dress, sword in one hand and a glass of brandy in the other; he fair enjoyed a glass of brandy, did Sir Louis,  facing them down, and urging me to get back to Calcutta with the information about the....Fair broke my heart to leave the brave gentleman to the mercies of thon savages but we both new the importance of the information I carried in my head that day...och but I am rambling, Miss Austen; would you care to tell me why you sent for me?"

     The Chief placed the now gleaming revolver into a very prettily macramed handbag and, setting the bag aside, turned to me. "The reason I have called you here, Mr McGonagall, is that I have a job for your section that is a matter of some  urgency; tell me, have you heard of an organisation known as The Cognoscenti?" 

     "The Cognoscenti" I replied, gripping the arms of my chair "The infamous murderers of Mr Babbage!! Those vile servants of the Papacy who fly in the face of progress and are intent on holding back Mankind's advance!!"

      "The very fiends" she replied. I leaned forward in my chair"Whit o' them, ma'am? What are the vile dogs up to now?" The Chief reached into a drawer and drew out a large manila folder, crammed full of papers and tied neatly with a piece of string. "This is what we have at the moment on the 

Cognoscenti's doings here in Great Britain. As you can see they have been busy but then so have we" here she indicated the bulging folder. "One of our agents; Miss Ava Goodbody, in the guise of a theatrical dancer has befriended the Bishop of Fulchester as part of her investigations. Agent Goodbody has telegraphed to say she had gained some vital information but was unable to send it by post. Instead she would deliver it in person" I listened intently, brows knitted. "The Cognoscenti are on her tail and to avoid disclosing our head quarter's location, she is headed for a safe house in Southam. I want you to take your section, meet her there and bring her in, preferably in one piece" here she gave me a knowing look. The Hardingan Affair again, I thought, recalling a recent mission that had gone somewhat awry.

     "Dinnae worry, Chief, I won't let you down twice in a row" I ventured, sitting upright, my pride stung. Her features smoothed as the look disappeared "I'm sure you wont, Mr McGonagall; I shouldn't like to face the Prime Minister again after such a debacle. Here is the address of the safe house, now off you go" So saying she took a sandwich from the plate, bit into and screwed up her face in disgust "Oh dear, I should have cleaned that gun oil from my hands.."

      

     In the departments telegraph office I sent a cable to my section house then departed on my mission. In the lee of the Anglican Church of Southam I met up with my team; this consisted of three of my "Hounds" the dapper Dandy Nichols, the burly Barney Stockdale and the diminutive but deadly Hilton Cubbit. They were joined by two of the more dangerous Hard Contractors the Section employed, Mr Josiah Amberly and Mr Jabez Wilson, both rather mad and somewhat dangerous but extremely effective hence the reason the Bureau employed them. "What's afoot then, Mr Mac?" inquired Dandy. "What's afoot?" says I "Well you might ask. One of our agents is being pursued by none other than those curs, the Cognoscenti. She, Miss Ava Goodbody" at this Jabez giggled. I gave him a stern look" As I was saying, Miss Goodbody should be safely ensconced in a hoose aroun' the corner, number 18 to be precise, awaiting oor arrival. We need to get her oot o' there and back to the department post haste. Dandy, Mr Wilson will accompany you to cover the market square; Hilton, you and Mr Amberly will watch the far end o' the street; Barney, you and I will get Miss Goodbody"  Wilson giggled again at the Lord knows what as we all set of. As we rounded the corner, I was thunderstruck to see several red robed figures on the far side of the market square; the Cognoscenti!! 

     "No time for subtlety noo, lads" I cried. "Barney! Wae me, lad; Dandy, Hilton take Mr Wilson and Amberly and keep those rogues occupied!"    

