More on the Big Battle League and the Invasion of Arcadia 1975

Peter Merritt has been in touch about the Invasion of Arcadia and kindly passed on his write up of the game to be posted here. A little bit like the Ukes he can say, "i was there"...

"I was a member of three clubs at the time - South London Warlords, SELWG and Whitehall Warlords - and therefore helped to co-ordinate our 'combined tank corps'. There was a LOT of prep before the game (the article aludes to this), including planning meetings and kit collection. The rules for l/r fire were on a LOGARITHMIC scale(!) which didn't bother me, but Mr Wise was definitely out of his depth (although to be fair, he was not alone)... However, our side had a superb guy doing initial co-ordination, with lots of modern soviet doctrine (and kit), who also took a very 'operational' approach - once the broad plan was agreed, sectors were allocated and other groups given carte-blanch for deployment. Lists of useful kit were also submitted (see later), and key assets pooled under CinC reserve; very 'Stavka'.

The combined SLW, SELWG and WW 'division' held the right flank of the defences (about 1/3 of the entire frontage), which unfortunately had the asst umpire - so didn't appear much in the write-up (although to be fair it was only the secondary beach). About half the equipment was WW2 vintage (shed loads of artillery, flak, T34s, artillery, and German light flak; oh, and artillery), with the 'modern' kit (T55, M60s and Centurions) held in reserve.

Our front faced a heavily reinforced 'Israeli' battlegroup (I believe) with bags of modern a/c and special forces in support - which would have been great if facing 1973 arabs (or Pact for that matter). Unfortunately for them, they found that:-
# radar jammers are no good against thousands of unguided 20mm AA rounds! We actually set-up some big 'juicy' targets (big rader stations etc [which we weren't using]) in order to temp their fighter-bombers into our own 'valley of death' - and they did, time and time again....
# no matter how 'special', infantry forces are not Nebelwerfer/Katyusha-proof (they quickly knocked-out a big [old] coastal battery on some cliffs, but no-one came to relieve them in time...I seem to recall the rescue h/c was caught in the deluge of Nebelwerfer fire!)
# a few high-tech ATGM launchers are NOT the best way to stop a 'charge' by 30-ish T34s, which at one point overran part of the beach until forced back by point-blank naval gunfire (not easy with one turn's targetting delay)!

Their frogmen did do very, very well; the guys running this (and some other special forces assets) were very 'switched-on', but fortunately for us no-one on their side seemed interested in their suggestions/warnings - including not cancelling the big para-drop after the flak suppression mission failed, the survivors landing right on a huge tank/mech force, already on full alert. Seemed very different to our C-in-C (a real 'Zhukov') who insisted on one rep from each front reporting back each turn, apart from any written notes; this was not just for orders, but true command discussions took place, especially during the night periods.

The frogmen were helped because the river formed a major club/unit boundary, and although we had agreed who was protecting each bridge, our neighbours had removed their guards but forgot to mention it.... To be honset, the forward bridges were of more use to the enemy, so no-one (of the of our division) was that fussed; as soon as the first blew, we had arranged a reception at the next two obvious targets. Well, it gave the heavy mortars something to do as the invasion was a bit behind schedule!

As mentioned, all the defending clubs pooled critical assets like a/c and strike h/c (about 20+ models in the latter case), which is what did for the attacker's last big tank assault (their own much more limited effort and unescorted attack was seen-off by the SLW People's Air Defence Regt [=massed Airfix Mig15s] flying CAP). This assault had been seriously delayed in any event by some cargo a/c making an almost unopposed run along the big forest (where everyone was obviously sheltering), and instead of paratroops it went gaily spreading A/T mines from automatic launchers. All this stuff was straight out of Janes' latest editions, with which Mr Wise was all-too familiar by the end of the weekend!

