The Nabob of N'Ham

Last week John Aston popped up from Cheltenham for a game in GHQ. We played a leisurely Indian Mutiny game which was nip and tuck until near the end, when the 'Mutinous Rabble' of the Nabob routed the spectacularly useless forces of the HEIC, lead by the inept General Havelock-Bykleigh...
John kindly sent me some pictures he took of the game...

The Nabob's opening deployment ~ the village of N'Ham is in the distance. In the near foreground is the Nabob's left wing, his Cavalry and Horse Artillery which were to prove stubborn and troublesome..

"General Havelock-Bykleigh", grinning like a loon, and quite unaware of the wrath of the 'Dice Gods' still to befall him at a crucial stage later in the day...

Looking along the lines of the HEIC Army's deployment. In the foreground their Cavalry and the Bengal Horse Artillery ~ both arms were to bitterly disappoint their General in the game...

First to develop was a Cavalry encounter on the Nabob's left. Despite initial successes the HEIC Cavalry were unable to press home their advantages, while the Artillery duelled with each other to surprisingly little effect...

The HEIC's attack in the centre, to sieze their principle objective of the 'Great Gun of Byklabad', developed far too slowly to be effective: you can see that one Loyal Bengali Infantry Regiment reached its objective, but its support was routed easily..

Late in the game you can see the HEIC centre and  right flank are beaten ~ no praise to the 'Dice Gods' on this occasion. The only success of the day for the HEIC's cause was to drive the Badmash out of the village of N'Ham, a task accomplished with elan by the Gurkhas and the Gordons...

 I did manage to save most of my Army to fight another day, though perhaps using different dice. In the last action from the day's gaming, the HEIC Baggae Train leaves the table intact...

 The rules we used were my own "The Devil's Wind" which are available from Dave Thomas, Mutineer Miniatures and Caliver books at Shows and by mail order...

It proved to be a most enjoyable game we thought, which might have resulted in a win for the HEIC's forces had their attack in the centre developed more aggressively and, crucially, had I thrown some decent dice in the afternoon session... Oh well, there's always the next time.