The Sikh Army in 15mm

 

Above, two units of armoured Gorchurra.  This is the Sikh nobility heavily invested in the continuance of the Sikh State. Equipment apart they fought in exactly the same fashion as the less wealthy Gorchurra.

We see them again with their less well armoured compatriots.   

My first brigade of Khalsa Regulars, four battalions in all. Depending on where and when Khalsa Regulars might be rated as Veteran, Drilled elite or Recruit Elite.  Exceptionally, like the Sikh Brigades at Mudki, Veteran Elite.

My second Khalsa brigade comprising of three battalions.

My third brigade of Khalsa Regulars.  Four battalions. 

I have nearly enough figures for another battalion. Well, maybe I will bring them up to strength later on.

I have three brigades of Sikh Regular Cavalry raised and trained on the French Model.

Sikh Regular Cuirassiers above.

Sikh Regular Lancers with supporting Horse Artillery.

Sikh Regular Dragoons.  I need to glue on a couple of flags detached during re-basing.

Something different here.  Akali or Nihangs religiously devoted warriors.  Three units.  The black and red bordered flag is historically attested.

The sort of force that might turn out to defend their locality.  Ordinary farmers who could shoot and handle a sword.  Note the guns.  The Punjab didn't lack for ordinance.

More Gorchurra.  Note the supporting Camel gunners. I'm rating them as ultra light guns.

Another assembly of Sikh Levies above.

A closer look at the unarmoured Gorchurra above and below.

Last, but certainly not least the Sikh Regular Artillery.

Two batteries, tubes cast in Lahore.  

The excellent Sikh gunners were in fact Moslems.  The Sikh State was multi confessional.

And, bar an elephant or three to pull the guns, that's it.  Oh, I have some bullock teams on order too. 

Now we need to try them out.

An Anglo-Sikh Wars Appendix for Republic to Empire

 

Here are some suggestions to enable you to use Barry Hilton’s Republic to Empire to game the battles of the Anglo-Sikh Wars.  These deal with Sikh Gorchurra, Akali, Matchlock men, Artillery, British infantry fire-power and more.

You can find the rationale for much that follows in my various articles on the Anglo-Sikh Wars posted on this blog.  Should Republic to Empire not be your cup of tea I hope you will still find the following of interest.  

Above, my final unit of Khalsa Regulars. The following pic's are the newest and last ones of my Anglo-Sikh Wars Collection. Yes, it is really finished-apart from some artillery elephants.

Traitor Generals

Should the Sikh General prove to be a traitor double cost of all MPs for Sikh Brigade Actions.  Roll a D6 on a score of 1 the General is a traitor and is removed from the Battle Field. I see a possible application here for India 1857 in respect of Sepoy units without a General Officer Commanding.

Cold Steel Assaults

Senior British Commanders liked to assault with cold steel.  Roll a D6, on a score of 6 two British Brigades enter the battle unloaded.  On a score of 5, one British Brigade does so.  Such brigades can only fire after their first attempted charge home.

Cavalry v Cavalry Broad Strokes

British and Indian regular cavalry fight Sikh regular cavalry as written in Republic to Empire.

Gorchurra and Indian irregular cavalry fight each other as written in Republic to Empire.

The Gorchurra

Gorchurra move as light cavalry in column of march and fight in column of squadrons.

Gorchurra are never disordered by melee.

Before melee they shoot, throw a D3 the result is the number of shooting dice.

Range is point blank.

Any casualties caused make opponents do an officer casualty check.

Armoured Gorchurra count as cuirassiers in melee.

British and Indian regular cavalry will pass through the Gorchurra post melee regardless of the combat result.

Gorchurra may then turn to face at a cost of 1mp.

Add Resolve Check minus to Gorchurra if under artillery fire.

Indian Irregular Cavalry

Indian Irregular Cavalry move as light cavalry in column of march and fight in column of squadrons.

Some Indian Irregular Cavalry shoot, if so equipped, throw a D3 the result is the number of shooting dice. Measure for range.

Indian Irregular Cavalry are never disordered by melee.

