BUF MEMBERSHIP CARD (EARLY)

An example of an early BUF Membership Card - 

The BUF "General Headquarters" was situated at 1, Great George Street in Westminster before moving to Whitelands House on the Kings Road, Chelsea (notoriously rechristened the "Black House"). Mosley's original flag raising at 1, Great George Street can be seen HERE. The entrance to Mosley's subsequent "Black House" in London (together with notes on Hereford's own "Black House") can be seen HERE. Interesting that the "Objects of the Union" promise the abolition of poverty and the "barriers of class" through the establishment of a "Corporate State", but make no mention of individual liberty. Equally interesting is the reduction of the BUF's programme to one pocket-book sized page, whereas Comrade Colonel Professor Winter's Communists need a whole paperback book to set out their programme:

13th Party Congress, Communist Party of Great Britain (1935)
Apparently - bread, concrete housing blocks, happiness.

WARGAMES CAMPAIGNS - ON A DIME

The late Tony Bath's book on wargames campaigning, "Setting Up a Wargames Campaign", remains the seminal text for anyone interested in the origins of 'wargames campaigning', or the best known and longest running campaign in wargames history ("Hyboria"), or setting up "Imagi-Nations" from scratch (and what is the Ecclesiarchy of Ludlow, or the Social Democratic Republic of Bromyard, or the like, if not a kind of Imagi-Nation?), or just practical campaign mechanics:

For those (and this should really only be temporary state of affairs) missing a copy from their wargames library, this encyclopaedic set of links, courtesy of the "Tiny Tin Men" Blog HERE, will provide more than a flavour of Tony Bath's approach, plus lots of Hyborian related material. A great collection! [note 1] As much of the material comes from the old "Battle" magazine, it's also an excuse for us to engage in a little tongue-in-cheek "late 1970s nostalgia":

Wargaming (and fashion) in January 1978. Bleached denim jackets, long hair, V necks
and huge shirt collars. We mean HUGE. Still, magazine cover price - 35p.

A month later. Grammar school speccy loses out to an
extra from "Starsky and Hutch". Said speccy is probably
someone very serious in the City by now - and probably
still painting knights in his spare time. 1970s inflation
appears to have been running just below 15%, for the
cover price has increased by 5 pence in one month.

Another cover, another tape-measure shot. Possibly the height of
wargames sophistication in March 1978 - who knows? Whether he should
escape prosecution for that jumper, though....and as ever, the size of
 the shirt collar alone must count as at least 'medium range'.

 

Anyway, abandoning 1970s nostalgia and hideous fashion crimes, it appears that the modern American army have an acronym (of course they do) for the four essential elements of successful campaigns, known as the "DIME" principle, i.e. 

Diplomatic

Intelligence

Military

Economics

Here in the Hereford VBCW, we manage the Military side with glee. The Diplomatic and Intelligence sides, notwithstanding occasional encouragements to the regular players (hostage swaps, anyone?), are usually dealt with only by the Umpires (see HERE for Ludlow's "foreign affairs expert", the Rev. Duff-Postin, aka "The Talleyrand of the Three Counties", and "Big X", head of the much-feared Ecclesiastical Intelligence Service, or EIS), while "Economics" has generally been reduced to a footnote as "involving too much book-keeping". Mind you, that hasn't stopped the Great British Pound crashing, and the occasional tabletop use of poker chips as currency [note 2]...

Notes

[1]. Rudi Guedens also has some interesting material on Tony Bath and the Hyborian campaign. See HERE

[2]. Just as well, really. Without at least some attempt at economics, the relevant campaign acronym would (perhaps appropriately) be reduced to "DIM".

[3]. The "Library" label on this blog (see below or in the column to the right) has lots of links to other free wargames reading materials....

POLIKARPOV I-16 'RATA'

 

A splendid "colourised" photograph of a Polikarpov I-16 "Rata" with pilot and ground crew. Just one of the "colourful interwar types" of aircraft to be found in (or above) the Hereford VBCW. Some historians argue that this photograph was taken in Spain, during the Spanish Civil War. While the 'Rata' is clearly in Republican colours, VBCW researchers point to the similar insignia of the "Escadrilla Espana" in Herefordshire during 1938, and argue that "the treeline" just visible in this photograph clearly identifies Shobdon Airfield.

