Operation Market Larden 2 - A Day of Lard at Wyvern Wargamers.

What a cracking day.....

Saturday saw the return of Operation Market Larden, a day devoted to Richard Clarke's excellent Too Fat Lardies rules, this years event surpassed that of last year with over 40 gamers travelling from all over the country, with 8 different games, fantastic terrain, well thought out and balanced scenario's and a great bunch of chaps only interested in the "fun" of the game.

The  games included.

Le Port(R. Clarke)

Verdun 1916(S. Roundwood)

Bloody Omaha (M. Whittaker)

Saving Mrs. Ryan (S. Walker)

Benouville 6/6/44 (A. Deacon)

Sharpe  Peninsular (J. Ibbotson)

Tin Star Gunfight (G. Bond)

The Bridge (N. Overland)

Kiss Me Hardy (N. Skinner)

As usual with this events I was somewhat carried away on the gaming front to capture many photo's, but I am sure others will come forward in the coming days judging by the number of camera's in evidence.

Anyway on with the pic's

The Lardies gather, plans are discussed and Pic's are taken.

Rich's Le Port game, with British Para's pitted aginst the German Defenders.

 

Simon's excellent Indian Mutiny game, which I had the pleasure in playing in, more on that later.

Mike's Bloody Omaha game, an all day affair which saw the US army make heavy weather of the beach landing as MG42's sweep the beach.

Ade's Benouville game, Ade had been planning this for months, the detail was terrific, down to the correct height of the walls and rumour has it the windows on the buildings.

 

Sid's excellent WW1 game, players were given a number of choices prior to the game, which would have an impact on the on table scenario.

Jeff's Tin Star, my early successes on the afternoon game was soon dashed as an outlaw in the final turner killed both of my survivoring law men. With a single shotgun blast ouch...

 Thanks Jeff real fun and a great system for winning the west :-)

Tiffin was called in afternoon and Ade furnished the flagging gamers with the now ledenary Too Fat Lardies Cup Cakes.

I had been looking forward to this game for a number of months, having been sent by Simon a draft of his Sharp Practice Variant for the Indian Mutiny a number of months before, I was keen to see how he put all the parts together.

Gary & I were to take on the role of Captain Yates and his fellow officers as they escort Mrs Ryan and her ladies to the row boats before the mutineers dispatch us.

The locals were not pleased to see us as they popped up from the village and the various camp fires peppered across the board, each looking to use their "Big Choppers" on my stoic troops.

The mutineers pour from the village as the British regulars form up, the first volley inflicted 2 shock points, bugger it would be a long day. We did mange to bag a couple goats, you never know they could have been preparing to side with the locals.

Good old British steel was the order of the day as we replused wave after wave of sword waving locals, but our main line was pinned and casaulties were mounting.

Judge John Deeds lead his armed civilians towards the beach as Corporal Nutting of the 1st BER plugs away at the natives, we flushed the baboons from the rocks, more mutineers I am sure.

 

More Sepoys rush on to the table heading for the landing. Time was running out for the English.

As the clock ticks down we had run out of time, ammunition was ruinning low, shock was mounting and the mutineers were only getting stronger, we had got Jimmy Munrowe and his litter (he had brokwn his legs days before) to the river but no where near a boat.

Mrs Ryan and the other ladies were still crossing the rough terrain as the natives closed in on them, what would the papers say... :-(

A great game, cheers Simon it was worth the wait and a close run thing to the very last turn of the card, just what you expect from Lardie games.

 

As is now customary we rounded off the day with a curry and several drinks to replenish our energy levels, it can be tough rolling dice all day.

“A Fan-dabi-dozi night was had by all” 

Thanks to all for making a good day great, we are already looking forward to next year.