Add Resolve Check minus to Indian Irregular Cavalry if under artillery fire.

 

British regular cavalry

British regular cavalry, except charging Lancers, fight as disordered against Gorchurra. 

Post melee British regular cavalry measure their outcome move from the point that they passed through the Gorchurra.  That is, immediately behind the Gorchurra and facing the same direction of their initial charge.

Indian regular cavalry

Indian regular cavalry count, -2 on the Resolve Check Procedure if ordered to charge Gorchurra.

If an Indian regular cavalry unit refuses to charge, but holds position, they may shoot, throw a D3 the result is the number of shooting dice. Measure for range. 

Indian regular cavalry, except charging Lancers, fight as disordered against Gorchurra. 

Artillery

The Sikh regular artillery outperformed its British counter parts.  Rate Sikh regular artillery as veteran. British as trained.  There is good evidence from 1857 that Sepoy Artillery outshot and were more accurate than their British equivalents. So perhaps British Native Artillery should be rated as the Sikh artillery.  Sikh Irregular artillery as trained or recruit.

Matchlock Men

Sikh irregular foot using matchlocks or jezails shoot as Recruits.  This reflects the slower loading and various ranges of their firearms.

In combat they gain the “Pike” bonus and, as they are never disordered by melee, keep it.

British Regular Infantry

British infantry fire power was impressive.

Conditions in India often were not ideal.

The heat was hard upon the British infantry. Forced marching doubly so.

Sometimes their Generals threw them into combat without adequate rest and refreshment.

After deployment throw a D6. 

On a score of 1,2,3 the British infantry gain a D3 result of extra shooting dice as written in Republic to Empire.

On a score of 4,5,6 they do not.

I'm not applying this to Sepoy units.

Khalsa Infantry and Artillery

Khalsa Infantry and Artillery gain a D3 result of additional dice in the first round of melee.

Akali

Akali warriors should be Guard or Veteran.

They may shoot, throw a D3, the result is the number of shooting dice available. Measure for range.

In combat they gain the “Pike” bonus and, as they are never disordered by melee, keep it.

Where next on this?  We are going to see both armies and then a try out game.

 

The Bengal Native Light Cavalry in the Anglo-Sikh Wars

 

We are back with Lou Nolan today.  In pursuit of his objective-the reform of the British cavalry- he sheds much light on things we want to understand.  We can note, Nolan could not play fast and loose with the facts.  His audience was professionally, and often personally informed and he had to take them with him.

We can take Nolan at his word.  He does nod to the Imperial pieties of the time.  He could do no other.  Yet, for Nolan a man was a man regardless of race or religious affiliation.  By man I mean soldier, for we do not know Nolan’s views on wider humanity.  Let us see what he wrote about the Bengal Native Light Cavalry.

"The Sikh war showed clearly — had any proof been wanting — how useless the Indian cavalry was when organised on the English model ; whilst, at the same time, brilliant proofs were given of the superiority of the irregulars, armed with sharp swords, and having a proper command over their horses."

Clearly something had gone very wrong. Nolan knew why it had. First he tells us the requirements for an effective cavalryman.

 " A cavalry soldier should find himself strong and firm in his seat, easy in his dress, so as to have perfect freedom of action, and with a weapon in his hand capable of cutting down an adversary at a blow."

The Bengal Native Cavalry did not meet the spec' and Nolan tells us why.

" There is scarcely a more pitiable spectacle in the world than a native trooper mounted on an English saddle, tightened by his dress to the stifihess of a mummy, half sufi'ocated with a leather collar, and a regulation sword in his hand, which must always be blunted by the steel scabbard in which it is encased."

 " This poor fellow, who has the utmost difficulty in sticking to his saddle and preserving his stirrups, whose body and arms are rendered useless by a tight dragoon dress, and whose sword would scarcely cut a turnip in two, is ordered to charge the enemy : and if he fails to do what few men in the world would do in his place, courts of inquiry are held, regiments disbanded, and their cowardice is commented upon in terms of astonisliment and bitterest reproach. This is truly ridiculous : the system and not the men is to be blamed"

"If a soldier of undoubted courage finds himself seated in a slippery saddle with long stirrups, cramped by tight clothes, and a sword in his hand that is good for nothing, he will hesitate, nay, more, he will refuse to charge an enemy, for if he does he goes to almost certain destruction."

