A "Sharp Practice" Indian Mutiny variant, based on the Brigadier C.S. Grant "Table Top Teaser" featured in Henry Hyde's Battlegames Special Edition.
In our version, the Mutineers have got their hands on a Big Gun and the British are determined this has to either be captured or put out of action.
The village of Mywell, a hotbed of insurgency ...
The Indian "Big Men" under the command of the charismatic Chana Masala
Sent to capture or disable the Gun, Lieutenant Hugh Jarce supported by three other "Big Men"
British "Blinds" advance from the West
Watched by a Bengal tiger on the mountainside !
And he has not eaten lately ...
The Mutineers steadily move the Big Gun towards a ruined fort, opposite the ford crossing to Mywell
Spotted, so off "Blinds", British Lancers & infantry rush forwards
The Lancers dashing past the first mountain in their haste to catch up with the Gun
The tiger has moved down to have a drink at the river's edge
At this point, Mutineers on the mountain top rise up
Move forward and
open fire on the Lancers below
which was a bit of a shock
T'other side of the river, redcoats march on headed by Lieutenant Harry Cost
as Lieutenant Hugh Jarce leads another group across the water
So far, no enemy spotted this side of the water
The Mutineer gun is now placed in the ruins and ready to fire
Hugh Jarce sends his infantry forwards to the mountain
The tiger annoyed by the presence of the Lancers attacks them and causes some shock !
Harry Cost's men are suddenly rushed by Mutineer swordsmen that had been hidden in broken ground
In the melee, the British come off worse and are send reeling, two men down
Tarka Daal's men on the mountain continue to harass the Lancers - what with that and the bl***y tiger !
Man down and shock building
The British now deploy a pack gun and return fire on Tarka Daal's Mutineers
Not so one sided now !
The Mutineer Big Gun now joins in and hits the British down river
adding to Harry Cost's misery
Lieutenant Fontenoy's men assault the mountain
as Paneer Naan orders forwards his swordsmen again
Fontenoy's men push back the enemy riflemen
Paneer Naan's men hit Cost's men again
The Lancers, having passed the mountain have the shock of their lives when they discover Mutineer cavalry beyond ...
and Naik Rahman's riflemen open up on them at long range from a second mountain
The Mutineer Big Gun hits home again ..
The Lancers recoil from an attack by the Mutineer cavalry
After losing three men
The British infantry near side of the river are completely battered. Hugh Jarce has crossed the river to try and help but is now dangerously exposed himself
Typically, Paneer Naan's card comes up next (!) so he orders his men forwards to capture the British leader ...
He puts up a brave fight but is overwhelmed
At last, some British success - the mountain is captured by Fontenoy
and Tarka Daal's men are either killed or scattered
The Union flag flies atop the mountain !
The Lancers retire to regroup
Just as well, some nasty sword armed wallahs are pursuing them !
Harry Cost decides to cross the river to see if he can rescue his commander, single handedly
Bad move ! He and Jarce are killed in the ensuing melee
Game over - with half the British Big Men killed and only Fontenoy's men in good shape, any thoughts of getting after the Big Gun have melted away
We used the Sharp Practice Indian Mutiny variant which "is on the back burner" and with talk of SP being rewritten or updated, may not happen as it it stands. In the Play Test version we have, hand to hand combat or "Fisticuffs" has been changed quite a bit to reflect the effect of British bayonet charges against Mutineers in the open.
However, the dice were not kind to the British and this advantage was not reflected in our game.
Nevertheless, we had great fun - and the Tiger enjoyed it too !
