NWF / Sudan - Ghurkas

 Time for a little revisit to the colonial period . This time it is the full unit for my Ghurkas 

They will do duty on the NWF of course , but also they be deployed to Sudan this summer as part of my Indian Army forces . For Sands of Sudan they will be a 48 figure battalion , plus skirmish company -18 figures 

 

The figures are from the Perry Victorias Little Wars range - pretty clean and unfussy - simple to paint .

For the smaller NWF adventures I think they will make 2 x 24 battalions , plus skirmishers . 

I thought I had some suitable sabot bases for the skirmishers , but it turns out I don’t , so it’s a little order to Warbases coming on .

The first of the NWF frontier opposition in the form of Old Glory Pathans are on the desk - amongst a host of other things of course . 

Sudan - Ghurka

 Ok this is a bit of a “what if” addition for the Sudan . I had picked some of Perry Victorias Little Wars Ghurka figures a few years ago so time to get some paint on them . The Ghurka of course didn’t deploy to the Sudan but my take is that otheIndian army units did so it’s a possibility . 

In addition the will of course do duty for the NWF nicely too . I have even ordered some Old Glory Pathans to create a small force for it . 

These are the initial test paint skirmish group . 6 skirmishers . Plenty more to come 

 

 

Sudan - Steamer and Egyptian Battallion

The latest additions completed . First up is the third steamer for the flotilla . It’s based on bits from a resin Grand Manner stern wheel one I picked up a while ago. I built new superstructure from foam board, plasticard and also some printed card bits I had designed using PowerPoint.  It is to represent a vessel from later in the period and has some heavier weapons , a ,12lb , 3lb and 2 maxim guns - these were all sourced from HLBS - nice pieces. I have made it so  the various flags and ensigns are swappable.

the sailors are a pack I had from Pulp Miniatures- very nice sculpts . I also think this one will see duty on some pulp games I am sure.

Next a 48 figure unit for the Egyptian Army . All Perry figures . Just 1 left to do of these now

I just need to do a last sort through the Sudan lead pile boxes to see what I have left to do - its much reduced at least!

Sudan - Egyptian Army top up

Finally back to the Sudan , with a top up for my Egyptians. These have been in the lead pile for a little while - and were going to be painted last winter so its good to get them on the move . So two 36 figure infantry battallions , taking me to 5 . Plus two more Krupp  guns , to give me 4 . These are the Perry miniatures. A pretty simple paint job overall. But its been a while since proper painting with the hot summer and holidays and it was good to give the brushes a good work out.

Next up will be some Sudanese units for the army

Sudan - Skirmishers for the Cameron Highlanders

I have finally finished the last of the tartan, with the completion of the skirmish stands for the Cameron Highlanders. So thats another 6 figures to add the collection.

Pleased to have got these done.

Sudan - Royal Engineers

Engineers are always a good source of scenario fodder I think . Build a bridge, fort, be escorted to some place or other, so I have taken the opportunity to utilise and convert some spare figures. These were Perry gunners left over from the last gun battery. I have added a range of tools into hands (tools from Thormarillion in Germany) having removed the rammers. I also completed two waggons & 4 lots of  stores (bits by Ainsty) sections . The mules for the waggon are by Tiger Miniatures , again left overs from the battery limber teams - all good recycling. The two waggons and loads are by Warbases. I have left them without drivers etc for now as they will do service in other conflicts I think - likewise I will probably revisit the missing traces etc at some point this year.

The Officer of Engineers is an old Connoisseur figure who has gone native , having taken a shine to his tarboosh!

 

 

This will be the last Sudan painting post for a while - as the old man cave is wrappd up as work starts on creating the new and improved one.. 

There will be some more games coming up . I am also booked in to attend the Partizan show in May

Sudan - Australian Artillery Battery

One of the things that I found really interesting about building forces for fighting in the Sudan was the variety of troops the British Empire pulled in to fight in it. The New South Wales government offered its support (LINK) to the imperial cause and an infantry battalion and artillery battery were mobilised. This was to become the first overseas deployment for Australian forces. They did not end up doing much fighting and had only very small losses as the British government abandoned any attempt to overthrow the Mahdi who had taken Khartoum after Gordons death.

Never the less they will still be represented - along with the infantry in due course and I am sure they will participate in some "what might have happened" scenarios. Of course they will also do service in some other colonial campaigns too.

So here I have 3 deployed 9lb guns , 3 open and deployed limbers with 12 crew. The guns are the Perry 9lb set from their new Victoria's little wars sets. - I have replaced the cast metal firing lanyard with thinner twisty rope and soldered this into position so it nicely strong and rigid.

The gun teams have had a lot of work with all the various traces. The rope is made from garden twisty wire - twisted together in a drill - I needed to made 6 feet of the darn stuff to make the 4 traces per teams these were then soldered into place and the wire is coated in solder which makes it rigid.  The riders have had milliput saddles made too. The limbers and horse teams are all by Tiger miniatures . The guns and crew are the Perry 9lb set from their new Victoria's little wars sets. I could have got a ready made limber set from Wargames Foundry , but I have seen it and it looked too small to me - I wanted this to be big! - I know.... I blame the sun....

