Indian Mutiny

Rules: Black Powder
Scale: 28mm
GM: Jim Ferich

The Indian mutineers are trying to stop a column of British troops from exiting the the board to continue their relief efforts. The rebels have amassed an impressive force to meet the British. They construct a fortification on the raod and deploy to defend their position. The 4 units of cavalry are deployed to the far right flank of the mutineers. Infantry and artillery deploy along the road while peasants emerge from a town on the far left. Most of the leadership of the mutineers is 7 and the peasants are a 5.



Peasant mobs emerge....poor leadership will keep them static.




Mutineers hold the center




The fortifications block the road and more mutineers arrive




The mutineer cavalry

  The British set up off table. Soon the skirling of pipes is heard coming down the road. Then the ground shakes as the thunderous advance of British cavalry is felt. The cavalry rolls extemely well with 3 moves. This takes them far ahead to meet the mutineer cavalry in turn 1 and set up a melee very early in the game. Another good roll brings Sikh and loyal Sepoy infantry to within rifle range. Sadly the British main force blunders and marches left. The pipers must have taken the wrong road during their confident advance which delayed the attack another turn.



Some British forces move fast and prepare to engage on turn 1

 The British and allied cavalry make quick work of the fragile mutineer units. The British cavalry wins the initial combat and is eligible for a sweeping advance. A second mutineer cavalry unit is caught in column and quickly destroyed on the continuing combat round. Mutineer cavalry had a good morale but given a poor stamina of 2.



2 mutineer cavalry units are disordered and 1 is shaken (blue chip)



The British left keeps pace with the advance

 With the destruction of the mutineer cavalry the Britsh horse sweeps around the flank and approaches the road. Mutineer infantry units are dispatched to guard the flank. These British trained Indians form square to block the approach. British guns are brought up with the cavalry to make a hole. The cavalry is kept at bay by the infantry square through the game. Eventually the cannon fire will break the infantry square at the end of the game.



Oh crap

 The British right flank blundered a second time which again delayed the attack. The British left flank moves to the center to attack the fortifications. The club record for blunders in a single game belongs to me, which is 3. This night the record was to be tested by another valiant opponent.



Mutineers block the way



The main road with the British center making it to the board edge after several blunders



 Then the Highlanders in the center finally arrive to pressure the center of the field. Cheers go up from the mutineers as 3 units of Sepoys arrive on the left flank to put the battle in doubt. This bolsters the defenders spirits after seeing the cavalry swept from the field so quickly by Loyalist Indians and British.



3 units of Mutineer reinforcements arrive.

  With a poor roll of initiative the left flank  British infantry fail to move. The Highlanders gain a good result and get 3 moves. The aggressive Scots take cannon and musket fire and several of their number fall. Finally they reach the defenders when they emerge from the torrent of fire in a disordered state.
A melee ensues and the result is a draw. The Mutineers have support and the Highlanders do not.



Highlanders arrive in a disordered state

  The rest of the British units slowly navigate the field with little or no movement. British canons supporting the attack are in medium range and open fire with some effect.


The British Infantry is stalled for now

  In a daring move a unit of mutineers exposes their flank to british artillery and advances on the Highlanders. The flank attack will help pressure the stubborn Scots to rethink their attack plans but it does sacrifice the unit of Sepoys in the process. In a stunning result the highlanders are finally repulsed and forced back in disorder after taking a high number of hits from several directions.



The Scots retire in disorder after being flanked




Supporting troops are now close as another assault is planned. Once more into the breech.

  Finally the Naval Brigade moves into position with supporting artillery. The Mutineer unit of Sepoys that flanked the Scots is destroyed. The steady Scots continue to take casualties as the assault is prepared. The slow advance by rolling poorly causes casualties on the British. At this point the British commander in the center had accumulated 3 blunders which equalled my record in a previous Civil War game.



Jack Tar at the ready!

  Rifle and canon fire are exchanged in an attempt to soften each other for hand to hand. We all know what is coming as we try to dish out more than we take.



Mutineers face off against the coming storm.

  The British infantry finally gains intitative to advance on the fortified position. The Mutineers become desperate. Soon the defenders on the road are broken after taking high casualties from accurate fire. More British advance to support and the supporting artillery makes the difference.



Every rifle is brought to bear  on the attackers

  The British announce the charge. Bugles sound and men scream and run forward. The highlanders work on eliminating the supporting infatry outside of the fortification in an attempt to even the odds. Another mutineer unit is shaken as the Scots pour fire into their ranks. In a streak of luch for the rebels the Highlander unit is also shaken and rolls poorly on their break test, they are finally broken and flee the field!



The assault on the fortifications




The assault on the fortification sans Scots

  The melee in the fortification goes poorly for the mutineers as the center is now broken. The British forces rush into the fortification and open the road. The game is then called.



The final result is the taking of the fortifications.


The game took three and a half hours. We did need to look up a few rules but overall we played without being slowed down be tedious rules. We did have some problem deciding how to treat fortifications, which will be considered as occupying buildings in the future.