Wednesday 28 August 2024

Sharp Practice: The Road to Roganjosh

Catching up on the blog backlog, here is a report of a Sharp Practice game set during the Indian Mutiny from earlier this year...

As the Devil's Wind sweeps across India and with the Residency at Peshwarinan besieged, a number of the native rebels bored at the lack of loot to be found in Peshwarinan decide to head off towards Roganjosh to see if better spoils can be found there...


Standing in their way, the Thin Khaki Line! Rule Britannia and all that, eh what?


That bounder Subedar Poosh Dittin led his rebellious Sepoys down the road towards the British...


Whilst Badmashes led by Argi Bargi and his sister Min Jeeta swiftly moved across the Indian countryside, flanking the Mutineers, looking for easy loot.


Sag Aloo and his irregular Badmash skirmishers, pushing quickly forward ahead of the Mutineers other nefarious native types!


Blimey is there no end of the buggers?! The somewhat dubiously named Andi Pandi appeared out of the crops leading his fanatical Ghazis into the deserted village on the Indian right flank.


Egad! That's a lot of Pandies and Badmashes...


And a worrying amount of Ghazis! Gulp, steady in the ranks...


What ho! It is the brave Lieutenant Moore-Bacon and two groups of skirmishers from the North Somersetshire Regiment arriving behind the advancing natives and giving them a volley what for!


A Badmash falls dead and his bally friends take a lot of Shock - well so would you if you got shot up the rear!


BOOM! Sergeant Knocker of the Bengal Horse Artillery sends a nine-pound cannon ball into the advancing Pandies!


Whilst Moore-Bacon's men attack the rear of the Indian column...


Destroying the Pandy Artillery! Good show old bean!


The surviving artillery crew running away - that'll teach the bounders eh?!


BOOM! Knocker fires once more into the Mutineer ranks...


 Poosh Dittin having now deployed his men into line.


Wait 'till you see the whites of their eyes men! Captain Turner-Round orders the men of the North Somersets to fire a volley...


At Argi Bargi's onrushing Badmashes.


Lieutenant Moore-Bacon keeps up his attack on the Mutineers rear, tying down two groups of Mutineers led by Jemadar Ram Dittin who were attempting to sneak down the British right flank...


Captain Oulde-Duffer and his Piffers (Punjabi Field Force Sikhs) engage the Ghazis who had attempted to sneak down the opposite flank...


The loyal Piffers show their mettle, coolly firing into the fanatic ranks... Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akaal!


One Sikh battle knocking the bounder Andi Pandi to the ground. Jolly good shot that man!


BOOM! Knocker keeps up the 9-pounder's firing into the Pandy ranks...


Who are starting to accumulate Shock. Will they need the ministrations of Holy Man Mahatma Kote?


Tally Ho! Lieutenant de Poncenay-Bout and the South Gloucestershire Light Horse arrive at the enemy rear!


Having been sprinkled with Holy Man magic juice, Subedar Poosh Dittin's mutinous sepoys push forward and loose a ragged volley...


Killing two of the loyal Sikhs and inflicting Shock on the Piffers! Gad!


Can the Mutineers break through the Thin Khaki Line? The British left is looking worryingly undermanned...


Not that the North Somersets can help as they are charged by Argi Bargi's Badmashes!


Present! Aim! FIRE! Roars Captain Turner-Round...


And a bally Badmash falls dead, his comrades reeling from accumulated Shock.


CHARGE! De Poncenay-Bout leads the men of the South Gloucestershire Light Horse into the Badmashes of Min Jeeta...


A fierce melee ensues, but the Badmash Bint (as she is affectionately known by the British rank and file) is knocked to the ground...


And the surviving Badmashes flee, dragging her with them!


Meanwhile on the British left, Oulde-Duffer keeps the Piffers firing at the Ghazis...


The Sikh fire whittling down the fanatics ranks!


Having forced the Badmashes back, the South Gloucestershires follow up, charging into the enemy rear...


Sending them fleeing...


Straight down the barrel of Sergeant Knocker's nine-pounder! BOOM!


The North Somerset's join in with a volley...


Breaking the Badmashes who run for the hills...


Leaving their unconscious leader to be captured by the British... 

With this the Indian Force Morale hit zero and the forces of Queen Victoria had once again shown the bally natives that rebellion against the Crown is a futile endeavour. What ho!

Another fun Sharp Practice excursion in rebellious India, with the Mutineers only needing to get two units off the board, I thought the Thin Khaki Line would be soon overwhelmed by the enemy masses, especially as the British reinforcements arrived at the furthest point away from the main force. But the Piffers just about managed to hold the left flank, allowing for the regulars to teach the Pandies a lesson they won't forget!

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