Well to move your guns you also need limber teams - of which there are 3 teams with 18 horses, 3 limbers , 3x 9lb guns - and 4 riders - there will be 9 riders eventually but due to a lead pile deficiency (hangs head in shame)  I thought - and still think I had some. So anyway I am awaiting on a mail from a manufacturer re sourcing some as part of pack so will just add these as and when I get some figures.  The riders I do have  are a mix of various mounted figures I had lying around.

I enjoyed making these - something different

I managed to get all imperial troops out for a video review too

Sudan - Bashi Bazooks and Mounted infantry

Typically of  course when I came to run the recent battle of El Teb and looked at the OOB there were a couple of small scout/skirmish cavalry units in it. While I could have just used some of the existing units that were not planned to be used I decided to actually get on and paint these up.

These bring a nice splash of colour to the table

I was really impressed with the standard of the casting of these (big improvement Perry - big tick from me)  , and faces are really good. The first 6 completed - I think I will take these up to a 24 figure unit.

I picked up some Boer War Wargames Foundry mounted infantry figures at the York show . They mix in well being sculpted by Perry's anyway - almost near identical bar a different water bottle and kind of rifle - I can live with that. I also found an Empress Miniatures figure in patrol jacket which I just fancied painting up.

Both these units were fielded last weekend - while neither actually ran away - I don't think they did much - but at least they are now blooded!

Sudan - Major Kitchener

It is great getting to the point in a large project where you can indulge yourself with oddball bits and pieces. I have over the last few years acquired a number of reference books and frequently take inspiration for thing to do from them - this little addition is one of them.

Major Kitchener was one of the most brilliant intelligent officers of his era fluent in local languages. He spent the winter of 1884-5 criss crossing the Sudan by camel with his guard of  'Ababda Bedouin (I need to make a small unit of these yet) scouting out the way for the Gordon Relief column. He eventually rose up the army ranks and led the reconquest of the Sudan in 1898, becoming Kitchener of Khartoum , Earl Kitchener and on to become the face on the WW1 recruitment posters. Of course like most famous British Generals he was Irish!

The rider is a Perry Bashi Bazook figure with old long musket. 

The camel is a Perry British Camel Corps one with milliput saddle/cloth added. I remade the rein with garden twisty wire and soldered it into hand and onto the camel head bridle

I think his services will be useful when it comes to any large game for scouting the enemy positions.

The original inspiration for this one.

Sudan - Indian Army units & York show

I finished the final unit I needed for the Indian army brigade that was was involved in the Sudan. The unit is the 17th Bengal Infantry the Loyal Poorbeah. Its made up from Perry metal figures and has them with covered turbans. It is 60 figures in close order, two separate officers and a mounted officer. Nice simple khaki colour scheme.

The entire brigade consists of the 15th, 17th and 28th Bengal supported by the Queens Own Madras Sappers and Miners.

The full brigade in square watching our for the Fizzy Wuzzies.

Last weekend also saw an attendance at Vapnartak the York show - the first of this years.  I will be at Hammerhead in early March with the Sudan game coming up too.

As the lead pile has been significantly reduced I did I have a bit of stock up. I picked up more terrain items, some hills which just need a bit of PVA and sand adding to match my existing ones. A ready made set to make up a wadi , and some more wall bits. I stocked up a few figures for the last Camel Corp regiment (Mounted Infantry), some Bashi Bazouks and figures suitable for crewing a paddle steamer. I picked up a few books as well.

the Wadi sections about 7 feet altogether

Vac form hills , and ready made ones

Figures and some tokens to use as markers 

Yes that does mean a future Zulu project!

A good day out , meeting up with various friends through the day. Next weekend sees a full days gaming with the Sudan collection in use for the battle of El Teb

Sudan - Last of the Baggara cavalry and the army completed.

ts been a week of horseflesh and riders (well the horses were done 3 weeks ago with oils) to complete the FINAL (honest....) unit for the Mahdist forces. This is 39 Baggara cavalry and a mounted commander to add to the existing 32 - so a total of 72 cavalry.

they are all Perry miniatures. Each of the spear carriers has had a flattened sharpened short spear soldered in the riders hand to make them more durable as the supplied spear is way too bendy and thick. So these lads have a tendency to "bite" you - or get stuck up your finger nail if you don't treat them with respect!

All 72 together :-

and the whole army completed over the various winter challenges  all laid out...

and a short video review of it. 

This completes the Mahdist forces. This will let me run multiple simultaneous battles , or really increase the figure scale for a large one.

I still have lots of different options still do to for the Imperials, Egyptian and Sudanese units which will keep me busy for a while.

The battle of 2nd EL-Teb is planned for the weekend after next using Black Powder rules (a first run out using these for me)