Battle Report: 6th August 1998

Early Chinese ~vs~ Early British Indian & French

(Rupert Avery ~vs~ Robert Avery) .

Early Chinese
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
	CinC	1					100
1st Imperial	2inC	1					50
Brigade	Tigermen	25	1x25	IrregC	sbm, sw		165
	Musketeers	25	1x25	IrregC	sbm, sw		165
	Spearmen	25	1x25	IrregC	sbm, sw		165
	Archers	25	1x25	IrregC	sbm, sw		165
Unbrigaded	Tigermen	25	1x25	IrregD	sbm, sw		165
Troops	Musketeers	25	1x25	IrregD	sbm, sw		165
Horse	Imperial Lancers	12	1x12	IrregC	sp, sw, sh, mlr		147
	Imperial Lancers	12	1x12	IrregC	sp, sw, sh, mlr		147
	Tartar Skirmishers	12	1x12	IrregD	sp, sw, sh, mlr		111
	Tartar Skirmishers	12	1x12	IrregD	sp, sw, sh, mlr		111
Artillery	2inC	1					50
	Imperial Battery	4	1x4	IrregD	light mlsb FA		287
	Gingals	4	1x4	IrregD	mountain guns		233
	Ammo Wagon	1					50
Villagers	One Spot Flag	30	1x30	IrregD	sp/sw, sh		105
	Two Spot Flag	30	1x30	IrregD	sp/sw, sh		105
	Three Spot Flag	30	1x30	IrregD	sp/sw, sh		105
							2581

.

Early British Indian & French
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
.	CinC	1					100
1st	2inC	1					50
(British)	57th Regt	40	10x4	RegB	mlr		500
Brigade	66th Regt	40	10x4	RegB	mlr		500
	Naval Brigade	24	6x4	RegB	mlr		300
2nd	2inC	1					50
(British)	1st Bengal Foot	32	8x4	RegC	sbm	.	304
Brigade	2nd Bengal Foot	32	8x4	RegC	sbm	.	304
	Ammo Wagon	1				.	50
3rd	2inC	1					50
(French)	Legion Etrangere	36	6x6	RegC	mlr		384
Brigade
							2592

.

.	Chinese	Allies
Foot	4800	4080
Horse	960	0
Guns	16	0

Report

Forces were identical to the previous battle:  with a single unit swap - the French Marines were replaced by an identical unit of Legion Etrangere.

The terrain was also identical, as were the objectives.

The British placed their troops in columns in line facing the fort: with their British troops on the right, the Sepoys in the middle, and the FFL and Naval Brigade on the left.

The Chinese placed their Lancers on the left, supported by a unit of infantry; their Tartar skirmishers on the right, also supported by a unit of infantry; with the rest of their force in the centre. The village levies and artillery would hold the ford; three units of infantry would attack.

On the Allied right, their British troops advanced towards the enemy, but halted in good time to deploy into line and square to face the expected cavalry charge. All four charging horse units were either repulsed or halted (the Imperial Lancers wbeing totally destroyed) and, as the battle ended, the British troops were preparing to advance again.

In the centre, two Sepoy battalions faced two units of Chinese infantry. Both Sepoy battalions deployed into line but, unwisely, their commander decided to charge half of one battalion in column into a unit of Tigermen to cover a further advance into range with their smoothbores.

The column charged forward, but was blown off the field by the Tigermen. Lesson learnt: soften them up more before you charge in!

This proved, however, a temporary setback, as the rest of the Sepoy battalion were able to move forward and rout the Tigermen with fire.

On the British left, the Naval Brigade and half the FFL successfully destroyed or routed the Tartar skirmishers and Archers that charged them.

However, the rest of the FFL unwisely decided to charge a unit of chinese musketeers without softening them up first. A melee developed, and this half of the FFL were overwhelmed. This left the slightly bemused chinese infantry right in the middle of the Allied line not sure what to do next!

Unfortunately, with 8 units routing, the morale of the Chinese was broken, and they retreated: leaving the victorious Allies free to move into the fort and clear the way to Peking.

Casualties

The Allies lost 300 Sepoys; 80 French Foreign Legion and had two sub-Generals lightly wounded.

The Chinese lost 660 infantry and 580 cavalry.

Result

A win for the Allies.

Conclusion

A good, if short, battle: with the Allies using their firepower to good effect, and regretting closing with a mass of good morale swordsmen!