LEDBURY BUF (7) - BRIDGING COLUMN

It is as yet unclear exactly where the BUF "Mailed Fist Battlegroup" is heading within Herefordshire after its initial "laager in Ledbury". But the Battlegroup is clearly equipped for any eventuality - including amphibious operations and riverine crossings - as photographs of its integral "Bridging Column" demonstrate:

Assault Boats/Pontoons in transport. Truck and trailer, vintage Dinky (from Ebay).
Boats/Pontoons from the spares box, originally part of a "Pirate Playset".

Two "prime movers" with Pontoon Bridge and equipment on trailers.
Truck and trailer are from the Corgi 1/50 range ("Scammell Highwayman")
Pontoon Bridge scratchbuilt plasticard with cut to fit Airfix Pontoon Bridge sides.

Transport shortages are endemic in the VBCW, but a single prime mover
can cope with both Pontoon Bridge trailers if necessary.

Note: this post was inspired by Tradgardmastre's discovery of an extract from a pre-war Elastolin catalogue (see below and HERE on the Duchy of Tradgardland blog) of pre-war German production of the same kind of Bridging Column (and pioneers, which now need to be scratchbuilt - sometime - in 28mm!). For the follower of 1930s War Toys, inspirational stuff!

Add edit: a better view of the same products, possibly from the following years catalogue  -

Next up - the BUF "Sloane Rangers".......

LEDBURY BUF (6) - SELF PROPELLED ARTILLERY

After Storm Leader Reckless' Reconnaissance Troop, and Storm Leader Dastardly's "BUF Tank Force" (all as recorded on THIS THREAD), here comes the next element of the "Mailed Fist Battlegroup" - heavy support in the form of a Storm Leader Shellmore's section of Self Propelled "Big Guns" - nicknamed "Bisons" - travelling along the A438:

Chassis - cheap plastic "Shoddy variant" tanks (with moulded in shells/bullets!) from Ebay.
Gun - chopped down 54mm vintage plastic "Army Men" 25pdrs (ish) from ditto.
Crew - variety of 28mm manufacturers. Decals - paper.  

Contrary to legend, these "Bisons" were not manufactured by Elstree Industries, nor by their disastrous Chinese sub-contractor, the Schezuan Ordnance Depot and Delivery Yards (see HERE), but by a sister company of the well-known Birmingham manufacturer, British Small Arms Ltd. ("BSA"). Incorporated around the time of the outbreak of the VBCW, British Really Rather Large Arms Ltd. ("BRRLA") specialised in the design and manufacture of heavy armaments such as "Bisons", selling the same on a promiscuous basis to whichever factions were willing to "stump up the necessary cash" (with order, buyer collects, no refunds).

There is an ongoing historical argument, reflecting a contemporary squabble, as to whether it was the Herefordshire Police or the Ledbury BUF who first placed their orders for this important VBCW artillery piece. There is no argument, however, that the German Heer (closely watching events within the VBCW, as ever) rapidly copied and adapted the BRRLA design:

German 15mm sIG 33 (Sf) on Panzer 1 Ausf B chassis.
The resemblance to BUF "Bisons" is clear from this rare photo.

A later design development. The 15cm gun is now enclosed.
Cheekily, the German Heer even copy the BUF name for this
SP Artillery piece - "Bison"

"Bison" in action. An attempt at advanced Herefordshire VBCW tank tactics.

Next up - BUF Bridging Column!

SHINY STUFF - GENERIC FASCIST DICTATORS

It's always the way: you wait ages for a decent 28mm "Generic Fascist Dictator" figure to come along, and then two come along at once:

Mark's Little Soldiers Generic Fascist Dictator

First up is the "free figure" to be given away by North Star with the "Wave Three" release of Mark's Little Soldiers. An excellent generic figure with jackboots and right hand high in typical fascist salute - he could easily be the Leader of any BUF Platoon. Although only available as part of the "Wave Three Deal" at the moment, it's said that all the "special figures" produced by Mark will be available for individual purchase in due course.

