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)

Sudan - Guards battalion in red

Since the start of the Sudan project I have always had it in my plan to do one or two British units wearing their red tunics. this was after all the last colonial war when these were worn, with some units being ordered to change into them for battle. The battle of Ginnis in 1885 was the last time they were worn in battle. So I thought it would be nice to have a few battalions in my army wearing them.

The Sands of the Sudan rules allow for very large units -  it is an old school Grand Manner style set so I thought it was time for a big battalion ,this one to be a guards unit, and who better to have their red coats on. With the recent Perry release of some suitable plastic infantry it offered the opportunity to do a large unit with lots of variety to it. Its 60 figures in close order , a mounted officer , and 8 figures on two open order skirmish bases.

Another feature or lack of  it in the Sudan campaigns was the fact that British units no longer carried any standards in battle. I have followed this for the army overall - but I thought well perhaps just this one might be  nice to have. So I have done a standard bearer as separate figure complete with dog. The army had also moved over to a smaller size flag at this time with changes in the early 1880's -  but hell if I am having one let's make it a big one,  courtesy of a slightly earlier pattern Queens colour from my stash of GMB flags.

Steady lads!

Open order company

The Perry Miniatures plastic infantry box set does give some real variation and life to the unit. Although I think the bayonets won't all survive the first contact with the enemy as they are very delicate. if they were metal and broke I could just solder a new one on, the plastic will be harder to replace - but that's a challenge for another time. However it gives such variety in poses its something worth living with. It took almost two boxes of figures to build the unit - and I still have one box worth left to build - hmm may need another!

I could not resist a black and white shot- for the newspapers!

and I have been playing with some video options too.. I am planning a play by blog game later this year where this technology might be useful.

Sudan - more forces for the Mahdi

The last few weeks has seen work on the remaining forces for the Mahdist armies. - They are very nearly finished - and i do mean completed.

First up is the last batches of foot troops , the final makings from the 20 boxes of Perry Mahdists.They are mixed in with metal casualty and command figures so 140 figures on 8 bases overall.

 These are based on the large 20 x 6cm bases available from Simon Miller at Big Red Bat

 The bigger the army has got , so have the bases - though it gives me lots of options for rule systems etc overall.

 

Next up has been the Mahdist river forces making an appearance with a raiding part on board

 I am not sure where i picked the boat up from. It needed some work to fill in gun ports with milliput , but overall i think it works. I have added magnets to the base of the sail so it easily removable for better storage.

 This takes the tally of Mahdist foot figures to for the collection to over 1000.

and yes more camels - lots more camels. With the complete clear out of the lead pile , 24 Perry camels and riders , and a further 9 "old school" Hinchliffe ones. 

 

Altogether this takes the camel mounted troops to 82 figures , 27 bases worth   - now 100 does seem like a nice "round" number to aim for - and with York wargame show coming up I feel a top up coming on. 

I also recently picked up a Tinywargames arid playmat - just a 6x4 for now to add to the existing home made. I am pretty impressed with it , so took the opportunity to set out most to the Mahdi's troops (i forgot the rifle skirmishers , and had not finished the camels at this point)  - so here is a quick video to give you the view of the size of the force available, 

The last unit of cavalry for the Mahdi is now well under way and it will soon be time to add to the imperial forces again.

New Year new projects - Cold War gone Hot!

As alluded to in the New Year post I have my eye on a couple of new projects. There will be a new man cave in the first half of the year - bigger and better with a large permanent table. With having a larger table I have decided to go for some smaller scale projects , but be able to do larger battles with them.

The first project will be 1980s Europe with the Warsaw pact forces deciding to march westward. I picked these GHQ tanks upon the 80's mostly after they were first released so its good to finally see some progress.

This lot are the the various British - Chieftains, Challengers, Scorpions , Scimitars , Warriors and Rapier launchers.

for now this has used up the unpainted brits , I have Germans , and Americans to do plus a horde of Soviets. I will need to work out some proper orbats etc and pick up the various other bits I need. But its a start

Sudan - Baggage camels from Santa

This is a thank you to my secret Santa , who kindly gifted me a set of the Redoubt baggage camels. You can never have too many of these. This gift was bumped right up the queue and is the first item completed this year.

plenty more dusty stuff to come ...