SPRING BIG GAME 2023 - CADBURY'S MARLBROOK

 Two tables, two linked battles, one Village Hall:

From north to south - Cadbury's (Marlbrook) battle nearest the camera,
with the Dinmore battle at the other end of the Burley Gate Village Hall.
To the right of the Marlbook table,  the 1/1 scale Mr Benn, Leader of the
  West Midlands ILP (Provisional Wing) "demonstrates the range of his mortar"
 to his esteemed opponent, the 1/1 scale Sir Charles Tite-Wadde, Bt.,
 C-in-C Combined Corporate Guard. At least, that's what we think is happening....

On the Marlbrook table, Sir Charles Tite-Wadde, Bt. led his Combined Corporate Guard and a force of hastily raised farmers, the Marlbrook Agricultural Militia, in defence of the Cadbury's factory.

1/55 scale Sir Charles Tite-Wadde, Bt. and the HQ Section of the Combined Corporate Guard.

The Marlbrook Agricultural Militia parade behind the Cadbury's Factory,
immediately before battle is joined. A Fyffe's Mortar and AT Gun Rifle
provide some support.

Sir Charles combined his tank strength - contributions from Fyffes,
 Cadbury's and Oxo  - into one unit: his very own "(Combined) Guards Armoured Division".

A mixture of forces from the newly allied Anglicans and Bromyard Republicans were determined to take the Cadbury's Factory before Government forces from Dinmore could come to the aid of Sir Charles Tite-Wadde Bt. They deployed three full Platoons - the West Midlands ILP (Provisional Wing), newly arrived in Bromyard from Birmingham; the Company of St. Michael (an Anglican "Free Company" in exile from Malvern), and a unit of renegade sailors, led by Captain Jack Tar, RN (cashiered) (or as he preferred to pronounce it, "Captain Jack TahaHAHAhaR, m'lad, AR.")

The Company of St. Michael deploy in the centre, troop carriers to the rear
and artillery prominent. To the left, the much feared (and advertised) "Storridge Skunk".

To the right of the Company of St. Michael, the West Midlands ILP (Provisional Wing)
deploy, advancing with three tanks under the command of  advised by "General" Patton,
"Armoured Consultant" to the Independent Republic of Bromyard.

To the left of the Company of St. Michael, just visible in the top left of this panoramic shot,
the renegade sailors of Captain Tar (HaHAR!) gather together "mob handed" with a plan to cross
the River Lugg. If only it was so easy.......Note Cadbury's SP "Big Gun" with F/O "Top"
Cover acting as an aerial "spotter", the Cadbury's infantry section garrisoning the factory
buildings at the bottom of this panorama, and the Marlbrook farmers deploying on the
right flank (top) against the anticipated advance of the Renegade Sailors.

Diligent investigation by Fleet Street subsequently discovered that the Anglican/Bromyard Alliance intended to use "Zulu tactics", with their sailors and ILP as "the horns" of their assault, and the Company of St. Michael as the "body", readied for their "killer blow". Unfortunately......

On the left, Captain Jack Tar's sailors were seized by an unexpected pandemic of hydrophobia, sections repeatedly refusing to cross the River Lugg (a 50% chance on a D6 die roll). An armoured car designed to provide support made an early (if forced) driving error ("LET'S OFF-ROAD!") and promptly bogged down for the rest of the battle. Those naval sections that did eventually manage to splash across the River Lugg  ran into Marlbrook farmers in soft cover (woods), well used to the local conditions, camouflaged and rolling hot on the firing dice apparently expert shots. In all these circumstances, it didn't matter how long or loudly Captain Jack "rolled his Rs" - AHAHAR! - his advance on such a narrow front was effectively stalled.

On the right, Mr Benn (late of 52, Festive Road, Birmingham, obviously), the Leader of the West Midlands ILP (Provisional Wing), assisted by his 2 i/c, Peggy Carter, attacked with much greater vigour, supported by a Bromyard "Armoured Brigade" - a T-26 (no doubt liberated from Comrade Winter's Communists in the uprising that led to Bromyard's independence) and two "Trumper & Shellgrove" medium tanks, one commanded by "General" Patton and the second by "Captain Tom", formerly of the 5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, now of the Royal Tank Regiment.

