National Skirmish Wargames Championship
As Don announced in the April Newsletter, the response from readers has been fantastic, and the event took place at Southampton at Minifigs' Southern Militaire. We have been able to finance a magnificent trophy consisting of a full size Winchester Carbine mounted on a solid polished pine board, with brass plates, one of which will record the winner's name each year. It is hoped that the winner and runner up wil I receive a miniature version to keep as a permanent display piece, but supply problems have prevented us being able to have these in time, and so plated 54mm Western figures mounted on blocks with brass plates have been produced. These will be held for one year only.
There was also a Skirmish Wargames Figure Competition which unfortunately was rather poorly supported despite the rather fine trophy, again a plated Western figure. The competition was won by Garth Rose with his group of Old West Characters known as the Jim Crow Gang.
There were originally 13 entrants for the Wargames Competition but 3 withdrew for one reason or another and so we ended up with 10 competitors. These assembled at the Southern Militaire '76 in Southampton on the weekend of the 3/4 April and fought it out for the trophies. Two of the contestants were Canadian, one was American, two were Scots, one was a Jordie, two were Bristolian and two were from the Home Counties -- a fairly representative crew.
THE CONTESTS
We set up the town of Congregation and fought al I the games in or around the town. In designing the town we had to bear in mind that two games would have to be fought at the same time to get through the four quarter finals and two semi finals on the Saturday. Moreover we wanted a large degree of variety in the scenarios. The result was the map you have before you. For purposes of the games we roughly divided this town into four quarters.
To determine the eight quarter finalists and as people were turning up at various times during the course of the Saturday morning, and as we needed to get started on the first two quarter finals at 11 am sharp, we adopted the following procedure
- a. The first six contestants to report were automatically admitted to the quarter finals.
b. The remaining four competitors were matched against each other in Showdowns. For these cards were prepared, each containing a different western character eg Town Marshall; Medium draw, ability 9, or gunfighter; Fast draw, ability 6.
The contestants were given figures representing the character shown on the card they had drawn and these were placed 15 yards apart on Main Street. The only I imitation on the players was that they could not draw on the first phase. Otherwise the Showdown was fought as a game using the relevant sections of the Old West Rules. Hugh Aird and Martin Milland were both shot out of the contest at this point.
Both shootouts were fought whilst the first two quarter finals were in progress indeed it was a busy day in Congragation!
THE QUARTER FINALS
Quarter Final 1 : Rustlers v. Cattlemen
In this game Greasy Garcia (better known as George Gerhart of the Canadian Army) was undoubtedly the bad guy. His gang had rustled 20 head of cattle from the Silly S Ranch. They had al so had to shoot two drovers and as a result had been pursued by Ray Gale (his opponent) and two ranch hands. Greasy Garcia was in the midst of loading the stolen steers on to a cattlewagon when the three cowboys rode into the railhead. Both sides saw each other and the skirmish began. The rustlers fanned out freeing the cattle as a ploy, but proved no match for the revenge seeking cowboys. Two of them were shot down and only Greasy Garcia made good his escape. Ray Gale regained the cattle and won his revenge, but not before Garc i.a had murdered the Town Blacksmith i n cold blood.
Quarter Final 2: US Cavalry v. Mexican Bandits
Sgt. John Adams of the US Cavalry (in reality an American in the Canadian Army) was part of a detail which had been attacked by Mexican bandits. The attack had failed and the bandits fled in all directions. Sgt. Adams with three troopers had pursued two of these bandits to the outskirts of Congregation. These bandits, Manilito (R. Duthie) and Sancho dismount outside Rose's Cantina and decide to fight it out and a close fight it was too! ManiIito found that the Cantina was not a good position and moved out to thwart an attempt to move in on his flank and rear. He killed the trooper sent across to the Congress boarding house and also a trooper sent around to the back of the Cantina. However, Adams had meanwhile assaulted the front of the Cantina and killed Sancho. Manilito, now at the well, fought a final showdown with Adams to resolve the game. Sgt. Adams won.
Quarter Final 3: Cattlemen v. Gunfighters
John Mansfield here played a gunfighter who, with his partner Kane Wright had been called in by the local sheep farmers to help them against the local cattle baron and his boys. Hearing that they are arriving on the 2pm train, the local cattle baron sends a reception committee headed by his foreman Tom Gardner. Tom Gardner with three ranch hands are lounging by the station office as the train pulls in. They see the two gunfighters who are not aware that the group of cowboys are a hostile reception committee.
While Kane began firing from inside the train, John Mansfield jumped from the carriage and headed for the engine which he climbed into unseen. In the fast and bloody shoot out that followed, the foreman and two of the ranch hands were seriously wounded and the fourth man was killed. The gunfighters suffered no wounds (Kane Wright ignored a light body wound) and once all their opponents were down, went out and finished them off in a strictly professional manner.
Quarter Final 4: Bandits v. Bounty Hunters
In this game Ian 'Tex' Willer and the three Morgan boys were a group of bank robbers being pursued by two bounty hunters, The Preacher (Nick Parker) and Mel Bean. Tahe Bounty Hunters had followed the outlaws to Congregation and have spotted their horses outside the Oriental Saloon. As they round the corner to the livery, they are seen by Tex Willer who decides to finish them off. Another fast and bloody shootout followed in which the two Bounty Hunters made the mistake of trying to take on the four badmen in the open instead of getting into cover and letting the badmen walk into a trap. Outnumbered two to one the Bounty Hunters went down fighting, Bean making a last ditch charge at the enemy to show his contempt.
