Alnwick 2-The King and Empire strike back!

Wednesday 25th January.

Edward and Wallis enjoying their morning calisthenics.

    Forsaking Burn's night and having spent the afternoon babysitting my two youngest grandchildren and having endured Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol I thought it was right to go and do some adult stuff and play with toy soldiers.

Typical Americans and their big gangster type car.

                             Colin Jack had said that he had wanted to finish the VBCW game from last week and so I once again ventured out to the wilds of East Lothian.This time I was equipped with some of my own figures to reinforce the forces of the King who were getting ready for another assault on the town of Alnwick complete with its cinema.

The view from the hill

                                   Tonight's game was a mano e mano against Colin and when you are just thinking for yourself it makes it a lot easier to plan your attacks.

"Have no fear the press is here!"

                                   I renewed my efforts on the left flank supporting my beleaguered highlanders with my newly arrived company from the Duchy of Cornwall's light infantry ably supported by a machine gun and also a naval landing party.

My gallant lads

                                     

and their support.

A little run ashore.

 Up the right flank I threw my two light tanks into the fray hoping for them to blaze a trail towards the enemy rear and lay down supporting fire for Lord Stoate's company of inexperienced landworkers who were cautiously bringing up the rear.

Lord Stoate's weasels

This was going to plan until Colin opened up with an anti-tank rifle hidden by a hedge and getting a very lucky shot  reduced my tank company by 50%.It looked like it was going to be another long night

Action

Reaction

                                       

Result

 On the other side my lads and of course Boudicca's babes decided that a course of cleansing of the local rat population  would go down very well.Firstly one of my French companies decided to storm the cinema and clear the last remaining remnants of the Berwick TA cyclist company which they did with suitable Gallic charm. Complementing this act was the sight of my Babes attacking and clearing a nest of Socialist vipers who were put to the sword or in the babes case-whips and chains.I'm afraid they decided to go one step too far for as  they tried to assault the police station which was situated  next to the cinema their numbers were sorely depleted by a machine gun that I had failed to notice.The remaining members of the squad headed back to cover with their whips between their legs.

The babes preparing themselves for a night out

The object of their desires.

                                       

One step too far.

 Colin had moved the George Washington volunteers out from behind cover in order to deal with my lads coming up the flank, right into the path of my newly arrived machine gun which dually proceeded to whittle the squad down till only three figures were left to who were finally despatched by my highlander squad.

My lads move up

                                            In the high street I still had an armoured car and a naval gun crewed steam lorry who true to true naval form couldn't hit a barn door to which King Edward stated that "There is terribly something wrong with our lorries today!"It was easy to see that Edward was desperate to cast caution to the wind and head for the drinks cabinet that the enemy kept on flaunting.

The king decides enough is enough.

                         

Despite protests and salutes

Up on my right flank my second tank was in need of some retribution and proceeded to engage the anti tank rifle team only to just about fall into the trap of the hidden gun situated on a well hidden lorry.

Retribution

My French team in the cinema were now in the process of being cut down one by one by the local police but their time would come as the second French squad rushed into the police station and cleared out the inhabitants losing a god few men in the process and after clearing the building were cowardly attacked in the back by the owners of the drinks cabinet.

The French challenge comes to an end.

               To solve this problem I sent Boudicca's babes in as enthusiastic as shoppers heading for Primarni on Boxing day.

Post Office rocket squad

and mortar No 2

                   Colin's only real success was the luck that his mortars' were having firstly damaging my brand new infantry squad(par for the course) and then moving his fire towards my machine gun which was wasted after about five minutes.He then changed the direction of his mortar fire and successfully hit my leading armoured car destroying it in the process.The only saving grace for me at that moment was the fact his gun mounted on the lorry couldn't hit a barn door.

A percolating armoured car

                            For all you people who know Colin's figures contain some unusual figures and I wasn't let down when lo and behold what should appear on the table but a squad of armed Morris dancers all the way from Hexham and it only took me a few minutes to realise they meant business.I tried to contain them with gunfire but they merrily danced theirway into combat with my new squad eventually chasing my squad from the field.Slightly diminished they held on for the remainder of the game laughing off the rifle fire from my newly appeared naval landing party who I don't think had ever seen a rifle before going by their shooting accuracy.

The Hexham Morris dancers dancing their way to the front.

                                      The game was going end to end and when I captured the drinks cabinet I thought victory was mine but no Colin had other ideas and threw in his Berwick fireman to get close and personal with the Babes ending their brief fling with success.

Girl's aloud

                                   

Not for long.

Boo Hoo!

 Before that skirmish I came up with the idea of sending King Edward into the fray complete with his bodyguard thinking that history was going to be made one way or another.Either Edward was going to be a national hero or the whole VBCW concept was going to come to a shuddering halt with his demise.As the evening was drawing to a close The king and his party moved up the street and eventually into hand to hand combat  with the present inhabitants of the cinema and lo and behold won the day.The king earned his gin & tonic from the cabinet before his erstwhile wife added it to her spoils.

Edward makes headway.

and reigns over them all.

                                A great ending to a wonderful game and I'm just happy that I didn't rewrite history albeit an alternate one.

"Is that it?I could've got a better one from Sam Burn's yard!"

                               Colin supplied most of the figures but I was glad to get some of my own on to the field albeit with the usual results.
                                     Thanks to Colin for quick repast due to my babysitting duties and also some excellent wedding cake courtesy of his nuptials the previous week.
                                See you when I see you.