Campaign is a unique venue, in that it is held in a shopping centre that is open to the public. This makes it an ideal venue to reach people that we would not normally see with the Northamptonshire Battlefields Trust. Last year, I took Invade Crete in Ten Minutes to Campaign. This year it was the turn of 2 NORTHANTS to cross the River Garigliano.¹
In all, 25 members of the Public played the game over a day and a half. Saturday morning was the best time to catch people. An equal number of people engaged with the game without playing it – those conversations usually took longer than ten minutes! A number of those conversations revolved around a relative who had been in Italy in WW2, or had served in one of the armed forces. Particularly memorable was the chap who cut me short, informing me that he was an Advanced Squad Leader Player of some experience, and also an Ambulance Officer and Paramedic. It takes all sorts, and that’s part of the joy of manning a stand that is open to the public.²
Then there was this guy.³
The game was played at RSO, with a stand being company-sized. This is a copy of the play sheet that was given to players.
Cross the Garigliano with 2nd Northants 17 Jan 1944 … in Ten Minutes!
A “Not Quite Mechanised” Scenario by Chris Kemp
free rules at https://notquitemechanised.wordpress.com/
“Fifth Army plan: British X Corps, to attack on 17 January 1944, across the GARIGLIANO (5th and 56th Infantry Divisions).” 1
“In 1944, 2nd Northants were in 17th Infantry Brigade, in the 5th Infantry Division, part of X Corps, in the Italian Campaign. From 17 January to 31 January they were in action at the Garigliano Crossing.
Parker in Monte Cassino (Appendix 2, Orders of Battle) lists 17th Brigade (2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers, 2nd Northamptonshire Regt, 6th Seaforth Highlanders) in the First Battle of Monte Cassino.” 2
Truncated text downloaded from: Wikipedia1 and (http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/can-anyone-help-me-2nd-battalion-northamptonshire-regiment.6634/)2
Your task is to force a crossing of the GARIGLIANO in ten minutes … The Umpire will guide you. Good luck”
-
FIRE your Artillery. You may be lucky and have Air Support.
-
MOVE your Infantry.
-
FIGHT anyone in front of you.
-
REORGANISE your troops.
DEFENDER→ |
Open |
Dug In |
Fortified |
ATTACKER ↓ |
L |
M |
H |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
L |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 ♦ |
4 |
4 |
|
Light |
5 ♦ |
5 ♦ |
5 |
|
6 ♦♦ |
6 ♦ |
6 ♦ |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
M |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
3 ♦ |
3 |
3 |
Medium |
4 ♦ |
4 ♦ |
4 |
|
5 ♦♦ |
5 ♦ |
5 ♦ |
|
6 ♦♦♦ |
6 ♦♦ |
6 ♦ |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
H |
2 ♦ |
2 |
2 |
|
3 ♦ |
3 ♦ |
3 |
Heavy |
4 ♦♦ |
4 ♦ |
4 ♦ |
|
5 ♦♦♦ |
5 ♦♦ |
5 ♦ |
|
6 ♦♦♦♦ |
6 ♦♦♦ |
6 ♦♦ |
IWM Picture via Pinterest – To me, this looks like a “staged after the battle” photo
Footnotes
- Spoiler … nobody took longer than eight minutes. I noticed after I took the photos that the 2 NORTHANTS label is on the left flank. It should be in the centre. Proper Anoraks will have spotted the Dingies from the 1/76 Airfix US Marine set, and may have noticed that the artillery is scratchbuilt.
- … Except this chap. Information overload, time 15 minutes.
- And the chap who read the “Campaign” sign as “Camping”. He was puzzled by the lack of tents.