The Telegraph Wires at Tantrapur

Scenario 2: the Telegraph wires at Tantrapur

Gunga Din (1939) Movie Script

I don't like it, Mitchell. I don't like it. Silence is unhealthy. No word from Markham in 48 hours. Blast it, an officer and his patrol don't vanish into thin air

Wire's gone dead, sir.

I don't like this. Can't have the wires down. Things start too quickly up there. Find Sgts. MacChesney, Ballantine and Cutter, and bring them here.

That's a bit difficult sir, as they're all on leave. On some mysterious mission, about a treasure map they said...

It'll be a mystery if they come back right side up. Bring them here at once.

-------------------------

You three!  I ought to take away your stripes, not only for insubordination... but for idiocy. Sheer, childish, soft-brained idiocy. But fortunately for you, I need all three of you at Tantrapur.

We're going out on a job, sir?

Of the most vital importance. You leave for Tantrapur... with a detachment in the morning... to repair the telegraph and keep it open

The Empire
Sgt Victor MacChesney. The Senior Sergeant.  Sword and Enfield revolver.  Later retired to become a US Cavalry Sergeant Major	Sgt Archie Leech Cutter. Enfield revolver and pick axe. Retired and changed his name to Cary to became a Manhattan Socialite
Sgt Fairbanks Ballantine Jr.   2nd in Seniority, Sword and Enfield revolver. Retired to become Sinbad the Sailor	Gunga Jim Water bishti, bugler. Desperate to become a proper soldier
Subadar  Lee Metford rifle, Sword bayonet	Naik Lee Metford rifle, Sword bayonet

The Thuggee
The Guru Charismatic.  Cannot be attacked until he has had a chance to monologue.   Armed only with his hypnotic sexy eyes	Pandu Lal Assassin, the Guru's second in command Mughal khinjal Sword, pickaxe and rifle
Kabul, a Thuggee master named in the script and obviously an Afghan.  Pickaxe and rifle	Sher Afzuli A Pathan allied with the Thugs Mughal khinjal Sword, and rifle

My game uses two groups of five figures for the Three Sergeants and their Sepoys, and a group of four Thuggee plus three grunts that respawn on the western table edge if knocked out.

This game is in three Phases:

1.  The False Pilgrims exposed
2.  The Fight on the rooftops 
     (Ballantine and the Dynamite)
3.  The flight to the rafts.

-Detachment, halt!

-Sergeants, dismount!

-Cold.

-Stale.

-I don't mind saying the whole thing fair gives me the creeps.

-Creeps or no creeps, we've got to get in touch with the Colonel.

-We can't until we get them poles up and this wire strung. Naik, detail two men for guard duty. The remainder will pile arms and prepare for work.

-Gunga Din, water.

a.  "The False Pilgrims exposed."  The Fight in the street, Cutter siezes a Thugee pickaxe

The "pilgrims" are discovered to be Thuggee, and attack the soldiers.  The three Sergeants fight back destroying two groups of Thuggee, before fleeing to the rooftops

The Thuggee get rolling replacements.  As a figure is knocked out of action it is moved back to its start line.  The Thuggee get a Leader, a Specialist, two regulars and three grunts.  The Soldiers get three Sergeants and Six Sepoys.  Gunga Din moves with any of the Sergeants but will keep out of the fighting at this stage.  As a Water Bhisti he acts as a medic and annoying trumpet player.  

The Rajput's Signals detachment March into Tantrapur, lead by their three Sergeants.

"Detachment, halt!"

The "Pilgrims" appear and a fight breaks out.  Cutter's bald spot on show!

Mac leads his section up onto the roof tops

The Guru and musket armed Thuggee appear on the adjacent roofs

It's getting serious.  The Thuggee try to get behind the soldiers to use their strangling skills.

But Sergeant Cutter uses a Wildcard and seizing a
Thuggee pick-axe he knocks one of the enemy flat.

b.  "Up to the roofs," 

The detachment climb onto the village rooftops to avoid the Thugee.  

Mac makes the roof as Cutter and Ballantine win their fight in the street.

The Sergeants clear up in the street.

The remaining soldiers withdraw to the roof tops

 Ballantine and the Dynamite: 

Sergeant Ballantine may attempt to rescue the dynamite from the cart at the side of the building, unseen by the Thuggee.  He can then throw it up to the Sergeants on the rooftops, who in turn throw it back down onto the Thuggee.  Roll a D6 for each throw, just don`t roll a 1.  If Fairbanks rolls 1 he is spotted by the Thuggee, if one of the others does the dynamite explodes prematurely spoiling the movie.  Gunga Din may move with any of the Sergeants and in this round may fight or sound his bugle as if reinforcements are on the way.

The first stick of dynamite kills two Thugee in the street.  Is there no end to these guys?  Actually no, the casualties are coming on as replacements.

More Thuggee attempt to climb onto the buildings

The second stick of dynamite takes out a Thuggee on the roof.

Cutter kills a climber!

Gunga Jim sounds his trumpet, it's annoyingly loud and it's not helping!

Ballantine leaves the dynamite cart, firing his pistol as he climbs to the roofs.  What a Hero! 

d. The Flight to the river and the rafts

The Thuggee seem reluctant to approach the river, no reason given in the movie, but here they will attempt to swarm onto the rafts.  None are strong swimmers however and once the rafts are pushed away from the bank (1 action) they will be safe.

The Thugs are starting to get onto the roof.  Time to go!
"Gunga Jim Quit playing that bugle and run!"  Mac actually kicked this sabre wielding Thug from the roof, but was wounded in the process!

Ballantine gets to the other side of the building, ready to secure the raft.  "Pot that chap somebody!"

The Sergeants get what remains of the Detachment onto the raft.  Cutter and Ballantine are the rearguard.  Mac is wounded as are several Sepoys.

5 Renown points to the three Sergeants, three Sepoys killed, three wounded men.  The Thuggee lost twelve figures, mainly to bayonet drill and dynamite.
Next for the Three Sergeants, Cutter goes treasure hunting across a dodgy rope bridge.