Look at the picture at the top of the page. The slippery saddle, long stirrups, tight fitting clothes and blunt sword are all there. Nolan thinks the troopers are brave but ill equipped to achieve anything in combat. 

He thinks they refused to charge or ran away because they knew they had been fatally handicapped. And, refuse to charge or run away they did.  Sometimes, by way of good will, they fired their pistols first.

 Here is what Nolan gives us examples of fights with the Gorchurra. 

"The Second. — The cannonade had not been of long duration, when a body of Sikh horsemen moved to Sir Joseph Thackwell’s left flank, as if to get into his rear. He now ordered the 5th Native Light Cavalry (three squadrons), and the Gray squadron of the 3rd Dragoons (Unett's), to charge and disperse them.

 "The gallant General had a lively recollection of what a few squadrons of British dragoons eff'ected in the Peninsula against the French, and reasonably entertained the expectation that the force would prove sufiicient to drive back the Sikh irregulars."

"It was his intention to have advanced the few men left at his disposal, namely, the remaining squadron of the 3rd Dragoons and 8th Light Cavalry (native), on Outar's force, as soon as the success of the other charge became manifest. The charge was sounded, and Unett's squadron, in line and the 5th Native Light Cavalry, approached the enemy. The Sikhs commenced a desultory matchlock fire."

Let us note the Gorchurra tactic of firing from the saddle.

Unett steadily advanced, but the 5th, put into confusion by this reception, went about and fled in the greatest precipitation, in spite of the most earnest entreaties of their officers, of whom several received wounds.

 

I'm inclined to think the Gorchurra shot at the 5th's British officers, with some sucess.  The 5th Bengal Cavalry then ran away before the onset. 

"The 3rd, forcing their way through the hostile ranks, never pulled rein till they had got some distance beyond the enemy. Unett, who was severely wounded, found his men sadly dispersed."

As we have seen before the 3rd Dragoons rode through the Gorchurra taking casualties on the way.  They don't stop until they are well clear. Any unit cohesion is gone.  Worse, they now have to get back.

"The few men around him (Unett), with clenched teeth, essayed to cut their way back. The Sikhs opened out and, giving the dragoons a passage through them, abused, spat, and cut at them.

The other parties, under their officers, the gallant Stisted and Macqueen, repassed the enemy as they could."

"The casualties in this (Unett’s) squadron were not less than forty-six."

This may have represented near a third of the squadron's strength.

"The suspense of every one was great ; Sir Joseph himself became apprehensive that the squadron was annihilated."

There we have it.  The Bengal Native Cavalry ran away intact.  The identically equipped British stuck to it and were punished for their ardour.  The Gorchurra were still there.  Note what they had done, fired, opened up, fought and turned to face. Fought again.

We have more to consider:

"It was incontrovertibly proved at this (Rumnugger) and other subsequent actions that the troopers of the light cavalry have no confidence in their swords as effective weapons of defence. It would have been difiicult to point out half-a-dozen men who had made use of their swords. On approaching the enemy they have immediate recourse to their pistols, the loading and firing of which form their sole occupation."

Charles Napier had this to say.

" That such want of confidence must very seriously impair the efficiency of regular cavalry may be easily imagined. Very few natives ever become really reconciled to the long seat and powerless bit of the European dragoons."

We can summarise then, for the reasons Nolan and compatriots recount, the Company's Regular Indian Cavalry could do no good service against Gorchurra on the battle field.

We will have a closer look at how well the British cavalry did against the Gorchurra. By now you have some idea of what to expect.  The British Irregular Indian cavalry had great sucess fighting the Gorchurra, we must look at that too. 

Reading Nolan has inclined me to re read Amipal Singh-Sidhu's two volumes of the Anglo-Sikh Wars. I am sure what we have learned will allow me to gain a greater understanding of how those battles were fought.  I will report back.