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The Battle of St Weonards - A Mud and Blood scenario for the Very British Civil War

This game was played out at the Gloucester club last night. The scenario takes inspiration from the superb Solway Crafts 1938 VBCW source books. The rules used were Through the Mud and Blood by the Toofatlardies.


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The Battle of St Weonards

The Reverend Henry Meredith (or the “Bishop of Ross on Wye” as he has become known by the locals) is attracting attention. His firebrand preaching against the King and his government has drawn disaffected Anglican League members from the diocese of the unfortunate Bishop of Hereford whose frequent defeats have made his position untenable. Meredith has also been speaking out against Welsh Nationalist incursions into the Severn Valley.

Despite protests from his followers, Meredith insists on going out into rural parishes to give sermons with a minimal guard. Today, he has gone to give a sermon at the Church at St Weonards which lies within striking distance of the Welsh border which is no longer as fixed as it was before.

Government Forces (Blue deck)

British Union of Fascists

Patriot Captain Archibald Bell Level 3 Big Man 1

Patriot Sgt Bob Saunders Level 2 Big Man 2

Patriot Cpl Jim “Fix It” Saville Level 1 Big Man 3

30 BUF troopers rifles/1 Lewis gun (Regulars with Reasonable but Brittle Morale)

Worcester Local Defence Volunteers

Captain Rupert Fforde-Brinkle Level 3 Big Man 4

Sgt Charles “Charlie” Charles Level 2 Big Man 5

Cpl William Squires Level 1 Big Man 6

30 LDV rifles/1 Lewis Gun (Regulars with Reasonable but Brittle Morale)

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Welsh Nationalists (Red deck)

Y Fenni Company

Captain JJ Williams Level 3 Big Man 1

Sgt Mervyn Davies Level 1 Big Man 2

Cpl Clifford Morgan Level 3 Big Man 3

30 men rifles/1Lewis Gun (Regulars with Reasonable but Brittle Morale)

Maesteg Company

Captain Gareth Edwards Level 3 Big Man 4

Sgt Bleddyn Williams Level 2 Big Man 5

Cpl Barry John Level 1 Big Man 6

30 men rifles/1Lewis Gun (Regulars with Reasonable but Brittle Morale)

Objectives for Government and Welsh Nationalist Forces

1 Capture Rev Meredith

2 Defeat any opposition

3 Capture any opposing Big Men for interrogation.


Most of the Blinds have been removed to reveal the bulk of the Government forces making their way across the grave yard towards St Weonards church. The Maesteg company of the Welsh Nationalists crosses the square.

The government forces start to take fire as they close towards the churchyard from lead Welsh elements who have already made their way in. At the wall are the BUF under Patriot Captain Archibald Bell and the WDF under Sgt Charles "Charlie" Charles (in the plus fours). They are supported by WDF sections under Cpl Bill Squires top left and Captain Rupert Ffforde-Brinkle bottom left.

The Maesteg Company of the Welsh Nationalists under the command of Captain Gareth Edwards (nearest the church gate) Corporal Barry John and in the foreground Sgt Bleddyn Williams.

On the Welsh right, The Y Fenni Company under Capt JJ Williams and Cpl Morgan deploys two sections behind soft cover trying to outflank the Government forces.

Fire from the third Y Fenni section under Sgt Mervyn Davies starts to take a toll on Bell's BUF section, causing a number of losses.

Capt Edwards risks a dash into the church, taking fire from Charles' WDF.

The rest of the BUF finally get themselves sorted out. The Blue Jackets are led by Patriot Cpl Jim "Fixit Saville and the other section by Patriot Sgt Bob Saunders.

Not liking the amount of casualties, Capt Bell makes a tactical withdrawal to rejoin the other BUF units on the Government right flank. The WDF move up to take their place.

Charles loses his patience with the constantly jamming Lewis Gun and leads his men in a successful if bloody assault on the Welsh in the church, Sgt Saunders heads for the churchyard but fails to get into cover and takes heavy fire from Welsh Nationalists who have taken cover in the buildings overlooking the square.

Sgt Charles' assault drives Sgt Edwards out of the church. Edwards' section puts heavy fire into that of Charles, but they remain in enough numbers to secure the Rev Meredith.

The section under Sgt Williams takes heavy fire from the BUF (and their uncannily non-jamming machine gun) and is driven back, narrowly avoiding capture.

The combined fire of three Welsh squads takes it's toll on Corporal Squires' section. Bill Squires is badly wounded and is left by his men as they break and run with a massive 11 shock points.

The game came to an end with the Government forces in possession of Rev Meredith, no other Big Men were captured.

1938 British Civil War using Mud and Blood

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Trouble in the Piddle Valley

PVDF Briefing

The annual Martyrs rally at Tolpuddle although declared illegal has once again attracted all manner of leftist loonies from the Socialist areas of the country. One such party of Socialist miscreants has been spotted heading north up the Piddle Valley. The Cerne Abbas unit of the Piddle Valley Defence Force have been mustered to prevent any trouble and to stop the Socialists from passing through the village. You have blocked the road and intend to keep the village “red-free”.

PVDF Platoon (Blues)

Sergeant Steve Butcher - Blue Big Man 1 (status 3)

Cpl Craig Baker - Blue Big Man 2 (status 2) Deployed at the road block.

L/Cpl Bob “Candlestick” Mayker - Blue Big Man 3 (status 1)

28 Green troops with rifles (Good Morale)

2 Regulars with Lewis Guns (Good Morale)

All troops start on blinds at the Northern edge of the table, apart from Baker whose squad are at the road block and can remain hidden until spotted in the usual manner.

