Randi Ram and the Frenchy Dux

Oh Captain Whitmore Sir,

It is I, the Randi Ram, once your houseboy, and perhaps related because of your friendship with the Mrs Ram my mother.  I have learned of a strange thing.  Major Williams, he of the voice like a rock slide in the Ghats, has told me in confidence that he believes that it is he, and not yourself, that is the Randi Ram’s true father.  Apparently he too was a friend of my mother.  She is a generous lady.  He has begun calling me “lovely boy.”

Most distressing.

Worse, we have been up in the Princedom of Dahl, and had four whole companies, almost 300 Sepoys, to visit the Bhuna and burn down his palace.  We camped before the hill city, and my third cousin, Naik Jaymin of the artillerists went to work with his cannon, “Jamilla the Killer.”  She knocked down the city wall very nicely for us.

The Bhuna surrendered and paid over a ransom of treasure, so that we could go back to Fort George.  All was well.

But the Bhuna is a rat faced liar, and he had employed a Frenchman, a proper soldier, a Colonel Bols from the Typhoo Sultan’s Regiments.  He had marched against us with three companies and some hill bandit skirmishers he had trained. 

Leaving a company to guard the city of Dahl Major Williams marched out, with much loudness, and formed us up.  Then the chips were out of the cup as the saying goes. (?)

As the old Indian Proverb says, “a buffalo does not feel the weight of his own horns.”

The 2nd Madras: Officers and NCOs to the Front, Sepoys behind, skirmishers and artillery on the flanks

The 2nd Madras, mustered to date.  The 15mm figures replaced my superb Redoubt Miniatures 28mm.   Regrets, I have a few.  Then again... the 15mm give me real value in terms of storage, and that is at a premium.  Retirement to Cyprus comes at a price...

 I freely admit that I mashed up the Sharp Practice rules to include some of the mechanisms for SP2.  Really I just wanted to use my new poker chips.

The Sepoys formed up with a main body of three groups, under the Major and a Subadar "Uncle" Shami.  The Shirmishers were commanded by a Havildar.  (Dilip Fairbanks Jr actually, quickly becoming a mainstay.)

 Those bases still need some work.

 Contrary to expectations the Duc a l'Orange held his own.  He joined two groups into a formation and kept one out on a flank under Lord Ram Bham the Tiger Hunter of Typhoo, another of Randi`s relatives.

It soon became apparent that the French trained regulars were just as effective as the 2nd Madras.

 ... and this is how Auguste did it.  Several times in the game the Frenchman picked up multiple flags, taking off shock and helping him stay in the fight.

 Out on the flank a brutal skirmish battle developed, see-sawing until a devastating round of fire cut the Havildar's command in half.

 ... and the crowning glory of the Sultan's troops was Colonel Auguste gaining four flags, and delivering a terrible rolling fire onto the Madras Sepoy formation, breaking it.
A damned close thing though.

 The East India Company forces flee back towards Dahl.  Major Williams has to bribe the Colonel with the treasure that the Bhuna had just used to bribe him.

Randi of course survived, bravely standing behind the Major's horse during the fight.

The three victorious Officers, Colonel Auguste le Duc, Lord Ram Bham of the Typhoo, and Subhedar Kanta Singh who commanded the Skirmishers.