British for Sudan.

I finally completed painting the British Empire's forces involved in the conflicts in Northeast Africa during the late 19th century. This time, I mainly focused on the cavalry but also included the infantry and commanders. All the miniatures are from Perry Miniatures, and the bases are from Warbases.

The original plan was to have one cavalry unit and one dragoon unit, while rebasing the existing cavalry units to the new format, which consists of nine figures per unit, grouped as three figures per base. However, when Caronade came along, I ended up buying a few more figures and then placed an order directly with the Perry brothers. As a result, the project expanded beyond my initial plans. I suppose that's typical!

We'll begin the show with the cavalry. First up is the Bengal Cavalry unit armed with lances. 

The second unit was made up of lance-wielding hussars. I painted three new figures and replaced the lances on the others. During the rebasing process, I also corrected some painting elements, resulting in an entirely new unit of lancers. Additionally, the unit received a new command base. Unfortunately, the officer figure was missing from the set I purchased at one of the shows. I’m not sure if it was lost somewhere in my room or removed from the set during the event. Fortunately, I had an extra hussar figure with a sabre, which I used as the officer.

The third cavalry unit is a rebased Hussar unit equipped with sabres. I made some corrections to the paint used.

The next unit is the aforementioned dragoons, known as the Heavy Camel Brigade. I created a camel-mounted unit, a dismounted version, and an additional group of soldiers guarding the kneeling camels.

We smoothly transitioned to focusing on the infantry. The first unit is the 2nd Infantry Battalion from Bengal. I had two officer figures leftover from my previous painting project, so I decided to purchase an entire unit. This will allow me to create a complete Indian brigade.

I had some leftovers from previous painting projects, including an incomplete infantry battalion. This time, I decided to add a base with commanders, which allowed me to create the 10th Infantry Battalion for my collection. I still have four figures left, so I plan to build one or possibly two more battalions. I'm also considering forming a Scottish brigade!

As my collection expands, I require more commanders to lead these forces. I have added three new commanders to my team.

To conclude this presentation, some additional elements. Journalists. I made myself two bases. They will be an excellent addition to the future games.

Regarding the British Empire forces, I'm taking a long break for now. There will be new figures in this area, including the previously mentioned Scottish Brigade. I've also purchased a few more Mahdist figures, which may make an appearance soon as a diversion between larger projects. For the time being, I’m shifting my focus from land to the sea. Results will be coming soon.

British forces for Sudan.

I’ve added more units to my collection for the Mahdi uprising in Sudan. All the figures are from Perry Miniatures, a mix of plastic and metal. Bases are from Warbases. Before I showcase these figures, I’d like to share a few updates regarding my collection.

I have decided to reduce the number of British battalions from six bases to four. Additionally, each regiment will now consist of two battalions. While I understand this is not entirely historically accurate, regarding units used in Sudan, it effectively doubles the number of units I have for the game. This change also decreases the load on the game table, which I’ve tested and found to work well.

Unfortunately, there was an error in my calculations, and I need to purchase more figures. Fortunately, Carronade is coming up soon, so I’ll be able to fill in those gaps.

Every player I know with a Sudan collection must have at least one unit in red. I needed to have one too, so here is the Yorkshire Regiment.

The next unit is a British unit dressed in khaki. It is not a specific unit, although my Australian units are very similar.

I mentioned Australians regarding the previous unit. This base is designated for their second unit. I still need to purchase officers for them in Falkirk at the beginning of May.

The situation was different with my Marines. In this collection, you can see a mix of metal and plastic figures. The bases for the regular soldiers are Zulu war figures; I replaced their arms but decided to keep the heads since glueing together the Sudanese heads was too labour-intensive. As for the puttees and gaiters, I painted them white. It might be a mistake, but I like the way it looks.

The final unit featured today is the 28th Bombay Infantry. They will also receive a second battalion in the future, and together with the Sikhs of the 15th regiment, they will form my Indian brigade.

Now it's time to provide them with some cavalry reinforcements. To be continued...

