The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,600 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.
I recently visited HMS Belfast. I ddin’t take enough photos but from an ALFIES antics perspective it was an interesting trip. The Belfast is typical of the warships the mutinious Royal Navy sailors in service of the Liverpool Free State have under their control. Lacking sufficent sailors to man them at sea the large capital ships like Belfast sit off beached on sand banks adding the significant firepower of their main guns to supporting the City’s defenders and their anti-aircraft weaponary to the defence of the City and it’s supply fleets as they enter the Mersey. The size and complexity of the ship combined with elements of real spit and sawdust (like the simplicity of the Sick Bay and living quarters) was impressive, here’s a far too brief slide show.
I bashed my knees on the ships ladders and caught my head a couple of times – any character above average height will take a few knocks aboard on of these, espically in chiopppy waters.
I recently visited the Western Approaches bunker in Liverpool by exchange flags (http://www.liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk/ ). It was great fun – from this underground complex the Battle of the Atlantic was run with Naval and RAF forces being co-ordinated to get convoys safely into Britian and destroy German submarines, aircraft and surface units trying to starve the UK into submission.
From a Very British Civil War perspective the trip served two purposes:
He’s a slide show of the trip:
Due to the brand new real life adventure I shall call BABYGEDDON this campaign is currently on hiatus. However I thought I’d take this opportunity to pull together a summary of the adventures so far. The Game has run so far from New Year till December 2011. In game time May-Christmas 1938
ALFIES ‘C’
In the world of a Very British Civil War Edward VII did not abdicate but appointed British Union of Fascists leader Oswold Mosley as his Prime Minister. The country has collapsed into various factions including a ‘Free City’ of Liverpool which opposes the Royalist-BUF Government. The player characters in the game are spies for the Free State in the Amalgamated Liverpool Free Intelligence & Espionage Service (for more see Briefing.)
The mission report tab on the upper right hand side contains all the mission reports tied together in catergories but her is just a taste of them:
Operation Aphid
This was a cold-war style adventure extracting a spy with vital information from Government held Manchester with aid of the Manchester resistance.
Operation Beetle
This was an ‘off camera’ mission to establish an escape line in enemy territory (Cheshire.) They’d been an aspiration to play it by email but time constraints got in the way.
Operation Cricket
From the information gained in Operation Aphid agents infiltrated a railgun base built into the side of Cheshire landmark, Alderly Edge,
Operation Daddy Long Legs
A raucous night providing inept security for visiting journalist and hell-raiser Ernest hemingway as he carouses his way across Liverpool accompanied by amongst others a chain smoking cynical Belgian journalist Tin Tin.
Operation Earwig
A long term plan to create anti-Government forces in the Lake District – still ongoing (though the politicians in Liverpool are likely to yank control of this operation off ALFIES freeing the characters for more ‘won and done’ missions.)
Operation Flea / Grasshopper
A plan to fulfil a promise from Operation Aphid goes unexpectedly wrong – with zeppelin warships and sinister submarines (in progress.)
The Liver Lobber was a Liverpool Free State hand-held anti-tank weapon developed during the British Civil. The ‘Lobber was designed in late 1938 by the Quartermaster Branch of the Amalgamated Liverpool Free Intelligence and Espionage Service in response to their agents need for an effective infantry anti-tank weapon, and entered service in December 1939.
The Liver Lobber was based on the spigot mortar system, that launched a 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) bomb using a powerful spring and a cartridge on the tail of the projectile. It possessed an effective range of approximately 115 yards (110 m)[3] in a direct fire anti-tank role, and 350 yards (320 m)[3] in an indirect fire ‘house-breaking’ role. The PIAT had several advantages over other infantry anti-tank weapons of the period, which included a lack of muzzle smoke to reveal the position of the user, and an inexpensive barrel; however, this was countered by, amongst other things, a difficulty in cocking the weapon, the bruising the user received when firing it, and problems with its penetrative power.
The lobber was first used by ALFIES partisan teams attacking British Union of Fascist armoured narrow boats supporting a Government offensive down the Leeds=Liverpool Canal.
The design was widely copied by various Liverpool militias, single weapons being issued to platoons or companies. Different units have their ‘Lobbers made to different specifications by their backyard workshops with some units preferring wooden furniture, pressed metal and securing alternative projectiles (high explosive, white prosperous as well the usual armour piercing.)
