The Anglican League soon begin to recover

The new addition to the Mobile Assault Group (MAG),God's Breath.A very Heath Robinson mobile rocket launcher.In the background you can just about make out the first of the Minster Grenadiers who will be attached to MAG in most actions.

More AL fluff after the last game

All this so I've a reason for more AL figures ;)

What is truth in war?

The Archbishop makes hay.

Part 17.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist

Finally using suppressing fire from castle based Vickers and carried Lewis guns the Royalist reach the church yard. The two remaining Archbishop’s Guards now have a decision to make. Do they die as martyrs? (the Archbishop would like this),do they try to flee with the Abbot?, or do they surrender?The last picture may give a clue.




This is now the end of Part 2 of Operation Righteous Fist.Only two months later than planned ;)I'll add the odd bit of fluff but I'm aiming to play Part 3 soon and work towards bigger battles with an explanded Anglican League.

Part 16.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist

While two of the AL are retreating they capture a rather upset Abbot. The Forest Galtres Rangers (LDV) and Terries advance of the church from two directions. They take out a rear guard AL man with a well place grenade. More grenades are used over the hedge taking out more AL men. The advancing Royalist’s take loses but still advance on the church front wall.

Part 15.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist

The three Mobile Assault Group men in the church yard take first blood and kill the LDV man, the Abbot flees down a side path. The cavalry take loses but still charge the barricade killing some LDV’s but are cut down by Lewis guns and rifle fire from their right flank and from their front. This halts the AL advance and the infantry fall back to St.Cuthbert’s church.

Part 14.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist

The Anglican League forces enter the table from two directions the main force from the road and the two Archbishops Guardsman from Lovers Lane at the rear of St. Cuthbert’s. At this point they have achieved the Archbishop’s first order to reach the church. One LDV guard stands on the church door. Abbot Francis has just been preparing for a service later on in the day and both are shocked to see armed men running towards them. The cavalry turn the corner and charge a group of LDV’s stood in the rood outside the entrance of the castle. A following van stops and the League men take up position and open fire on Royalist soldiers.

What they are soon to find out is the Lord Lieutenant of the county Sir Charles Hudson is visiting his godson at the castle. A platoon of Green Howard’s territorial is assigned to him as his personal guard. This is a little more than the AL had expected.

Part 13.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist Crayke Village.

The LDV lieutenant remembering his classics (never run from horses or you will all die) formed his men with fixed bayonets against the charging cavalry,but as they got closer and their shots didn’t hit the mark and only took down one rider and horse. He ran leaving his men most of which were his father’s estate workers to their fate.

The cavalry broke through the line with some difficulty because of heading up hill but cut down the LDV. The last two shots show the officer taking aim on the fleeing lieutenant.






I’ll post the finish of Part Two Operation Righteous Fist of the battle for St.Cuthberts and Crayke Castle on Monday evening. Then finally I can play the last part of the game then plan for a new game where I can field more of my growing Anglican League forces and get some AVBCOS/Space 1889 painting done LOL.

Part 12.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist Crayke Village.

The besieged league men in the garage can’t move because of the HMG and LDV re-enforcements are approaching the building.

[At this point my opponent Lee allowed me to add new troops to give a little more chance to the out numbered AL.I should also point out that -2 was added to the forces heading up hill to St. Cuthberts, but troops moving down hill also were given -1.You can easily lose control running down the hill in real life because its so steep. The advantage really matters when you are holding a position against moving foes. ]

The defenders of the garage hear a noise of a bugle and think they are going made but soon they see the pennant of the 1st Minster Horse with sabres drawn[Another attempt to balance the game and introduction of new troops is that the horse troop have been disarmed by a Yorkist check point in order to let an unauthorised ‘training’ excursion go through. They carry their carbines but no rounds] these hot headed riders head up the hill taking the Vickers gun out and round on the down would LDV. These chaps had heard a special mission was on and didn’t want to miss out and without permission had left York by a different route and headed toward St.Cuthberts.

At the sight of the flashing sabres the LDV turned and ran back up the hill, now followed by the infantry as well. These men are quickly called back by they SGT and told to get into the vans with rather colourful language.

Part 11.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist Crayke Village.

The Archbishop’s Guard head for the entrance of Key Lane back down Bransby Street. Unfortunately for them a local farm worker and his two sons have popped home after their milking at one of the local farms. All three are LDV members and as has become common in the region work in their uniforms and always carry their weapons with them. The father spots the Archbishop’s Guard , calls his sons and open fires from his bedroom window. Both sons open fire and hit the wounded Guardsman. A second is hit and the two sons give chase, but the SGT and standard bearer leg it up the lane out of sit and out of this part of the game at a table exit.

Part10.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist Crayke Village.

The league troops open up on the check point and HMG from the garage.

Part 9. Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist Crayke Village.

The vans pull up by Johnson’s Garage as they see a Vickers HMG on the corner of the t-junction opposite the Durham Ox pub at the foot of the second raise of the hill. The gunner thinks this a little odd as military fuel is held elsewhere but they are LVD trucks so no need to worry. Now out of view of the Royalist’s the League troops dismount from their borrowed carriages and split into two.
The remaining Mobile Assault Group (6 men) take up position in the Garage while the remnant of the section of the Archbishop’s Guard (4 men, one wounded) head back down the road on foot to use Key Lane to get up the hill above the LDV position. The only local knowledge of the village depends on the SGT of this unit, son of the last Methodist preacher in the village. After the phone call from Crayke Manor informing of the assault 6 men are heading down hill from the castle to support the check point. The LDV are coming to full alert at the castle. (06,09,)

Part 8.Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist Crayke Village.

At about 45minutes from their first action the two LDV vans full of Anglican league troops drive up the first raise of Crayke hill via Brandsby street. Passing by a 70 year old LDV guard snoozing on a chair lent against the wall of Ivy House farm at the beginning of the village.

Battle next weekend

Part 2 Operation Righteous Fist.Crayke Village

Hopefully this battle will take place next weekend (14th-15th).We plan to play it in two parts(must get more beer in then) over two days.Part 1 entry into the village and the assult on the steep hill,then part two if the AL survive part 1 the assult on the main target of St.Cuthbert's and the castle.We've agreed on some suprises allowed to make it alittle bit more fair for the out numbered AL.

Then after August and most of the re-enactment season part 3 the final part of Operation Righteous Fist which will involve the force which split away from the village assult force in the earlier game.These troops (if you've been following so far) on a mission of their own which I'll share after the game.