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Britcon 2024:
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WARGAMES ILLUSTRATED @ BRITCON 2024
Across the Britcon weekend Wargames Illustrated Magazine will be presenting several eye catching and award-winning games for convention attendees to check out. On Saturday the Wi Room will play host to games of Valour & Fortitude. V&F author and games design grandee Jervis Johnson will be busy playing Napolenics with Alan and Michael Perry, along with overseeing the ‘Best Historical Game’ award winner from Salute 51 - presented by the Southeast Scotland Wargames Club, and the Boondock Sayntes’ Partizan ‘Best in Show’ Indian Munity game - Unao 1857. |
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On the Sunday, we head back to the Middle Ages as the Wi Room is given over to medieval small battles action in the form of several games using the Never Mind the Billhooks rules, with author Andy Callan on hand to umpire the action and talk to punters about Billhooks, Boathooks and Fantasia.
If you would like to see some of the best games from the 2024 UK show circuit, and chat with the Perry Brothers, Jervis Johnson and Andy Callan, all in one room - head to the Wi Room at Britcon 2024
The Boondock Sayntes will be Presenting...
The battle of Unao, September 1857.
Part II Of the relief of Lucknow
With two failed attempts to relieve Lakhnao behind him, Brig-Gen Henry Havelock and his under-strength cholera ravaged force reluctantly returns to Kanhpur and to stinging criticism from his subordinate Brig-Gen Neill.
"I deeply regret you have fallen back one foot....The effect of your retrograde movement will be very injurious to our cause everywhere....."
Havelock described the letter as the most extraordinary he had ever perused.
“I do not want and will not receive any of them from an officer under my command. Understand this distinctly, and that a consideration of the obstruction that would arise to the public service at this moment alone prevents me from taking the stronger step of placing you under arrest".
Under increasing pressure, Havelock was then forced to move on Bithur to confront a Rebel force which had gathered there, threatening his rear. After defeating the rebels he returned to Kanhpur to read in a newspaper, the Calcutta Gazette, that he had been superseded by Maj-Gen Sir James Outram.
Outram arrived on Sept 16th bringing with him some badly needed reinforcements. His first action was to entrust Brig-Gen Havelock with the command of the Oudh Field force. The honour of relieving the garrison at Lakhnao should fall "to that distinguished officer for all his strenuous and noble exertions already made".
And so it was on Sept 19th, 1857, Brig-Gen Havelock led out a force of 3,179 men, across the bridge of boats and into Oude. Ahead of him lay a march of 50 hostile miles and an enemy of many thousands. In his hands, the fate of 900 Lakhnao residents and possibly the future of Empire in India itself.
Part II Of the relief of Lucknow
With two failed attempts to relieve Lakhnao behind him, Brig-Gen Henry Havelock and his under-strength cholera ravaged force reluctantly returns to Kanhpur and to stinging criticism from his subordinate Brig-Gen Neill.
"I deeply regret you have fallen back one foot....The effect of your retrograde movement will be very injurious to our cause everywhere....."
Havelock described the letter as the most extraordinary he had ever perused.
“I do not want and will not receive any of them from an officer under my command. Understand this distinctly, and that a consideration of the obstruction that would arise to the public service at this moment alone prevents me from taking the stronger step of placing you under arrest".
Under increasing pressure, Havelock was then forced to move on Bithur to confront a Rebel force which had gathered there, threatening his rear. After defeating the rebels he returned to Kanhpur to read in a newspaper, the Calcutta Gazette, that he had been superseded by Maj-Gen Sir James Outram.
Outram arrived on Sept 16th bringing with him some badly needed reinforcements. His first action was to entrust Brig-Gen Havelock with the command of the Oudh Field force. The honour of relieving the garrison at Lakhnao should fall "to that distinguished officer for all his strenuous and noble exertions already made".
And so it was on Sept 19th, 1857, Brig-Gen Havelock led out a force of 3,179 men, across the bridge of boats and into Oude. Ahead of him lay a march of 50 hostile miles and an enemy of many thousands. In his hands, the fate of 900 Lakhnao residents and possibly the future of Empire in India itself.