There was also the Saturday-night scratch built German coastal sub, which caused consternation on the Sunday among unescorted follow-up waves (the confusion was more then the actual damage caused - it's why one lot landed at the wrong end of the beach). All-in-all it was a very tough fight, and we were especially pleased at how the WW2 kit (massed T34s, light AA and Nebelwerfers) had caused such problems to our high-tech reliant opponents. Our resident T34 maniac was most pleased at the end to punch-through the thin ATGM ring and get to the beach with enough kit to start firing over open sights at incoming landing craft, thus proving Rommel was right!

The host club actually did very well considering the odds, vast numbers of arguing gamers, untried rules etc, as evinced by the immediate clamour for a campaign (see below).

Technology:
There was a tremendous 'arms race' in the run-up to the game. You had to have the models, painted and ready (no partials), which was great for me - multiple tins of humbrol green/earth spray and 20+ Airfix polythene M60s and Centurions.... But top prize goes to our North London leader who scratch-built a perfect recce Mig25 which flew 5K+ ft (?) above the opposition's flight of brand new Airfix F14s. Annoyed? Yes, they were....

They also forgot about camoflage (you could prep so much trench OR camo). Given the leathality of the weapons, I opted for loads of cammo netting, which had to be recce'd for effective fire to be laid, which lead to lots more a/c losses.... And the l/r sensors (in 1976) were no use either - because the always WAS 'something' under every piece of netting, it's just that at l/r a clapped-out old Pzr4 wreck and assorted junk was identical to three or five closely-parked T34s. Or a masked battery of light flak!

But could we pull the same 'scam' today with our WW2 kit? I think not - I believe 'modern' modern stuff would trash us (night/smoke vision, RPVs, computer targetting & counter-battery etc), apart from most old kit bouncing off Chobham armour!

The Campaign:
The enthusiasm generated an entire fake world campaign (designed to generate battles), with economic factors affecting what units could be built. All I remember from this phase is:-
# using a series of 'front' companies and allies to corner the world supply of rubber
# 'recruiting' a huge militia force of my WW1 plastic figures (you had to actually have the models for your units)
# launching a long-range airstrike to cripple one of our bigger, stroppy neighbour's oil production
# selling the rights to a strategic island airstrip - to lots of people! When one big lot finally began to smell a rat and insisted on taking possession (more payments), we also acquired a wing of brand-new F14s which they flew-in unescorted (the 'ground crew' were liberally mixed with our own special forces).
# and last but by no means least, we staged a massive coup-de main on another country by arranging for our extensive and ubiquitous national 'tanker fleet' (lots of hidden soviet naval amphib stuff) which just happened to be docked/passing a few minutes before war was declared......

The campaign fizzled-out as campaigns always do - our clubs didn't do any more big games, and the problem as ever was how to balance the NATO/WP blocks - 'third world' clubs stood no chance at all. Still, a wargaming milestone; well done to Terry Mutlow and co for the hard work."

Thanks to Peter for this very informative account.

War Department Wargames Group, the Big Battle League and the Invasion of Arcadia.

Terry Mutlow has been in touch again about those who participated in this group and event.

Terry writes;

With reference to the posting about the 1975 large scale Invasion of Arcadia and the subsequent Big Battle League, I enclose two lists of participants. and members of the War Department Wargames Group.

Sadly we lost the great wargames eventer and hobby journalist Robin Hunt in 1998 and veteran wargamer Jack Devlin a few years later.

In particular you may note the inclusion of the charming and incisive Mark Urban, a schoolboy at the time, who went on to be the defence and then current political editor of BBC2 NEWSNIGHT, as well as author of several excellent non-fiction books.

If you'd like to run these, lists on Vintage Wargaming, we may pick up some "self-Googlers" like me who may respond with stories or even photographs of some of the battles of the time!


