A Return to Bhyklabad

For the first game of the new year here in GHQ Phil and I settled on an Indian Mutiny game using Black Powder as the rule set and the game length set at 12 Turns. As you will have come to expect by now, an annotated photomontage follows, hopefully capturing the flavour of the unfolding events on the tabletop battlefield here in GHQ ~

An overview from behind the H.E.I.C's Army lines at the onset of hostilities. The Mutineers and their rag tag allies are largely unseen by the British.

Like any army in the field this one has a large and cumbersome baggage train.

Remaining civilians take what cover they can as the two armies' final preparations for the coming action are put into effect.

The Raja of Bhyklabad has no love for the Ferengi and has thrown in his lot with the Mutineers lead by the old reprobate Bhykli Singh.

Lord Rawnsley has drawn up his army in three Divisions, each a balance of Company troops - native and European- together with his stout hearted Regulars. Though outnumbered he is far from downcast, his upper lip never trembled!

Bhykli Singh has drawn up his forces also in three Divisions. He will command the Sepoy regiments in the centre, leaving the Raja to command his right Division and the Bhurpa Chieftain, Mustapha Bhlunda, to lead the Bhurpa hill tribesmen making up his left Division.

Both armies enjoy mixed fortunes in the opening moves, though Rawnsley's forces make better progress. The Raja sends his Household Guards to counter a thrust by Rawnsley's 17th Lancers, supporting them with his antiquated War Elephants!

The Lancers clash with the Raja's Guards. In a brief but bloody action fought in narrow village streets the Guards are destroyed! Bhykli Singh sees his right in early disarray!

While the Gordon Highlanders and the Company's European regiment and the RHA struggle into position they are assaulted by a rag tag of Badmash!

A brief but bloody struggle sees the Badmash badly shaken! They fail their Morale check and flee the field! (Two 1's never did anyone any good!)

Although the Raja's Household Guards are driven off in route the Lancers find their path soon blocked by his War Elephants! All is not lost on the right yet!

The Gordon's under Colonel Calder see off the Badmash and steady Rawnsley's centre for now. The Mutineer Sepoys are nowhere to be seen though!

To Rawnsley's consternation a group of Bhurpas suddenly appear and charge the deploying RHA battery. Surprised their ragged close range firebfails to check the charge and a fierce hand-to-hand combat ensues which sees the RHA Battery overrun and the gunners butchered to a man!

At last Bhykli Singh manages to motivate his Sepoy regiments and they move reluctantly towards the oncoming enemy. His forces are very disjointed and in some immediate danger of being driven back.

The War Elephants amble forward on the 17th Lancers, forcing them to retire rather than risk a charge! The situation on Bhykli Singh's right somewhat unexpectedly stabilises.

As Rawnsley's infantry struggle into position they are assaulted by a second group of Bhurpas.

Disordered by a volley from the European regiment to their front the Bhurpas cannot close with their target who now deploy into line and deliver a shattering volley! Bhurpa morale fails spectacularly and they flee the field. This buys Rawnsley valuable time to consolidate his position and prepare his attack.

All is not going his way though as a volley from a Sepoy Battalion and cannister fire from Mutineer artillery shatters the Gordon's who flee despite their Colonel's untreated!

Bhykli Singh's position is looking rather more promising as the battle enters its next phase - we'd stopped for lunch you see! The War Elephants and supporting rabble of Badmash have seemingly secured the village and with that his right flank, while the Raja's heavy artillery supports his centre with regular salvos. 

Both armies and steadily getting into position to bring on the climax of the contest. While Bhykli Singh has the numbers Rawnsley is quietly confident his men have the edge in quality.

More Bhurpas has surprised a battery of the Royal Artillery, whose ragged closing fire first halts the charge...

...and then shatters their will to fight and sees them flee in Disorder! Bhykli Singh's ongoing problem has been a failure for his men to carry out his orders, resulting in piecemeal attacks rather than coordinating his superior numbers at crisis points.

Finally Rawnsley sees his Gurkhas work their way into the village on the War Elephants' flank. They pour a devastating volley into the closely packed pachyderms!

Bhykli Singh's centre is still very slow to obey his orders (🎲🎲) but all is far from lost as nightfall is ever closer - its Turn 11!

Sadly for him though, despite the centre holding he sees both flanks broken suddenly leaving his army unable to continue the fight and bringing Rawnsley the victory!

It was a hard and closely fought action for both armies but in the end quality won out over quantity, aided somewhat by a disparity in putting orders into action.☹️ Once more Black Powder delivered a finely balanced and unpredictable game testing both commanders and their armies to the limit! What more can any of us ask of a game?