Broadside 2018 Show Report

Apologies for the delay getting these picture up, I've not been a well boy. Last week I started feeling distinctly below par and on Thursday began getting a toothache. By Friday this had escalated to full blown screaming agony. The dentist gave me some antibiotics which helped a little and I got through Sunday on caffeine and painkillers thinking the worst was over. Monday however I felt even worse so I went back to my dentist who proscribed a second concurrent set of antibiotics. By this stage my face was swelling, I had a high fever and I was basically feeling like a bag of poo. Hence the reason I didn't have my photo's up in my usual timely manner. I'm feeling a  lot better today so I guess the antibiotics are working and for the first time in days I don't need elephant tranquillisers to numb the pain! 

So you probably already know from Rays excellent Show Report, Posties Rejects have been to Broadside in Sittingbourne and once again we have run a display game. Last year I run a 6mm North Africa game and this year Postie had also opted for a 6mm game but this time set in the opening months of WWI. I'll be posting a proper battle report (from our test game a few weeks ago) but in the meantime here are a few pictures from the Sunday, including our demo and a few pictures of other games from around the venue.

Postie poses with his creation; The Battle of Marchais-en-Brie, 8th September 1914. 

Our Demo is part of the Battle of the Marne. The Frontier Battles have seen the French retreat and retreat and now the Imperial  German Army is only about 30 miles from Paris. A massive counter attack - a last throw of the dice - is organised and after days of bloody fighting the Germans are forced to pull back to prepared positions that they end up occupying for most of the rest of the war. Our game focuses on a crucial part of the battle that took place at the village of Marchais-en-Brie on 8th September 1914.

French infantry have to advance through some woods and then uphill against prepared German positions around the town. Both in our test game and the demo itself the French had a hard time, taking heavy casualties, although history was reversed in one of these games. 

We got the game underway before visitors came in. Once the public were admitted we were swamped with interested people and Postie, Ray and Myself were busy for several hours talking to people who wanted to know what we were doing.

Looking downhill from the German positions towards the advancing French. 

The French begin to come under fire from German artillery. Artillery fire was to prove decisive in both games we have played with this setup, although the outcome was different in each case. 

The French are trying to get through the woods but are taking horrendous casualties. Meanwhile one German Regiment has been forced back out of its slit trenches by french artillery. However the Germans are able to reoccupy the line before the French even get close.

The town of Marchais-en-Brie and the German positions are very strong even if held by just a few troops.

A nearby farmhouse is also defended with a company of German infantry inside. This position will keep the advancing French busy. 

Fresh German reserves arrive and move into the town. This proved vital as it meant they could replenish the by now battered front lines. 

The French have finally started to exit the woods and even charge the German positions but they just aren't strong enough

French Ambulance wagons are dispatched to help the wounded

The high water mark for the French. They are almost at the trenches and the Germans have lost some front line companies. But with German reserves reinforcing the town and artillery still raining hell down on the French infantry there is little hope of victory. 

The game was designed to last 12 turns and with darkness falling the game is brought to a close with a German Victory! History has been overturned. 

Posties Rejects on tour!

South East Essex Military Society - Surprise at Lachlon II - Battlefleet Gothic.

Shepway Wargames Club - Battle of Bure, January 1945 - 28mm WW2. A cool looking Chain of Command game featuring a Tiger...and several burning Sherman's when I passed by for a look.

The Shepway Wargames setup was very impressive and the models used were superb

Friday Night Fire Fight: Reign of Fire participation game - A fantasy/sci-fi game based on the film of the same name.

Milton Hundred Wargames Club - A Clash of Clans! Tribal skirmish wargaming

Maidstone Wargames Society - Twisting The Dragons Tail - A World War 1 participation game based on the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918. A Beautiful setup that has been seen at several shows this year (I still see new stuff every time I look at it)

I love the cobbled surface and little details used in this game. 

Medway Wargames Society - Star Wars Legion - a 32mm sci-fi battle

A seriously cool looking game.

Skirmish Wargames - By Crom! - Conan-inspired sword and sorcery game. 

Deal Wargames Society - The Grass is Always Greener - A participation game and winner of Best in Show - A game that pits a pod of Wildebeest verses lions an other predators as they cross the Serengeti!

Andy AKA Da Gobbo was running participation sessions of his great Chariot Racing Game. Towards the end of the day, with our own game over and things getting quiet myself and Ray got in a quick play test of this excellent game. 

My Chariot about to cross the finishing line. My two opponents (Ray and Andy) have smashed their Chariots apart on the bends trying to catch up with me. 

Despite feeling under the weather all day I still had a great time. Our Demo game went well and we seemed to have a lot of interest around our table all day. The show eased off a little in the afternoon and that gave us (and the other clubs) time to get a look around the show for ourselves. I even had a chance to splash a little cash, buying some more 15mm Italian Tanks (L6's this time) and some Palm Tree terrain as well as a couple of second hand books.