The Bessie Braddock ‘Amazons’ All-Women’s Brigade went as far as to give several dozen weapons in dedicated ‘Dinner Lady’ platoons(a pun on ‘Liver’) in its support (3rd) battalion. By 1939 the weapon was paid the ultimate compliment captured examples and copies being used by BUF miltiias fighting on the government side.
Poster commissioned for ‘Operation cricket’ the ALFIES scenrio ran last spring summer – very happy with it . Artwork by David Wynne whose work you can view here http://particlefiction.posterous.com/
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 3,200 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 53 trips to carry that many people.
Livepudllian Thespian of some renown Heston Royce, and LFC Goalkeeper and former West Ham stalwart Arthur Smith meet at the Canning Docks and are briefed by ‘C’ regarding Operation Flea, the mission to rescue the child GORDON.
Boarding the SS Angry Onedin coastal tramp steamer under the command of Master Baines they set sail for Somerset. On route the unlikely pairing refine their ‘act’ to infiltrate the Clevedon Court Childrens home. They practice a routine featuring custards pies and pratfalls which singularly fails to amuse the crew of the vessel.
Entering the Bristol Channel they find an enormous double gas-bagged Zeppelin dreadnought looming over them. Two Swordfish torpedo bombers fly off the airborne carrier and after failed attempts with a voice tube eventual signal for the Onedin to stop.
(An excellent picture of the kind of thing is here http://clearwater-art.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d1wqqgq there is some great art there. Apologies for not posting the image but I have not recieved have permission.)
Rope ladders descend from the air Leviathan, sky Behemoth nay Ziz and erratically dressed sky sailors descend and take the crew under guard. After inspection the two ALFIES agents are identified as not sailors and instructed to grab hold of ropeladders.
The ladders are rapidly wound – Arthur keeping a grip but Heston losing his grip, trapping his ankle and be lanked aloft foot first. His pistol escapes its holster and falls into the brimy deep. He still has a derringer hidden in his boot. Arthur is searched on the ship by more scurvy sky dogs who find his weapon but the startled Heston manages to keep the pocket pistol hidden. The hapless agents are marched to an impressive bridge when numerous controls are operated by attentive pirates.
However the Captain of this aerial ships commands the situation from an eight poster hemispherical bed, attended by two scantily clad raven haired lovelies feeding him dates and keeping his brandy glass filled. The agents note the equipment around the bridge has a stylized Greek helmet icon on it. Clad in velvet jacket and cap with pajamas and cravat Lord Damien Drake, Captain of the sky carrier Aquila interrogates the Free State spies. Dissatisfied with their evasive answers about being honest sailors– THE ICE MAIDENS!
These are iron maiden cages they were locked into and hung out the bottom of the Zeppelin in the freezing cold. They manage to keep their composure despite the ordeal and when hauled back into front of the Captain, now eating cheese and drinking port proffered by blondes (it would not be done to eat them from brunettes) they claim to be economic migrants seeking stardom in London which the Privateer accepts as face value. Given they claim to be entertainers he decides they can entertain the ‘submariners’ at ‘the base.’
The Aquila touches down in the Isle of Lundy which as well as having mooring tower and fueling station for the zeppelin also has submarine pens and a POW camp. It is this POW ‘Camp Paradiso’ that the hapless agents are thrown into. The surroundings with vegetable plots, calisthenics around a wooden vaulting horse and bird watching club remind Royce of Skegness Butlins he did a turn at. They are approached by two senior figures at the camp a Royal Navy mutineer from Portsmouth Sub-lieutenant Brace an d Archie Pheasant, a Somerset Freedom Fighter prisoner. The apparent idiocy of the ALFIES agents mean the reception committee beats a hasty retreat.
A Naval officer – but not as they know it, speeds through the camp gates in a sport car with Tommy gun brandishing sailors on the running boards. Announcing himself to the ’entertainers’ as Lord Rampage and insists on them giving him an audition and gives some time to get ready. The sharp eyed Royce recognises their uniforms show them as some form of private Navy not being RN dress.
The agents use the time to contact the reception committee and confess all. The agents confess all the reception committee take some details and promise to radio Liverpool and try and get some guidance for the hapless couple.
The agents are collected by Lord Rampage staff car and dropped off at Lord Rampage’s ostentatious headquarters. Accompanied by the Lord’s batman, Cant on the piano they spies put on their show which revolves around Shakespeare, ukulele playing, prat falls and custard pies. Surprisingly the noble lord and Commander of the submarine force is overwhelmed and praises their genius. They are fit to entertain his men and in order to reward them sends them back to the camp with a hamper for their troubles.
