Historicon, Day Two (Friday 7/9), Part 1

"A Very British Civil War"

Friday, 1PM

  The first game I played in on Friday was "A Very British Civil War", using the Disposable Heroes rules system by Iron Ivan. I was pleased with the rules, really. Very dangerous stuff. The "Very British Civil War" is a setting, not a rules set, and so can be used fairly universally with whichever scale or rules you prefer. It is an interwar period struggle, assuming the Fascists have taken power in Britain and widespread rebellion (led by the Anglican Church, among others) swiftly followed. Incidentally, I played a rebel. Big surprise. Here are photos and some of the AAR...

Anglican League Rebels "Redcaps"

   SitRep: Anglican League rebels are protecting a group of 'undesirables' in a church in Weblington-on-Avon. Loyalist forces, including militia, Silvershirt partisans, and Royalist Regular Army troops are advancing to capture the refugees and relocate them to secure detention facilities (i.e., concentration camps).

   Turn 1: As Royalist militia advance, they are cut down by murderous fire from the rebels. All but the sergeant are slain; he prudently seeks cover. Additional Royalist forces (at top of frame) enter a large house across the lane from the defended Church.

Militia Slaughtered Like Lambs

Turn 2: The Royalists in the house return fire on the Anglican League infantry behind a stone wall. Their fire was very effective, and would reduce the squad to a lone Lewis gunner in a matter of minutes (two turns). Said Lewis gunner fires on a truck full of Royalist reinforcements far down the lane, and has a lucky result: his .308 rounds rip into the vehicle's vulnerable running gear, shredding tire, wheel, and damaging axle, crippling the truck! Meanwhile, an additional squad of Royalist militia advance through the open area, again into a withering hail of lead from the squads on the Anglican right. Their survivors would join the hiding sergeant in the depression.

Turn 3: The Anglican Vickers in the Church has been concentrating its fire on the Royalists in the house, who have a plethora of Lewis guns and BARs. After several minutes of concentrating their fire, the Vickers manages to reduce the enemy squad to scattered remnants. Meanwhile, the Royalists have brought additional reinforcements up on foot (bailing out of the crippled truck) and into the house. From there, they begin to pour fire into the second squad across the lane, with ferocious efficiency. Finally, an enemy armored car appears along the road into town, and pushes the crippled truck out of the way. Its fire is ineffectively directed at the Anglican lieutenant and parson. God is with us!

3: Dead Royalist Machinegunners...

   Turn 4: Anglican reinforcements begin to arrive in the rear area: two squads of infantry and an armored car! Sadly, the remnants of the original Royalist forces in the house have plucked up enough courage to approach the second squad (already seriously damaged by fire from the house) and pop up to fire a blizzard of SMG rounds into the last remaining two. Second squad dies valiantly.

4: Royalist Militia Survivors Pop up from Depression, Killing Valiant Anglican Redcaps

Turn 5: The Anglican armored car (a Rolls Royce, naturally!) fires both heavy machineguns at extreme range into the Lanchester armored car driven by the Royalists. One round of the intense bursts finds a weak spot, plunges into the fuel tank, and ignites the Lanchester in a blast of flame! Anglican reinforcements reach the church building, and prepare to assault across the lane into the house where a few Royalist troops cower.

5: Burning Royalist Vehicles... Is Anything More Lovely?

   At this point, the game ended. It seemed as if things were going well for the League at this point, but the Royalists have more coming forward - including an artillery piece! - and the battle was far from over.