Wargamers who have enjoyed the other books in the series should checkout Bernard Cornwell's latest book in the Sharpe Chronicles, Sharpe's Tiger. While the book has a strong element of intrigue, it also focuses on the John Company campaign against mysorein 1799 which culminated with the siege and capture of the Tippoo's capitol, Seringaptam.

Richard Sharpe is a private in the light company of the 33rd Infantry. He must choose between a suicide misson or probable death by flogging.

The Tippoo, the Moslem ruler of Hindu Mysore, employed European tactics, much like the Sikhs, and had French advisors. His elite infantry were the Tigers whose elaborate uniforms included black and yellow or orange tiger striped short coat (similar to a zouave jacket by the description). Sadly there are no illustrations on the jacket of the Tigers. The Tippoo also made use of native cavalry to augment his regular lancers. He was also very fond of artillery and rockets. He had filled the walls of Seringaptam with every gun he could lay hands to and massed produced rockets. There was also a small French battalion on hand, its numbers being increased by other European mercenaries and English deserters.

For the wargamers the book offers a variety of campaign or battle scenarios. Napoleonic fans will find a different sort of clime and foe to pit their Redcoats against with the added bonus of having Wellington as one of the commanders. Arthur Wellesley was the officer commanding the33rd but had been breveted to command the brigade that the 33rd "Havercakes" formed with two Indian regiments. With some adaptations the battles could just as well be used in the latter part of the 19th century.

The book's military operations and actions include: information on the size of the siege train and supply column, set-piece battle at a cross-roads, ambush of a small cavalry detachment by a larger mounted force, a night battle to take a forested tope (hillock) that has an obstcle aqueducts running on its north and west sides, cavalry sorties before the walls, and a siege and final assault of Seringaptam.

Sharpe's Tiger is a fun read if you're interested in India, colonial armies, the "great game", this particular era or the character, Richard Sharpe. I only caught Cornwall in what I thought were a couple of anachronism or mistakes. (1800 would not be the beginning of a new century but the end of one.) I found his swift change of point of view character and his omnipresent, omniscient writing style annoying at times. I recommend it despite those disclaimers.

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