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Post by jenburdoo on May 31, 2015 0:52:10 GMT -5
Bought some painted 15mm colonial minis today from another member of the local historicals group. There are:
20 British camelry 20 dismounted British camelry (can double as regular infantry despite the white tunics and helmets) 44 Sikh infantry 12 Bengal Lancers 2 mountain guns with crew A few loose guns, including a Krupp if I ever get some Boers
Under the circumstances, I'm looking at the following faceoff for a demo game tomorrow, set during the Sikh Wars (1846/1849). TSATF does have a loose point system and these opposing forces are pretty even:
(Unit names fanciful, only the 24th is historically accurate)
Two sections each of 10 British infantry (1st platoon, A Company, 24th Foot) Two sections each of 6 Indian cavalry (B troop, Bengal Lancers) 1 mountain gun with four crew (Kotali Mountain Battery)
Vs:
Four sections each of ten Sikhs (A Company, 1st Punjabis) 1 gun with four crew (Khalsa's Own Light Artillery)
I'll let you know the results.
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Post by jenburdoo on May 31, 2015 1:20:58 GMT -5
I ran a mini-scenario vs. myself just now to refamiliarize myself with the various rules for different types of movement, fire, and close combat.
10 Sikh infantry and one gun vs. 10 British infantry and 6 Indian lancers.
I played on the floor, with no terrain and starting around three feet apart. Movement is fairly quick, each unit rolling a set number of d6 depending on formation/terrain and moving that number of inches. Initiative, whether for movement or shooting, is by drawing cards from a normal deck -- red for Brits, black for natives. Both sides moved towards each other in open order, then fired. Each figure rolls a d20 (three per crewman on a cannon, so 12 d20s for that), and must roll under a given number (the maximum, Brit infantry firing at targets in close order, is 7, and it goes down from there). When hit, cards are drawn again to determine casualties. Hearts indicate dead figures, and face cards indicate key figures hit. The lancers had charged the gun, and even in open order the Sikhs (among the best artillerists in the world at the time) killed two and wounded three. The daffadar (sergeant) was the only one unhurt, and he ran, dragging one of the wounded men with him. The British infantry advanced to cover them, as the Sikh infantry also advanced in hopes of taking wounded prisoners.
The Brits wouldn't have this, and their own open order saved them from the wrath of the cannon -- they had one man killed and fired into the Punjabi infantry section, wounding three. The Punjabis left their wounded to be watched over by the gun crew and advanced to meet the British, who charged to meet them. Unfortunately, whilst the Punjabi volley missed, four of the nine chargers trailed behind, though they managed to reach the two wounded Bengalis and stand guard over them. Five Brits reached the enemy line; the seven Punjabis held fast.
This looked bad for the Brits; their best hope was to blunt the Sikhs and fall back, licking their wounds. Five on seven was not great odds, but they managed to kill two Sikhs and wound a third in exchange for three of their own wounded and one dead. One Britisher, facing two Sikhs on his own, managed to kill one and wound the other. The Sikhs broke, dragging their wounded with them, and the Brits took the opportunity to withdraw with their own injured in tow.
The gun, meanwhile, was maneuvering in the background, but its fire was masked by its own infantry. As the two infantry sections parted, the gun fired a parting shot, but the British and Bengalis ultimately got off the board safely. Neither side had left a man behind, but both were sorely pummelled, with the gun crew the only unit unscathed.
Of 14 Sikhs, two dead and four wounded.
Of 16 Brits and Bengalis, four dead and six wounded.
Tomorrow I'll run somewhat larger forces, with proper terrain at my FLGS. I'm still thinking about what terrain I could use at work -- picked up a small brown tablecloth with the intention to put books under it for hills and maybe build foamcore buildings or pipecleaner trees as a craft with the teens. Another option is to use crumpled-and-reflattened butcher paper, but I don't think we have enough in supply to just dispose of easily like that.
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Post by jenburdoo on Jun 5, 2015 18:49:17 GMT -5
Picked up some stuff to use for terrain:
- biodegradeable plant pots (look like mud or adobe buildings) - roughly-4x6foot bolt of brown cloth - trunk-like floral wire (for making trees) - a few pieces of felt for area terrain - corrugated piece of cardboard (for a plowed field) - Something like lichen (for scattered brush or making trees)
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