Great turning points of history

Can one middle aged man’s performance in a West Country wargame Show justifiably be called a major turning point of history? Could two wargame victories even be compared to the 1812 victory over Napoleon or the rescue of the B.F.G. from France via Dunkirk? Well if you add asked me if wargaming history was to be made last Sunday, then I must admit, I would have called you a liar. As I awoke in the spare bedroom of my host, how was I to know that the BHGS ADLG rankings would be set on fire with the news from Devizes……

Above, the BHGS ADLG rankings being set on fire last Sunday!

As  we arrived that morning,  I surveyed the scene. Not since the Nazi-Soviet pact had two foes been forced to be civil. Chris Rottweiler Jackson would be playing Colin “the hollow shell of a man” Cavanagh. To my left, wargames legend Tim the Porter (no relation) would “play’ Andy ‘ I will not be ignored’ Unwin. The atmosphere was electric, if indeed electricity has been discovered in these parts.

My third game would be against Richard the silent assassin with his feudal Germans. You know that you are in trouble when your opponent covers his side of the table with ambush markers. To add to the air of mystery, Richard’s allied Leidang were on the table in plain light of day? Realising my mistakes of yesterday, I decided to attack with my elite Knights on the left, with mu elite almoghavar cleaver weilders through the rough on the right. If a flank March did arrive, then my crossbowmen could shower them with bolts.

To my great surprise a plan of mine actually worked. My Knights skewered the Viking allies. A flank March did arrive behind my almoghavars but they were already the other side of a steep hill and a plantation.

You might just be able to see how Richard marks his losses. Even my Moslem spearmen excelled by destroying the German proto-pike blocks. One game left and the human train wreck that is Mr X was full of confidence. There was a slight atmosphere at luncheon at the mention of the Cavanagh game but still that Bagpuss like grin held to Chris Jackson’s face. He thought I was easy pickings……

As the mighty Swiss allies went to pounce on my crossbowmen and camp, my almoghavars screamed out of the undergrowth, “despertaferres indeed!”. The Italian Condotta hirelings charged my lines but their general was unhorsed in combat, whilst my gallant spearmen stoutly defended and then broke the charge. Used to poker games with violent individuals, I suppressed my desire to explode with delight! Try and guess which one I am in the photos below!

It had been a superb weekend. My thanks to Philip Mackie for the tournament. My thanks to the eventual winner Tim Porter for the organisation. Not that rankings are important, I include a results table. I forgot who was second😡

Thanks for reading, a great summer awaits!