An Indian Mutiny Variant for Larry Brom's "The Sword and The Flame"

Sword in India
Being an adaptation of Larry Brom’s The Sword and The Flame Colonial rules set, for
use in the Indian Mutiy during the 1850s. The Jackson Gamers assume that you
already know how to play "TSATF". A copy of those rules will be neccesary as the
rules below are in semi-outline form.

The Period
The Indian Mutiny 1857-1859 makes an excellent period for colonial wargaming. The
mutiny primarily involved units of the Bengal army including regular native units of
infantry, artillery, and cavalry. The mutineers were joined by various disaffected
groups of Indian society. The Madras and Bombay native units remain loyal as aid to
the newly raised Sikh and Ghurka units. It is a very colorful period with traditional
uniforms of red, blue or green mixed with various shades of khaki.

One can game set piece battles between regular mutineer armies on one side and
British on the other. There were also numerous small skirmishes, raids, rescues, and
punitive expeditions such as one usually associates with the colonial period.

The forces
The standard TSATF unit sizes still apply. The units can be what ever the gamer
chooses - platoons, companies, or even battalions.

British forces consist of British army forces and units of Europeans raised by the EIC,
loyal sepoys of the Madras and Bombay armies, naval brigade, Sikhs, and Ghurkas.
Units of Sikhs and Pathans irregulars were raised at the time of the mutiny.

The mutineer forces consisted of regular native units of infantry, artillery, and cavalry.
These maintained discipline and often continue to wear their red coats and fly their
old regimental flags. These should be considered regulars. They would assisted by
uniformed units of irregular cavalry and matchlock men raised by Indian princes, and
groups of Hindu or Moslem fanatics. Various rabble or badmashes would join in as
well. These would be units of villagers, idlers in the bazaar, and criminals - in a word,
opportunists.
Movement
Cross On Road Rough Leaderless
Unit type Formation Charge
country Road Charge Terrain to Move
Close or Minus the
British Inf. 2 D6 - 3 D6 - 1-5
Square High Die

March Minus the

British Inf. 3 D6 4 D6 4 D6 5 D6 High Die 1-5
column
Minus the
British Inf. Open order 3 D6 - 4 D6 - High Die
1-5
British Minus the
Any 4 D6 5 D6 5 D6 6 D6 High Die 1-5
Cavalry.
British Minus the
Move & Fire 2 D6 2 D6 - - 1-5
Artillery High Die

British Minus the

Move Only 3 D6 4 D6 - -- 1-5
Artillery High Die

Mutineer Close or Minus the

2 D6 - 3 D6 - 1-4
Inf. Square High Die

Mutineer March Minus the

3 D6 4 D6 4 D6 5 D6 High Die 1-4
Inf. column
Mutineer Minus the
Open order 3 D6 - 4 D6 - 1-4
Inf. High Die

Mutineer Minus the

Any 4 D6 5 D6 5 D6 6 D6 High Die 1-4
Cavalry.
Mutineer Minus the
Move & Fire 2 D6 2 D6 - - 1-4
Art. High Die

Mutineer Minus the

Move Only 3 D6 4 D6 - - 1-4
Art. High Die
No terrain
Fanatics close order 3 D6 - 4 D6 - Penalty
1-4
Minus the
Native
Mass 3 D6 - 3 D6 - 1-3
Rabble Low Die

NOTES:
Ghurkas, Sikhs - As British above.
Loyal Bombay or Madras units, same as British above, but "Leaderless to Move" on 1-4 only.
British or Loyal Mountain guns, same as British Artillery above, but no movment penalty for terrain.
Heavy Guns may not move and fire.

