AtDE Bloodshed in Cofton Park
Battle Lines Drawn
As I glumly deployed last, choosing between starting virtually on top of the Workers' Militia or bang in the middle of the Militia and the Meat Eaters in open ground, I reflected on the fundamental unfairness of life. As I queried Rob as to why he'd deployed in the corner, despite there being almost no possibility of me deploying anywhere other immediately next to him, he explained 'I wasn't thinking about you.' Right there, in a nutshell, is the principal problem - not enough people thinking about me, and my welfare. You bastards.
Meanwhile the Meat Eaters and the State deployed quite close to each other, either side of the ruined SUV objective.
Meat Eaters Scramble Forward
The cannibals immediately began scampering toward the State, neglectful toward considerations of cover, interlocking fields of fire and all that other guff those State boys seem so keen on, prompting the first salvos, and a Meat Eater biting the dust rather than sweet flesh.
The State soon seemed poised to gain a decisive victory over the cannibals, as more shots saw another cannibal fall. To seal the deal, the Roc strove forward, brushing aside desultory shotgun fire, to engage Cannibal Fatboy in melee. Unfortunately for the State, an interested third party choose that moment to play 'That's Not A Knife' card, disarming Roc of sword and riot shield. The Roc went down soon after, and was finished off by gleeful cannibals.
A Gentleman's Agreement
Meanwhile the Worker's Militia and the Hunt watched each other uneasily, piling on the Watching and Waiting and Hide counters across a dry wall, each peeling off cadres to contest distant objectives .
'Don't cross the wall or the canal' was the Workers' dictate, which the Hunt seemed to tacitly accept.
Carnage Unabaited
Meanwhile, the Meat Eaters and the State continued to grapple. Soon the Meat Eaters were down to their leader, facing just two, then one Stater.
Lady Magdelene arrived near enough to the bloodbath try to finish off three of the fallen with a grenade. Unfortunately she threw like the girl she is, and the grenade scattered toward one of the remaining Staters, singing his eyebrows but little else.
Surveying the skirmish, it was clear that the State and the Meateaters would pick up a few kill points, but that with 3 of the 5 objectives under control with scarcely a shot fired, the Workers' Militia were cruising to a easy win.
The Great Betrayal
To howls of outrage and pledges of bloodfeud, the Hunt decided to put the knife into the Militia's back, initially gunning down the commies' sniper as he was struggling across the canal. Counter fire proved ineffective (almost as if the Hunt had been holding onto just the right cards for this moment), and soon another worker and their hound were down too. A worker decided to grenade Lady Tigraine and the Hunt heavy. However, the resulting miss turned into a fumble, and the fool blew himself up instead.
At the other end of the Workers' line, first the medic was gunned down, then Lady Magdelene emerged from some ruins to machete a shocked Militia man.
With all the Staters down or worse, with the Militia on the ropes, Lord Percival sprang at the Meat Eater leader, rapier in had, gutting him on a double six. A clean sweep looked on the cards.
Unfortunately the increasingly embittered Workers' leader shrugged off gunfire and rushed at Magdelene, battering her to the ground to reclaim one objective. Meanwhile the Workers' medic proved more hardy than anticipated, as he healed himself to contest another. A final bum note sounded as, when Tigraine rather smugly strolled over to finish off a militia man, the injured fanatic pulled a pin on a grenade immolating them both.
Nonetheless, with 3 objectives claimed and a couple of kills, the Royal Worcestershire Hunt claimed a glorious 85 point victory, and earned the determined enmity of the Longbridge Workers' Militia.