The names Terry has sent are:

Jeff Banbury (N3 Division AMTE); Peter Beard; Andrew Bell; Antony Best; Peter Betteridge (USOD Landing Forces, Arcadia); Chris Brammall (Commander, USOD Armour, Arcadia); Andy Brammall (Jnr Commander, USOD Armour, Arcadia); ‘Jumping Joe’ Connolly (Commander USOD, Airborne, Arcadia);
Russell Collins; Charlie Cudlip; Stephen Edgar; Colin Hegner; Duncan Hislop; Steve King (Commander, USOD King’s Own Regt); Mike & Jenny Klaka; Graham & Keith Knight; Tim Lewis (CO, Special Forces USOD, Arcadia); Nigel R. Long (Supreme Admiral, USOD); Patrick Mackle; Jay Mercer; Roderick O’Brien; Giles Orpen-Smellie; Rob Perkins; Neil Roberts (Co-Organiser, Arcadia); Phil M. Sibbald; Andrew JF Smith; Tony Thomas: Mike Ulrich (ATC) (Head of USOD Air Force); John Whitehurst; Steve Wilson

Update: Big Battle League's Invasion of Arcadia 1975

Following an earlier post about the Big Battle League's Invasion of Arcadia megagame, featured in Battle Magazine, Terry Mutlow, one of the organisers, has been in touch.

Terry writes:

I was delighted to stumble across "Old Metal Detector"'s post (12 June 2011) about the invasion of Arcadia game, which we played on 1000 sq feet, which represented a 30 mile front. .

Following it, a "World Game" (sort of parallel universe, but resembling planet Earth) was devised with different London clubs each running a country. The two super powers were my group (WAR DEPARTMENT) running USOD (sic), United States of Democrova and the wonderfully evil TARKUS (geographically resembling the USSR) was organised by the North London Warlords (hope I've got the name right).

More big war games were played, in which USOD, it has to be said, did much better against its enemy than it did in the Arcadia debacle. I still have nightmares about Field Mashall Steve Tulk of Tarkus!

One large scale exercise was against a local school, headed by General Mark Urban (then a teenager) who went on to become (and still is!) a brilliant defence and political editor of Newsnight on BBC2.

It just goes to show the enormous potential of wargaming as a tool for teaching history, geography. sociology and international politics, when used imaginatively.

(If Tony Blair had been so educated, we would never have become embroiled in Iraq or Afghanistan!)

Although there were several more fabulous big games, enthusiasm waned. In part this was probably down to me. As the driving force for big battles, I spent most of my energies developing WD's own wargame rules to integrate land, air and sea warfare. They eventually sold several hundred copies. One Jaguar pilot (phoning with a query) declared that they were the most realistic air combat rules he'd ever used. That was nice!

It would be great to hear from more of the original participants, from my team and other of our deadly enemies at the time.

Time also to pay our respects to two wonderful characters who helped create Arcadia and what followed - Robin Hunt and "Gentleman" Jack Devlin of North London Warlords - and who are sadly no longer with us.

On a brighter note, buried in deepest Wiltshire, the original USOD army of the War Department still exists as BLUE and RED FORCE.

Over the years, they have been upgraded, developed, and refitted.

There are well over 350 AFVs in each force of 4 mechanised armour brigades and 6 armoured battalions, all with full logistical, engineering, military police and medical support.

I hope to come back and tell more detailed stories from the battle of Arcadia, and developments for the future before too long.

The Big Battle League: Et in Arcadia Ego

THE INVASION OF ARCADIA 1975 by the Big Battle League

This article was published in Battle Magazine May 1976 and has been mentioned on the Society of Gentleman Gamers forum.Terry Mutlow and Neil Roberts were the driving forces behind the project and asked Terry Wise to umpire the game by the War Department, a wargames club based in New Malden Surrey.

Other clubs involved were the North London Wargames Society, South London and the Whitehall Warlords and the Hampton and the Wandsworth Wargames clubs.

The game was played on a hall floor 48 by 24 feet over 1100 square feet of battlefield. There were more than 40 players and used models from WWII to 1975, including 4000 infantry, 700 AFVs and 200 aircraft, 40 landing craft and other naval assets.

Tyberius, who posted about the article, is interested in finding out the following:

Is there anyone out there who participated in the original game, or who knows of those that participated in this game?

Is there any more information about this game - who played, any pictures, highlights etc.

Did the Big Battle league organise any other games?

Any comments or further information would be welcome.