SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE ROLL OF HONOUR

Somewhere within the confines of the (undestroyed) Clubhouse of the Hereford Golf Club - probably in the upstairs loo - is displayed a wooden board, lettered in gilt, declaring the results of the 1938 Golf Challenge:

The Winner (and Holder of the 1/1 Scale Cup)

Roo’s Scratch Terretorials (Quasi - Royalist/Mercenary)

The Successful Robber from Sir Alan McGuffin (and Holder of the 1/60 Scale Cup)

Mr Cuddy Davison (Mercenary Miner)

The Runners-Up (who made it onto the 18^th Fairway)

Jay’s Spanish Catholic Nationalist Monarchists (Royalist/BUF/Politically Confused)

Tim’s Bishop of Lichfield’s Field Force (Anglican)

Craig’s North Herefordshire Parishioners Militia (Anglican)

Carl’s “Not those Carlists” Local Defence Volunteers (LDV)

Rita’s Herefordshire Field Force (Anglican)

Monsewer Crapaud’s (Nick’s) Lichfield Local Defence Volunteers (LDV)

                                     

The Gallant Field (and in no particular order)

Steve’s Chinese Converts Column (LDV)

Alan’s Fascist Alarm Company (BUF)

JP’s Blackshorts (BUF)

Neil’s Rorke’s Drift Re-Enactment Society on Field Exercises (LDV)

Stephen’s “THE Rural LDV” (LDV)

What will the future hold for "Cuddy Davison" and his section of blackened miners? Indeed, for all the forces of "supporters and well-wishers" who turned out for the Spring "Big Game"? How will Sir Alan McGuffin extract his revenge for his destroyed Golf Course? These and other burning questions can only be answered by participation in the AUTUMN BIG GAME....

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 12)

And so it came to pass that Recently Defrocked Referee Roo (RDR-2) was acclaimed the winner of the Spring Big Game 2017, and the holder of the Hereford Golf Cup!

A visibly overcome Roo receives his 1/1 scale Cup and Winners Medal. Behind him may be the estimate of the number of casualties his forces suffered during the "Big Game". Only the confines of the Village Hall prevented a full scale "lap of honour" and only the complete lack of knowledge of the remaining Umpire of matters football prevented comparisons to Lionel Messi.

But wait!

A late Appeal !

It turns out that, such was the desperation of RDR-2 in the scramble to put together a force in 10 minues before the "Off" in the morning, his 28mm commander had "borrowed" a small section from none other than Monsieur Crapaud (Nick) of Crapaud Force - a section of "blackened miners" lead by one "Cuddy Davison".

And who had relieved Sir Alan McGuffin of the 1/60 scale Cup at the point of a bayonet? None other than "Cuddy Davison" himself.

Brows were furrowed, heads scratched. Counsel's Opinion was taken. The Appeal was successful.

The leader of RDR-2's "Mercenary Miner" section, Mr Cuddy Davison, was duly given the right to carry the 1/60 scale cup back to Crapaud Force in triumph, and have a tiny medal sewn (well, painted) onto his jacket. The scale Cup will accompany Nick's miners section on the next occasion of battle, and give them a well deserved +1 morale bonus (until the Cup is captured by someone else, of course..)

Which leaves only the Sir Alan McGuffin, sorrowing over his lost Cup and his destroyed Golf Course:

The Hereford Golf Course : Before the "April Fools Day Massacre"

The Hereford Golf Course : After "The April Fools Day Massacre"

[with many thanks to Alan & Rita and others for their photographs of the day, which were used throughout this account)

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 11)

The final charge.......

Jay's Mounted Troops "go wide" in an effort to avoid the Committee's Machine Gun fire, and then turn...

J's Horse charge, taking on the Committee's Machine Gun. To the right, RDR-2's Miners take on the Club Committee

A closer view of the final moments. It is now too close range for the Commitee's Field Gun, and Sir Alan McGuffin
can only take cover between the champagne Behemoths....

Sir Alan McGuffin, as Chairman of the Hereford Golf Club and custodian of the Cup, personally commanded the Committee's rearguard action. A charge home from the Spanish mounted troops, but the tussle was inconclusive (hard luck on the dice rolling, J)..wide eyed Sir Alan swung round to check his other flank, and suddenly found himself staring into the grim eyes of a blackened miner levelling an old fashioned Lee Metford...

A courageous miner is about to "hold up" Sir Alan McGuffin

"I'll have that, son" growled the miner, pointing at the Cup. "And I think happ'n we've earned it."