The Men Who Would Be Kings: Indian Mutiny.

Gordon had previously prepared a game for a Scottish show and suggested we try it. The game is played with six players, three on each team. The rules are The Men Who Would Be Kings, and the timeline is the Indian Mutiny. I also helped Gordon umpire the game since I was the only one who actually read the rules.

SCENARIO: Gordon Smith
UMPIRING: Gordon Smith, Bartek Żynda

SCENERY: Gordon Smith

FIGURES & MODELS: Gordon Smith

1. Forces.

MUTINEERS

(Bartek, David, Tim)

1st SEPOY BRIGADE

5 x Irregular Infantry

1 x Field Gun

2nd SEPOY BRIGADE

5 x Irregular Infantry

1 x Irregular Cavalry

1 x field Gun

TRIBAL BRIGADE

5 x Tribal Infantry

1 x Tribal Infantry with Siege Gun

1 x Tribal Cavalry

1 x Field Gun

BRITISH EMPIRE & EAST INDIA COMPANY  

(Andy, Jamie, Michael)

FORT BRIGADE

5x Regular Infantry

1 x Field Gun

1st RELIEF COLUMN

5 x Regular Infantry

1 x Regular Cavalry

1 x Field Gun

2nd RELIEF COLUMN

5 x Regular Infantry

1 x Regular Cavalry

1 x Field Gun

2. The Game.

Jimie was responsible for defending the fort against the mutinous Sepoys, led by David and Tim, as well as the tribal warriors supporting them, whom I commanded. Jimie's objective was to hold out until two columns of British troops arrived to relieve the fort and drive out the mutineers. It appeared that neither side had a clear plan in place. 

I chose to support the sepoys, but my primary goal was to loot the fort. Gordon had stored an elephant, cattle, and a group of women inside it. I believed that the insubordinate tribal warriors would be far more motivated by the prospect of treasure than by fighting for freedom or similar ideals.

First, I had to send several units to protect myself from the attack by the British columns. I managed to position two units of tribal infantry in buildings, and with my cavalry, I launched an attack on one of the regular infantry units. To my surprise, I successfully destroyed that unit. Although my cavalry was subsequently targeted and eliminated by the remaining British forces, they managed to halt their advance for a while. Next, the two infantry units, along with one cannon no longer needed by the units assaulting the fort, engaged the approaching relief forces. The British focused on eliminating these units, which delayed their advancement. While this cost me the loss of another unit, I stopped Andy and his column.

On the other side, Tim was engaged in battle with Michael. Michael's cavalry nearly reached the fort gates, but his unit was annihilated beneath the fort's walls. After that, both sides occupied nearby buildings and continued to exchange fire, resulting in yet another column being halted.

Finally,  the fort. Each of us assigned our forces to attack it, but David was able to commit all his forces to the fight. We had a numerical advantage, and the unfavourable positioning of the defending units on the fort walls worked in our favour. For instance, I had a 4 to 1 advantage, while David and Tim had even more. To breach the walls, the attackers needed to pass the “At the Double” test. Three of my units moved in to attack, supported by both cannons. While my field gun inflicted some damage, the siege cannon proved to be ineffective. I needed to roll a 9 or higher to activate firing for that gun, and I only succeeded once throughout the entire game, missing utterly. As a result, the outcome depended entirely on the swords and spears of my warriors. They wreaked havoc on the units defending the fort.

It was the same situation on the other side. Tim, and especially David, climbed the walls and began eliminating the defending troops. While their main goal was to capture the fort, my aim was simply to rob it. Together, we ultimately managed to take over the fort and prepare for defence. Afterwards, I left the fort with all the valuable possessions. The game concluded with a complete victory for the Mutineers. After the game, Gordon admitted that the show game ended with a completely different result, where the British ultimately emerged as the winners. So, congratulations to us!

© Campbell Hardie

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/Seswc.co.uk/posts/1072179341606063

MICHAEL:

To be updated soon...

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720324902501