Sepoy Siege

A siege scenario as the British and their Sepoys try to force their way into a city before native reinforcements can turn up. Most of the game consisted of bombardment and digging defences. Jim as the defenders, Tel as the attackers.

From Furness Wargamers in Shakos

After a period of battery on battery artillery duelling, which eventually forced the Indian heavy guns off the wall, the building of the siege lines outside the city began in earnest, with the first line constructed just within range of the walls as the British attempt to create a breach.


The guns slowly pounded at the walls, with multiple 'buckets of dice' being thrown to represent the day long barrages. Meanwhile, after a couple of days, the first line is completed and saps put in to allow progress on another defensive line closer to the walls.

After about four days of concentrated fire onto the walls, and with reports of Indian reinforcements approaching,  a breach finally occurred, to reveal an hastily constructed 2nd wall behind it which in turn soon fell to bombardment as well.

The assault commenced early the next morning, but the approaching units of British came under fire from Indian artillery that had been repositioned back onto the ramparts.

The British Infantry should have hung back in the trenches for a couple of rounds and try and let the artillery inflict some damage to the guns on the ramparts, as well as help to clear it of musketeers. In the end the forces that could be committed through the breach was greatly eroded by the incoming fire on the approach.

The breach itself was guarded by a unit of light artillery with a massed horde of defender immediately behind.
Despite the close range artillery the British still managed to roll their morale to contact, but with the weight of numbers against them, they failed to take the city and are forced to break off.

The Sepoys were uncommitted but it was doubtful that they could break through the inner defences on there own. If they did have to attempt it, then it would be without the whithering fire that the first wave had endured; as the British artillery had finally managed to have an effect on their opposite number.

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