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 10)

Neither Crapaud Force nor the "Not those Carlists" LDV had the forces to outdistance J and his mounted troops, nor RDR-2's frantically running (and charioteering) Lew Wallace Memorial boys. After a brief exchange of fire between their forces, differing tactics became clear. Crapaud Force advanced warily behind J's politically confused Spaniards, hoping that the "initial wave" of attacks would be broken by the Committee's firepower. Carl and his "Not those Carlists" LDV, however, possibly driven mad by their long-running battle with the Lower Course tank and benefiting from some long range weapons, took to bombarding the "front runners" from behind with great glee - particularly Carl's old friend, RDR-2. Whatever the tactical thinking, perhaps not so tactful in relation to a man who was due to give you a lift home later....

The "second wave" of arrivals on the 18th Fairway. To the left, the Not Those Carlists Armoured Cars pour fire
into the Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group (just visible on the flank), while on the right, the Spanish Mounted Troops easily outpace the Crapaud Force (and everyone else).

Gee-up! Whipcrack away! RDR-2's 28mm commander, juddering along on his artillery limber, well saw that he was being outpaced by the faster moving mounted troops of J's force, and knew that he could expect no mercy from behind. Forward! Faster! Into the teeth of fire from the defending Committee! Onwards on the Fairway of Death!

Whipcrackaway! RDR-2's brave 28mm commander on top of his fast travelling
limber. On the flank, a depleted section of miners is all that is now left of the
Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group. Thanks, Carl (and Nick and J)

The lead horse of the artillery team went down; then another. The remainder stumbled, recovered, gathered themselves for the final gallop and.....

An artillery shell landed slap bang on top of them.

The brave 28mm commander was obliterated in an instant; in a tangle of leather straps and drivers and mangled horseflesh, in that but one explosive instant, both the leader and the dreams of the Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group died.

But did they?

On their left, J's fast movement had put him into the teeth of the Committee's fire. Spaniards fell left and right, with J's forces rapidly being whittled down. RDR-2 still had one (reduced) section of grim-faced miners to make one last close assault...

The respective (1/1 scale) Commanders saluted. It was to be now or never. After a long day of grinding battle, it had come down to one last, great charge....

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 9)

As RDR-2 and the wily J set up their forces on the 18th Fairway, news filtered through from the Lower Course - the will of the Herefordshire Watch Committee had finally been broken, and the defending tank destroyed....

The sadly depleted forces of the Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group assemble on the 18th Fairway.
Their brave commander can be seen mounted on his chariot-style artillery limber. 

J's Politically Confused Spaniards assemble in the other corner. Will his mounted troops give him an advantage?

There was not a moment to lose! After the briefest exchange of fire to confirm that their "Golf Buddy" alliance was well and truly over, RDR-2 and J raced off up the Fairway towards the Clubhouse, the waiting Committee, some chilled Behemoths of champagne, and the Cup!

A good impression of the Clubhouse and the waiting Committee, Cup and Champagne.
The wide, green acreage of the 18th Fairway is clearly visible.

It soon became apparent, however, that the Committee had arranged both chilled champagne and a hot reception for our contenders, forming up the Club staff behind a field gun, a machine gun, and as the remarkably well mannered servants of two mortars. The Chairman of the Club, Sir Alan McGuffin, had let it be known that the Cup was only to be wrested from his cold, dead hands....while behind J and RDR-2, the victors from the Lower Course, Nick and his "Crapaud Force" and Carl and his "Not those Carlists" LDV entered the assembly areas of the 18th Fairway....

Who would triumph?

Fighting slowly petered out on the Upper and Lower Courses as the players gathered round the 18th Fairway. Later qualifiers - Lady Rita, the lumbering Lichemaster of the Upper Course (Craig), and (remarkably) the heavily battered Bishop of Lichfield (Tim) - gracefully accepted that their role was now likely to be academic, as they were already behind the earlier four top table qualifiers. It appears that a late change of "Golf Buddy" cards on the Upper Course, together with the physical exhaustion and/or sudden onset of claustrophobia by Captain Straitt-Jackett, had allowed the good Bishop to qualify.

But which of our four early qualifiers would claim the Cup?

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 8)

Not just speed, however, but speed allied with firepower.

After the near extinction, by massed artillery fire, of both the Ben Hogan Friends of Herefordshire Golf (on the Upper Course) and the Herefordshire Watch Committee (on the Lower Course), the defenders of the "central objective" on each table were seriously undermanned.

The situation on the Upper Course has already been described. On the Lower Course, due to the three way (and still continuing) melee, the non-participants had been making slow but steady progress towards the centre of the table : a newly cautious Spode, the wheel-spinning Commander Carl of the "Not those Carlists" LDV, and the seriously undermanned Monsewer Crapaud. On both courses, any assault on the "central objective" would be practically bound to succeed.

