Indian Mutiny Summer Painting- New AAR (new update 4 Sept. )

[Atheling]

@Atheling

Here area few things I am thinking about changing for the next game.

1) Muskets shoot 12" Enfields shoot 18" will increase Enfield's range to 24"

2) Make Mutineer units 4 stands of 4 figures, down from 5 stands. Will make them take morale tests quicker.

3)Any unit that falls below half strength, minus 1 (-1) when rolling morale tests.

4) British units win ties in melee. May even bump that up to plus 1 (+1).

That is about all I plan to change for the next game we play.

Thanks for letting me know- I'll probably adopt some of the above for the Second Afghan War.

Have you any suggestions?

Cheers,
Darrell.

[FifteensAway]

TSATF for the Mutiny?  Somebody put me out of my misery, please!    Find a better set of rules.

AAR later, not enough time to digest.  But I do want to comment on the building where you are requesting some ideas - create some suitable rugs to drape over the walls.  Doing so allows some real nice splashes of color to 'snap' up the building.  Plus a few large ceramic containers scattered about.  Will enhance the drama of the piece, which is quite nice as is but I agree it needs some spicing up.  Hey, a few bowls of spice, a little saffron, a little curry...

[huevans]

IIRC from my few weeks of super-keenness on all things IM, the real issue with the Mutineers was lack of a unified command. So some lads would bravely wallah off to blast the British, while others would sit around eating chapattis and making idle conversation. So perhaps some C&C issues would work in as well as the morale tests.

I always thought that personality issues would be fascinating as well. Perhaps a British major who halts a vital flanking movement for an hour to bury a murdered missionary and give an impromptu sermon about the holiness of righteous vengeance instead of actually showing up where he's supposed to?

Also how about some heat exhaustion and supply difficulties for the Brits?

[FifteensAway]

Okay, had time to digest the AAR.  Sounds like a fun game - and I see you are a fellow west coastie, though a bit north of me by a kilometer or two (hundred).  Can't recommend what rules to use but there has to be something better than TSATF for Indian Mutiny.  Devil's Wind, maybe?  But if that is what you have then that is what you use.

[sjwalker51]

I'm bound to mention the "War Without Mercy" Yahoo group, where you'll find a draft variant of the "Sharp Practice" skirmish rules. Originally designed for 1:1 games with around 80-120 figures per side, there are also rules for larger brigade-level games which neatly covers most of the Mutiny actions.

And check out the FIBIwiki for masses of information and links to battle reports.

[Marine0846]

OK, guys.
A little up date on the rules.
The name of the set of rules I am using is,
1810 Napoleonic Wars, 1862 Civil War,
1870 Franco Prussian, British Egyptian 1882.
War game rules by Larry Brom
(Boy, that took me 5 minutes to type.)
These rules were given to me about 1985-86.
I was told that they predate TFATF.
Many of the same ideas Larry uses in TSATF he uses in these rules.
The big difference is figures are based on stands usually of 3 or 4 figures.
A couple of examples, you fire by stand not by figure. Melee, you fight stand vs stand.
Hope you get the idea.
The great thing with this set of rules, is you can plug in rules you want.
As for better sets of rules out there, yes there may be.
I just got The Devil's Wind rules in the mail a couple of days ago.
After reading them, a fine set. Will try them out in a game.
The great thing about TSATF is most everyone has played them.
When you have new players that is a big help.
Besides I am an old guy, , hard to learn new rules.
I figure I have played some version of TSATF around 500 times in the last 33 years.

[Marine0846]

@huevans

You are right.
Command and control issues hurt the Indians all during the war.
In the rules there is a section for commander control.
Each side roles a D10 for each brigade. If you don't role the right number the unit or the brigade does not move.
I really do like the rule, it adds to the fog of war.
But some of my gaming buddies don't. So at times I don't use it.( It was not used in this game.)
For the Mutiny it will be used in the following battles. If they don't like it, well war is hell.
As to personality issues, I think they are a lot of fun and can add a lot to the game.
Event cards and or charts such as in The Sword in Africa, can add to the confusion of battle.
Now I have to get the other guys "to see the light."

[Marine0846]

Have a few photos of figures and a building.
Hope you like them.



The elephant was painted for the Colonial Painting Expedition.



Hope you like them.

[Marine0846]

Had a chance to play another battle.Picked the Battle of Najafgarh.
A little background about the battle.
Mutineers move to attack the British siege train that was moving to Delhi.
General Nicholson takes a British force and moves to stop them.


A of view of the battlefield.

One of two Mutineer brigades posted in the serai and small village.

The other brigade post in the other village.

The British advance on the road. The ford is off right of the table.

[Marine0846]

The British are deployed, ready to advance. Horse guns are out a bit ahead, ready to take on the Indian artillery.

A view of the heavy gun and other Indian units.

Both British brigades on the move. The two infantry bottom units are armed with Enfields (range 18") The other British are armed with muskets. (12" range)

The British Cav. move to the flank.

At this stage, it was mostly an artillery duel. The Indian heavy gun has retreated from the hill. The British are winning.

The 2nd brigade on the move. They moved in and out of the woods, slowing them. But then got a move on.

[Marine0846]

The British Inf. Regt. on the far right get into a fire fight with the Indians in the village. They stand off and pepper them with little lost to themselves.

Both British brigades are about in position. The 2nd brigade is about to fire on the Indians in the serai. 1st brigade is to advance.

On the British left flank, a cav. melee. British win, chase the Indians to far and get shot up by Indians in the small village.

The British 2nd brigade are in a large fire fight with the Mutineers in the serai. Both sides are taking casualties. It might be better to charge with cold steel.

The Mutineers are in place for the final attack. They are hoping for dark to come. (Remember the real battle started at 5pm.)
In the game the British had to drive the Mutineers from the field by a certain time.

The final advance by the British. Will it be in time?

[Marine0846]

British Cav. have moved to the left flank. A move to get in the rear of the Mutineers.

The Mutineer Cav. charge the British. They take heavy casualties and retreat.

The British Cav. charge the enemy. They take the worst of it and are forced to retreat.

The final positions as night falls. As the Mutineers were still on the field, they were the winners.
In hindsight the British should have used the charge of "cold steel" and a little less of the musket.

[Captain Black]

Ace looking set up and thanks for sharing the pictures

[Marine0846]

I finished a new building and the city walls.

About the only thing I have to add is a tree and a couple of small pools in the courtyard.

A little hard to see but the outside walls are a faded yellow.

I went back and dressed up the gate and walls. I think they look better, maybe more Indian.

There is a total of nine feet of everything.

[FifteensAway]

Like the multi-post battle report - you did a fine job of letting the pictures do most of the "talking" with just enough text to flesh out your story.

Your "market" building is very Ian Weekly inspired (even if you didn't know it!).  And do like the town walls, gives me added inspiration - I have lots of round bits to add to walls but hadn't thought of the square bits tilted into 'lozenge' shapes, good job.  Or just squared bits, that works, too.