Objectives – Prevent the Socialists from getting through the village. Capture any Big Men for interrogation.

PBM Briefing (Reds)

The Huntley and Palmers branch of the People’s Biscuit Makers are lost. They took a wrong turn after being chased out of Tolpuddle whilst attempting to honour their illustrious predecessors at the annual (and now illegal) Martyrs rally. They managed to escape the BUF Durnovarian Guard outside of Dorchester and have headed North along the Piddle Valley. They have met Brother Socialists on the road, who have warned them that the locals up ahead are armed and are stopping anyone going through the village of Cerne Abbas. The HPPBM pause for a sub-committee meeting and decide (eventually) that enough is enough. They decide to teach the reactionary villagers a lesson and head towards Cerne Abbas.

PBM Forces

Comrade Chairman Tony “Dunker” McVitie - Red Big Man 1 (status 3)

Comrade Secretary Billy “Cracker” Jacobs – Red Big Man 2 (status 2)

Comrade Minute Taker Tom “Hob Nobby” Clarke – Red Big man 3 (status 1)

Comrade Tea Maker Jack “PG” Tips – Red Big Man 4 (status 1)

36 Green troops with rifles (Good Morale)

3 trucks

All troops start on blinds on the Southern table edge having debussed from their trucks.

Objectives – defeat the local defence forces so that you can clear the road. Capture enemy Big Men if possible for propaganda purposes.

The southern edge of Cerne Abbas. The PBM have seen the roadblock by the bridge and debus onto blinds at the southern table edge. They start to make their way cautiously through the dense terrain spotting as they go.

The PVDF spot a blind on the road by the trucks and forcing them off of their blind pour fire onto the unfortunate socialists. "Hob Nobby" Clarke and "PG" Tips squads take so much shock that they never really recover.

Now that the first group of PVDF have revealed themselves at the roadblock, "Cracker" Jacobs leads his men on a blind along the hedgerow until they are in a position to open fire.

Corporal Baker and his squad man the roadblock, "You shall not pass!"

"Dunker" McVitie crosses the church yard and deploys on the right flank, opening fire on Baker's men.

"Don't panic! Don't panic! Them Reds don't like it up 'em you know." Baker calms his men. Amazingly, despite taking numerous casualties, barely any shock effects the brave men of Cerne Abbas and they remain steadfast at the roadblock whilst they await reinforcements. main issue for Baker is the frequent jams from the Lewis gun.

The reinforcements begin to arrive in the form of L/Cpl Bob "Candlestick" Mayker. Armed with a flag and a cucumber sandwich he eventually takes position on the PVDF left.

McVitie continues to approach the roadblock, firing as they go. They are now under fire from Mayker's squad.

"My regards to you Mr Baker. A split tin loaf for Mrs Butcher after all this is sorted if you would". Sgt Butcher arrives casually on the PVDF right and then sweeps forward towards "Cracker" Jacobs men.

It's all too much for "Cracker". His men fall back to the trucks under the weight of fire.

They are soon joined by McVitie's men. The People's Biscuit Makers will have to find another way back to their Reading factory base.

The rules used are the "Mud and Blood" by the Toofatlardies.
Figures are mainly from Under the Bed, Great War, Musketeer and Foundry.
Trucks are Sloppy Jalopy and Corgi.

1938 British Civil War After Action Report (15th June 2011)

This game was based on the BCW gun running scenario from the Triumphant Standards between the wars spin off by Too Fat Lardies which complements the excellent Mud and Blood WW1 rules.

I moved the setting to Berkshire (we are the Wargames Assoc of Reading after all!) where the Berkshire Defence League had word from Aldermaston Manor that some dubious looking fellows in flat caps and red neckerchiefs were hanging around by the Kennet and Avon canal at Aldermaston Wharf. The BDL send a small patrol to see what is going on. A subsequent call from the Manor tells the BDL Sergeant that shots have been heard so the local League militia are called to assemble and go to the canal in force.

"Don't Panic", the strangely familiar Corporal drops back with his patrol after a successful assault drive the dubious fellows away from their defensive position. (Flag donated by the Piddle Valley Defence Volunteers during an exchange programme)

The dubious fellows at the wharf are in fact Comrades Dougalls and Hovis with brave bothers of the Aldermaston branch of the Democratic Millers Alliance who are a awaiting a delivery of rifles. These are being supplied by the Huntley and Palmer branch (Reading based) of the People's Biscuit Makers who under the cooperative leadership of Comrade Tony "Dunker" McVitie is due to arrive by barge at the wharf. The BDL are seen as a reactionary unelected toff led band and following numerous sub-committees, the Socialists who have decided to put them in their place and free the oppressed estate workers (they have not actually checked as to whether the estate workers are; a oppressed or b require freeing!).

Objectives are quite simple. Socialists to successfully deliver the guns, BDL to put a stop to their left wing nonsense.

The Millers fall back to the canal.

More Millers take position on the bridge as the gamekeeper and staff approach through the woods.

The barge finally turns up (no visible chaps on the barge as they count as being on a blind until spotted).

BDL militia reinforce the initial patrol. Their Big Man looks uncannily like Godfrey from Dad's Army.

The first box of rifles is unloaded but time is short. The BDL are on their way in force.

Comrades take position on the bridge to repel the BDL reinforcements.

The BDL line the bank and pour fire down onto the Socialists.

Discretion being the better part of valour, under heavy fire, the Socialists load the guns back on board and head back to Reading for an urgent sub-committee sub-group.

As ever with the Lardies, the rules threw up some good tense situations where every turn of the card deck is eagerly anticipated/dreaded, especially when crossing open ground in view of the enemy.

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