It’s not the taking part that counts; it’s being part of a winning team

Imagine the scene.  Cuba 1898.  Two evenly matched forces of Spaniards (in a ridiculous blue and white stripped pyjama uniform) and Yankees both head towards an isolated church to seize it for use as a strongpoint.

The brave Americans are also possessed of low cunning and start much nearer the church allowing one squad to quickly occupy it.  A long exchange of fire then begins with a squad of Spaniards cowering (yes I said cowering) behind a stone wall.  Meanwhile my brave lads dash over a high hedge to be confronted by an elite unit of Spanish and another fire fight erupts (I say elite- their stats may not have been any better but they certainly had elite dice rolls)

A few lucky shots takes down almost all my freedom loving  men but one brave fellow scrambles back over the hedge to assist his comrades in the church.  A certain amount of readjustment of the hedge was needed to set up a good firing position, but it was all done in the name of democracy.

This infuriated the pyjama clad hordes who sent volley after volley of fire into his position.  Truth be told it did put him off his aim a little and eventually he fell to a cowardly bullet much to the glee of the Spanish commanders who pronounced victory. 

Too soon - too soon.  My esteemed colleague in the church, much aided by my diversionary tactics, was able to finally put the ragged remainder of the dastardly opposition either to the bullet or to flight and we loudly proclaimed victory.

The crestfallen Spanish commanders tried to deny me my part in the ensuing celebrations, spuriously claiming that as all my men were dead or wounded I could not claim any of the credit for the American Triumph (as against the Spanish Tragedy)  but I roundly denounced their feeble attempt to diminish my hard won glory in no uncertain terms.  The question of terrain manipulation was also raised and ignored with contempt.

Death to the Spanish!