Rally/Charge completion/Stand
Unit type To Rally Charge Stand & Fight
Completion
 W/O W/O
W/Leader W/OLeader W/Leader W/Leader
Leader Leader
British
1-5 1-4 1-5 1-4 1-6 1-4
Troops
Mutineers 1-4 1-3 1-4 1-3 1-5 1-3
Rabble 1-3 1-2 1-3 1-2 1-4 1-2
Fanatics 1-3 1-2 1-5 1-3 1-4 1-3

Major Morale / Critical & Pinned

MORALE - Sum 2 D6s
MAJOR CRITICAL & PINNED
UNIT TYPE To Pass With Without
Morale Leader Leader
British Troops 2-9 2-10* 2-9*
Mutineers 2-8 2-9 2-7
Rabble 2-6 2-7 2-6
Fanatics 2-7 2-7 2-6

*NOTE - Reduce the range if Unit has ever failed to carry all wounded with it. British
Units roll at -2 if wounded were captured by Mutineers, Rabble or Fanatic.
Shooting
Weapon type Range Class I Class II Class III Class IV
British
24" 1-7 1-5 1-4 1-3
Rifles
Mounted 18" 1-5 1-3 1-2 1
Ghurka & Sikh
24" 1-6 1-4 1-3 1-2
Rifles
Mounted 18" 1-4 1-2 1 0
EIC Rifles 24" 1-7 1-5 1-4 1-3
Mounted 18" 1-4 1-2 1 0
EIC Muskets 16" 1-6 1-4 1-3 1-2
Mounted 12" 1-4 1-3 1-2 1
Mutineer Muskets 16" 1-6 1-4 1-3 1-2
Mounted 12" 1-4 1-3 1-2 1
Gingals 24" 1-7 1-5 1-4 1-3
Rabble w/Matchlocks 16" 1-4 1-3 1-2 1
Rabble w/Spears N/A 1-3 1-3 1-2 1-2
Pistol 6" 1-7 1-5 1-4 1-3
Mountain guns Cannister 0-18" 1-7 1-6 1-5 1-2
Mountain guns Ball 0"-30" 1-5 1-4 1-4 1-2
Mountain guns Shell 10"-30" 1-7 1-6 1-5 1-2
Light guns Cannister 0-18" 1-7 1-6 1-5 1-2
Light guns Ball 0-30" 1-5 1-4 1-4 1-2
Light guns Shell 10"-30" 1-7 1-6 1-5 1-2
Medium guns Cannister 0-18" 1-7 1-5 1-4 1-2
Medium guns Ball 0-48" 1-4 1-2 1 1-3
Medium guns Shell 14"-48" 1-7 1-6 1-5 1-2
Heavy guns Cannister 0-24" 1-7 1-5 1-4 1-3
Heavy guns Ball 0-60" 1-5 1-4 1-3 1-3

NOTES:

 British officers with pistols get two shots/turn. Native pistols = one
shot/turn
 EIC stands for "East India company" - formations in India at start of
Mutiny.
 Mountain guns - 4 man crew - roll 2 dice per gunner when firing.
 Light, Medium, Heavy guns - 4 man crew - roll 3 dice per gunner when
firing.
  Mountain,Light, Medium,guns may fire each turn.
 Heavy guns - may fire only on alternate turns.
 Shells (Shrapnel) - roll D6 before firing, On result of 6, fuze not cut
correctly - no damage.
 Mutineer Shells (Shrapnel) - If you wish to penalize the Mutineer
artillery you may change their shell's fuze D6 roll. Roll same as above
except on result of 5 or 6, fuze not cut correctly - no damage.
 No Shrapnel shells for heavy guns
 Gingals - roll two dice per gunner. Slow to load, you may want to allow
fire only on alternate turns.

Close Combat
Defending
On Top Irregular
Charging in Defending Regular
Defending Wall Camel All Mounted
in Close close or
in Square or
Building Cavalry Cavalry Mounted Leaders Leaders
or Mass road or Fort Mounted Mounted
Barricade
column

British,
EIC
& Loyal Win ties +1 +2 -1 +2 +2 +1 - +1 +2
Indian
Infantry
Mutineer
Infantry Win ties +1 +2 -1 +1 Win +2 +1 Win ties +1 +2
ties
& Cavalry
Rabble Win ties - - -2 +1 - - - +1 +1
Matchlock
0 - - -1 Win ties - - - +1 -
Men
Fanatics +1 - - - -1 - - - +1 +1
All
- +1 +2 -1 +2 - - - +1 +1
Gunners