We Will Stand and Fight - A Beginning.

The game was fought using the original rules for BLAM 2015 written by Silent Invader. This required the players to plot their opening dispositions on paper before the game commenced. Once dispositions were plotted the Germans would start on the eastern edge of the board, the British would start occupying the three town tiles to the west.

The German commanders (von Emvier and von Vagabund) were handed their sealed orders by a mounted Uhlan direct from General von Kluck.

The German commanders were given time to discuss their orders and plan their dispositions. During this time, I set up the column of wounded, refugees and stragglers to add a bit of atmosphere and to highlight the confusion of the retreat from Mons.

Here are some random images taken on the day. This post will feature the wounded column and the objectives for the three players. Then I will make another post with the actual game photos and an account of the action as I remember it through a haze of senility and alcohol.

Speckled Jim carries a vital message.

L to R: Captain Kevin Darling, MC, Private S. Baldrick, Driver Bobby Parkhurst, Lieutenant The Honourable George Colthurst St. Barleigh, MC, General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC, KCB, DSO and Captain Edmund Blackadder.

Melchett has just realised that Blackadder has shot and eaten Speckled Jim, his much-loved pet pigeon.

Melchett: Speckly?! AH! YOU SHOT MY SPECKLED JIM!

Darling: You're for it now, Blackadder! Quite frankly, sir, I've suspected this for some time; clearly Captain Blackadder has been ignoring orders with a breath-taking impertinence!

Melchett: I DON'T CARE IF HE'S BEEN ROGERING THE DUKE OF YORK WITH A PRIZE-WINNING LEEK! HE SHOT MY PIGEON!!!

Captain Cecil de Leominster, 2^nd Battalion, The West Borsetshire Foresters giving another demonstration of the most deadly combination known to man, an officer with a map!

General Melchett’s personal supply van from Harrods is flagged through the chaos by the Redcaps.

General von Kluck and staff planning the coming battle.

At 06:00am the Germans begin to shell Le Cateau.

British Objectives (played by myself in the guise of Colour Sergeant Neddy Snapcase)

• ·          The British forces are in hasty defence of the eastern edge of Le Cateau.
• ·          Colour Sergeant Neddy Snapcase’s force is a reduced platoon of the Middlesex Regiment which is acting as rearguard to allow other units to clear the town.
• ·          Support is provided by a single Vickers MG team and a Belgian Minerva armoured car. Also, a British spotter plane is operating in the area.
• ·          All of the British forces are well-trained and highly motivated.
• ·          Le Cateau must be defended until the end of turn 7.
• ·          The Minerva armoured car commanded by 1.eme Lieutenant Charles Henkart will appear at the start of turn 5 in a position determined by the roll of a D6.
• ·          The spotter plane flown by Lord Flashheart will crash at the start of turn 3 in a position determined by the roll of a D6.

German Objectives (played by Doug em4 as Oberleutnant Willi von Emvier and Vagabond as Oberleutnant Helmut von Vagabund)

• ·          The German forces are advancing from the east and need to pass through the town of Le Cateau to take advantage of its road network.
• ·          Oberleutnant Willi von Emvier and Oberleutnant Helmut von Vagabund, your force is 1 and 2 Zug, 26th (1st Magdeburg) Infanterie Regiment "Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau".
• ·          You are supported by one Maxim Maschinengewehr Team each.
• ·          All of the German forces are well-trained and highly motivated.
• ·          Enter in force, each of the three town tiles by the end of turn 7.
• ·          The Maxim teams will appear at the start of turn 2 in a position determined by the roll of a D6.
• ·          An enemy spotter plane is operating in the area and in the event that it is brought down the pilot is to be captured for interrogation.

The next post will feature the game photos and the AAR.

To be continued…