A Very British Civil War: Radio Free Barfieldshire

"Right, Arthur," Tommy drawled, slugging back a shot of Irish, "we need to take the boys up to the farmyard, get that Radio truck out of there, the Mosleyist BUF have got annoyed with the radio broadcasts about the Lord- Lieutenant of Barfieldshire and his misdeeds. Using a clever bit of triangulation, have tracked the radio truck down, and want to take it off air, permanently."

"Right you are Tommy!" Arthur looked up from  the racing pages of his copy of the newspaper. Funny how even during a period of intense strife, gambling carried on.

"Break out the Lewis gun, sort out the rifles, I'll meet you all here in half-an-hour. I'm just off to call in a favour with the Singer Defence Committee. We need their woman-power, as Rotherfield-Peppard has got the Fuzz involved." Tommy swung on his coat, donned his cap and strode out into the sunshine.

"Oh good, should make it a more interesting fight!" muttered Arthur with glee.

Mort had requested I playtest his latest version of 'Went The Day Well', and sent me through a scenario and force list. I put together my guys and girls. Two rifle squads, (One Peaky Blinders, one Singer Defence Committee) split into two sections, one with an LMG, the other an SMG. The HQ section contained Tommy, Arthur (SMG) a Medic (Jenny from the SDC), an anti-tank rifle team and a standard bearer. The Peaky's had the ability to reroll misses on a 1, the Singer defence ladies got extra cover from fire. The objective was simple, get the truck off table either by the road or the track, or break the opponent. However, the truck had drained it's battery, so starting might be an issue. There were two secondary objectives to take or hold or remove.

We started with hidden deployment, I used a pile of reputation points (each force starts with a certain amount) to keep the anti-tank rifle team in reserve, with a bonus to their first shot, knowing Rotherfield-Peppard had spent a lot of family wealth on an armoured car that was going to be a major threat. On the far right (not as far right as Rotherfield-Peppard's personal politics), the Singer defence ladies two sections guarded the road, while one section of Peaky Blinders busied themselves removing 'valuable war materials' to the radio truck, the other half-section guarded the approaches from the white barn. BUF troops somewhat outnumber the Peakys, and approach across fields and down the road in a rough pincer movement.

 

 The boys start loading up the goods, guided by Honourable Thomas Shelby MP for Small Heath, and his standard bearer.

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The Singer ladies guard the road, I had kept one section in reserve, in case the BUF tried anything, while the other hops the hedge line to getter a better field of fire on the approaching BUF.

 

Mort ponders his actions and his forces advance. His HQ can be seen in the distance, and his armoured car, in best cavalry tradition, trundles up the wrong side of the road!

 

In the barn (detachable roofs are a boon), the second section of Peakys move the second cache of goods towards the truck. Arthur bellows instructions, not being one to do things quietly.  

Tally-ho! The armoured car, feeling invulnerable

 tootles down the road, unsupported. This only triggers the ambush of the anti-tank rifle. The shot hammers into the flank of the motor, but while it shakes up the crew, it is not enough to disable the tin-plated behemoth!

 

The armoured car and BUF rifle sections pour fire into the anti-tank team in return, who very sensibly keep their heads down! The two hales of the SDF squad moves up, and someone finds a grenade... 

Pity it was a dud.

Rotherfield-Peppard's pride and joy continues it's advance down the road, reaching the gateway to the farm, and would be in range of the radio truck within moments.

The anti-tank rifle rings out again, missing again. The ladies of the SDF sigh, and lob another grenade over the hedge, disabling the tin titan! Rotherfield-Peppard will be furious. It certainly draws the fire of the BUF regulars who have moved up to the nearby hedge line.

   

 "Tommy, we got their armoured car!" Arthur grinned from lookin round the corner of the farm towards the road.

"Bloody idiots!" Tommy swore, shaking his head at the burning wreck, "they've blocked the way out onto the road."

A BUF section had also moved up to the back of the barn, blocking the other way out for the truck via the track. After exchanging fire to little or no effect, the Peakys decided to do what they do best, rolled up their sleeves, pulled out knuckledusters, and laid into the regular army boys. 

In a display of true supremacist tactics,  a squad of BUF, supported by the HQ section, advance to the hedge lines and lay small arms fire into the SDF. However, the SDF decided that this was not fair, and returned fire on the exposed command section brazenly walking down the road, dropping one of their runners.  

Lining the hedges for cover, and utilising their excellent fieldcraft, the good ladies of the SDF plug away at the BUF HQ, shaking it's confidence. Their lead section kept taking losses, but after stopping an armoured car and the HQ, it was allowed.

 

Soon, the BUF HQ has to retire or face more fire as a second runner is put down. They decide the way forwards is to throw the local Bobbies into the firing line instead (not sure this would be a popular move back at the station house, Tommy might have to make enquiries). 

      

Over on the left (where the Peaky's loyalties lie). the BUF tried advancing to aid the melee behind the barn, only to lose two of their number to fire from the Peakys lining the walled enclosure.

  

The brawl behind the barn continues, as Tommy lets Arthur off his leash, forcing a casualty on teh BUF Regulars. A BUF heavy machine gun was party to all of this, but could not fire for fear of hitting it's own men.

The second Peaky section moves up so that it's SMG can be brought to range. A move that costs one of the Peakys. Meanwhile, the battered SDF section breaks and runs under the weight of the BUF fire on the right, but they have done their job and delayed the Nasties long enough...

So, what's a good Birmingham City fan to do? Get in there and give them a good kicking!



Both Peaky sections showed their metal, forcing the BUF squad they were in contact with to surrender under a flurry of fists and swearwords that would turn your hair grey.

The radio truck, which happened to be carrying the two minor objectives, must have flooded its engine, as it kept stalling every ten feet. It was a worry it would ever actually get to the track, but with the surrender of the whole flank, the Peaky's could now give it a push-start and it chugged off in a haze of blue exhaust smoke. With the loss of two whole sections, and the armoured car, the BUF were done. The SDC was withdrawing onto Tommy's position, and the whole remaining gang would effect an escape.

The BUF had two sections captured, but onky two dead, and lost their prized vehicle. The Peakies had seven down, of which five were killed in action!  

A great game, an honour to test the scenario and look forwards to seeing how Mort's plans progress.