A Very British Civil War, 1939: Battle of Nevilles Cross (One Page Rules)

After a significant hiatus due to Covid and other interests, this week we reignited A Very British Civil War with a large multiplayer game.

We’ve been playing a lot of One Page Rules Grimdark Future lately and we’ve been talking about using those rules for a historical period like World War Two. AVBCW seemed like a good step towards that, so we mocked up some OPR lists and set to it.

Lists here.

So, picking up where we left off, here’s the narrative for the Battle of Neville’s Cross, May 1939.

Battle of Neville’s Cross, 23^rd May 1939.

During the long winter of 1938 all sides in the war spent the time rebuilding defences, recruiting new forces, rearming, and resupplying.  Hostilities remained low throughout the winter, aside from a few border skirmishes, punch-ups in local pubs, and the war of words in local newspapers. Manoeuvres throughout February, March, and April eventually brought two factions into the first major battle of 1939, and once again the transport line to the west of Durham played host to the conflict.  The A1 at Neville’s Cross near Durham was troubled with the rumble of barely fuelled engines and the ripple of rifle fire as around 9.30am on the 23^rd May reignited the war.

Coming in from the west was a Socialist alliance.

The Chopwell Communists committed a small force of new recruits, supported by cavalry and a T26 tank acquired from Liverpool. They took the right flank position along the A1.

The centre was held by a Socialist Local Defence Volunteer force identified most likely as an anti-Anglican League group from The Sands area of Durham. Made up mostly of elderly ex-servicemen and Great War veterans, they had a couple of vehicles and a lot of bravery on their side.

The left flank position was occupied by a force of Socialist regulars who had deserted from the Catterick Barracks and camped out in the Dales near Wolsingham over winter. These fellows threw their lot in with Chopwell and brought one of the very rare Matilda II tanks with them.  This behemoth of a modern tank is one of a very few that made it off the production lines before the outbreak of war.

Advancing from the east was an anti-Socialist force made up of three longstanding allies.

Facing the Chopwell positions was a skilled and well-trained force of Lord Lambton’s “Hounds”. Over winter they’d made good use of their time developing quality infantry tactics.  They’d also acquired a good supply on Lewis guns and bought in a stable of Austin armoured cars. Lord Lambton was sick of his pride and joy Rolls Royce fleet getting damaged, so he spent some cash on front line replacements.

In the centre was Lord Percy’s Tenantry.  Well supplied with a rag-tag collection of armoured vehicles, Lord Percy had increasingly moved his garrisons down south to ring Durham and support the ongoing hostilities there.

And on the left, facing the Catterick deserters were the Gateshead German League.  Rumours of their terrible behaviour towards the locals in their area have been flatly denied by the GGL leadership, but what is certain is that the winter saw them heavily resupplied by imported German arms and materiel.

Each side fielded three forces, each of 1500pts (so 4500pts a side).

We set up the game using the OPR rules, and decided that on each side’s go, each player would activate a single unit, so each side would see three units activate each "bound".  The objectives were clear – capture and hold the three crossroads along the A1. We had 4 Turns to do this, so aggressive play would be needed!

Boths sides set up simultaneously (to save time), and we set to it with the Socialists taking the first turn.

Turn 1

On the right flank the Chopwell forces found it hard going.  They advanced into a wall of disciplined Lambton rifle fire.  The Lambton units were well commanded with leaders instilling fire discipline and this told on the Communist forces stopping their advance well back from the A1.

Lambton’s Hounds pushed up aggressively, taking a solid position at the road and setting up for a coming surprise…

In the centre, the Sands LDV and Lord Percy’s forces advanced through a built-up area near St John’s Church at Neville’s Cross.  There was a significant exchange of fire along the road, and rifle fire crackled around the nearby buildings.

The left flank was similarly pyrotechnic with the Catterick deserters and GGL pouring heavy fire into each other.  Antitank guns spat at armour and skilled riflemen picked each other off at range.  The Catterick boys made better progress towards their objective on the A1 though, forcing the GGL onto the back foot. 

Turn 2

Lambton’s Hounds sprang a trap! Their mercenary elites had snuck across the road in the early morning and hid in a nearby hollow. With the star of hostilities, these fanatics appeared on the flank of the Chopwell position. This startling and unexpected arrival threw the Communists into disarray and their rear support units struggled to counter the withering fire from these killers.  At the same time the Lambton’s Austin armoured car got in on the action, tearing a Red cavalry unit to pieces. Reeling, the Remaining Red cavalry charged the Austin and managed to knock it out!  The Austin crew panicked and surrendered, while the cavalry sabotaged the vehicle to prevent its use. Despite this minor victory, Lord Lambton’s forces took a commanding position on the road and the Communists were fighting a losing battle from that point.

The glorious but doomed Red Cavalry charge takes out the Austin armoured car!

In the centre the fighting between the Sands LDV and Lord Percy’s Tenantry became close ranged and bitter. Both sides advanced on the crossroads and rifle fire was almost point blank.  Terrified residents harangued both sides from their upper windows as rifle bullets fizzed down alleyways.  Of course, both sides respected the sanctity of residential gardens and stayed out of the church grounds, but still…

Lord Percy's armour advances.

The left flank continued to batter away at each other, and the GGL brought up their lancer cavalry to try and reverse the position and drive out the Catterick boys.  A brutal tank duel emerged as the Catterick forces pushed onto the A1.

Turn 3

Not content with their earlier trap, Lambton’s Hounds had sent two mercenary fanatic teams out, and the second one now arrived.  These fellows had worked their way into the Communist’s rear area and driven off their supports.  They now arrived on the battlefield directly into Chopwell’s rear position. Meanwhile Lambton’s Houses came across the A1 in force. The Chopwell position was hopeless, and the few survivors began a fighting retreat as best they could. Even the help of some Sands LDV troops coming across to try and take out the Lambton ambush couldn’t save the flank.

The unstoppable Lambton advance!

In the centre, the Sands LDV pushed up their transport truck, Austin Kegresse armoured car, and infantry to take the crossroads. Lord Percy’s troops matched this move putting their rag-tag armour up there too. Fierce fire created a carpark of wrecked vehicles! The crossroads remained contested.

The pile up at the crossroads...

Over on the left flank, the Catterick boys captured the crossroads, ably supported by the fearsome Matilda II. The Gateshead German League attack was blunted, its cavalry gone, and its Panzers wrecked or running low on fuel.

Turn 4

With the two flanks decided, attention turned to the bitter fighting in the centre.  Both sides had lost much of their strength, and neither could dislodge the other.

As ammunition supplies dwindled, scare fuel reserves ran dry, and the local pubs rand the lunchtime bells, the fighting died down and both sides withdrew for a hard-fought draw.

Desperate and horrific close quarters fighting.

After Action

It was an excellent game, and the One Page Rules lists and rules we’d worked up did the job it needed to. There were a few little idiosyncrasies as there are with all rulesets of course.  The game was a lot of fun with some excellent swings of fate across the whole table. The drawn result felt like the right outcome too. We’ll be revisiting this conflict in the north again. 

Pictures courtesy of Lord Percy's photography unit (thanks John!)