Approach Woking with caution...

Last night saw a cracking VBCW game in the shed.

 This was a recon game with Anglican League forces required to move across the table and uncover all the hidden BUF forces. Victory would be assured if elements of the League forces could move into all 15 terrain squares on the board. We were using the Bolt Action rules.

As part of the Anglican Leagues northern push in Surrey they are scouting the BUF perimeter outside the BUF held town of Woking. Woking has a strategic importance of being a major railway hub for trains running to the south coast and into the west country. Two flying columns were organised to penetrate the perimeter defences. Each column was commanded separately (Mark & Matt). I was to play the BUF forces. These would all be hidden at the start of the game. I had previously drawn a map in the set up of the gamer and marked up the BUF positions.

 

The Battlefield - Anglican League forces enter from the bottom

 

 

I took advantage of Warlord games 2 for 1 offer on their Bolt Action dice so we had sufficient colours to denote the three units on the table. The battle also saw the use of some of my new toys for the first timer – namely the empress miniature tanks, the AT gun and the VBCW cavalry recently won on ebay.

Anglican League Forces

 

Grey	Green
Rolls Royce Armoured Car	Machine Gun armed Light Tank
Machine Gun Light Tank	Light AT Gun armed Tank
Rifle Squad + LMG (6 men) + Truck	Rifle Squad + LMG (6 men) + Truck
Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck	Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck
Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck	Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck
Platoon Command (Officer, Medic + MMG) + Transport	Platoon Command (Officer + Medium Mortar)

BUF Forces

Armoured Car (HMG)

HMG Squad 1

HMG Squad 2

AT Gun + 3 crew

Rifle Squad (6 men)

Rifle Squad (6 men)

Command (officer, 3 SMGs, Medic)

 All the BUF forces will start on Ambush status.

 

The following picture illustrates where these hidden troops are.

 

You can see from the picture that I have used some barbed wire terrain pieces. These were constructed years ago but I need to tidy them up in the coming days so I’ll put together a tutorial then.

Given Matt arrived before Mark we kicked off with Matts vehicles and troops pushing up the right hand road. Mark would enter from the left.

 

The British Cavalry Scouts approach

The defensive positions are all quiet - what awaits. The League players have no idea

The horsemen carefully enter the woods

The League Infantry scoot along the roads in their commandeered transport

All hell is let loose as the BUF HMGs in the Pillboxes let rip - first four rounds of fire to no affect - but it soon changed

 

ASA the Leagues armour moved up the AT gun opened fire in Ambush mode - BLAM - first brew of the day !

Dismounting from their transport the Infantry take shelter behind the wall and begin to pour fire into the bunker. the mortar (just inside the farmyard...sights in on the bumnker

Marks forces arrive on the left hand side and whizz up the road

The tanks soon make their way through the barb wire and into the field beyond

Over beechers brook,,,the valiant six rode on

Advancing up the table - where were the defenders...

Booo...& Boom the BUF armoured car ambushes the lead tank immobilising the tracks, The crew panicked and fled the vehicle

Onward rode the six into a hail of bullets

First bunker overrun by league troops

Time for a sharp getaway for the BUF armour (now known as the stealth car)

League Infantry engage the right hand flank - a hail of fire from both sides with the BUF victorious

The runaway was not so good as the League tank and armoured car ganged up

The final assault on the command bunker

What ever you do don't dip your fingers in the tea to find a dice - I did - TWICE !

 

In summary. The League forces won a hard fight and casualties were high on both sides.

 

The tables below show what survived and what didn’t

Grey	Green
Rolls Royce Armoured Car	Machine Gun armed Light Tank - DESTROYED
Machine Gun Light Tank IMMOBILISED & CREW PANICKED	Light AT Gun armed Tank
Rifle Squad + LMG (6 men) + Truck	Rifle Squad + LMG (6 men) + Truck DESTROYED
Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck DESTROYED	Mounted Rifle Squad (6 men) DESTROYED
Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck	Rifle Squad (6 men) + Truck DESTROYED
Platoon Command (Officer, Medic + MMG) + Transport	Platoon Command (Officer + Medium Mortar)

 

BUF Forces

Armoured Car (HMG) DESTROYED

HMG Squad 1

HMG Squad 2 DESTROYED

AT Gun + 3 crew DESTROYED

Rifle Squad (6 men) 3 men killed

Rifle Squad (6 men) DESTROYED

Command (officer, 3 SMGs, Medic) SURRENDERED

 

Until next time