Before the lunch adjournment, Umpire Clive had ordered a change of "Golf Buddy" cards. Perhaps a re-shaping of alliances could save the "central objective"? To no avail. The fall of the cards resulted in little change, and just as much danger to the "central objectives" as ever.

Over lunch, RDR-2 hastily re-frocked himself, and the Umpires now fell into discussion. A solution was found. Upon resumption of play in the afternoon, the players on both courses stared aghast at the HUGE TANK that now defended each "central objective"....(apart from the Bishop and the Captain, of course, whose heavily blackened eyes made sight difficult, and who soon fell again into their mutually enjoyable and entirely private bunfight, taking turns to bludgeon each other -See Rule 2A(iii) of the "Close Quarter Assault" April Supplement to the Rules).

The Lower Course after lunch. The two remaining members of the Herefordshire Watch Committee have received
substantial re-inforcements. The Hero's Grave Special Objective remains as yet unclaimed. The tank defending the
Central Objective on the Upper Course was even larger.

On the Lower Course, the tank proved a serious obstacle. Vast amounts of firepower poured over the behemoth and its two sheltering policemen (who were nerveless, and apparently indestructible) to no effect. The three non-meleeing parties were seriously held up, particularly the teeth-grinding Commander Carl : would no-body free him from this turbulent tank?

On the Upper Course, the tank seemed to interfere seriously with the previously steady advance of Captain Chang's Chinese Christian Mililtia. J's "politically confused" Spanish Force seemed more sanguine, however, having some means of taking on the Behemoth, while the newly defrocked (again) RDR-2 decided that the time had come for desperate measures. He mounted his 28mm commander figure in unorthdox seat on a spare artillery limber, whipped up the horses, and heedless of danger and in imitation of Charlton Heston's famous Ben-Hur, set off at a frantic gallop towards the "Central Objective"!

Fortune favoured the immensely brave.

A planned change of "Golf Buddy" cards swapped RDR-2 into alliance with J's Spaniards. A lucky short destroyed the Behemoth.....

The burning tank at the centre of the Upper Course. Ben Hogan's Friends of Herefordshire Golf have been wiped out.
To the right lies burning one of Captain Shang's amoured vehicles : it was not his lucky day. Just in sight at the foot are the Spanish Horse, just out of sight (but, boy, can he race!) is the Commander of the Lew Wallace Group.

and the Central Objective of the Upper Course fell into the hands of the swift moving 28mm Commander of the Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group and the mounted troops of his new (and very temporary) ally, J's Spanish!

The first "team" to be translated to the hitherto untouched 18th Fairway (the Central Table) and to hazard an assault against Sir Alan McGuffin's defending Club Committee! But who will take the Cup (there can only be one!) and will not the Lower Course contribute some competitors ?

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 7)

Not to be outdone, the Lower Course descended into a more measured, if equally desperate, bout of chaos : the first three sided melee in recorded Hereford VBCW history. Determined to capture a vital "red flag" from the upper green (or at least deny it to the enemy), the forces of the Blessed Lady Rita, the Rorke's Drift Re-Enactment Society and THE Rural LDV fought a long-running, bloody and somewhat indecisive engagement through and over the bunkers: 

"The trouble with the Bishop - and the Captain - is that they do things on such a small scale, m'dear." -
Lady Rita Talbot-Ponsonby in the course of the vast three way melee on the Lower Course.

An aerial shot of the Lower Course. The three sided melee continues in the
foreground. In the centre, two Special Objectives remains to be
captured - a "Hero's Grave" and a "Chemical Works".
In the background, Spode's black tank can be seen idling,
anxious not to enter another Minefield.

The one recipient of vast fortune - and an equally vast number of re-inforcements - via capturing "Special Objectives" (which varied from Minefields through Mommet Groves and Mommet Tunnels, to an abandoned Champagne Smuggler's Cart, the Herefordshire Cider Makers' Secret Stash and a herd of a Herefordshire's famous cattle) was none other than the Captain Percy Fitzneatly and the North Herefordshire Parishioners Milita. It seemed that Captain Percy (Craig) could not help but throw his D6 for the "more men/double more men" options every time he encountered a Special Objective, and soon the plucky Milita had grown to Divisional size, and the "Spare Units" table was looking denuded:

The patriotically covered "Special Units" table, originally filled with units, is quickly reduced to
a random smatter by the re-animating good fortune of Craig the Lichemaster. The units shown
here will soon be on their way to join the Burghill & Tillington Infantry Corps

While rendering Captain Fitzneatly's force even more formidable than anticipated, such was the vast scale of the re-inforcement that it seems to have slowed down his advance to a crawl. With the Bishop and the Captain still engaged in their never ending bitch - fight in the southern corner of the Upper Course ("I take this pen-knife...I see your pen-knife and raise you a rusty fork - take that, you bounder!), the remaining players (Captain Shang's Christians, the Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group, and J's Spanish-Monarchist-Nationalist-Catholic Militia) would have to rely upon speed to claim their victory.