The second offering is a bit more eclectic - an STL file from a new US company, Trenchworx. The STL file, presently on sale at $3.95 (and presumably delivered electronically, so no P&P from the US), allows you to print two types of figure (as shown) - the one on the left would again be brilliant as a BUF Leader - or possibly, given his prominent specs, a BUF Intelligence Officer. Come to think of it, with the tiniest amount of conversion and a different paint job, he'd be equally excellent as a Communist Intelligence Officer.....hang it, print both - all you need is a friend with an STL printer!

VBCW POSTERS (2)

Following on from THIS FIRST POST, another short selection of VBCW posters:

An early (i.e. pre mid 1937) BUF poster, when the organisation was being
(deniably) part financed by Mussolini. Hence the Italian "Fasces".
Some of these posters would still have been around
in Herefordshire in early 1938.

A typically uncompromising response from Commissar Moody
of the Presteigne Communists.

An appeal for more men to join the BUF Auxiliary.
This shows what a bit of clever "photoshopping" can
do to contemporaneous posters...

The original poster. Absolutely no idea of the text!

Note: all posters picked up from the Net over the years. Usual T&Cs apply....

"BRITAINS DEFENDERS" CIGARETTE CARDS DOCUMENT THE VBCW

We're very keen, here in the Hereford VBCW, on contemporary cigarette cards - a very useful way of investigating all sorts of aspects of life in the 1930s. See HERE, for example, for cigarette cards documenting the "Public Schools", with onwards links to cigarette card albums dedicated, respectively, to the "Royal Navy" and the "Royal Air Force".

As James produced the most historically accurate VBCW Force at the recent Autumn Big Game 2022, its only right that it should now receive its own "cigarette card accolade":

James VBCW Platoon, missing only his section of sailors.
Christened "South Walians" for the day of the Autumn Big Game 2022,
this force included a splendid Vickers Mk.2 tank, Carden Lloyd "Light Dragon"
carrier (with tow) and tracked Anti - Tank Gun.

It just so happened that an enterprising photographer was 'on hand' during the action around Llareggub, and his shots were subsequently sold to the Ardath Tobacco Company Limited for production in their "Britain's Defenders" series of cigarette cards:

James' "Carden-Lloyd Tank Car" advances. The gasmasks appear to be "precautionary
overkill" as any kind of Chemical Warfare was prohibited by "gentleman's agreement"
at the start of the VBCW.

A shot of James' "Experimental Anti Tank Gun" (with caterpillar tracks!)
deploying (before being close assaulted by the Aberaron Police, no doubt
for some infringement of the Highway Code)

James' splendid Vickers Mk2, here christened a "Heavy Tank", roars confidently forward
at the start of the day's action - before it went "Jumpy", then "Suppressed" and then had to 
be marked as "Running Away". Still, at least it remained a tank "in being" and was moving
forward again by the end of the day...

Note (courtesy of James): The Carden Lloyd AT combination and the Vickers Mk2 are both now sold by Empress Miniatures in their VBCW and WW2 ranges - see HERE for the tank and HERE for the Carden Lloyd.

AUTUMN BIG GAME 2022 (PART EIGHT)

James' South Walians had not given up. Time was running out, but now his Rebel Sailors - his last available offensive troops - hopped over another hedge, and rushed forward in a desperate attempt to grab a last Objective Marker:

Ahoy matey! That's our Objective Marker!

Meanwhile, in LLareggub, the North Walians make a decisive break through.
The Police Mortar is close assaulted as the Police Big Gun burns....

To the south, the Blackshorts (background and left) advance alongside
 the Royal Irish Legion (foreground and right)

The advance of the southern forces doomed the Rebel Sailors attempt to seize a last Objective Marker, beaten off by the equally acquisitive (but numerically far superior) Royal Irish Legion.

The Royal Irish Legion capture the Objective Marker.
South Walian sailors mill around in confusion...

The Royal Irish Legion put on a show of force. Don't even
think of advancing, sailor boys...

As the thoroughly demoralised Police cede the centre of Llareggub,
leading to an inconclusive clash between Blackshorts and North Walians...

And so a full day's gaming drew to a close. To the surprise of some, although they had advanced the furthest and enjoyed the most explosive results of the afternoon, the North Walians had not gained the most Objective Points (this may have been caused by some within their area being too well camouflaged to have been noticed, alternatively hidden by drifting smoke from Big Gun bombardment...). That honour belonged to JP's Blackshorts, who can now start their legendary "Long March Back" to Herefordshire with their morale boosted and more Fascist volunteers goose-stepping forward to join up with Eustace Spode....

