Up The Arsenal !

This was an Indian Mutiny scenario written for the original Sharp Practice rules, published in one of the Christmas or Summer Specials many moons ago.

So, it was time to dust it off and try it once more using the latest version of the rules, so a bit of tweaking required.

The story goes that the British need to "liberate" the ammunition stored in the Arsenal at the centre of a mutineer held town.

The Arsenal is located in one of the seedier parts of town - so who better than Captain Flashman to lead the mission as he knows the area well !

The Arsenal is in the centre of this picture.  As it is the festival of the referred small goddess Kylie, the garrison is not alert, only one or to sentries visible.

Mike is the Mutineer commander and Ian running Flashman and the British - the first of whom have appeared bottom left. 

Two sentries are visible on the roof, one at the main gate.

Lt. Hugh Jarce leads a group of Scots towards the Arsenal

and Sgt. Barking brings on some Red Coats.

and Lt. Grant St.James's dashes across town with a group in shirt sleeve order.

The rebel leader, Ram Dittin hears the distress signal and gets some of his troops out of the buildings

Ian has sent his men on a circuitous route, partly because he has spied Ram Dittin's crowd across town.

More Mutineers are roused from their homes

The sentry at the Arsenal gate can't see anyone yet !

Here we can see the bugler sounding the alarm.

Sgt. Barking leads a determined advance straight for the Arsenal

as Grant St. James's chooses another route

British troops exchange fire with Ram Dittin's men at long range.

Ram's men get the best of the first fire - three Scots killed by one volley !

Good shooting !

Whilst that was going on, Barking and his men charge the gate sentry

He dies but takes two British troops with him

but before Barking and his men can get through the gate another force of rebels is spied heading this way

The Scots have wreaked some vengeance - two of Ram's men lie dead in the street.

This exchange of fire continues unabated 

Encouraged by Captain Flashman - from a safe distance of course !

Barking's men are now engaged by the newly arrived mutineers

Both sides take casualties but the British get the better of it.

The mutineers reel back but Barking now only has a small handful of men left

Ram Dittin and his men have had enough of the fire fight and retreat into a building

but the Scots keep up their volleys, supported by a unit of blue hats

Not before time, the Arsenal garrison are roused into action

as Grant St. James's men arrive to assist Barking and his men.

a fire fight develops between them and the rebels recently pushed back in melee

as other rebels move to join them

The Arsenal garrison erupt through the open gates

Barking and his men are cut down

Grant St. James's is now faced by two hostile groups

The rebels fire again

No ! Lt. Grant St. James's is down, but not dead

Ram Dittin and his men decide to vacate the buildings and get down a side alley, away from the lethal fire of the Scots

They and the blue caps are supported - at a distance - by Captain Flashman

They can now advance unopposed

as the Rebels avoid contact

St. James's men urgently need assistance

and here it comes - Sgt. Dagenham arrives with his men in the nick of time

a crisp volley downs a few of the mutineers at the gate 

Will St.James's come round and assist his men ? 

More mutineers are gunned down

a rebel charge is attempted

St.James's men fight on whilst he lies senseless

but they succumb in the melee

Now Dagenham's men are up against it

Another band of rebels were intent on joining the fray but they suddenly receive a volley in the flank - Flashman's Scots and Blue Hats have fired down the side of the Arsenal

This hits them hard 

and the determined ranks of the British send rebel morale down to a new low

Dagenham's men have managed to deliver another telling volley

Indeed, so many rebel leaders have been hit that their command and control has all but disappeared.

With the strong Scots and Blue Hats units approaching, Mike throws the towel in and announce that the Mutineers can take no more.

The British will now be able to load up the ammunition in the Arsenal without any opposition.

Now where has that brave Captain Flashman got to ?!!