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 6)

Spode's self-confessed reasoning seems to have gone something like this : a minefield looks threatening. However, it is a special objective set by those too-clever Umpires, and is therefore almost certainly not a minefield and no threat whatsoever. Confidently, he strode into the minefield, received and then opened his "Luxurious Sealed Envelope" only to discover that his Special Objective was - a Minefield ! (in fact, of all the minefields scattered across the course, this was the very worst). Only a throw of "6" on a D6 could now save Spode from disaster - and he duly threw - a 6!

Others were not so lucky. Captain Straitt-Jackett, leading his BUF Alarm Company towards the south centre of the Upper Course, wandered into another kind of Special Objective : a strange tunnel entrance. Upon opening his "Luxurious Sealed Envelope", he read the following: 

SPECIAL OBJECT NINE

“THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE”

"Congratulations (we think)! You have discovered the entrance to a large tunnel belong to the “Herefordshire Molemen”, the “underground” faction of Herefordshire Mommetry. These mysterious sappers and miners are in training to assist an attacking faction at any VBCW siege within the County (or perhaps to relieve the defenders of any such siege).

Roll 1D6 and implement the result below:

[1]. NO RESULT! Nada. Nothing. Zilch. This is a long abandoned training tunnel that does not lead very far. Move on. Yawn!

[2]. SECRET EXIT! You and your entire force (as surviving and wherever they may be) follow the abandoned tunnel to a secret exit 12 inches (in any direction) from the centre of this Special Object. Choose your direction, mark your point of exit, and then re-set up your entire force (as surviving) within a radius of 12 inches of your exit point.

[3]. REINFORCEMENTS! The Tunnel Entrance is guarded. The Herefordshire Molemen emerge from the stygian gloom and resolve to join your force. Now choose ONE UNIT (if available) from the “Spare Units” Table and add it to your force - by grouping it immediately around your Command Figure (or senior surviving Command Figure). You can claim an Extra Movement Card for your force at the beginning of each succeeding turn.

[4]. DOUBLE REINFORCEMENTS! The Tunnel Entrance is guarded. The Herefordshire Molemen emerge from their hiding places and resolve to join your force. Now choose TWO UNITS (if available) from the “Spare Units” Table and add it to your force - by placing them within a radius of 12 inches of your home Tee. You can claim two Extra Movement Card for your force at the beginning of each succeeding turn.

[5]. GOLF FLAG! The Herefordshire Molemen have previously stolen a Golf Flag from the Club, and hidden it here. Well done! Now all you have to do is keep hold of it and get to the Tee (18 or 18A) at the centre of the table….

[6]. YIKES! There’s a strange tick-tocking noise coming from the end of the tunnel. The Herefordshire Molemen have booby trapped their diggings. There might just be time to get away before…BOOM!"

The BUF's fateful decision to enter the tunnel entrance of the Herefordshire Molemen

Rolling a 2 on his D6, Captain Straitt-Jackett (Alan) had no option but to transport the entirety of his Alarm Company bang into the centre of the advancing forces of the very surprised Bishop of Lichfield (Tim):

Underground attack! Alan's BUF emerge from the Momett Molemen's old workings into the centre of Tim's forces.

The apparently confident attack (although actually forced on Alan by the rules of the "Luxurious Sealed Envelope") had fateful consequences at southern end of the Upper Course. Captain Straitt- Jackett and the Bishop of Lichfield, both highly experienced commanders, promptly forgot the "Rules of Golf" entirely, and indeed even the vast acreage of the Herefordshire Course itself, preferring to spend the remainder of the day in one vast, swirling, hard punching melee confined within an area of about 12 inches square....

Two stoats in a hessian sack. "It says here - Section B(1) - ancillary rules for kneeing in the groin...."
Captain Straitt-Jackett (left) seeks advantage in his never-ending melee with the Bishop (Tim).
In the foreground, the North Herefordshire Parishioners Militia and the Lew Wallace Memorial
Assault Group quietly get on with trying to win the Hereford Golf Cup.
In the background, the six players on the Lower Course do the same.

"Section 8, Supplement D2 - Rules for Throttling and Eye Gouging. Only allowable in a space less than the square area of a telephone box (1938)." - Captain Straitt-Jackett. "Well, that seems fair enough. Shall we spend all of the next round trying that out then?" - the Bishop of Lichfield - "before we get down to 'Combat with Newly Sharpened Sticks'"?
Everyone else has advanced just a little further towards the central objective of winning the game.

