This is an an account of an action fought using Simon Clarke’s innovatory battle system for the horse and musket era.

NEW BURTON HERALD 

November 10^th  1862

Battle of Beech Hill

“Only Godless Yankees would attack in Winter “ commented Gen. Gregory Beauregard after his reverse at Beech Hill.

Federal General Achilles Clarke 3^rd   had set off in the early hours from his base at Bass Springs to seize the railhead at SmallHopes with some 6000 men by surprise. Frantic efforts by Gen Beauregard enable him to get some 4000 troops  to make a stand at the Beech Hill Bluffs  to defend the Small Hopes railway. His troops were exhausted especially the Tarheels of Groves brigade who had made a particularly hard route march to shore up the flanks of the force.

An initial cannonade by the Confederate batteries was ineffective but this was answered by a furious bombardment of the hill,  throwing Coopers Brigade into disarray  and dismounting several guns in Joshua’s battery. The Union forces came on and started a steady firefight with the grey ranks which were wavering. Cooper’s brigade fell back from the crest of the hill and rallied behind it. On the right the Tarheels essayed a firefight and were repulsed while on the left their fellows dug in to face the Union onslaught. 

Coopers brigade   returned to the fight but were driven back and their compatriots to their right broke and fled. Some confederate stragglers   were joining the battle and tried to establish  a line on the crest  but were once again driven off. 

With darkness falling , the Confederate centre was  retiring   and it was proving impossible to control the troops on the flanks A general retreat was sounded. Due to the failing light and the absence of cavalry most of Beauregards command escaped though hopelessly disorganised.

The railhead fell to the Yankees

Squarebashing 2019 is to be held on Saturday 15th June 2019,
at Battlefieldhobbies in Daventry.

The theme will be
1914: Coming of World War

Rules
Any army can be used, dated up to and including 1914, from any theatre.
Rather than dividing into two sides this year I thought it would do something a little different. All players will be in a single pool and the draw will be organised on other ’social’ factors such as army match-up, or ‘different opponents’. So everyone gets to play someone they don’t normally. Scoring will be simplified and will only account for a percentage of the total score. The other components will be a best army ballot and most sporting player. The details are yet to be finalised.

I’d like to to make this year more inclusive by trying to bring in more players where possible so even if its for a single game or tutorial game.
Buffet will be provided and all tickets are available from the Battlefield hobby site

Tickets: £12.50 including lunch. Tickets here

Date: Saturday 15th June 2019

Location:
Battlefield Hobbies
17 Brunel Close
Daventry
Northants
NN11 8BR

Event Schedule
09.00-09.25 – Players arrive, welcome.
09:30-12.30 – Games One.
12.30-13:30 – Buffet lunch supplied.
13.30-16.30 – Game Two

 

Two Simons have teamed up: TheWargamesZone (TWZ) to take Lurkio Figurines forward

Simon Clarke is delighted to announce that his range of figures is to be taken over and developed by rule writer Simon Hall under his TheWargamesZone umbrella.

Simon Clarke comments, “after putting a lot of work into the figure ranges, I am delighted that a friend is picking them up. The figures make a fine complement to Simon’s excellent Mortem et Gloriam rules, and as a core member of the MeG team I can stay involved from the wings. Some of the range is a great fit for his forthcoming Renaissance rules as well”

Simon Hall adds, “I love the range, and earlier this year bought a painted version of the Sassanid range, using it at Britcon2018 – where it was much admired (see below). I was about to order a Hunnic army when I was approached to buy the business instead. It’s very exciting to have our own figure range and we have two new ranges to launch for Xmas – 15mm Chinese Three Kingdoms, and 28mm Moguls including a fantastic armoured elephant. It is great to keep Lurkio “in the family” and to be able to keep Simon C close to the range as it evolves.”

The www.lurkio.co.uk website will re-open on Friday October 19th, with a NEW START SPECIAL OFFER – watch the FB page, magazines, forums and blogs for more news.

Announcement

After our extended break over the summer, it is with heavy heart, that I am announcing the closure of Lurkio. The reasons for this are manyfold, but primarily a change in personal circumstances means will I not not have the time to devote to running the store and provide the service that is expected. My commitments are now to look after my family, and Lurkio is unfortunately just too much effort for me to continue with.

Lurkio has been running for just over 10 years now. Starting with the Sassanid Persians to over a dozen ranges now – including some that never saw the light of day 🙁 Over those 10 years I have met a lot of new friends, and I thank you all for your support over this time. I hope that the ranges we have brought to light do not fade away, and I am looking to find someone to take over the ownership of Lurkio. I will leave the store running in browse mode while i try to find a buyer, or at least liquidate the stock.
If you , or know anyone, that might be interested in purchasing Lurkio , then please do drop me a line at Simon@lurkio.co.uk

Until then many thanks for all of your support over the years and good luck to you all.

Thanks
Simon

 

In response to Andy Dumelow’s initiative “Marking 11/11/11”,

‘The publication of the IWM volume on 1918, complete with jacket cover depicting the 137 Brigade on the banks of the St Quentin canal , has firmly placed in the reading public’s mind the 46th Division’s breaking of the Hindenburg Line as the epitome of the revival of British Arms at the end of the war. It also provides a central plank in the revisionist arguments in favour of a “learning curve”. As Brian Bond has argued, the “learning curve” has become an orthodoxy for military historians whilst public perceptions remain fixed on the Somme. The breaking of the Hindenburg Line is important to revisionists because, unlike at Amiens, the key breakthrough was achieved by an ordinary English “county” division not one of the elite formations, such as the Canadian Corps, that had spearheaded the assault of 8 August.’ #

We have an opportunity to recognise this important contribution by units local to the catchment area of our club; 137 Brigade North & South Staffs, 138 Brigade Lincs & Leics & 139th Brigade Sherwood Foresters.  I am prepared both to sort out a Square Bashing scenario and to put together suitable memorial words, including a note on this local division at the Eleventh Hour.

As to timing, we have at least two choices:
1) To re-enact the SB scenario on club night Thu 27th September 2018.
2) To re-enact a larger /longer scenario on Sat 10th November, subject to room availability.
Either way I propose that some of us at least attend the Stretton War Memorial; if on a Thursday perhaps just before the start of club night.

Responses, commitment & ideas please.

# [Simon Peaple, Mud, Blood & Determination: The History of the 46th (North Midland) Division in the Great War. 2015 p146]

Ray