An Advertisement...

 ...of sorts. I thought my loyal reader would cut me some slack if I posted this brief 'advert' on my blog. I've been working with Dave Ryan of Caliver Books for the past several months, and with his talented graphic designer Jay, to bring new editions of my self published rules to the hobby market. So far we have completed the Anglo-Zulu War rules, Washing the Spears...

...and just recently the rules for the Indian Mutiny, The Devil'sWind...

Both sets are available from Caliver Books priced at £17.50. Obviously I'm not exactly unbiased in encouraging anyone interested in the periods to buy a copy! As Mrs Doyle might say, "Go on, Go on, Go on..."

I'm not sure if, or when, A Good Dusting might appear for the Sudan War, partly because I'm still mulling over some new ideas for a couple of elements in the rules. Hopefully I shall have more to report on this in due course.

The Fate of the Raja's Treasury

The most recent game with Phil here in GHQ featured a return to The Indian Mutiny. The scenario sees the rebels' close ally, the Raja of Rhanzlistan, seeking to safely remove his treasure from the path of the vengeful Imperial force lead by General Havelock-Robinson. While he waits anxiously for his Mutineer allies he has mustered what forces he can to delay the approaching enemy ~

The Raja's Household Guards, cavalry, infantry and war elephants, form the immediate guard of his person and treasury.

They are supplemented by batteries of artillery, some local and some from his household, and his personal rocket troop.

The Treasury, the immediate objective of Havelock-Robinson's force, is a hive of activity as wagons are loaded with as much treasure as they can bear.

The Raja has called out his Bhurpa allies to supplement his force, or rather act as canon fodder perhaps!

And finally the local riff-raff of the Badmash, who can at least stop a bullet!

Havelock-Robinson launches his assault by unleashing his Hussars on the deploying Rocket Men. They hastily loose off their rockets, sadly unsuccessfully, and are ridden down!

As thecGrest Gun of Bhyklabad opens fire the whole of the Bhurpa-Badmash wing surge forward to block the ferengi's approach.

Highlanders and Gurkhas join Havelock-Robinson's attack, supported by the Rocket battery manned by the crew of HMS Pinafore. Their fire is no more effective than the enemy's!

As Havelock-Robinson coordinates his attack the H.E.I.C.'s foot artillery comes into action under fire from the Raja's big guns located on the hills ringing his position.

The Raja's Household Guard infantry advance to block the path of the developing assault, supported closely by the War Elephants.

The North Staffords advance with steely determination in column formation, foreskin a volley for the bayonet!

The ensuing melee is devastating for the Guards whose losses are heavy. A morale check sees them flee on a throw of snakes' eyes!

Further disaster strikes the Raja's cause when the supporting artillery similarly abandons its guns and flees the action. To compound it the War Elephants are thrown back too!

The Treasury is a scene of wild panic as the recoiling War Elephants effectively block the wagons' route of escape!

Mounted Bhurpa warriors crash into the deployed artillery in a wild charge. Closing Fire sees them Shaken and loosing the ensuing melee!

The Lancers charge a body of Mutineer cavalry. There can only be one outcome...

...the Mutineers are scattered to the four winds! Their raw courage no match for the disciplined charge of the Lancers!

The victorious Lancers throw caution to the wind, lower their lances and charge into the Badmash. There can surely only be one outcome...

...No! The Badmash defeat the Lancers in the melee and they break  their morale shattered by the unexpected defeat!

The War Elephants have rallied and move forward to block the North Staffords once more. Tellingly they have little support and find enemy artillery deploying to their exposed flank.

Buoyed by their victory over the Lancers the Badmash charge on into the Gordon Highlanders. Colonel Calder calmly forms his men into line and gives the enemy a sharp volley! Casualties are rising for the Badmash.

Once more the War Elephants are driven back by the North Staffords, though the threat of the artillery to their right flank is removed by a wild charge from the Bhurpa Warriors. Still no sign of the Mutineers, no urgently awaited by the Raja!

The War Elephants again regroup and rumble forward giving the North Staffords time to form line and open fire on their advance.

The Gordon Highlanders make short shrift of the Badmash, whose morale collapses causing them to flee. In their turn the supporting band are also checked and find little appetite for closing and join the rout!

The 33rd make short work of the wild Bhurpa Warriors,  resulting their charge with withering fire and seeing them flee in rout. Still no sign of the promised Mutineer relief force!

Suddenly the Raja realises that his army is Broken and that his Mutineer allies have failed to arrive and have let him down. He takes a final rueful look at that portion of his treasure he must leave for Havelock-Robinson before joining with the carts as they rumble away!

Such was the margin of  his victory that local publicans soon cashed in on the General's fame by renaming their drinking establishments in his honour. This one seen only recently 'Oop North!

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?