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 5)

Completing the crew of "mostly LDVs" - in contrast to previous "Big Games", dominated by the ideological factions of Royalists, Anglicans, Mosleyites, Albertines, Socialists, etc - were two native sons of Herefordshire on their "first outings" : "THE Rural LDV" (Stephen) and "The Rorke's Drift Re-Enactment Society (on Field Exercises)" LDV (Neil), both in the north of the Lower Course:

The Rorke's Drift Re-Enactment Society (on Field Exercises) set off from Tee 3. The redcoats seem to be
at the rear as the Force's scouts recce a very strange obstacle to their front....

THE Rural LDV advance confidently, ready to take on all comers (and they will).

Scattered about the Golf Course itself are a wide variety of "Special Objectives", each (once captured) giving possession of a new invention by the AVBCW-TNG crew - "the Luxurious Sealed Envelope" (thank you, J.) - and the opportunity of significant reward (or significant disaster). Who will be the first to bold enough (or foolhardy enough) to take on a "Special Objective" and discover the secrets therein?

One of the less imaginative "Special Objectives" - A Minefield. Or is it?

Step forward - Eustace Spode!!

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 4)

Some very irregular forces, and a few very hastily put together. In the far north of the "Upper Course" lurked "Recently Defrocked Referee Roo" (RDR-2) with whatever motley forces he could scramble together from his reserve boxes - and loans from friends - on 15 minutes notice (a scheduled player had failed to turn up without warning). For reasons that will become apparent - read on, read on - RDR-2's unititled scratch assembly rapidly became known as "The Lew Wallace Memorial Assault Group".

Flanking RDR-2 were, to his left and centre, a formidable new entry from the North Hereford Parishioner's Militia, under the command of Captain Percy Fitzneatly (Craig), otherwise and shortly to become known as "The Lichemaster" (read on, read on); and to his right flank the highly experienced Captain Shang (Steve A) and his "Chinese Christian Column".

The North Herefordshire Parishioners Militia. The Burghill & Tillington Cricket Club flank the HQ Section

Captain Shang's well prepared Chinese Christians. Dice cup - check. Tape Measure - check. Rulebook - check.
One of the day's Special Objectives - an Ammunition Dump - can be seen in the foreground.

While in the deep south of the Lower Course, an equally hastily assembled scratch force under Monsewer Crapaud (Nick) faced off against Spode's Blackshorts opposite, and flanked by yet another scratch LDV commanded by Carl:

"Crapaud Force", sadly depleted by a hasty error on the part of Umpire Clive in the course of "the morning rush".

"Not-those-Carlists another-kind-of-Carlists-altogether-chap" LDV. Carl's formidable Armoured Cars would
spend most of their time wheel spinning as the soft ground of the Golf Course exposed their off road limitations.

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 3)

There were Royalist/Fascists in the woods on the Upper Course...

A BUF Contingent of Major Straitt Jackett's Royalist/Fascist Alarm Company (Alan)

and proper (unallied, unalloyed and unapologetic) Fascists advancing across the rough of the Lower Course:

BUF Blackshorts are, as usual, urged on by Eustace Spode (JP)

.and foreign Fascist/Royalists setting off towards the Central Tee of the Upper Course, accompanied by stirring, but rather confused, war cries of "Alfonso XIII and Edward VIII....oh, and not forgetting the Caudillo, of course. Yes, him aswell. And certainly not forgetting His Holiness. Goodness me, no. Never that.. Anyway - Onward! Hurrah! Arriba! Espana! Er....er, Inglaterra!"  

J's Anglo-Spanish Nationalist Monarchist Catholic Contingent advance carefully from their tee. Such caution
may have been a clever strategy to avoid early casualties, or merely a product of a certain political confusion.

Confusion was as foreign as any Spaniard to that redoubtable Anglican cleric, the Bishop of Lichfield, His forces advanced from a southern corner of the Upper Course in the God-given certainty that this very day he would be blessed with the County Cup. "God, Country and the Archbishop of Canterbury! And remember the Armada!"

The Bishop of Lichfield's Anglican Field Force get under way (Tim)

While on the green fields of the Lower Course, his fellow Anglican, The Blessed Lady Rita Talbot-Ponsonby, immaculately coutoured as ever by Worth in a long greatcoat ("dove grey, darling") and campaign cap ("so fetching!"), knew that there could be only one winner of this all-play-all tournament: 

The immaculately clad Lady Rita Talbot Ponsonby brandishes her pistol with customary fervour (Rita)

but there were more, and even more irregular forces in play.... [to be continued]

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 2)

Twelve experienced AVBCW commanders (well, more or less), and but a single opering strategy - concentrated area bombardment of the hapless Central Tee Defenders and then a simultaneous sprint towards the nearest green and it's fluttering red flag -

Inspector Knacker of the Herefordshire Police Watch Committee consults his 
Sergeant on the absence of cover around the Lower Course Central Tee......

