Another Sikh Sharp Practice

I was asked to put on a little Sharp Practice game at the club and agve Chris the option of period, he opted for Sikh ars which suits me as keepign them on table keeps me enthused painting them.

It would be a four hander with Chris Charlton, John Daybell and Dave Charles all playing it for the first time and Mark being the only player with any experience of the game, I would Umpire and interpret the rules.

I also managed to forget my ipad so the pictures being from Chris, cheers pal.

I gave the Company forces:

Level 2 CinC

Level 2 with two groups of British regulars
Level 2 with three groups of Sepoys
Level 1 with 6 native skirmishers
Level 1 with Native light cavalry
Light gun no commander

The Sikhs had:

Level 2 CinC

Level 2 with 2 groups Sikh regular foot
Level 2 with 2 groups Sikh regular foot
Level 1 with 2 groups of Matchlock men
Level 1 with 1 groups Sikhs with big choppers (moveable deployment point)
Level 1 with 2 group Sikh light cavalry
Gun no commander

The British regulars had a bit of quality but the Sikhs probably had the edge with larger numbers.

The secnario was simple, Each side had a deplyment point in opposing corners and the winner would eb the player holding the well at the centre at the end of the night.

In both cases the first cards out were the Commanders in Cheif who I allowed to activate the unit of their choice to get things going. Both sides went for the Cavalry to try and get to grips with each other quickly.

By the time the Tiffin card came out everyone was on except the irrgulars with Big Choppers and the British Regulars and folks were getting to grips with the basic movement mechanisms. Two actions each, thats two D6 if everyone is walking, the horse can move up from that to trot or gallop. Both sides used their flag cards to activate their guns and get them shifting on.

The photos have ended up out of order, sorry everyone, so they wont match the narrative entirely but you get the idea.

Next move sees both units of cavalry getting forward as fast as they can and the rest of the toops all marching on table and starting to get moving towards the village.

The ensuing cavalry meleesees the Company irregulars destoyed for the loss of half of a group of Khlsa Gorchurra (Thats Sikh irregular horse to you and me).

However with the field of fire cleared the Company horse gun has clear shot at the Sikh horse and is able to inflict a fair bit of shock that drives the battered front unit back.

With oly one uunit of horse left involved the Gurkha skirmishers join the fray and start adding some shock with pot shots of their own as the line infantry of both sides edges towards each other.

The Sikhs get the better movement and take a more direct route and it looks like they will be able to occupy the village beforethe company troops can get there.

The Sikh irregulrs take heavy casualties moving into the village but the British line has come to a stop in order to keep the pouring fire into them, within two moves they have gained the cover of the walland the Company advance has stalled.

The remaining Sikh cavalry is thrown forward at the British and mown down but again has succeeded in keeping the superior British troops at arms legnth from the Sikhs.

The front unit of irregulars has so much shock that it is driven back, but as the second unit replaces it in the cover of the wall the Sikh regulars begin to arrive to add their musketry to the defence.

The game has now developed into a firefight with neither side willing to cease fire in order toclose with the bayonet.Each side has a similar number of troops remaining but if the British wish to take the village they will have to storm it wiht cold steeland accept the casualties that come with that, the forces of the HEIC decide that they dont have the man power to do so and accept defeat.

Great getting my figures on the table again and the Sikh Wars worked well using Sharp Practice. I do need more commanders and skirmishers though.

All the new comers to the rules enjoyed them and Chris is considerign them for his Apaches vs Mexicans game.

Overall a sucessful and enjoyable nights gaming.

In a break from Sikhs the next post will be a decent sized Great Northern War clash hopefully. Watch this space.