A Desperate Defence!

To end the year's gaming here in GHQ Phil and I decided on a return to the Sub-Continent and to our Tales from Pendawar imagination games, pitting Lord Rawnsley and the forces deployed to the Pendawar Presidency against the rebellious and cunning Typoo Bykha, the Tygre of Pendawar! The scenario I developed sees Typoo with very much a scratch force caught napping by Lord Rawnsley's bold advance. In 12 Turns Typoo must prevent Rawnsley exiting one Regular Unit through the gates of the Old Red Fort, while also avoiding outright defeat if possible! As usual, an annotated photomontage follows hopefully capturing for the reader the tension generated by both General's attempts to wresting a win to end the year ~

Lord Rawnsley deploys his small Light Cavalry Brigade supported by his Light horse Artillery to cover his left flank. Scouting has not revealed any enemy to his front and he is hopeful of getting behind Typoo's right flank.

His main thrust will be by his two infantry Brigades, the Pendawar Presidency's Brigade on the left, his Regular Brigade on his right. They are supported by elephants drawn 12lbers. His objective, the Old Red Fort, can just be seen in the far distance.

Typoo has been caught unprepared by Rawnsley. Hurriedly he has mustered whatever forces are locally available. He has one stroke of fortune in that Rawnsley's scouts have not been able to penatrate his right flank. The Great Gun of Bhyklabad and the Voluntaires de Bykli are not quite alone...

Bhurpa hill tribesmen are luckily in the area. Gold changes hands and they mount their hardy hill horses ready to join the fray...at least for now.

Typoo's best chance lies in directly opposing Rawnsley's infantry advance in terrain which favours his bands of fanatical Badmash and more Hill Tribesmen. They have few muskets but many wicked looking two handed swords and the like!

The Hill Tribesmen are sent by Typoo to protect his left flank, where a break in the inhospitable forest may allow formed infantry to turn his flank.

What Rawnsley's scouts have failed to detect are elements of the Raja's Guard ~ his foot and mounted Household Guards and Heavy Artillery on Typoo's right blocking any planned attack in that area.

Typoo is heavily out gunned and outnumbered, so decides attack is his best option. Coordination of such a motley force is of course a serious problem, but every check to Rawnsley's advances buys Typoo more time.

Discovering too late that his left flanking move is opposed, Rawnsley deploys his Light Horse Artillery to drive off the enemy gunners. The Pendawar Peacocks stand ready to take advantage while the 20th Light Dragoons protect their flank from surprise attack.

Typoo sends elements of the mounted Hill Tribesmen attack the advancing Native Infantry. Although Disordered by ragged closing fire they charge home! Sadly they cannot break the Sepoys and fall back!

Their losses were not in vain though as a band of Typoo's fanatical Badmash smash into the fragile Sepoy line, which breaks under the whirlwind attack!

Buoyed up by bloodlust the Fanatical Badmash rush headlong into the South Essex who fail to deploy into line. Vicious hand to hand fighting sees the South Essex Broken. Rawnsley's attack is breaking down all too soon.

Threatened by the Badmash's victories the Heavy Artillery withdraws towards safety on the left flank leaving the wavering Native Infantry unsupported as they press their attack.

The Voluntaires de Bykli drawn up in Firing line emerge from the undergrowth blocking their line of attack. Despite being outnumbered Typoo's defence is proving resilient and frustrates Rawnsley's plans at every juncture.

A firefight between the Voluntaires and the leading elements of Rawnsley's infantry proves drawn out and indecisive. Losses mount slowly for both sides, losses Typoo can sorely afford.

Despite his considerable numerical advantage Rawnsley just cannot get the breakthrough he seeks. The dogged defence of the Voluntaires is aided now by the Foot elements of the Raja's Household Guards. 

Despite successes against the Native Infantry the Badmash fanatics are caught exhausted by the Pendawar Native Grenadiers. They have little fight left in them and are destroyed in a brief but bloody fight. Rawnsley is at last making progress towards his goal of the Old Red Fort.

His Heavy Artillery can now deploy ready to support the final attack which Rawnsley hopes will break Typoo's resistance and open the route to victory.

Typoo throws the last of his reserves in the centre in a mad, headlong attack to break the advancing enemy. The mounted Hill Tribesmen fail to charge home!

And the remaining Badmash fanatics are beaten and driven off in route. Typoo has lost his first Brigade and his centre is open to attack.

Rawnsley's attempt to turn Typoo's left flank has not gone as well though. The Hindoostan Regiment has been caught in column by will charging Hill Tribesmen.  They regulars fight with grim determination, but cannot drive off their foe!

In an extended melee the Hindoostan Regiment are steadily driven back. Rawnsley is spared from defeat though as the heavy fighting in the centre finally sees a second of Typoo's Brigades Broken, and with it his resistance crumbles. 

