Fort Vaux at Partizan

As I've mentioned in the past I am extremely fortunate and grateful that some of my more dedicated and talented wargaming chums keep inviting me to hinder help out with their games at shows.
This time it was James Morris who asked me if I fancied giving him a hand with his Fort Vaux participation game at Partizan 2016.
I was more than happy to say yes.
This is a game James has been working on for a good six months, having originally started talking about the project with Scrivs at Salute 2015.
It's based on the assault on Fort Vaux during the battle of Verdun in 1916, during which the French and Germans battled in narrow tunnels using flamethrowers and grenades in what must have been hellish conditions.
But enough of the preamble, here are all the eye candy

The whole set packs up into six large really useful boxes and then it's a game of James and the Giant Jigsaw to put it all together

When finished it all looks a bit like this.

The two side tunnels are where the Germans fought their way into the underground fort from two bunkers.

James always likes to include plenty of additional material to support the display and give reference for people to explore further.

The game is a kind of nightmarish dungeon crawl with some very simple rules enhanced by some tactical cards.
The Germans have four days, each of four turns, to get to the centre of the fort to win. And the French win by stopping them.

 Man les barricades, mes amis!

 Germans scrambling over the top of the fort by the 75mm gun emplacement

 A Poilu emerges to throw a grenade

 The Bosche advance

 Major Reynal takes charge of the defence...

 ...and is captured! Leading to surrender!

 Our first French winner of the day

 Attempting to summon help

On the roof the Germans take advantage of cracks to rain down flaming death!

We played plenty of splendid games, with about an even split bewteen French and German victories.
Lots of people stopped by to say very nice things, and it was surprising how many people had visited the real fort themselves.
No-one told us "the trees aren't right" or any other kind of nit-picky rivet counting.
So all in all a great day out.

One made even better by this:

The "Best in Show" award.
Richly deserved by James in my view.

And here is the man who did it all, holding his award and sporting a proper french moustache.

A great day out at a splendid show, one that actually felt enhanced by the move from Kelham Hall.