VBCW Chain of Command

Played another game of Chain of Command today but using Very British Civil War forces this time. I played with my usual VBCW gamer but by the end he didn't seem to be too happy with the rules still preferring Bolt Action.

For me Bolt Action has a certain appeal of simple gaming rules that don't have much thinking for the gamer. I switched to CoC as i felt as i needed something that was missing and i was hooked after my first game and the more i play the better i feel they get. I know rules don't get the same appeal for everyone but ill certainly be sticking with Chain of Command.

The game was Scottish Covenanters v Glasgow Red Clydesiders. I had to make up my own army lists and also split the force experience of the Platoon to give it that more VBCW slant. We also had some armour on the table as well.

It started off well for the Covenanters but the layout of the terrain meant that we had to move more than i had wanted including moving my MMG closer to the enemy and ultimately within firing range of them as well. The reds MMG was in a prime position and got to lay down alot of fire on the Covenanters probably more than should have been allowed in the rules :)

Some good interuptions using the Chain of Command points worked in my favour but the damn MMG broke two of my squads and turned the game against me.

Good game that i enjoyed but i guess ill need to get someone else into VBCW as i going back to Bolt Action doesn't appeal to me at all.

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Wappinshaw 2013 and Club Day

I took in the Wappinshaw Glasgow show and also put on a game with a few guys from our club. We went for a VBCW theme and what better than a made up Battle of Glasgow Green. This is the info that was on the handouts and explains the battle a little.

Wappinshaw 2013

Glasgow & District Wargaming Society Presents

Battle of Glasgow Green 1938

Introduction

The year is 1938 and Scotland is a Republic in response to Edward VIII’s alliance with the British Union of Fascists (BUF). However, the new government is struggling to keep order as tensions between right and left intensify. No where is this more apparent than in Glasgow, home of Red Clydeside - a city that had rejected Moseley and provided men and material to the Republicans in Spain. As the Republic was formed many in Glasgow believed their time was at hand. However, they soon discovered that the new government was essentially conservative with little appetite for social reform, let alone radical left wing politics.   

Conflict stirs 

In the shipyards of the Clyde an idea is born. Glasgow, city of workers, a city for the workers. The Red Clydesiders, supported by steelmen from the Calton Order of the Starry Plough decide that Glasgow should be a Free Socialist City.

One sunny morning, stormtroopers from the Clydeside militia take George Square, the Chambers, the Post Office and the train stations. They seal off the roads into the Square and raise the red flags. The response by the Scottish Government is quick. Moving troops into the city centre, and calling up volunteers, they lay siege to the defenders of George Square.

Stalemate!

Then news comes through to the City Chambers. A relief force of Clydesiders and Starry Ploughboys is gathering at Glasgow Green, ready to move up through the Tolbooth and Merchant City to raise the siege. They have seized the People’s Palace! Government troops and volunteers have to move smartly to nip this in the bud before it becomes a threat. They rendezvous at the Green to discover that the Clydesiders have dug in. Deploying and calling up armour, they move in to wipe out the threat. Can the steelmen at Parkhead Forge finish mounting that naval Gun in time to give the army boys a bit o’ a fleg?

The Battle

The battle takes place at the front of the People’s Palace, occupied by the Red Clydeside Brigade. The core of this force are two Communist platoons leavened with Spanish Civil War veterans, plus sailors from warships in the Clyde when the conflict broke out. They are supported by hastily trained workers militias from a number of factories and shipyards in the city. They have some improvised heavy weapons and a T26 tank, a solidarity gift from the workers of the Soviet Union.

The Government forces have the remnants of the badly equipped post war British army. These are supplemented by volunteer units. The Covenanters, Boys Brigade and even a unit of women raised by the Duchess of Argyll. They heavily outnumber the Clydesiders, but there isn’t much cover in front of the People’s Palace!

Further Information

The basis for the game is the Very British Civil War concept. There are a series of booklets, flags etc available from Solway Crafts and Miniatures. The figures for this game are 28mm from a very wide variety of ranges. The People’s Palace was built for the game by Iain of Flags of War, with MDF parts provided by those splendid chaps at Warbases. The rules are Bolt Action with the addition of some house rules and chance cards.

The battle was rather bloody in the end and we had to end the game pretty even. If it had continued it could have swung either way but with the dice our Covenanters side were throwing i wouldn't have counted on it.