....but it is already too late. The sky darkens above his brave police section...

...with predictably explosive consequences!

On the Upper Course, Ben Hogan's Friends of Herefordshire Golf
mill around their Central Tee in sudden fear...

as the sky darkens suddenly above them....

...and they suffer exactly the same fate.

Who were these deadly assassins, so careless of the gentlemanly code of Golf and so accurate with their 18 pounder fire? Who were these brave types who ganged up upon the innocent Central Defenders, pitching heavy artillery against small arms - and with such immediate and devestating effect? [to be continued]

SPRING BIG GAME 2017 - THE COUNTY CUP (PART 1)

And from all corners of Herefordshire (and in some cases, well beyond), they gathered at the Hereford Golf Course (otherwise known as the Burley Gate Village Hall). Twelve players. Three tables. One County Cup. A watching world. A befuddled Sir Alan McGuffin and his confused Club Committee. The Spring Big Game 2017 (colloquially known as "The April Fools Day Massacre") was finally on....and the action about to get explosive. 

Referee Roo had produced a Programme and Rules Playsheet.
Nothing but the best for those ready to risk all for the County Cup.

Referee Clive had produced the supremely valuable County Cup
(and Winner's Medal, oh yes!)

Tim kindly loaned a superb scratchbuilt Clubhouse complex (where Nick's palm trees peep out to the right)

...and where Sir Alan McGuffin and his confused Committee anxiously waited by the 18th Green.

On the Lower Course, six challengers abandoned their golf clubs and shouldered a mixture of rifles, shotguns, sub machine guns - and more. Tank engines were revved, shells slotted home into their breeches, last cigarettes were puffed anxiously...

The "Lower Course" (Table One) looking south 

....while on the Upper Course, the same minutes ticked away in a smiliar anxious uncertainty. There were Anglicans. There were Fascists. There were Albertines. There were Local Defence Volunteers and Field Forces and Criminal Thugs (masquerading as the Burghill & Tillington Cricket Club). There were Chinese Christian Converts and Rorke's Drift Re-Enactors. Some had brought Big Guns, others Armoured Cars or motorised Anti Tank Rifles. Crucially, as only the fairways and greens counted as "roads" and the tables had acres of free space, nobody had actually thought to bring (the usually useless) cavalry. Nobody had even brought Mounted Infantry, save the wily J and his Spanish Nationalist Monarchist Catholics....

The "Upper Course" (Table Two) looking north

A shout of "Fore!", the traditional golfer's warning, and universally misinterpreted. A storm of fire and sudden movement. On the Lower Course, the Herefordshire Police Watch Committee (tasked with defending the critical Central Tee) bemoaned the absence of cover. On the Upper Course, Ben Hogan's Friends of Herefordshire Golf (with a similar defensive task) looked up anxiously as the sky above them suddenly darkened..... In front of the Clubhouse, Sir Alan McGuffin cradled the County Cup and cursed the inevitable imminent destruction of his beautiful course...[to be continued]

The BIG DAY BRIEFING NOTE

The Spring 2017 Big Game is this weekend - Saturday 1st April 2017. This Briefing Note will be available in hard copy on the day itself, but for those faction leaders alerted by able Intelligence Services (or for the merely curious), here is an advance copy. Steal a march on your opponents by taking full advantage....

SPRING 2017 AVBCW (TNG) BIG DAY BRIEFING - “THE COUNTY CUP”

aka “THE APRIL FOOLS DAY MASSACRE”

Sir Alan McGuffin and the Committee of the Hereford Golf Club (which is neither Royal nor Ancient) welcome you to the County Cup Charity Challenge and wish you a pleasant day’s play.

You are “teeing off” from your “home tee”: TEE (1 - 12, number to be drawn randomly on the BIG DAY). Your command figure should be placed on your “home tee” and your attending party of “supporters and well-wishers” should be placed within a radius of 12 inches of your “home tee” before the start of play. If you have not played the Hereford course before, there are six Tees per table, three on each side.

Done that? Then the Club Committee wishes to apologise, but it seems that ONE of your infantry sections (your choice) has failed to appear/sat down for tea/preferred to play cricket. Please remove ONE of your infantry sections (your choice) and place it on the “Spare Units” table before you start your round. By way of small compensation for your loss, the Club Committee hereby grant you one “MY GOLF BUDDY” card (to be provided on the BIG DAY). Please write your (campaign) name on your card and hold it ready to exchange with another player before the start of play - if you choose to do so. Remember, there can only be one winner of the County Cup!