Tucking in the agents are contacted by Brace and Pheasant – they’ve spoken to Liverpool. The agents have a new mission Operation GRASSHOPPER. To escape the POW camp, steal aboard the Aquila release it from its moorings and then signal Liverpool which will send assistance. Taking this at face value the agents join the POW camp escapes using a tunnel dug from the vaulting horse to the outside edge of wire. Timing their dash to avoid floodlights they make it to the military portion of the base.
They find the mooring tower guarded by six red haired beauties in leather costumes armed with shotguns – no doubt more of Drake’s harem on guard duty. While Heston stands in cover the younger, fitter Smith scales the guide chains for the mooring tower and from their scales the mooring chain and boards the ship.
Making his way to the rope ladders he is confronted by a burly guard, the bug eyed Marty who confined them to the ice maidens. Marty was oiling the ladders and goes at Arthur with a spanner. Arthur quick thinking grab the discard oil can and throwing it at Marty’s feet so it spills and the guard goes a cropper. While the pirate careers on the floor Arthur treating it like a goal kick at Goodison knocks his opponent out.
Arthur then lowers the rope ladders – the one into the POW camp with Marty attached leading to disruption in the camp. Heston scales one of the ladders and the two agents make their way to one of the gun towers of the Aquila. Using the automatic cannon within they shoot out the top of the mooring tower and the mighty vessel beings to float free.
All the commotion however has alerted the remaining crew of the ship and an alert sounds followed by the tramping of many boots.
Is this the end of the rue some twosome ?
Will Operation FLEA ever get back on track?
What assistance can come to our unexpecting aviators?
Find out next month… .
Classification: MOST SECRET
To be supplemented by verbal briefing.
Originating HQ: A.L.F.I.E.S ‘C’
Task Organisation: Field Team of 4 A.L.F.I.E.S agents plus supporting agents.
Situation: Codename GOPHER an informant within Manchester was rescued, with his mistress during Operation APHID and gave some information that led to Operation: CRICKET. Part of the deal of GOPHER’s co-operation would be that ALFIES brings his infant child from BUF territory. Other priorities came to light and GOPHER has stopped co-operating with ALFIES. Fortunately the child Codename GORDON has been located and a mission put in place to reunite the family. GORDON’s wife committed suicide after his escape and the child was taken into care.
The Royal Children’s Society is a newly established charity which has been taking on waifs and strays and putting them into special homes. There reasons are twofold – to raise children as royalists and to prevent them being raised in the BUF children homes being set up.
To promote their proper upbringing the children are taken away from their home area. In the case of GORDON she has been moved to the South West where a home has been established in Clevedon Court, Somerset.
Christmas is coming and it is know the home authorities are looking for entertainers for the children’s party. A group of entertainers might easy access to the home which is inconveniently contained within the boundaries of a heavily guarded and patrolled POW camp.
Mission Objectives:
Primary
Secondary
Execution:
Infiltration: The Team will be sailed down there in a smuggling ship the Angry Onedin.
Contact: There will be no contact with the LFS. A cook in Clevedon Ms Wallis (no relation) is an agent of the Somerset Freedom Fighters, a local resistance force.
Further Execution & Extraction: The LFS (Liverpool Free Ship) Thetis, a submarine can be assigned to recover agents from the Somerset shore.
Service Support:
No support is available once the Field Team has left Liverpool other than the Somerset Freedom Fighters may choose to provide.
Command & Signal:
Field Team codename is FLEA ACTUAL agents to be numbered FLEA-1, FLEA-2 etc; these call signs are to be used if radio contact initiated with ALFIES HQ via Somerset Freedom Fighters.
GORDON to be referred to in communications/radio as GORDON ACTUAL.
ALFIES HQ codename is UNCLE, C is GREAT UNCLE, C’s Secretary AUNT MABLE, Q is COUSIN
Vinnie and Ken sped off into the night on the stolen RHPG motorbike motorbike and left Kendal. Dumping they bike over a dry stone wall by their rendezvous point at the River Sprint they settled down to wait for their comrades. Ken had acquired the Mle 1909 Hotchkiss LMG from the motorbike sidecar and drew a bead on the roadside.
Meanwhile the leg injured Tom and still hale Dick considered their options after their execution of leading officers of the Kendal Garrison. Tom heard approaching troops no doubt alerted by the officer who escaped the massacre. The ALFIES agents fled Tom leaving a grenade as a parting gift as suppressive fire raked the mess hall.
