Thursday 4 April 2024

Sharp Practice: Silencing Singh the Sniper

Despite the successful defence of the Mission House at Pershawarinan, the rebellion continues and large numbers of Europeans seek shelter within the garrison at the Residency of the Governor General at Peshwarinan. The Residency is soon besieged with regular attacks on the compound, which is subject a constant artillery barrage and even an abortive attempts to mine the walls. In addition a sniper (who the British have nicknamed Singh the sniper) is firing into the compound from a nearby building (known as Abramovich House) disturbing tiffin. The situation is intolerable and the Governor-General orders Captain Turner-Round to lead a sally out to destroy the guns and silence Singh the sniper!


The North Somersets were rather noisy embarking on their sally alerting Subedar Poosh Dittin who rouses his men to protect the guns from the British.


Sergeant Nocker and the Bengal Horse Artillery decide to have a pop at the Pandies but find the bloody infantry have got in their line of fire! Bollocks! curses Nocker.


The commotion rouses more Pandies asleep on the roof of Abramovich House and they fire down at the North Somersets below...


Not noticing the arrival of the Lieutenant Flynt-Ston of the Gurkhas, a group of whom try to smash down the door into the building. Unfortunately their die roll was not enough to complete the task.


Captain Turner-Round splits his formation into two groups leaving the second under the leadership of the indomitable Sergeant Grimshaw and fires at Poosh Dittin's Sepoys...


Killing one.


Whilst the Gurkhas and North Somersets try to get to fulfil the mission, Captain Oulde-Duffer leads two groups of Piffers (Punjabi Field Force Sikhs) beyond the Residency walls to provide support.


Which looks like it will be needed as Argi Bargi and a mass of Badmashes suddenly burst from the town!


Then Badmash Skirmishers under Allo Gobi climb out of their beds onto the roof of their hut and start taking pop shots at the North Somersets...


Wounding Captain Turner-Round! What a bore.


Subedar Poosh Dittin orders his men to fire at the British...


And a brave lad from Somerset falls dead, his comrades taking a point of Shock.


Lieutenant Flynt-Ston's men make a second futile attempt to smash down the door to Abramovich House, when suddenly they are attacked in the flank by Argi Bargi and his Badmashes!


Kurkis and tulwars flash in the sun and many a Badmash and Gurkha falling dead with both Argi Bargi and Flynt-Ston being wounded in the kerfuffle!


The surviving Gurkhas break...


Dragging their wounded officer back to the safety of the residency.


More trouble for the British then arrived as Havildar Priti Patel leads his mutinous Sepoy Rifles to the edge of the village and opens fire at the Sikhs...


Gad! Yells Oulde-Duffer as two of his Piffers bite the dust and his men take Shock.


It was starting to look like the Brits were in a bit of bind when Lieutenant Moore-Bacon leading two groups of skirmishers from the North Somersetshire Regiment arrives to support the attack. What ho! Could his arrival pull Turner-Round's chestnuts out of the fire?


Before we find out, poor Oulde-Duffer is hit by a rifle ball from one of Patel's men. Gad again!


Rapid fire men! yells Moore-Bacon, his men loosing a volley at Poosh Dittin's Pandies.


The devastating volley kills several Mutineers, breaking Poosh Dittin's formation as one Group of Sepoys falls back with excess Shock.


The remaining Gurkhas open fire on the Badmashes...


Who high on hashish charge the Gurkhas manning a barricade!


Tulwars, tablas and bamboo sticks hammer into the Gurkhas, killing four in a drawn round of Fisticuffs!


The second round sees another two Gurkhas downed and the survivors fleeing! This will not go down well in Kathmandu!


Dismayed at the performance of his men, the wounded Lieutenant Flynt-Ston returned to the fray joining Sergeant Grimshaw and his North Somersets.


The courageous Moore-Bacon orders his men in with the bayonet on Poosh Dittin's Sepoys but their charge comes up short!


Inspired by his subordinate's verve, Turner-Round orders his men to charge the Badmashes at the barricade, after all they don't like it up 'em!


Lord knows what was in the hashish though as despite Argi-Bargi falling to several inches of quality forged British steel, the Badmashes kill three of the North Somersets...


With Captain Turner-Round, hit over the head by a tabla, also falling to the ground dead!

The British Force Morale fell to zero and the Indians celebrated a decisive victory with extra chapatis all round!

A chastening defeat for the forces of the Queen (with three leaders wounded, one twice), I personally blame Andy's dice rolling and chit pulling for our abysmal performance! ;-) Congratulations to Phil and David.

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