****

Special Rules for Today (“the Rules of Golf”)

1.            On your table are a two golf holes (marked with a Flag), each served by a green (which may or may not be surrounded by bunkers and/or water obstacles) and a fairway. Off each fairway is “the rough”, consisting of the usual variety of trees, low hills, scrub and bushes, together with a number of “Special Objects”. In the very centre of your table is a Special Tee (marked 18 or 18A). The Special Tee may or may not be defended by an independent force (“Ben Hogan’s Friends of Herefordshire Golf” or “The Herefordshire Police Watch Committee” or somesuch).

2.            Your Aim is for you first to “capture a Flag” (by placing any of your figures immediately next to it) and then to place your command figure (or most senior surviving command figure) on the Special Tee. By placing such a figure on the Special Tee, and by the magic of Hereford1938”TNG”, your entire force (as then surviving) will be instantaneously teleported to the “18^th Fairway” (separate table) where Sir Alan and his Committee wait with the County Cup. Sir Alan is already - and anxiously - “taking soundings” as to what the Club will do upon spotting a hostile force (or forces) advancing along the 18^th Fairway towards the valuable Cup. Some are in favour of conscripting and arming “Fleet Street’s finest” (so bothersome with their endless requests for interviews) in order to mount a “brave last stand”, while others are in favour of a communal sing-song (“Nearer, My God, to Thee”?) as Lady McGuffin and her ladies hastily manufacture a host of white flags….

3.            Anyway, back to you. It might be jolly difficult to achieve your Aim all on your own. That’s why you have your “Golf Buddy” card. Before the start of play, you have the option of swapping your “Golf Buddy” card with another player, and thereby concluding a temporary “alliance”. Golf Buddies may not shoot at (or otherwise damage) each other’s forces during their “alliance”, and may otherwise co-operate as they might agree. “Golf Buddy” cards are automatically returned at lunchtime (or upon a call from the Umpires). Upon return, you can then take the opportunity to swap again with the same player, or a completely different player, or no player at all.

4.            And here’s “the rub of the green”. If either you or your Golf Buddy (on that turn) have captured at least one flag AND have at least one of your command figures (or most senior surviving command figures) on the Special Tee, BOTH of your forces are instantaneously teleported to the “18^th Fairway” (separate table) where Sir Alan and his Committee wait with the County Cup. Your “GOLF BUDDY” alliance is automatically cancelled upon your arrival on the 18^th Fairway. There you’ll have to battle it out with your erstwhile ally (and perhaps others) - remember, there can only be one winner.

5.            The Club Committee will immediately replace any Flags that are captured. This means that you can capture a Flag from a Green even if another player has already done so. You can also capture a Flag from another player in the course of a victorious melee action (or by picking it up from a deceased flag carrier). The Special Tee may be used any number of times, but after the first occasion, becomes increasingly difficult to do so (Umpire’s Decision on a D6).

6.            “Special Objects” may be investigated by placing any figure in the centre of the objective. Each Special Object has a special envelope telling you the results of your investigation (ask the Umpire). “Special Objects” may only be investigated once (i.e. will be removed after investigation). There may be great advantages in investigating a Special Object (e.g. can you gain a “special Flag” by doing so? or the return of your "Spare Unit"?) but there may also be any number of catastrophic consequences.

7.            The immaculate fairways and greens of the Club count as “roads” for the purposes of this Big Game. Otherwise, the usual “WTDW” terrain rules apply.

The County Widows and Orphans Fund thank you for your contribution to their continuing work.

And Sir Alan McGuffin Welcomes.....

"Platoon Roster Sheets" have been requested from all the players in the forthcoming "Spring Big Game", to take place at Burley Gate Village Hall on 1st April 2017, and the results are flowing in....like glue. Nevertheless, it is already known that Sir Alan McGuffin and the Committee of the Hereford Golf Club will welcome:

MAJOR MILES STRAITT-JACKETT (Alan), distinguished supporter of HM Government, together with his well known collection of Cheltenham Ladies College schoolgirls (with hockey sticks and rounders bats!), Gas Street Irregulars (lead by Boss Alfie Lightfinger), Wulfhere Company BUF (West Mercia Division), etc, etc......

"THE BLESSED" LADY RITA TALBOT-PONSONBY (Rita) of the Anglican League, with an equally well known collection of County freedom fighters, including the Bishop of Hereford's Suffragan Militia, the Hereford Small Traders Defence League, the Archenfield Young Farmers Association, etc., etc...

COMMANDER EUSTACE SPODE and his BLACKSHORTS (JP), a Senior Commander withn the BUF Three Counties Legion, leader of the Marches Blackshorts, the Ladies Fascisti, the Sidcup Highlanders, etc., etc....

