The rescue of the Reverend Stanwix : VBCW

As the boundaries of control of the main factions become more established across Cumberland and the Borders all sides are turning to the use of informants and undercover operatives. Nobody can be trusted and everybody is under suspicion. Having suffered a number of unexplained setbacks the Royalist forces in and around Carlisle believe the Albertine forces on the west coast have an agent working for them disguised as a member of the cloth and operating under the name of Reverend Stanwix. They have traced him to the small village of Gatesgill. A force has been sent under the command of Captain George Maguire of the Borderers to apprehend the man and bring him back. What Maguire and his force doesn’t realise is their plan has already been leaked to the enemy and at the same time an Albertine rescue force has been dispatched under the command of Major Stanley Baxter. As speed is of the essence both forces are lightly armed, they must extract the Reverend and get him to safety or for questioning.

The village of Gategill looking north, Royalist forces entering from the right. Two Albertine armoured cars can be seen entering from the left. The Reverend Stanwix is hiding in the public house at the cross roads, by some chance exactly in the middle of the village !

The Borderers have brought with them a light weight antitank weapon but when they struggle to set it up it is clear they are unlikely to hit anything with it. The regular troops of the King are supported by Sir William Vane and his guests who were visiting Hutton Hall for a shooting week and west watch of the Carlisle fire brigade.

Albert’s forces are rushing two armoured cars to the cross roads in a bid to hold the Royalists back

Major Baxter seen here on his charger leads a mixed force of mainly irregular troops, although he does have one unit of the newly formed West Cumberland Rifles recruited mainly from disaffected Royalist troops with relatives on the west coast.

His irregular troops include two units of the Brayton Miners from near Aspatria, a unit of cavalry known locally as the the Allonby Coastal Watch as they are mainly employed to patrol the coast to watch for seaborne threats. Baxter also has a unit of the newly formed WCM (West Cumberland Milkmaids)  a unit formed form the women who work at the dairy in Aspatria.

Regular troops and the Firebrigade lads advance into the village

The Borderers have also brought two fast moving but lightly armoured Lanchesters, whilst the armoured cars can’t knock each other out of the battle they can significantly impact on any infantry if they can manoeuvre into position 

B company of the Cumberland Borderers move into the back gardens supported by a mobile Vickers gun

The WCM have been directed to the left flank to ensure the rest of the army is not outflanked

Prince Alberts’ forces move towards the back of the pub.....to rescue the Reverend but they come under fire from across the road

The firemen have been pushed forward but are reluctant to break cover

Just as suspected the Royalists have sent a unit of infantry down the flank, they start to exchange fire with the WCM ladies no doubt scarring the sheep !

You can’t see it here but the Royalist forces have broken into the front of the pub and grabbed the Reverend, Baxter always close to the action orders the Brayton Miners to charge forward....

After a brief scuffle they emerge dragging Reverend Stanwix with them, whilst shaken he is unhurt 

But they must get away quick before the Royalists seek to recapture........

Royalist regular forces and the remaining Firemen in the Main Street preparing to attack, they come under fire from the armoured car but are able to immoblise it with a grenade

Fearce hand to hand fighting takes place behind the pub. Sir Stanley is now quite desperate and is shouting for the Wigtown Volunteers who have finally recaptured the Reverend to get him to safety in the rear

To do this they must run the gauntlet of enemy fire.....

Stalemate at the sheep field ........

Watch out the remaining Borderers have run through the village to appear on the right flank where the Reverend exhausted by his ordeal is rest by the phone box. Just as he starts his escape they charge in to capture him again !

Sir Stanley orders his regular forces the West Cumberland Rifles forward but they hesitate (fail their command role) so he must heroically charge in himself !

Whilst he knocks one down in the charge the remaining fellow manages to unhorse him........

But as he turns to grab the Reverend machine gun fire from the armour car saves the day......😀

But what is this there is one final dice in the bag, with no infantry left and no way of capturing the Reverend the Royalist mortar team decide to take one final shot as he turns to run. With the final roll of the game and the unlikely event of a 6 being rolled......you guessed it a direct hit. His spying days against the Royalists are over but the vital information and his contacts will go with him to the grave !

We played a standard BA scenario and what seemed like a very simple scenario gave lots of fun. The final shot was just silly ! But clearly a draw....