Indian Mutiny Rules Suggestions...Unit Sizes, and basing

[AKULA]

I’m currently toying with the idea of starting an Indian Mutiny project in 28mm, but am interested in what rules sets are popular, and how figures are based/unit sizes. That shouldn’t be taken as a suggestion of course, that I will ever get enough painted to get a game together...but at least if I give up in a couple of years time, someone else might get some use out of them...

 

From what I can see, “The Devils Wind” has regular units of 4/5 bases of 4 figures each, with mutineer units of 4 bases of 3/4 figures and cavalry in units of 12 figures (4x3)....not sure how I feel about this, quick to get units painted, but doesn’t feel like enough mass.

I was toying with the idea of units of 8-10 bases (ie one per company) each of 4 figs, giving me units of 32-40 figures....and a loose troop scale of 1:20. By my reckoning a cavalry regiment would be 12-18 figures.

I might even base each 4 figure infantry company on a 6 figure tray, with the figures removable - the extra two spaces would be left empty at the front of the base, partly to protect bayonets, spears etc, but also give the option of adding in casualty, officer figures etc. The downside of the extra space in front of each company base is that it might make columns look a little odd?

Does this sound like madness, or is there a set of rules that already works along these lines?

The rule mechanics of existing rule sets are really secondary...I expect I might end up writing a set of rules if I bite the bullet, but wanted to come up with something that looks and feels right on the table, in terms of unit size and basing....before I start ordering piles of figures.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

[fred]

This

that I will ever get enough painted to get a game together...

and this

I was toying with the idea of units of 8-10 bases (ie one per company) each of 4 figs, giving me units of 32-40 figures....and a loose troop scale of 1:20. By my reckoning a cavalry regiment would be 12-18 figures.

might be linked

I'd suggest starting small, with skirmishes that you can build up to bigger battles.

Rules like The Men Who Would be Kings would work well, Regulars are in units of 12, Irregulars are in 16s. With about 4 units making a European force, and 6-8 for a tribal force.  Similar sized forces should work for Sharp Practice I think.

This makes the painting quicker, and the playing earlier, once you start playing you can start building bigger units, by combining two units together, for larger battle rulesets.

[sepoy1857]

Sharp Practice 2

[FifteensAway]

I vote you dive in wholeheartedly - and write up a set of rules.  Nothing out there I know of that properly serves the Indian Mutiny (haven't had any contact with the Devil's Wind you refer to - but to a much earlier set with the same name).  You can paint every single British unit differently and be historically correct, and by the dozens of units, foot and mounted.  Artillery are slightly more prosaic, though some variety exists. 

Then there are the mutineers who come in a variety of flavors.  As do the varied erstwhile allies of the British.  It is a very colorful period.  Plus it has Elephants! 

What can possibly go wrong?   

Why heck, you might even inspire me to work on my own collection of 15 mm Dixon Indian Mutiny augmented by a bunch of Essex Mogul figures and some British here and there and the odd bit from others here and there.  I believe the period works better in 15 mm (my personal prejudices aside) because of the scope of the battles and the size of the armies - as in small British and obscene mutineers.  I hope to do more field battles than urban encounters though I'll allow a few of those in if I ever get the lot painted.

I need a round dozen clones of myself, I do, fully developed and ready to paint and do nothing but paint - and base, texture, seal, clean, prep, prime, 24/7 until all is done.  Take longer than you think.     Now, just whose fault is that? 

Seriously, dive in, write rules, have fun.

[Dags]

I'd suggest starting small

This is Akky   

Seriously, will be interested to see what Matt comes up with - it's a period i've thought about doing but never got round to... 

