Grand Fenwick As a Wargame Army

 Who does not like an underdog? Well, maybe if it has rabies or is too vicious, maybe not! On the other hand, Grand Fenwick was one of those nice dogs, or in its case, a mouse (although its flag is a double headed eagle). It is a quaint semi-medieval nation founded by an English knight, so they speak English. We all know how polite and genteel the English are, the way they queue at bus-stops and so on, well except for at football matches and the like.

  The premise of the novel by Leonard Wibberley (1955) and Peter Sellers film (1959), The Mouse that Roared, is that a tiny European nation is being economically ruined by the US ignoring its ownership of its main export, its wine. As a last resort the Duchess agrees to the recommendation to declare war on America, in expectation that Grand Fenwick would be defeated, and American investment would pour in.

  The Fenwick army of chainmail archers secretly invades New York. Noone is in the streets as there is a nuclear drill. The army also manages to capture a bomb of supposed enormous power and also some of the top brass is captured after the archers shoot out their jeep tyers.

  The story is set in the 1950s but there is no reason to not use the nation for wargames in other eras. 

This is my favorite scene from the movie. It is a romantic idea that earlier technology could win over modern. Given the right circumstances it is possible. An open-topped motor vehicle makes occupants vulnerable, especially to ambush. And tyers could be punctured. On the other hand, a tank would be less compromised, yet even there, hatches don't stay closed forever.

The double headed eagle flag - aye and nay.

The Duchess (played by peter sellers who also played other parts in the movie).

TROOPS

The duchy is tiny, so its army is small. The troop types mentioned are mail clad archers and a few armored knights. However, there is also a glimpse of guardsmen in fur hats and uniforms identical to British ceremonial guardsmen.

  In my post. 'Grand Fenwick to the rescue' I took liberties and included gatling guns and some other troops types. Grand Fenwick also fought allied to another nation.

  In my next game I am going to be somewhat generous in the size of the army and its composition but it will be smaller than its adversary. based on the way its archers sneaked into New York I'll give them either hidden deployment or arrival from reserve from any board edge.

  The reason why I make Fezia Fenwick's enemy is because I want to field some new units of Fezia. (This is roughly 1900 era Fezia rather than the earlier one of my fantasy campaigns). that does mean I have to invent a scenario as I don't know if Fezia borders on Fenwick.

BELOW: A scene from 'Grand Fenwick to the Rescue'

  First edition. there were also sequels to the story including 'The Mouse on the Moon'.

QUIRKY IDEAS

I would like to convert the odd knight to hold a firearm. For the period I'll be doing it would be a pistol or rifle. For the 1950s it could also be a submachinegun! That is going beyond the original story but I just use fictional propositions as a starting point and decide to what degree I'll be faithful to them.

  Now I am wondering how much protection medieval armor would give against 20th century firearms. I am going to assume they would give a decent save in melee. As for shooting, in Warhammer there is a minus 1 to saves from firearms but those are Renaissance era firearms. I suppose the medieval armor would resist shrapnel and maybe bullets at long range. Armor was used in WW1 by snipers, pioneers and trench raiders but it was, I think, heavier and more cumbersome than medieval armor. The Kelly gang, in the 1880s, had armor (again very cumbersome) made from ploughshares or similar. The armor was not pierced by bullets although the arms and leges were vulnerable and Ned Kelly received debilitating wounds..

  I might also give Grand Fenwick a balloon with a bomb but I could also give them a biplane. It depends how many modern weapons I want to mix in. I think the only time I used their arm in a game they may have had ACW vintage cannons.