Tim Gow of Megablitz and more is a wargaming friend. He seems to spend more time running 54mm garden games than Operational WW2 games these days. I've never been a fan, for reasons that may become clear as we go on, but it has always been the intention to run one of his games on my back lawn for the local group. With the summer we've had, what could be better?
I tied this in with the quarterly Shedquarters gathering and our Tuesday wargaming evening. This had required a bit of planning and notice so those with jobs and busy social calendars could be sure to attend. It's been in the diary for several months as this glorious summer of unremitting sunshine rolled on. As the day approached the forecast started to fill with warnings of rain and thunderstorms. Plans to put up gazebos and a marquee to ensure we could go ahead were considered, but as the day approached the forecast improved and we were greeted by gentle summer sunshine and a light breeze. All systems go.
Tim G had brought along an ACW scenario . He had provided me with a map for the battlefield beforehand, so Richard and I set to laying out before everyone arrived.
So this is based on the Yankee attack on Fort Fisher in 1864. I forget the exact details, the ACW being a matter of the greatest indifference to me militarily for the most part. Here we see the extensive beach area with the formidable ramparts that had been built.
Richard had been tasked by Tim G with laying out the defensive troops.
Richard and Chris K were nominated to be the Rebs. Here they are being briefed by Tim G.
The rest of us were responsible for the Yankee fleet, consisting of three ironclads, two ships of the line and four troop ships. Oh yes. A sea borne landing. Steve was nominated by Tim G as the General in charge of the land forces, Chris A was appointed Admiral. What could possibly go wrong? Well, many things, and from quite early on.
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| Yankee command L-R, Martin R, Chris A, Steve, Phil and Tim M. Plus me taking the picture. All smiles now. How quickly that will change. |
Things weren't exactly confused, but I don't really have a coherent narrative (I was doing refreshments as well as playing the game so lost track a bit). So here's just pictures with some commentary.
Admiral Chris carefully positions our flotilla so the warships can bombard the shoreline. In the far distance an apparent Reb raider grounds itself on the shore. More of that later. One of our monitors has lost power and steering. Still, it can fire if needed.
Chris starts to return our fire. We're using classic Britain's spring loaded cannons, shooting matchsticks. As soon as I realised we were shooting unstruck matches I grabbed my bag of craft matches and swapped them out. The lawn at this point was very, very, dry and I'm taking no chances.
The commerce raider explodes. Why was never explained to me. I may have been making coffees.
Having sailed along shooting matchsticks it is time for us to land and attack. We may not have thought this through. Plus the Rebs are getting really good at shooting matchsticks. This is a skill I have never really mastered.
Phil's Sharpshooters are the first to make landfall.
Richard stares intently at thee opposition rushing ashore.
Then it is time for a break and some lunch, prepared by Mrs Evans. Have I ever said she's an absolute treasure? If I haven't I am saying so now.
Back to the fray, and Chris A is giving fire support. It isn't going well. We took a lot of casualties as we rowed in and on the beaches
We now have men at the foot of the bastion, which is too tall for us to climb. Apparently our shelling had blown down a lot of the parapet formed by the terracotta planters, and the exploding commerce raider was set to blow in the defences at the other end, which it had done successfully. The Reb reinforcements have arrived and it has all turned into a right old shambles.
We retire to fight another day.
The final photo of our group of players for the day. Much fun had by all. Well worth doing, and to be repeated in the future I hope.
It was time to tidy up, but we had enough time for a quick game in SHQ, or which more in the next post.
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