Hill 107: April 2023

Date-29th April 1800 & odd.

Place-Transylvanian Garvald.

Tonight was a first delve into 7TV’s Dracula with a recreation of Jonathan Harker’s stagger through the village to safety with the friendly villagers running interference for him and this they basically they did in fine style.Obviously young Andrew has watched the films.

My main girl before the split.

Jonathan about to do the High Hurdles.

I was in charge of the undead and I thought I was in for a shoe in victory.Nope Andrew came in mob handed and thwarted my plans.My plan was to split my forces up as I was assuming they would be unbeatable but no.Let’s just say I’ll be better prepared the next time.

“The Moon Shone On The Village Green!”

The mob comeths!

The plot was to get Jonathan Harker through the village and over the wooden bridge.He actually came out of the starting blocks like a hurdler and vaulted the first wall with ease.So much for him being under the weather.

My miles away villagers.

“Hey Presto!”The dead coachmaster appears.

I had placed my Evil star complete with a couple of wolves at her side ready to pounce on the unsuspecting Harker but for some reason,must have been the pint of foaming ale,I split them up making them easy pickings for the village mob.I had also placed my villagers about a thousand miles away across the other side of the table so they by the time they arrived they’d be knackered.

And another mob!

The second mob sideways for some reason.

I set two of my wolves at the baying mob but they tended to be a bit toothless when they indulged in hand to hand or should I say fangs to body so they were unceremoniously cudgelled to death by the torch and pitchfork armed villagers.First blood to the mob!

The Vampiress splits from the wolves.

The villagers dispatching the wolves.

My vampiress looked to seek revenge but was taking potshots from more of the ungrateful rabble.This I thought was a bit iffy as normal bullets seemed to be doing her damage but alas that be the rules. My reinforcements came in the form of the dead coachmaster aided by another couple of wolves.Trailing behind the a long way off were thr my village mob from afar but my initial placement of them meant they were only going to be in at the death which actually meant their death as the local burgermeister had the ability to command an awful lot of the rabble to be freely commanded.

Making way for Harker.

“And Voila!A red triangle.”

I sent the wolves charging in but apart from biting the local priest on the bum proved to be rather toothless yet again giving time for the rabble to dispatch them with aplomb.The coachmaster tried to seek revenge as he had just witnessed his mistress dissolve into goo and his pets done away with but alas the burgermeaister done away with him.Game

Callous Villagers.

And he’s made it.

This was game over as Harker had made the bridge with little real effort.

A very good game although a bit one sided.I think I’m going to have to stop being nice.Comme Ci Comme Ca!

Next week sees the second scenario being played this time taking place in Whitby but alas I have to indulge in the workie thing.

All figs,scenery and scenario brought to you all from the collection of El Presidente.

This has been a Garvald Film Studios Production.

Date- Wednesday 12th March circa 1938.

Place-The Garvaldian Front.

“Well that’ll be that then!”

The Very British Civil War had finally made it’s way to sleepy Garvald and found us in the defence of the local field hospital against the oncoming horde of the BUF commanded by Mosley himself.He had discovered that the king was being held to all intensive purposes hostage and his rescue was required.Also present that day at the time was Prince Albert’s wife Mary and their elder daughter Elizabeth hopefully looking for the quick demise of the king so they could do a quick takeover whilst on the premises.

Peak time at the hospital.

Plenty of incomes.

The George Washington brigade.

“Where does one get a G&T around here?”

I found myself in charge of the attacking BUF and the defenders came under the control of young Andrew ably abetted by El Presidente’s bad dice drawing. The dice drawing came about as we were using our go to rules Bolt Action hence the dice drawing.

Captain Blackadder and Captain Darling chitchat with General Haig.

The tennis courts make a quick reappearance.

The Languishing Lanchester.

The Garvald Ladies Explorer Club LTD.

There wasn’t much gameplaying time so my plan was to charge in with my armour and seize the day and all be home for tea and crumpets.How many times have I said that. I work on the principal that it has to work sometime but it wasn’t to be this evening .As soon as my first tank charged up the main road lo and behold it was shot at by a hidden anti tank gun and it was stopped in its tracks.This meant a change in plan with the infantry now tasked to weeding out these Anglican usurpers.

A nice brace of ambulances.

Nurses with guns-not a novelty in the Garvaldian Universe.

The land girls before they get whisked away.

The Armadillos ready for the off.

The first squad of matelots were sent forward backed up by the Dutch squad who I’m afraid when they made it to the camouflaged strongpoint were left high and dry after being informed by El Presidente that they had to enter by the back door putting them into the line of fire of the Lanchester armoured car.This proved fatal to our gallant Dutch brothers and they were soon sent on their merry way back to Holland

The Dutch ready to advance.

Moseley gesticulates.

BUF kilty kilty cauld bums.

The matelots advance.

Obviously Andrew had got the fix in with El Presidente,probably with the offer of another flagon of ale in the pub,as there was a continuous flow of Anglican dice emerging from the dice bag especially at the start of the turns meaning the enemy were always given first shot usually to my detriment.This was proven when Andrew moved his anti tank rifle armed Armadillos forward without any hindrance and firing a salvo of 50 calibre bullets at both of my tanks making one retreat.The only saving grace was the coastal tideline or else one of my tanks would have been retreating to Denmark.

The land girls having a incognito picnic.

Boudicca’s Babes.

Disembarking Tanks.

“What the guides were doing ,I haven’t a clue?”

To add insult to injury my naval steam truck whilst disembarking from the landing craft was hit by a lucky mortar shell decimating my poor jack tars.

HMS Steam Lorry.

Straight up the road.

El Presidente getting the vet bill for his black Hebridean sheep.

“Garvald Rifles,Garvald Rifles!Sorry Jam.

My plan B was to funnel my motor cycle troops up the left using cover of some houses to keep them out of harm’s way.They opened up on the local Garvald Ladies’ Explorer’s club resulting in a single squeal as one of the females were done away with.Just as I thought my luck had changed a forlorn Hope land girl squad who were picknicking away quietly suddenly picked up some Purdey shotguns and started taking pot shots at my motorbikes.Damn unsportswomanlike I thought!

That looks like a suspicious hole in that wall?

Here come the Armadillos.

My only successes.

Hoping to team up.

As I had said it was only a short game so moving my infantry squads was proving to be rather slow as Andrew had his defences set up pretty far forward due to the numerous favourable dice he was been given so my squads were having to move forward under constant fire.My motor cycle squad who were by far my most successful unit were themselves taking heavy fire from emplaced machine guns.My second tank managed to hit one of the Armadillos but only caused it to temporarily retreat.That’s what kind of night it was for the forces of law and order.

“Where’s that back door?”-in Dutch!

Yet another lucky hit!

My last push before full time saw me trying to move everything forward and this resulted in my Boudicca’s Babe Squad taking a pasting as the Anglicans couldn’t find any other worthwhile targets.This was the cruelty we were up against with my innocent girls melting into a goo of black leather.Luckily full time was called before I could incur any more cruelty.The king was still under ball and chain and Princess Elizabeth could be seen rubbing her hands!Watch this space!