LOGW: INDIAN MUTINY WEEKEND

I was away at the weekend at Kirriemuir in Angus for an Indian Mutiny event.  Over the two days 12 gamers attended from the LOGW.  The figures were supplied by various members of the group and Peter Nicholson supplied the vast bulk of the buildings.

TIGER HUNTING SCENARIO UNDERWAY

VIEW FROM THE AFGHAN HILL FORT

On the Saturday there was a choice of 5 tables with differing 2 player scenarios.  Each of the players played 4 games on a different table.  The scenarios were developed by Angus Konstam and the rules used were modified by me from Muskets and Tomahawks.

On the Sunday we played a single huge game – set on two impressive 18 foot long tables.  On one table was the city of Kirriepore which was divided between British, Mutineer and undecided factions.  The key building in the city was the very impressive British Residency.  The rules we used for the big game were an adapted version of Kevin Calder’ quick play ACW rules.  Despite gallant attempts by Colin Jack’s mutineers the Residency was still in British hands at the end of the game.  My own mutineer force was largely destroyed by Chris Henry’s uncommitted Nabob who unexpectedly declared for the British.

THE RESIDENCY

THE GREAT GATE OF KIRRIEPORE - KEVIN TAKING HIS PHOTOS IN BACKGROUND

RANI OF GARVALLI LEADS DESPERATE ATTCK ON THE GARDEN GATE

MUTINEERS ASSAULT THE BACK WALL OF THE RESIDENCY

HIGHLANDERS MANNING THE WALLS OF KIRRIEPORE

The other table carried the Great Trunk Road which was the route to be followed by the British relief force attempting to break through to Kirriepure.  The British failed to breakthrough the Mutineer blocking forces by the end of the game.

It was a very enjoyable weekend.  Hopefully back in June for an ACW game.

THE HILL FORT STILL HOLDING AGAINST THE RELIEF COLUMN

28MM SHARP PRACTICE: GREAT MUTINY RESCUE

Yesterday I finally got around to have another game at my house.  It has taken me a year to tidy up my wargames table since the new central heating system was installed.  It was also my first Sharp Practice game.  In fact only one of the five of us had played the rules before.  The game was the Indian Mutiny Rescue from the Sharp Practice rule book.  Donald Adamson umpired whilst Colin Jack and Dave O'Brien commanded the British rescue force while myself and Dave Paterson commanded the unruly mutineers.   Colin provided all the scenery and troops for the game. We played on a 6ft by 4ft section of my table.

It was an enjoyable game and by the end of it we were all quoting parts of the rules.  It proved a British victory as their main formation stormed the Pink Fort and rescued the charming and unruffled Lady Howe.

Lady Howe detained at the Pink Fort

Main British formation deploys forward

Main British formation comes into action covered by their skirmishers

Mutineer formation pass burning hut

British storm the Pink Fort with the bayonet and save Lady Howe

This Thursday's action....

This weeks game that I played at the SESWC on Thursday evening was a cut down version of the Battle of Chillianwallah from the 2^nd Sikh War in 1849. 

It was a 25mm Black Powder game.  I devised the scenario and Colin Jack provided the armies from his Minifigs Sikh War collection.  Colin Jack and Neil McCormack commanded the British Army made up mostly of Bengali sepoys whilst  Dave Cooper and I commanded the Sikhs.   Both armies deployed facing each other with cavalry units on both flanks.   For an account and map of the actual battle link:

http://britishbattles.com/second-sikh-war/chillianwallah.htm

Normally when I have played BP before I have used the 66% scale version of the rules with reduced movement and ranges – this time we used the standard scale.  On a 6 foot wide table the standard scale worked okay but we did have some every sweeping advances with triple moves.  The game went fairly quickly even though Dave and Neil had not played the rules before.  For game balance I think all the Sikh Infantry brigades should be of 4 battalions but we lacked sufficient figures.   Even fighting with that problem for the Sikhs we declared the game a draw.

 

The order of battle I used for the game is given below.  I gave some units Useful rules.  The 4 British Infantry battalions were Steady, Crack and had First Fire.  Sikh cavalry were Unreliable and Wavering while the Alkalis were Bloodthirsty.  All the units were rated as standard size for BP.

2^ND SIKH WAR Battle of Chillianwallah 1849 Scenario OB

Sikh Army  CinC Shere Singh  (7)

1^ST and 2^ND Sikh infantry Brigades each

3 units of Sikh Infantry of 16 figures

Gun & crew

3^RD Sikh infantry Brigade

4 units of Sikh Infantry of 16 figures

Gun & crew

4^TH Sikh Volunteer infantry Brigade

2 units of disaffected Sepoys of 16 figures

1 unit of Akali fanatics of 16 figures

Gun & crew

1^st Sikh cavalry Brigade

1 unit of 6 regular lancers

1 unit of 10  irregular cavalry

2^nd Sikh cavalry Brigade

2 units of 10  irregular cavalry

CinC  Lord Gough (8)

1st Brigade

2 units of British infantry of 14 figs

2 units of Sepoy infantry of 14 figs

Elephant drawn British foot gun

2nd and 3rd Brigades each

1 unit of British infantry of 14 figs

3 units of Sepoy infantry of 14 figs

Elephant drawn British foot gun

British Cavalry Brigade

1 unit of British Lancers of 9 figs

1 unit of British Dragoons of 9 figs

1 unit of Bengal Native cavalry of 9 figs

British Horse artillery foot gun