Deep in the sparsely populated countryside of north Herefordshire, a particularly dark and dingy ravine hides a scruffy and neglected hamlet known as Little Dunwich - home of the Whateley clan.
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| The Whateley clan - all figures by Mutton Chop Miniatures |
Remove any semblance of order and the Whateleys thrive.
The civil war has brought plenty of opportunities for criminality, skulduggery and general mischief for this extended family of reprobates, led by patriarch ‘General’ Wilberforce Whateley. Theft, extortion and blackmail had been their trade in recent months, until the opportunity came along for a bit of gun-running.
Ever the opportunists, the Whateleys had discovered a significant arms cache, left behind by retreating Anglican League forces after the Severn Valley campaign. ‘General’ Whateley let it be known that these weapons would be available for purchase by the highest bidder – who unfortunately for them turned out to be a BUF agent working for de Braose, the interim governor of the Marches.
Rather than arrest these would-be arms dealers, de Braose saw a solution to a problem, for the local battalion of the Three Counties BUF desperately needed new recruits. Knowing a slippery character when he saw one (indeed someone was heard to remark that it takes one to know one), de Braose acted quickly: locking up several female members of the Whateley clan before the menfolk could act. He then issued an ultimatum – the women would be kept safe if the men agreed to fight for the BUF with the weapons they had found.
‘General’ Whateley had no choice but to agree, and thus the Little Dunwich Militia was formed, fighting alongside the BUF for King and country – at least until the Whateleys can weasel out of their predicament and turn the tables on de Braose, for as a local saying goes, it never pays to cross a Whateley…
Those really are some lovely miniatures and you have brought the very best out of them. I need to get some of them for myself!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly do sir!
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