FIBUA

FIBUA, as I’m sure most of you know, is a British army acronym for fighting in built up areas… but it’s also known by British squaddies as FISH and CHIPS (Fighting In Someone’s House & Causing Havoc In People’s Streets.

As you can see from the piccies below that’s exactly what I’m about to embark upon in the fictional town of Brompton during A Very British Civil War.

A general overview of the Parkside industrial area, north is the right hand board edge bordered by the Birmingham road. 

Since the terrain is based on interlocking tiles I can jiggle the whole lot around and reposition things for a different future layout, and It’ll also be possible to add to it with a few rows of terraced houses or even a high street with shops if my spot the ball entries ever produce a win. 

I’ve tried to avoid my previous mistakes, made back in the day, where I went full railway modeller and created terrain that looked lovely but that I couldn’t actually fit my soldiers in, so if it seems a bit cartoony, that’s the reason.

A view to the north west showing the refugee control point on Caldwell lane. 

Looking south west from the Birmingham road.

While all this was being built I’ve been conducting test games with various skirmish rule sets and was disappointed that the ones I was expecting to use didn’t really cut the mustard. You never really know until you get the toys on the table, do you? Eventually I stumbled across Fistful of Lead which I’d discounted previously as a cowboy and injuns game. To my relief its not, and it really has everything I want out of a system, with the bonus being that its sister game of Bigger Battles works well for my Indian mutiny and possibly my HYW stuff too. Sharing the same core system (mostly) may mean that my increasingly foggy memory isn’t tested too much each time I get the boys out (I live in hope - or hippy, according to the modern marvel that is auto correct).

Proof of the new rules efficacy was provided in the usual way when No2 son turned up, ate everything in the fridge and thrashed the life out of me with them. It’s a family tradition thing.

Anywhoo… I’ll be running five games in a mini campaign, over the next few months, details of which have already been worked out and all of which will involve fighting for control of this industrial area in the North East of Brompton. The game area is about 4 x 3 and if that seems small don’t forget these will be skirmish games involving as few as 7 to 10 figures per side. I’ve had test games that lasted a mere 10 minutes (never bunch up in front of a dug in Lewis gun) and one game that I had to finish the next day so it’s going to be difficult to judge how in depth the expected bat reps will be. Hopefully we won’t have too many…Turn 1 Side (A) died to a man while entering the board. lol. 

Modelling will be taking a bit of a back seat for a while, I hope, but there are some new Army of The Severn Valley (British Army regulars), a naval landing party and a bloody great tank with numerous turrets on to get to grips with at some point, so no peace for the wicked eh.

Vickers MkIII in case you were wondering. Only three ever produced. 

Right then I’ll be back in February with some games if the Gods spare me, but before I sling my hook I came across this monstrous concoction when I was looking for advertising posters to put on the side of a building.

Jeez. Did they really drink this stuff back in the day?

*****Late Edit*****

This just in from Steve.

Gack. I presume the child is smiling cos she hasn’t tasted it yet.

Toodleooh mes amis.

Help!

I was at an indoor market in Bellac today when I chanced upon these chaps for sale. The figures may be pewter and the individual soldiers are about 8cm tall - so I’m not sure what scale that equates to. I’ve no idea of manufacturer / age / period / nationality represented but they’re 85 euro for 12 as far as I can see which seems reasonable.

If anybody is able to shine a light on this I’d be grateful for any info.

They’ve been glued to several crappy wooden bases and all of the figures appear to be individual. 

Again, any info the hive mind can provide will be gratefully received.

A plus mes amis. 

Bonne Année

Just a quickie post to wish you all a happy new year. Lovely and sunny here at the mo but ruddy cold. Fortunately my hobby room is the warmest in the house so that’s all the excuse I need to sit in there all day and furrtle around with my toys. 

I’d give you a run down of what I’ve achieved in 2025 but I’m buggered if I can remember to be honest. There was a lot of 28 mm stuff as I recall and not enough mini campaigns fully documented to completion…partly cos I ran out of puff and partly cos I often played them out and forgot to fully record them at the time. I’ll try and do better in 26…promise. 

I’ve some new 100YW figures to get on with and some Empress Sikhs (for no good reason other than they look lovely sculpts)… and that ladies and gentlemen (apart from the SCW Hotchkiss team) is the sum of my remaining lead pile. Nice.

I suspect that first part of 26 will be mostly VBCW, because I’m still pretty jazzed about it and work on the property through Feb / March (repainting the shutters on the barn and the gîte) will take the place of painting miniatures. Doh. 

Enough. Here’s a few more piccies of VBCW progress.

Welcome to Brompton, gateway to the west. I managed to get CHAT GPT to sketch out a map of the fictional midlands town in which my VBCW games will take place. For some reason the third iteration saw the Brompton Rovers FC stadium replaced with a cricket ground, the loss of the buildings in the railway station and the word Weca instead of area. (Me neither). Apparently god loves a tryer so I’ll keep on  with the AI bothering. Most of my current terrain is centred on the industrial “Weca” but I’ve plans for some terraced back to back housing too, if the money holds out. 

Another couple of factories have been produced. This is Farrington’s (another family member I’m afraid) famous in my alt 1937 for the production of Bile Beans. Bile Beans by the way were an actual thing. Google ‘em if you’ve a mind to. 

The new twin turreted Austin Armored car known as “unlucky for some” due its number 13 (third vehicle of the 1st troop).

And another shot from the other side because it’s crapiness is sort of sexy.

I’ve settled on the three main factions making up the Brompton Local Defence Volunteers and have created some roster sheets as an aide mémoire. They’ll be laminated and allow me to add character traits if any are generated between games.

This bunch are supporters of the King, (Edward VIII) but reject the legitimacy of the Mosley government. 

These lads are mostly workers from the Brompton Carpet Factory and they see the current troubles as an opportunity to set up a socialist utopia. They are against the monarchy and Mosley. Note Comrade Stranski doesn’t actually work at the factory, he just turned up one day with a Russian / English dictionary and a lorry load of weapons. Unusual for Russians to be fomenting strife, eh. 

The third faction are made up of those appalled by the kings marriage to an American divorcee, and his decision to empower the upstart Mosley. They demand new elections the abdication of Edward and his replacement with the stuttering Prince Albert (no, not the piercing) currently hiding out in Canada with the rest of the royals. 

Haven’t quite finished this roster yet, though the figures are painted. I’ll probably add a few International Fascist League Spanish Volunteers to the bottom somewhere.

I’m not entirely sure why I bothered dividing the Brompton defenders into three separate armed factions other than I’ve a vague notion that they could at some point end up fighting amongst themselves. We’ll see.

Right it’s time to start blanching the sprouts for next Christmas (only 350 something shopping days to go) so I’m going to sling my hook.

Play nice.

Toodleooh.