VBCW CRICKET (SCORING)

Ever since the Communist forces of Comrade Colonel Professor Winters broke through the Siege Lines of Kington (Autumn Big Game 2017 - see HERE), the forces of His Majesty's Government have been in fighting retreat across the North West of the County of Herefordshire.

Checking the Communist advance at the Battle of Wigmore (Spring Big Game 2018 - see HERE) only after concluding a "dubious alliance" with the Local Defence Forces of Sir Barrington and Lady Deirdre Patchpole, HMG then retired in the face of a flank attack from the "Coalition Forces" of Sir Gilbert Hill and sundry Anglican factions at the Battle of Winforton Pontoons (Autumn Big Game 2018 - see HERE) only to suffer disaster (and the complete destruction of their Regional HQ) at the Second Battle of Shobdon (Spring Big Game 2019 - see HERE). Checking the Communist assault again at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross (Autumn Big Game 2019 - see HERE), but only at the cost of an "even more dubious alliance" with Reichsmarshall Goering and his newly landed Fallschirmjager, the Government forces of Major Everard were then again outflanked by advancing Communist and Anglican battlegroups - and with Bromyard declaring independence and proclaiming itself a Democratic Socialist Republic (or Social Democratic Republic, dependent upon exactly who you talk to in Bromyard and whatever the precise difference), found themselves forced back into an "extended defence" of Leominster, with mixed results (Autumn Big Game 2021 - see HERE). 

Notwithstanding notable heroism by individual Government commanders along the way (and, indeed the loss of quite a few of them, whether by capture, internal firing squad, or heavy shellfire), Government forces have now been forced back into a "close defence" of Leominster, with much desperate fighting anticipated in the near future (Spring Big Game 2022 - to come!) 

Vaguely interesting as this campaign chronology might be (well....), what does this all have to do with cricket, or indeed cricket scoring?

A cricket score provides the perfect means for an outnumbered defending commander (mostly HMG at the moment, until their counter-attack plan comes along) to measure tactical success in the field, notwithstanding (probably, although by no means always) having to conduct a strategic retreat at the end of the day's fighting. Thus, to give an illustration for present use by HMG:

(a). for every opposition soldier "killed" (i.e. removed from play), score "1 run";

(b). for every member of the opposition's HQ Section (excluding runners) "killed", score "a 4";

(c). for every opposition Tank, Big Gun, Mortar/MMG or AT rifle/AT squad (or other non infantry section) "destroyed", score "a 6".

The aim would obviously be, as in cricket, to score as many "runs" as possible.

As to "fall of wickets", this could be, dependent upon the scenario, either: (1). number of moves expired, or (2). number of "table feet" given up to the attacking Opposition forces by the end of the game. Any other measure (short of the magic figure of "10") could be used.

Cricket scoring in this way would also allow defending Government commanders - sometimes spread out over three different tables -  to compare their results at the end of a day's battle (very useful for Lord de Braose, Governor of Hereford, who is said to keep "a league table" of his most successful field commanders). While wholly in the spirit of the VBCW, "cricket scoring" would also allow Government commanders to provide a suitable running commentary to their individual games (Howzat!...Oh, I say!....He's gone!)

For the purposes of this post, however, possibly the best thing about the "VBCW Cricket Scoring" proposal is the opportunity it provides to post some "pretty pictures of 28mm VBCW cricketers", as found on the Net:

"The Team" from Sloppy Jalopy - presently £15

Command HQ - Sloppy Jalopy figures with Wargames
Foundry flagbearer (slight conversion)

Heavy Machine Gun - WW1 Renegade (?) with lots
of modelling skill and greenstuff

"The WF Flagbearers" full team, including a nice headswap conversion for the Indian cricketer

A full cricket pitch, with game in progress. These and succeeding images from Summer Partisan 2014

Headswaps and lovely painting for the Indian Cricket Team

A converted Perry/Renendra ACW Farmstead serves as a Clubhouse

Another view of the Indian Cricketers.

Notes: The "Partizan 2014" cricket ground and figures are all by Pete Barfield ("Panzerkaput"). A full mag article on how it was all put together ("Cricket in the VBCW - Partizan in the Park") can be found in Vol 3/p.26 of the excellent (but sadly discontinued) "Wargame Bloggers Quarterly", still stored and freely downloadable at the Canister and Grape blog - see HERE. Other photos from unidentified sources collected over time - with many thanks to the original creators/photographers.