Game 2
Richard Goyder: Mahratta Confederacy. Objective: defend the mountain passes.
Mike Buttle: Mysore. Objective: force the passes.
The Mysorean army, with a higher proportion of regular troops, formed in a compact mass astride the central road. The Mahrattas, on the other hand, were spread relatively thinly between the four possible crossing points.
The Sultan of Mysore gave the order, and his troops advanced. Two cutcheries (brigades) side by side, consisting of no less than 20 risalas (battalions) of trained infantry, marched forward with drums beating after the European fashion. Meanwhile, the Mahratta regulars deployed to block them, while sweating gunners moved their heavy guns into place.
On the Mahratta left flank, a huge cloud of irregular light cavalry rode forward, outflanking the advancing Mysore host, intent on finding an opening through which to pour. They were to be disappointed, for a reserve cutchery of five mokums (regiments) of regular Mysore cavalry wheeled into position before them. For a long while, the two mounted forces jockeyed for position. At last the Mysoreans charged. The Mahrattas evaded. The two sides rallied. This performance was to be repeated several times, with no actual contact between the two opposing forces.
In the centre, the Mysorean 2nd Cutchery launched its assault on the pass. The Mahrattas here, under the eye of their commander, consisted of the vaunted Arab fanatics, the Sidis, and a force of Sikhs, supported by a compoo (brigade) of regulars. There were also many guns, which tore great holes in the Mysore ranks as they approached. At last, the Mysoreans closed to musket range. Volleys were exchanged, in a manner reminiscent of a European battlefield. A battalion of Sikhs broke and fled, but the Mahratta guns continued to exact their toll. Some Mysore risalas began to fall back out of the line. Sensing this, the Sidis charged. Unexpectedly, the Mysoreans rallied, pouring fire into the Arabs, who faltered and ran. For a moment, it seemed that new heart had entered the Mysore regulars, but it was not to last. With casualties mounting, the battered cutchery was forced to fall back, leaving a battery of guns to be captured.
Meanwhile, the larger 1st Mysore Cutchery had veered to the left, ordered to assault the furthest left of the four passes; as it transpired, the most heavily defended. Again the Mysoreans were lashed by the fire of numerous guns before they closed the range, and again they advanced doggedly through the fire. The regulars were supported by a mass of irregular silhadari horse, which was opposed by a group of similar Mahratta light cavalry. The two masses of horsemen approached each other and then, in a shameful episode the like of which your correspondent has never witnessed before, proceeded to exchange nothing more deadly than insults and rude gestures until the fighting elsewhere had ceased.
As the cavalry taunted each other, the battered Mysore regulars advanced to close range and proceeded to trade musket volleys with the Mahratta Compoo facing them. As casualties mounted, the Mysore superiority in numbers began to show, and while several risalas could be seen disintegrating under the intense fire of musketry and heavy artillery, the Mahratta compoo seemed to be withering faster. In desperation, the Mahratta commander ordered forward his irregular foot, a large, if ragged, band armed with a large variety of weapons, some of an extremely primitive nature.
Despite the dubious effectiveness of the Mahratta irregulars, the Mysoreans were sufficiently cowed by the sight of fresh enemy troops to fall back out of range, to the great relief of the surviving Mahratta regulars.
| Points | Mahratta | Mysore |
|---|---|---|
| Casualties | 16 | 10 |
| Colours captured | - | 10 |
| Guns captured | 5 | - |
| Objectives | 20 | - |
| Total | 41x1=41 | 20x2.5=50 |
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