Miss Ava Goodbody, A fellow member of the British
Secret Service Bureau 

McGonagall and his section set of on their mission

One of the infernal Cognoscenti advances, crossbow in hand

As the fearless members of Grey Section advance to meet
the invidious threat from these agents of the Vatican

      Barney and I dashed down the street towards number 18. Reaching the front door, Barney, a giant of a man, former sergeant major of the Royal Marines turned circus strongman, threw his not inconsiderable bulk at the front door which flew open under the impact. "I'll take the first floor, sah!" he called over his shoulder and dashed up the stairs. As he did a red robed figure sprinted into the hall behind Barney. "No so fast" I cried, stepping on the trailing edge of fiends robe. I had the satisfaction of seeing him half choke himself as his cloak gathered around his neck. He spun around and I swiftly felled him with the butt of my pistol and, as he slumped unconscious against a nearby door it swung open. Stepping over the prone figure I looked inside, calling out "Miss Goodbody, are ye there" but there was no reply. 

     As I stepped back into the hall, I could hear shots ringing out in the streets and the sounds of screams and the neighing of horses. There'll be more questions in Parliament I thought and more blaming of the anarchist element of London's populace. Footsteps sounded, descending the stairs. "I have her, Mr Mac, sir" said Barney, descending swiftly followed by a very good looking young woman "Miss Goodbody, I presume?" I said. She smiled and nodded "William Topaz McGonagall at your service, ma'am" I continued. "We are here tae escort you home; shall we go?". "Certainly" she replied calmly "Are you affairs always carried out attended by so much fuss, Mr McGonagall?" stepping over the unconscious Cognoscenti agent. "No ma'am, but you seem to have several, shall we say, ardent admirers, seeking an audience. Best we get awa' fae here as quick as possible. We hae a carriage behind thon church" So saying I stepped out of the front door only to discover our foes were closing in on us. 
   

Barney introduces himself to Miss Goodbody

McGonagall lays one of the Cognoscenti out cold

Out in the market square the numbers of the Cognoscenti swell

Dandy Nicholls single-handedly holds back four of the devils

Out in the street, the situation appears desperate for Grey Section

....very desperate

     "Barney lad, tak' Miss Goodbody and make a run for it; Hilton and I will haud them back" I cried, pushing the burly ex-marine and Miss Goodbody towards the church yard. As two red robed fiends charged towards us I stepped in front of them, levelled my pistol and fired. Damn but did I not hit one of them but, staggering momentarily the dog came on with his side kick and before I could discharge my pistol a second time, they were upon me. A few blows were exchanged before before I was struck on the temple and all went black...

Mr McGonagall attempts to slow down the pursuit

As Barney and Miss Goodbody rush towards the
church and Hilton Cubbit gets between them and
the agents of the Cognoscenti

     The next thing I can recall was someone waving a bottle of smelling salts beneath my nostrils and a voice saying "Ah, he's coming round" I opened my eyes to find myself being propped up by Barney as Dandy Nicholls waved the bottle of smelling salts under my nose. Behind him stood the rest of the section. I pushed away Dandy's hand none to gently "Whaur's Miss Goodbody?" I asked. The men exchanged nervous looks. "They have fled with her, Mr Mac , sir" said Dandy. I struggled to my feet and gently touched the lump on my head, wincing in pain as I did. "Hoo long hiv' ah been out, lads? And why are ye all still herE? Why are you not pursuing those dogs?". Replacing the stopper in his bottle of smelling salts and putting the bottle back in the medical case that he always carried with him, the former Army doctor, Dandy said suavely "You've only been unconscious for a few moments" As he said this he took a small vial from a pocket in his case "Take this, Mr Mac;m doctor's orders" he continued seeing the look of concern on my face "And on the house...well, the Bureau; down in one! " he added. I opened the vial and swallowed the nasty tasting concoction it contained. Almost instantaneously I felt my body glow with renewed vigour "By jingo! That's marvelous; what is it, man?" I ejaculated. "No time for explanations, Mr Mac; perhaps one day I'll tell you, meanwhile we must get on the trail of those red robed devils and away from here before the authorities turn up and start asking awkward questions" By now my sense were almost fully returned. I pocketed my Derringer which was lying on the ground next to me and said "Which way, lads?" 

