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Saturday 25 February 2017

Britain At War And Airsoft Tomorrow

This morning is all about waiting around. I have spent much of the morning doing paper work. I am going airsofting tomorrow for the first time in about two years. I have spent a large amount of time sorting things out for this. This came as a surprise as I thought I had everything together. Then I realised that I couldn't get the gun box open as I couldn't find the key. So I had to saw it open. Then I couldn't find my magazine. I will be going out with one or two mags in the morning. I need a bigger garage so I can get organised.

Anyway. I saw something online about Vedrun, which fell to the Germans just over a hundred years ago. I know that was the French and the Germans but it made me think, what were we doing on that day.

Today was the first day that the British used poison gas, in this case chlorine, on the battlefield. Typical of the British Army using new kit they managed to kill a large number of their own men before embarking on a non-essential badly planned attack. This was the point that Field Marshall Haig replaced Field Marshall French. Another major move forward, with similar long term effects of using the gas. That was sarcasm for the record. I have been looking at the Peter Pig minis for years but the lack of an opponent has kind of put me off.

It is also the anniversary of the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Stamford Bridge was a major victory for the Saxons under Harold Godwinson, seeing the demise of the Norwegian leader Harald Hardrada and Harold's treacherous brother Tostig. This was a battle I was planning to use as the model for my Viking game. Not the time and the place, just the treachery, back biting and mayhem.

On this day the British surrendered Fort Sckville to the Americans during the American War of Independence. Not the biggest defeat they ever had but it did set in motion a chain of events. The world may have been a very different place if this had not happened. As far as I read it, this should be an object lesson to the designers of fortifications everywhere.

A bit closer to home was the formations of the Solemn League and Covenant. This was a turning point in the English Civil War. Although not an end in itself, the forces arrayed against the King and the shear number of men were now building up to an unstoppable army.

1 comment:

  1. Enjoy the airsofting. I've only been once since my road traffic accident: more out of fear of an inflammation response if hit on a joint e.g. fingers. That and up to last year being too broke to go. I'm planning on going to an event later this year once Dean sorts out the 100th anniversary game for Contact! Maybe see you there too? All the best.

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