It is Turn 10 and Rawnsley has two remaining Turns to exit a Regular Unit through the Old Red Fort and claim a decisive win. His nearest unit needs five moves in two turns. The dice roll and, would you believe it, a Blunder? One move to the right ends their and his chances of reaching his objective and claiming a hard fought win. So, despite loosing his army, Typoo claims a Draw by preventing Rawnsley achieving his objective. A desperate but enthralling defence indeed and a splendid day's wargaming with Phil to end the year here in GHQ!

"Indian!All Indian!"*

The final game scheduled for May here in GHQ saw Phil, assisted by William, taking on yours truly in a Black Powder game set in our fictional province of Pendawar. Once more Typoo Bhyka, the Tygre of Pendawar, had risen in revolt against the hated European rulers of the Honourable East India Company. Typoo was supported by the Raja and Rani of Rhanzlistan accompanied by the mercenary Voluntaires de Bykli, as well as many Bhurpa tribesmen down from the hills and the great unwashed masses of Badmash. Against them under the command of Lord Rawnsley and Major General W.D.Watkiss were massed the armies of the Company aided by a few British regulars of the Hindoostan regiment and the 20th Light Dragoons. On to the action ~

The field of battle with the Company's forces nearest the viewer and Typoo's drawn up in the distance.

The Tygre of Pendawar consults his Military Advisor, Alphonse de Bykli, scion of the large family of military incompetents.

Lord Rawnsley confers with Major General W.D.Watkiss. "Plenty of time to put down another rebellion before tiffin, eh Watkiss!"

No time like the present, so Rawnsley sees his infantry March off down the road towards the enemy.

Their attack will be supported by a battery of 12lb guns drawn into action, by elephants of course.

While his small cavalry Brigade of the 20th Light Dragoons and the Pendawar Peacocks, supported by the Pendawar Horse Artillery, cover his left flank.

On his right Watkiss's infantry brigade and native cavalry surge forward determined to crush Typoo's mongrel forces on his left flank.

Typoo's right flank is held by his regulars and his batteries of heavy artillery. They command a wide field of fire so Typoo feels confident they will see off any attackers with heavy losses.

Typoo has also brought the Great Gun of Bhyklabad to the battle, positioning it on a low rise commanding his centre. He is confident it too will do much slaughter!

Typoo has also deployed his mercenary French, the Voluntaires de Bykli, to support his centre...

...which is held by the Household troops of the Raja of Rhanzlistan lead by his elephants! The Raja is confident his Rocket battery will do much to pave the way for the elephants to crush the enemy!

Nevertheless the Raja feels it only expedient to move his personal baggage to a safer location than the old Red Fort...

...not altogether trusting the mongrel forces of Bhurpa hill tribesmen and Badmash holding the flank to keep their thieving hands off his treasures!

Rawnsley wastes no time and orders a general advance, though the troops are less enthusiastic than he would have liked.

The heavy guns make slow progress forward. They are sure to be necessary to silence Typoo's batteries silently awaiting the enemy's approach. 

On Typoo's  left flank the Bhurpa tribesmen surge forward with their usual disjointed enthusiasm to close with the enemy.

Watkiss has wasted no time on his flank, pushing his columns of infantry forward aggressively to meet the onrushing tribesmen.and their supporting masses of Badmash.

His native cavalry, leading by the Governor General's Bodyguard support his body attack!

Taking advantage of Typoo's defensive posture to his front Rawnsley is granted time to deploy his forces ready to assault the enemy.

While Typoo's  right flank stoicly await the expected attack in the centre the Raja, mounted on his War elephant, leads his forces boldly forward hoping the split the enemy's forces in two!

Watkiss's command is soon involved in fierce and bloody hand to hand combat all along his front. No quarter will be asked nor given by either side. Victory or death the only outcome!

Watkiss's native cavalry have smashed the bands of Bhurpa warriors and they flee for their lives!

All is not lost though, as in their turn the blown cavalry have been caught by the masses of onrushing Badmash and are in their turn hurled back and eliminated as a fighting force. The flank is in the balance.

But not for long as steady columns of Company infantry lead by the Hindoostan regiment make short work of the undisciplined masses of poorly armed Badmash.

Back in the centre Typoo sees with dismay that the Raja's impetuous attack lead by his War Elephants has been throw back in disarray by the steady fire of Company infantry!

To compound his discomforture the Voluntaires de Bykli are smashed by the sudden and unexpected volleys of artillery fire preceeding a charge by company native infantry!

Despite all the death and destruction in his centre and on his left flank Typoo cannot bring hiscregular infantry into action as the battle reaches its climax.

To his dismay it is obvious that all is lost as his left and centre have been smashed by Watkiss's bold and determined attack allied to the repulse of the Raja's impetuous but doomed assault in the centre. Typoo will withdraw and regroup, his day must surely come he feels...

As ever with Black Powder the outcome swung first one way and then the other before suddenly it became clear that Typoo's army was broken! The action was over in six Turns of bold and bloody combat. Rawnsley's steady approach the perfect foil to Watkiss's bold attack saw Typoo's army soundly and decisively defeated once more...

* For non Brits and younger readers in general please see the BBC's "Goodness Gracious Me!" comedy series 1996-2001.