     Hilton Cubbit spoke up in his slow, Canadian drawl. "I reckon we had best split up, Mr Mac; I saw which way they headed and I reckon I know where they're headed. If we split up we'll cover more territory that way" I nodded my assent "What dae ye suggest, Mr Cubbit?". He finished loading the new fangled semi-automatic pistol he was carrying and placed it away in a shoulder holster. "Well, if Dandy and Mr Amberly come with me, we'll head up this here street toward Southam Main Street and while you, Barney and Mr Wilson can take the market square towards the Main Street. I believe they are heading for the Templar Church on Southam Main Street; we can converge on them from two sides, this way" 

     I pondered, lacking any other plan or suggestion of one I decided we should follow his suggestion; better to do something as do nothing as Grandmother used to say. " A  grand suggestion, Hilton; let's us go, gentlemen" And so saying we parted and set off in hot pursuit.   

Dandy, Hilton and Mr Amberley set off. Up ahead the agents
of the Cognoscenti await them

Barney sprints off, Mr McGonagall and Mr Wilson bringing
up the rear 

An ill disguised ambush party of Cognoscenti wait at the far
end of the market square 

The ambush is sprung by one of the Cognoscenti disguised
as a turnip salesman

McGonagall and Barney wrestled with the forces of the Vatican

Whilst Mr Wilson draws the attention of their leader and one
of his underlings

A member of the public stares on in horror at the depredations
taking place in Southam Market Square

     As Barney and I reached the far end of the square, a rather callow, down at heel looking turnip salesman deliberately thrust his barrow of turnips in front of us and leapt at me. Barney shoved him off, crying "Look out Mr Mac; e's one of them!" True enough he was an agent of the Cognoscenti. As we grappled with him I caught sight of two more of the Papal pests emerging from the doorway of a nearby building. "More o' them, Barney lad!" I cried, my right fist connecting with the turnip salesman/Cognoscenti agents jaw. "You get going after Miss Goodbody; I'll keep this lot amused" Barney shook off the turnip salesman/agent of the Cognoscenti and took to his heels, heading for the Main Street and, hopefully, Miss Goodbody. But already the Cognoscenti were after him but they weren't quick enough.I just had time to see him shoulder one of them aside and turn the corner into Main Street before my attention was drawn back to my assailants..
      Above the now considerable hullaballoo that was echoing off the walls of the buildings surrounding the Market Square and the grunted Latin that my swarthy enemies were muttering as we struggled I could hear the shrill and welcoming sound of many police whistles. So did my enemies, who, shoving me to the ground tipped the contents of the turnip cart onto me before running off as the first police wagon careened into the Market Square.

Shocking behaviour to behold in London's streets;
whatever is the world coming too

To Be Continued...

     Well that was rollicking, great fun. My chum, Jamie and I had our first, proper games of In Her Majesty's Name (and not our last, I imagine). They are a great set of rules and the various supplements give plenty of flavour to the various companies available.

     We played two linked games back to back. The first was Bring Him Back Alive in which Grey Section attempted to get Miss Goodbody safely away from the Cognoscenti's unwelcome attentions. The second one was Breakthrough in which one side must get one figure off his opponents table edge. The results of these gave me the bones for the narrative you have just read (and enjoyed, I hope)

      I was impressed with my Grey Section chaps but less so with my dice rolling which seemed to indicate that some of my fellows had glass jaws judging by the way they went down in combat. Still, there's plenty of character in them for me to build on.

     Jamie's Cognoscenti are tough customers; driven by a fanatical devotion to the Pope and, yes you guessed it, nice red uniforms; it must be that Jesuit upbringing they are exposed to from childhood. That and their Fanatic rule kept a couple of the scoundrels in the fight, much to my dismay. However, all is not lost and my chaps will be back to rescue Miss Goodbody and to make sure the Cognoscenti think twice about operating on Britain's green and pleasant lands; especially if McGonagall wants to avoid a less convivial chat with Miss Austen!

     I hope you enjoyed the batrep as much as we enjoyed playing out the games.

pip pip,

Jimbob