The Agent heard a squeal of breaks and saw truck lamps through the frosted glass of their exit. Rifle fire came crashing through the door and caught Dick in the knee. As he contorted in agony, Tom manfully dragged him into cover. With the sound of hobnailed boot running through the mess hall it looked like the end for our two heroes.
Then came a fresh squeal of breaks and the rapport of rapid pistol fire. A blunt Scouse accent cried – ‘Get out if ya wanna live!’ Tom dragged Dick out and was faced with a car having ran over a number of Tommys and pistol packing working class men shooting it out with the Territorials who had been on the back of the truck.
The car sped off driven by the owner of the blunt tones – Percy Thomas http://alfiesantics.wordpress.com/a-l-f-i-e-s-agents/rogue-agents/ unbeknownst to these agents the ALFIES deserter who murdered Ernst Hemmingway who appears to have been fighting his own private war in Kendal.
Two Army trucks followed in pursuit with rifle squads on board and Lewis guns mounted on the truck cabs. Tom returned their fire with his BAR. Squealing and screeching through the streets, machine guns bursting Percy eventually smashed the side of the vehicle against the wall – dislocating Tom’s shoulder causing him to drop the BAR. Percy overcompensated and crashed the car – fortunately close to the River Sprint rendezvous. The Kendal troops and the past and present ALFIES agents spilled out and made for the meeting point.
Ken gave covering fire from the Hotchkiss, while Vinnie waited in cover to deliver cross fire from his Tommy. Percy ended up throwing Dick over his shoulders while they stumbled for cover. The Terriers tried to close but where beaten back by the Hotchkiss and Vinnie’s Tommy gun and so hunkered down and sent runners for reinforcements.
Percy was recognised by Ken, despite his beard, who covered him with the Hotchkiss as they made cautious greetings. Ken was there when Hemmingway was murdered: http://alfiesantics.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/operation-daddy-long-legs/
After some frosty small talk the two agents conspire that Ken will only know of a ‘Rodger’ leading Kendal Liberation Front and Ken has told Rodger what ALFIES know of the Hemmingway incident.(Mainly because Ken fabricated it.) Percy and his locals make off and the ALFIES agents head for Ambleside.
With two agent heavily injured crossing Lakeland mountains across the bitter night proved hard. When dawn broke only a couple of token miles had been passed. Finding a hollow the agents bedded town – Tom falling ill and only making it through the day through Dick sharing his body warmth. There followed two more nights of painful and paltry marching and shivering scared day time hiding.
Approaching Ambleside they saw 2 Hadley Page Heyfords fly over Ambleside and despite the agents initial fears drop leaflets threatening the village with bombing in 36 hours if it doesn’t surrender the Liverpool agents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Heyford
The agents consider their options but decide to return to Ambleside not wishing to abandon it after all their efforts. They propose to sneak into the Town, recover a little and then report to the town elders about their successes and propose the village is evacuated during the RAF raid.
They snuck in their separate pairs – even the sorely wounded Tom and Dick managed to evade the amateur Ambleside Defence Force and headed for their lodgings. Entering they made for their room only to be greated by a smartly dressed seated man with an automatic pistol levelled at them. Their captor has no time for banter. Tom shivers on the bed while Dick is closely watched. Eventually, Tom tries their luck and blazes away catching the BUF agent in the shoulder. The Government man lets rip at Dick and with 3 rapid rounds sends the Yorkshire toned policeman sprawling. Toms delirious fire eventually downs the G-man but Dick is done for. Tom collapses off the bed and on his knees cries “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!’
Hastening their pace after hearing shots Vinnie and Ken arrive but before they can fulling appraise the situation more agents approach – Vinnie uses his Tommy gun at spitting distance to take out the lead Fascist in a hail of bullets the third and final enemy agent thinks better of it and surrenders. In the midst of interrogating him local Ambleside bobby PC Browse arrives with ADF members.
Browse knows the men they have claimed to be smugglers from Whitehaven offering to help with the supply problems. ALFIES searches have revealed they are BUF Special Service agents, uncovering their Warrant cards amid their sundry false papers.
A man down and a man wounded. Half starved, half frozen and facing immanent air raid – what will be next for Operation Earwig?
Well it’ll be a few months before we fnd out – why? Because next time we’re off to deal with some unfinished business from Operation Cricket and see some other ALFIES agents retrieve GOPHERS child in OPERATION FLEA.
