Dutch Raid on the Medway: Mad for War at Rapture

Last year Posties Rejects were blown away by Barry Hilton’s "Raid on the Medway" game at Partizan so we convinced him to bring it down to Kent to run the game in Chatham Docks, the target of the Dutch raid back in 1667. The Rapture Gaming Festival stretches across the whole of the 80-acre site with computer games and wargaming rubbing shoulders with boardgames and RPGs, reenactors, and cosplay. 

The Raid on the Medway, during the Second Anglo-Dutch War saw the Dutch fleet, under the command of van Ghent and de Ruyter, battle and burn their way up the river towards Chatham Dockyard in Kent. All that stood in their way were a handful of English ships, a chain barrier at Gillingham, and the fortress of Upnor Castle.

The Dutch engaged fortifications with cannon fire, burned or captured three capital ships and ten more ships of the line, and captured and towed away the flagship of the English fleet, the Royal Charles. 

Posties Rejects played three games across the two days of the Rapture Gaming Festival inside Chatham Docks. The question now is, did we replicate history or did the British successfully defend the docks from the attack? 

For two excellent written accounts and many more photos from an excellent weekend's gaming, please take a look at Rays' Blog Don't Throw a 1, and Richard's Blog, My Wargaming Habit.