Indian Mutiny

I find the Great Rebellion also known as the Indian Mutiny endlessly fascinating and I think Piquet’s Field of Battle (FOB) provides an excellent way to game it.

Here is my list for a medium sized British force.  All are rated as per FOB but should be easily converted to other rule sets.  The keen eyed will notice I have included carbines which is very non FOB but it was an Indian tactic and so it’s here.  Horse can fire mounted in my games. 

The firing ranges given below are taken from Piquet’s Hallowed Ground in preference to those in FOB this is solely because I felt they gave a better flavour for the period. Some British units are armed with the Enfield rifle which was a real advantage occasionally thrown away by officers who preferred a close range volley followed by the bayonet.  Sikhs were an important element in British forces but were, in the opinion of many officers, more interested in loot than glory.  I rate them as fierce (Regular) but not quite as motivated as the British.

The British are all rated as regulars with the exception of the Highlanders who I choose to consider crack.  This is because Sir Colin Campbell consistently used them for do or die situations and because it adds variety to the game.

A naval contingent can be fun.

 For bigger games I will add more Queen’s regiments in full uniform directly from my Crimean collection.  What I really need is a battalion or two of loyal Sepoys and in due course I’ll add them.

Now let’s have a look at the toys (all are 15mm and supplied by Black hat, Dixon, Irregular and QRF) as they bite off more than they can chew by investing a city.

Lastly here are the unit ratings.

Unit	Armament	Combat Die	Defence Die	Short Range	Medium Range	Long Range
Neil’s Blue Caps	Musket	D10	D6	0-2	3-4	5-6
Highlanders	Rifle	D12+1	D8	0-3	4-6	6-8
84th	Rifle	D10	D6	0-3	4-6	6-8
53rd	Musket	D12	D6	0-2	2-4	5-6
30th	Musket	D8	D6	0-2	3-4	5-6
Sikhs	Musket	D12+1	D4	0-2	3-4	5-6
Sailors	Rifle	D10	D6	0-3	4-6	6-8
Ghurkha’s	Musket	D10	D6	0-2	3-4	5-6
Sikh Horse	Carbine	D10	D4	0-1	1-2	2-3
Queen’s Horse	Carbine	D12	D6	0-1	1-2	2-3
Foot Artillery	9lb smoothbore	D12	D6	0-5	5-10	10-18
Horse Artillery	6lb smoothbore	D8	D6	0-4	5-8	8-16

British commanders during the Mutiny ran the whole Piquet range from Abysmal to Exceptional with everything in between.  I rate them according to the scenario.  For the above force I normally use three Brigadiers and a General.