Thus ended the Autumn Big Game 2022!

AUTUMN BIG GAME 2022 (PART SEVEN)

The South Walians were now forced into emergency manoeuvres, retreating their HQ in full "evade mode", rushing forward their reserve infantry to provide some form of cover, and desperately grinding the gears of their tank to dispel all those adverse morale markers:

Go on, crunch those gears again! Maybe we can get this thing going forward!

Meanwhile, the North Walians rushed forward their own reserve troops and HQ, with another melee rolling on into Llarreggub itself as their "causeway flanking force" hit home:

Vorwarts to Victory! The North Walian HQ advances.

Back in the south, it appeared that Roo's Royal Irish Legion and the Blackshorts had composed their nascent differences, and were now confidently "advancing along a parallel axis" without firing on each other: 

Blackshorts emerge from the fields nearest to Llarreggub...

...only to be rapidly shot down by the defending Police. A temporary victory only....

..for there is only one Police section defending against both
the advancing Blackshort and Royal Irish Legion Platoons...

Matters were now getting desperate for the "forces of law and order". Too many policemen were being consumed in the continuing forlorn melee against the North Walians, but while the police still had their "Big Gun", there was always hope...

BOOM! The Police Big Gun explodes after being targeted by the deadly North Walian Big Gun.

Such hope as the Police might have had disintegrated with the explosive loss of their Big Gun, and they now began to take cover and engage in desperate house to house fighting in Llareggub itself - against everyone other than the still dazed South Walians...

Jon's "Victory Salute" for his supremely deadly Big Gun. At least, that's what we think it is...

And so on to Part Eight...

AUTUMN BIG GAME 2022 (PART SIX)

The Police had won the first round of the rolling melee, forcing the limbered up AT gun (minus a few dead crew) into a retreat. A second round between infantry sections was now in prospect:

South Walians v Police. The South Walian tank cannot move forward
because of adverse morale, and the limbered AT gun has already been
forced into a retreat.

Just as the infantry sections set to for their next round of melee, seemingly out of nowhere, the SMOKING TEMPLATE OF DOOM descended...Someone had fired a Big Gun onto the melee, but who?

The Smoking (Artillery) Template of Doom covers the entirety of the melee,
promising an explosive end for both Police and South Walians!

More evil than Doctor Evil....Jon reveals his North Walian artillery strike, and thus makes
THE MOST EVIL MOVE IN HEREFORD VBCW HISTORY.

The rivalry became North and South Wales had suddenly become an explosive reality, with the North Walians firing on their own side (nominally, anyway) just to grab a few more greasy Objective Markers:

Evil has its reward....

The result was bad for the Police, but terrible for the South Walians. Almost their entire infantry section and their much prized "Mechanical Man" instantaneously disintegrated in front of James' disbelieving eyes, leaving the South Walian HQ unsupported and at risk of capture!

And so on to Part Seven...

AUTUMN BIG GAME 2022 (PART FIVE)

The North Walians advanced rapidly (with a lorry bound Tchanka doing an F1 impression) along a causeway on the North East flank, reserving only their own Big Gun in a central position:

North Walian advance

South Walian advance - Tank and Mechanical Man to the rear, towed AT gun to the fore.

while the South Walians, hemmed in by high hedges and with their tank attracting most of the fire from the Police Big Gun, equally raced forward, pushing their rebel sailors along the opposite flank:

South Walian Rebel sailors

The Police Big Gun was rolling high. The South Walian tank was repeatedly hit, but suffered only adverse morale effects - going from "Jumpy" to "Suppressed" to "Running Away" in successive moves. The South Walian advance having consequently become disjointed, a Police Section stormed into a sudden charge:

Police Section, supported by AT Party, storm the "limbered up" South Walian AT gun.
The South Walian Mechanical Man clanks in to the melee, soon to be joined by a
South Walian section of infantry...

...but not the South Walian sailors. The terrain is against them 
and the hedge "too high for jumping". 

With the furious Police/South Walian melee swaying to and fro, the stage was now set for THE MOST EVIL MOVE IN HEREFORD VBCW HISTORY....

And on to Part Six...