Tuesday 8 January 2019

AUTUMN BIG GAME 2018 (PART FOUR - CONCLUSION)

"Our Brave Boys Go In" As Lt. Everard struggles on the left and centre, the Ludlow Expeditionary Force
launch their flank attack on the right. A crucifix waving Chaplain provides critical moral support as 3rd
Section, LEF, charge into the smoke.
"The Bear at Bay". Commandant Joubert has now taken refuge in "Stokkies House", taking frenzied potshots
 at the remaining elements of the Golden Valley Invincibles (top left) and screaming for his
 long awaited reinforcements to arrive. In the gardens to the right, the First Section of the Kings Colonials,
 still shrouded in smoke, somehow contrive to repluse two charges from the flanking (and far more
numerous) LEF,  but then begin to fall steadily as the LEF draw off, curse the
 "ridiculous charge rules" and resort to heavy and accurate gunfire.
"The Reinforcements Now Arrive" At last the D6 smiles upon Stokkies. Two full sections of the Kings Colonials
arrive, seemingly in the nick of time. The depleted First Section, KCol, withdraw from the gardens of
"Stokkies House" under cover of an HMG. Just visible against the rear wall of the house,
Stokkies AT Gun is being desperately manhandled towards the centre of the battlefield and the
marauding Vickers Mk.VI.
"The Queen of the Battlefield" Anglican spotters detect the arrival of Stokkies' reinforcements, and the
Ludlow artillery roars into action, firing carefully hoarded long range shells. The barrage (assisted
by lucky activation cards) is devestating......
"The Results of Accurate Fire"......as Stokkies' re-inforcements are "pulped" and "mashed" and generally thrown
about by the incoming shells. Their morale plummets, becoming "Jumpy" - or worse - and unable to move..
"An Isolated Commander"....leaving Commandant Stokkies and his batman completely isolated.
A special "snatch squad" of Ludlow veterans close assault "Stokkies House" as his reinforcements
look on, helpless. The batman falls. Firing two handed and screaming defiance, Stokkies takes on an
 entire LEF Section himself, killing two. But the odds are too great, even for the South African legend...
"Take him to the Bishop!"....a bruised Stokkies Jourbert is lead away into captivity. Learning of his
fellow commander's fate, and hard pressed both in the centre and on the left, Lt. Everard
decides to "live free and fight another day", slowly disengaging his forces from those of
the exhausted victors, and retreats in the direction of Hereford. He quickly scribbles some
despatches to Lord de Braose, a copy of which subsequently fell into Anglican hands
The Battle of Winforton Pontoons is finally over.

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