I scratch built the Peoples Palace and although it wasn't 100% likness it was good enough for the game. Martin from Warbases done the main body of the building and i covered it in foams sheets and etched the brick work into it. It was my first time doing anything like that and i was happy with how it turned out and got alot of feedback on it which is always nice.

I picked up some good Bolt Action stuff and a load of Afghans cheeply on the bring and buy so a rather good day.

At todays club day we played a Public participation game that one of the guys is planning for next year. A lot of the stuff is still not painted which i keep getting on at George for seen as im one of them gamers with a phobia for unpainted minis but thankfully i let him off with it. The rules are a set that George has made using playing cards and poker chips and is really fun. We will no doubt get alot more games of this in.

There was 5 of us playing and won both games so i was rather happy with the outcomes even more so as i went piggy in the middle for the 2nd game and despite having gang wiped out it took enough wounds off the other four gangs to win by 1 point.

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VBCW Glasgow East Rifles

I had started painting these as a BUF Unit but as im never going to really game as the Fascists i never bothered finishing them. After picking up the newest Solway book on the Scottish Republic i took some inspiration from the Uniform plates. I wanted a Grey jacketed unit in Tartan Trews and what better than painting over the Black Uniforms of the BUF.

Glasgow East Rifles are a locally raised from the East End of Glasgow. They were formed by the Parishes in the Parkhead, Shettleston and Tollcross. They all signed the 1938 Covenant to protect their Faith and Scotland.  This Unit of the GERS are made up of Veterans from the Great War. Their Uniform is in the Grey of most of the Covenanters and they also wear the Government Tartan of the Black Watch.

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VBCW The Blue Bonnet Grey and Blacks - Covenanters

These guys have actually already been in battle but i wanted to do some highlights on them before i was happy to keep them off the table. Still not the best job but i did enjoy painting the great figures from Musketeer.

The are Lord Mauchline 1st Glasgow Regiment. Lord Mauchline would have been 20 in 1938 and he has raised this Regiment on behalf of his Mother the Countess of Loudon. The Earl of Loudon Foot and Lord  Mauchline Horse were the Glasgow Covenanter Regiments and they have rallied to the call once more. They are led by the Young Lord Mauchline in the name of their faith and Scotland.

PSALM 95 7

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VBCW Faction: Solemn League and Covenant

For the games that I play this will be my main Faction going forward. They are based mostly around Ayrshire and Lanarkshire drawing their support from the Kirk and her Flock.

Beliefs: GOD ABOVE ALL!!! Mostly devout Presbyterian but willing to listen to any others from the other Reformed faiths...well maybe not the Episcopalians . I’m thinking maybe supports of Albert and a United Kingdom if he can agree to some conditions on the Kirk but main aim is to re-affirm the Bible and Presbyterian way on society and save the country from heathen influences from Rome and Moscow.

Based: Ayrshire and Lanarkshire with Units coming from in from Ulster and other areas of support in Scotland.

Force: Made up of a Covenanter Army in Grey jackets, Black trousers and Blue bonnets. They will also have Militia from local Boys Brigade Groups (older members), Kirk members, Loyal Orders, Farmers and also their Ulster Scots brethren in Ireland. Supplies coming from gun caches in Ulster and funding from America and Canada along with wealthy Kirk members wanting to see the influence of the Kirk re affirmed on Scottish society.

Enemy: Pretty much anyone who will get in the way of their Godly Beliefs. High up on the list is the Fascists, Romanists, Communists but still have and give support to some believers in the Labour movement.

PSALM 124
If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
if the LORD had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters
would have swept us away.
Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

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VBCW using Bolt Action

A couple of pics from a game we played using Bolt Action two weeks ago. It put m Solemn League and Covenant forces against Glasgow Red Clydesiders. I enjoyed playing the rules as they went quite fast and were simple to pick up. In two weeks we be using some chance cards with the rules to see if it can spice it up a little. 

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VBCW New Recruits

Just some of my new recruits to my VBCW ranks.

First up is an Anglican Monk that was donated to me by a top gent call Lee (daywalker) on the Steve Dean forum.

Some posties that will be used in my Glasgow battles but can be used in any front really.

 

With so many Italians in Glasgow i felt i had to have some Italians who have been supplied by the Fascist Government in their Motherland.  The picture below is a picture of the Italian Blackshirt marching in Glasgow in the 30's and gave inspiration for this unit. I need to get a flag bearer so they can have some colours on display.

  

Also painted some Armour support. Painted them generic so they can be used for any side. I have also drilled some holes in them so that i can attached flags for what ever side i wish.

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