CAPTAIN-GENERAL TEDDY "BEAR" JERMINGHAM (Mort), Commander in Chief of the Anglican Forces in Herefordshire, accompanied as always by Sergeant Harry "Ratty" Reed, leading the shock troops of the Bishop of Hereford's forces, the instantly recognisable Anglican "Cherryberrys"

THE REVEREND PERCY FITZNEATLY (Craig), a new entrant to the rolls of Anglican heroes within the County, leading amongst others the North Herefordshire Parishioners Militia and the Tillington and Burghill Gentlemen's XI...

Alan and Rita have already obtained the "Special Favour" of the Campaign Umpires (TNG) by the fastest return of Platoon Rosters. Woe betide those who, by belated return of Platoon Rosters, incur the "Special Disfavour" of the very same Campaign Umpires (TNG)....

SPRING 2017 BIG GAME - THE SCENARIO

"THE APRIL FOOLS DAY MASSACRE"

otherwise known as

“THE COUNTY CUP”

It’s a Very British Civil War, and what could be more Very British than a very temporary truce for a bracing day’s charity event at the Hereford Golf Club (in aid of the County Widows and Orphans Fund)?

Invitations to participate in “The County Cup Charity Challenge” have been accepted by all notable personages in Hereford’s VBCW. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the greens are freshly mown; but clearing the fairways and woods of all the detritus of the VBCW has proved far beyond the resources of Sir Alan McGuffin (Chairman of the Club) and his Committee of County worthies. Ammo dumps, broken down or under repair vehicles, hidden supplies or abandoned war materials still litter the course, ready and waiting to surprise (or delight) each and every player - and it’s every player for himself.

That’s right - it’s every player for himself. With the County Cup at stake and the whole of Fleet Street watching, command structures are put to one side, factional allegiances unravel and old alliances dissolve (or perhaps reform in unexpected ways). The winner can expect a morale boosting bout of national publicity and the special favour of the King/the Prime Minister/the Archbishop of Canterbury/the Kremlin/the Eisteddfod/the local Landowners (as you will) - even if he has to beat “one of his own” to claim the prize.

Sir Alan had expected his guests to arrive with only a caddie and a bag of clubs for company. But trust is in short supply, and the truce is only very temporary. The Committee look on in horror as each player attends the course with his own combat ready retinue of well-armed “supporters and well-wishers”.  Some - in fact, the majority - have had the temerity to bring along tanks, tankettes, armoured cars (“that’s my golf buggy for the day, Sir Alan, don’t worry”), troops of cavalry (“just in case I slice it, old chap - damn’ useful for finding a lost ball”) and even field guns (“a little insurance, don’t you know?”).

As each player “tees off”, Sir Alan and his now terrified Committee gather around the County Cup. The Club Secretary consults the Rules of Golf, but there seems nothing to cover “blowing up an opponent”, “replacing the ball in the event of a massacre”, or “playing through a party with superior firepower”. Just one misunderstanding amongst the players, and this could all go most horribly wrong.

“Fore!”

A shout of the traditional golfer’s warning, and universally misinterpreted.

“Fire!” “Fire!” “Fire, goddamit!” (this last one clearly wasn’t an Anglican). Sir Alan’s truce is abandoned by universal consent. The Hereford Golf Club dissolves into the chaos of our renewed Civil War. As Fleet Street’s finest look on, the County Cup waits to be seized by the victor. And there can only be one….

The County Widows and Orphans Fund thank you for your contribution to their continuing work.

Spring 2017 BIG GAME

The Hereford1938 AVBCW Spring Big Game is ON! With regrets communicated from one or two of the campaign's notorious characters (for example, Captain Arrowsmith is said to be "conducting staff conversations with Mussolini", and Sir Gilbert Hill is understood to be "investigating whether Cthulhu possesses a Behemoth"), we already know we will be welcoming back both old irregulars (Bonjour, Monsewer Crapaud!) and some new campaigners (hello Craig and Neil!). 

A Big Game "Flyer" - copy and send or direct other interested parties to this post

For those who have not previously attended a Hereford1938 "Big Game", the Burley Gate Village Hall is located on the A465 between Burley Gate Roundabout and the village of Stoke Lacy. The Village Hall is adjacent to the Burley Gate Primary School. Full information and a helpful PDF map may be found here. The cost for the day is maintained at the usual £10, payable on the BIG DAY itself.

The Scenario for the BIG DAY SPRING 2017 follows. Shortly it will be revealed precisely why Edward VIII is dressed not for the customary "Sport of Kings", but for an intensely relaxed round of golf....