An Inciting Incident in Jhamjar!

 In Spring 1919, tensions are rising in the Princely State of Jhamjar. In the market town of Marm-el-Mahdi, a protest is planned in the plaza in front of the residency of the British Resident (aka the senior official of the British Raj in Jhamjar).  Unknown to the British, however, there are some serious troublemakers working to ensure that this protest does not remain peaceful!

This was played out as a multi-player game using Fistful of Lead.  Arthur took the role of Lt F.Ocker, the angry Australian in charge of the British forces at the Residency, and Legion played his assistant Sgt A.Shoal.  Each of the British teams had 4 privates in addition to the leader.  Colin took the protesters - the protest leader Marmiti Ghundi and five mobs of 4 protesters.  Kevin played the rebel Noor Chutneya and her guerillas:  her big bodyguard and three snipers with obsolete firearms.  And Jim was Jemadar Amay Singh of the Jhamjar Rifles - not quite involved with the protesters, but not part of the British forces either.

A view of Marm-el-Mahdi.  The Residency is the white building with the green trim.

Market day goes on regardless of the protest!

Lt Ocker was given a special rule, 'Read the Riot Act' which allowed him to put 1 shock on each of 1d4 bases of protesters if he passed a regular (5+) skill test.  In addition, soldiers were allowed to use rifle butts as clubs with -1 on the wound roll but any wound would add one bonus shock.  Any protester mob with more shock than members automatically disperses.  To counter the Riot Act, Marmati Ghundi had the trait Encouraging: For one action, may remove all shock from a single mob within 12”

In my naïve ambition, I thought there would be some back and forth as the British tried to impose shock on the protesters to disperse them.  Naturally, things unfolded differently :)   

All the military groups had the special rule, 'Wait for it...'  The intent was to allow soldiers to all act together - for example, to advance/move as a unit - but it turned out not to be a popular rule.

Wait for It: leader can command all team members to act together on same card.  The team still receives all cards as normal but the entire team acts on the same card. All team members must take the same action. For special cards (Queen, Jack, 7, 2) only one model gets the benefit. Exception is 6 – all models can reload if appropriate.

The game started with Frank Ocker gamely trying to read the riot act.  A reasonable start, but the mob immediately attacked the British soldiers, and any chance for a peaceful solution was gone!

Note the British Resident standing on the balcony.  He was an NPC, and was going to duck for cover as soon as things kicked off.  This didn't work out either, in the very first shot of the game, a rebel sniper hit him at long range and in cover, and the wound roll was a kill!  (10 followed by a 10, although the sniper rule which allows a reroll for a missed shot helped).

There was some brutal fighting at the entrance to the Residency.  The mobs battled against the outnumbered British soldiers, who desperately held their ground.  Arnie Shoal's team meanwhile were unable to help as the doorway was blocked.

A rebel sniper looks for a target.

A group of protesters climbs the Residency wall and starts to throw rocks at the soldiers inside.  Rocks were 6"/12", -1 on wound roll.

Hearing gunfire and other noise from the riot, Jemadar Amay Singh and his Jhamjar Rifles move toward the Residency to investigate.

Ocker's men continue to resist the protesters.  Rated as grunts, a single wound is enough to knock one out of the fight.  However Marmati Ghundi made good use of his encouraging trait to remove shock and keep the remaining protesters in action.

Meanwhile more of the protesters have scaled the walls of the Residency, chasing the soldiers inside the main building.  I'd just like to point out the flag carried by the protester in the foreground, which is inspired by the Calcutta flag first unfurled by Indian nationalists in 1906.

Inside the main building:

Meanwhile, at the gate, Jim demonstrated uncharacteristic restraint.  Uncharacteristic for Jim, that is, but now a defining feature for Amay Singh!  His Jhamjar Rifles moved between the protesters and the wounded soldiers, rescuing them and moving them to safety.

A better view of the Calcutta flag as the protesters try to enter through the windows.

The defending British soldiers are wounded and shocked (helmets on rifles each indicate a shock marker).  Lt Ocker blazes away with his revolver at Ghundi, killing him, and with that the remaining protesters lose heart and disperse.

Her task achieved, Noor Chutneya and her accomplice sneak away through the market.

And Jemadar Amay Singh transported the rescued soldiers to safety.

What will happen next?  This day's actions are going to have significant repercussions.  What will be the British response, what next actions will the rebels take, and what side will the Djelli of Jhamjar end up on?