Comment
- In devising the scenarios for the quarter finals we had to consider:
a. They needed to be short and sharp hence small forces which began the game in a confrontation situation.
b. Variety, the scenarios would be different and each have a differing story line. In particular, we aimed to avoid mirror games, equal forces and a neutral terrain. In only one of the games were there three men on each side. In the other three there were four on one side and two on the other. Experience ratings and abilities were adjusted to even the two sides out.
c. In only one game was no result attained in the two hours allowed for each game. I n this game, quarter final 2, a final showdown was arranged between the two personality figures to determine a victory.
THE SEMI FINALS
In these games we had larger forces in more subtle situations. In both the superior force, either numerically or in experience and ability ratings, were in a position of disadvantage in that they had to protect valuables against an attack which had not yet taken place i.e. The attacking player held the initiative in both games and we anticipated that this would lead to early losses on the defending player, hence his superiority.
Semi Final 1
Marshall Tex Willer had a real problem. $2000 worth of gold was due in on the stage and he only had one deputy in town. However, the two bank employees waiting to unload the gold were armed and he could expect the driver and shotgun guard on the stage to help him if there was any trouble which there was.
Ragale Dominguez (last known as Ray Gale) had three men and planned to steal that there gold in a daring daylight raid as the stage pulled in. He aimed to get the driver and guard before they could unload the gold and then get a man on to the stage and drive off... stage gold and al I. It did not work but it came close. And it sure didn't help when one of his men, Phil Adams, let loose with a sawed off shotgun and succeeded in killing one of his own men! Not a good day for the badmen.
Semi Final 2
In this game that ex gunfighter John Mansfield became a Captain in the US Cavalry conducting an arms shipment South from Congregation to Valuez on the border. Fearing an attack he has set off early in the morning and issued contingency orders. He had hardly set off when the attack came. The attack was led by Fast Juan Chadingo (an ex army Sgt. by name of John Adams). He had hoped to set an ambush but found the seven man detail leaving at the moment he arrived in the dry creek bed. With three men on foot and four still mounted he issued rapid orders and the attack began. The three men moved unseen into the ruin while the four mounted riders moved out on to the road and then headed for the rear of the Bordello. Capt. Mansfield halted his column and was about to issue orders when the men in the ruin opened fire. The early shots were devastating. The wagon driver was shot and the horses of the two right flank riders were shot. The Captain's horse went down and the Captain broke his arm. Only the Sgt. and two troopers got away and headed for cover while the Captain made the most of a bad job using his dead horse for cover. Chandingo blasted one of the troopers with his blunderbuss and another was gunned down in the Cantina. Only the Sgt. remained unscathed and he had climbed on to the Cantina roof. Alone he could not stop the Mexicans taking the arms.
THE FINAL: RIGHT V. MIGHT
For the final we resorted to the classic gang shoot out down Main Street. Ian 'Tex' Willer was the foreman of the ranch hands sent into town by cattle baron Vance Brannigan who is incensed by the editor of the Congregation Chronical, known as the Chronic. This editor has been running a one man crusade against the lawlessness of Vance Brannigan and his crew of cowboys and Vance has sent his boys to silence him. The editor found himself supported by the lawful elements of town headed by Marshall John Adams (does this boy get around). Both players headed a force of six men. The two forces were stretched across either end of Main Street. The arguing and shouting was over, the law had refused to give up the editor and the fighting was about to begin. It was a very close final with both of the personality figures going down in the early stages with serious wounds.
The law took to the buildings while their opponents flushed them out. In the last analysis, as both sides had not totally defeated the other, it was necessary to count up wounds inflicted. By a very narrow margin indeed John Adams emerged the winner with Ian Willer as runner up.
COMMENTS ON THE COMPETITION
On the whole the games went very well. Both the umpires were well versed in the rules and in umpiring games and were able to ensure that the players did not act with the inspiration so often witnessed when hidden movement is not used. As most of the players were familiar with the rules and prepared to play to the spirit rather than the letter, the games were free of argumeit and dispute which so often mars competition wargaming and we would I ike to thank al I the contestants for the marvellous way they played for enjoyment - it certainly made our jobs easier and more fun.
Certainly the umpires enjoyed themselves and it would seem that most of the competitors also enjoyed their games whether they won or not. In the last analysis that was the most important thing, and was true to the Long Haired Steve tradition which was what it was all about after all!
STEVE CURTIS MEMORIAL TROPHY: CONTESTANTS
Other competitors H. Aird and M. Millard were eliminated in preliminary shootouts.
Quarter Final 1
G. Gerhart v R. Gay le
Quarter Final 2
J. Adams v R. Duthie
Quarter Final 3
J. Mansfield v T. Gardner
Quarter Final 4
I. Willer v N. Parker
Semi Final 1
I. Willer v R. Gayle
Semi Final 2
J. Adams v J. Mansfield
Final
J. Adams v I. Willer
Runner Up
I. Willer
Winner
J. Adams
Note
A further donation has been received from John Cook and George Erik of Miniature Warfare in Tunbridge Wells very graciously provided at trade price, the wonderful Winchester 73 replica that formed the Trophy. Mike Blake estimates that the sum total of George Erik's contribution to the fund must be somewhere in the region of £10.00p.
Map of Congregation
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© Copyright 1976 by Donald Featherstone.
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