[Antonio J Carrasco]

I am trying a catholic approach, i.e. figures in round bases and then movement trays of different sizes. Thus first step is to have two opposing 24 points field forces for The Men Who Would be Kings. These would be:

British Field Force:

78th Highlanders - 12 miniatures (Regulars. Fierce. Obsolete weapons-muskets) 6 points
1st Madras Fusiliers - 12 miniatures (Regulars. Enfields) 6 points
Hodson's Horse - 8 miniatures (Regulars) 6 points
Maude's battery - 1 gun and 4 crew (Regular) 6 points.
Total model count: 36 figures + 1 gun

Sepoy/Indian Field Force:

Sepoy Mutineers - 12 miniatures (Regulars. Obsolete weapons - Muskets.) 5 points
Sepoy Mutineers - 12 miniatures (Regulars. Muskets. Obsolete Weapons) - 5 points
Sepoy Light Horse - 8 miniatures (Irregular cavalry. Unenthusiastic) - 3 points.
Badmashes - 16 miniatures (Tribal. Fierce) - 4 points
Native Horse - 10 miniatures (Tribal Horse) - 3 points
Native Princes' artillery - 1 gun + 4 crew (Poorly drilled crew) - 4 points
Total model count: 62 figures + 1 gun

Thus I will have a nice core forces that I can increase later, either to play bigger games using TMWWBK, Sharp Practice or even The Sword and the Flame variant for the Indian Mutiny.

So far, I have the Highlanders, Madras fusiliers and badmashes painted, although neither based nor varnished yet.

[Juan]

I am preparing myself for this period with "Sharp Practice 2". An afordable number of miniatures, a big skirmish/small battle scale and a very good ruleset, full of flavour.
This is my opinion.

[Emir of Askaristan]

Another vote for TMWWBK here. Great set of rules and 12 fig imperial /16 figure tribal units break down nicely for other rules should you get that far. There is no prescription on how you base figs, so multiples, single square or round bases all work and give you the option of movement trays for rulesets where bigger figure numbers are required come time.

Although there are no "lists" as such you get to pick characteristics for your unit so adding the right flavour for mutinous sepoys or vengeful Brits isn't difficult and there are example forces in the book.

 

[sjwalker51]

And another vote for MWWBK : easy to get 2 small forces on the table, lends itself to upscaling to much larger actions, and easy to add a bit more period detail to the core mechanics. Use it as the framework for your own rules.

For something more ‘heroic’ and large scale skirmish in 28mm (anything from 40-150 figures per side), with a bit more detail on small unit tactics, go with Sharp Practice.

[levied troop]

This is Akky   

How true that is 

I’ve done quite a lot of Mutiny in the past, even wrote a set of participation rules that owed quite a lot to Akkie’s Zombie set  I’d definitely suggest single/sabot basing as the small scale skirmish options are often way more interesting than the big battle options.  I like Sharp Practice at the medium level of game and have heard good things about MWWBK, suspect it would scale up well.

As others have said, I’d go with smaller units simply because of the variety available.

It’s a great period, I’ll be fascinated to see what you come up with.

[sjwalker51]

And, in 28mm, Iron Duke Miniatures (sold by Empress) has to be the first choice for Figures - and a lot of information on uniforms, orbats and actions on the ID website as well.

[redzed]

TMWWBK or SP2 would be my choice for skirmish, but as it's you I expect huge armies any minute so.......
Black Powder if you wanted to be serious or The Sword and The Flame with a few tweeks 

[sjwalker51]

We refought Isandlwana using MWWBK with only a few tweaks - 950 Zulus (couldn’t quite make it a ‘fazand) and around 220 Imperials on a 12’ x 6’ table, completed in a leisurely 5 hours despite the fact only 2 of the 6 participants had used the rules before.

How much larger do you plan to go?  :-)

[charla51]

'The Sword in Africa' -a small unit variation of the Sword and the Flame, (included in the 20th Anniversary edition) is well suited for smaller actions in the Mutiny.

Hodson's Horse were classed as irregular; having been 'raised' by Hodson himself.

[Hu Rhu]

I think it depends on the type of game you are expecting to stage. If it is skirmishes then The Men Who Would Be Kings or Sharpe Practice would work very well. If you looking for a larger game then I would use  Black Powder. The unit attributes make it very adaptable.