Mr Benn's problem challenge was that his advance had to be straight into most of his opponents' heavy support ("the Guards Armoured Division" plus SP Big Gun) and against the Cadbury's Commandos, superbly led by Cadbury's Captain "Coco" Cubbe ("astride his charger", as usual) and firing from behind hard cover - some convenient factory walls. The adopted solution was to hold the Bromyard "Armoured Brigade" back, "potting away" at any available target, and send forward the ILP infantry, under cover of woods, in an attempt to destroy the Cadbury's Commandos and flank the Cadbury's factory.

And away they go.....ILP infantry advance with tank support.

The waiting 'reception committee" - Cadbury's Commandos, HMG,
Tank, SP "Big Gun".

"General" Patton was not at all happy that his Bromyard's Tank Brigade was being
deliberately "held back". Goddam Limeys! Sonofabitch! Let's charge up the rail track and
get blown up, then report back!

Captain Tom in his Trumper & Shellgrove (or "TraSh") tank radios in his position.
Possibly unnecessary, as he has hardly moved....

....but the ILP Infantry have. Charge, boys, let 'em have it!

It was slow going for the ILP. Repeated assaults, repeated reversals, a few casualties, repeated "potting away" from the Armoured Brigade: it was all taking too long against such determined resistance. Even in the heat of the action, Mr Benn occasionally looked to the centre for some much needed relief...

And discovered the Company of St. Michael apparently engaged in calisthenics. (GODDAM Limeys!)

This unfortunate impression arose by reason of the Leader of the Free Company, Major Temple-Meades', concern about the open ground between his Platoon and the Cadbury's Factory, and his overriding determination to minimise casualties. His advance was therefore made by "short hops", as the Anglicans advanced, "went to ground" (or dived for cover), recovered and stood up, advanced, "went to ground", etc. etc. A methodical approach of "bobbing and weaving" as the Major waited (in vain, as it turned out) for the "horns" of the attack to "strike home" and draw troops away from the Cadbury's centre. But it was all too slow.....

The Company of St. Michael advance. Slowly.

There were occasional successes. The Fyffes' Corporate Mascot, Bananaman, was cheerfully assassinated before he could sing a note. The Cadbury's Anti Tank Gun rifle and HMG were destroyed. Both the Fyffe's and Cadbury's tanks were battered, one immobilised, both losing weaponry. The Cadbury's Commandos suffered casualties, as did the Fyffes Motor Guard. The Storridge Skunk emitted huge gusts of sulphurous smells as it used up its "home made ammunition". But in the race against time to take the Cadbury's Factory before HMG could assist Sir Charles Tite-Wadde, Bt., it was not enough - and there were disasters, too....

Disaster! Captain Tom's TRaSH Tank is blown up by a Cadbury's Heavy Shell.
No harm came to the good Captain, who was merely "explosively propelled"
from his turret to a 'soft landing' in a nearby field.

Notwithstanding "Zulu tactics", it slowly became clear that this battle was not to be a repeat of Islandlwana. And then the gathered Bromyard/Anglican commanders became aware of a new presence on the field.........Royalist and BUF Forces rushing forward towards the Cadbury's Factory from Dinmore. Cadbury's was saved!

"Saved? Dear boy......" Sir Charles Tite-Wadde, Bt. became fond of repeating the story in his dotage, and to the very occasional VBCW researcher who called upon him. "...dear boy, you could say we were hardly troubled!"

Discouraged Opposition Commanders look on as the Cadbury's Factory stays firmly
in the hands of the Combined Corporate Guard. There is a great deal of "Yank vulgarity"
(and stamping of tiny booted feet) as "General" Patton complains vigorously...

As the combined Anglican/Bromyard Forces began their "tactical retreat", there was but one consolation. While they had suffered losses without attaining their objective, it had clearly been A VERY BAD DAY INDEED for Comrade Colonel Professor Winter's Communists at Dinmore.......HaHaHAHaHAR!