More New Stuff for Indostan

Here are a couple more things for our Indostan game this weekend.

First up is a scratchbuilt palanquin. This thing has bothered me for quite some time, about 4 years actually, and I have already had a shot at building one here, but never completed it, due to its clumsy look. I finally bit the bullet and forgot about being able to fit an actual miniature inside and went with a fully enclosed model instead.

"Sorry gentlemen, I must leave you. My ride is here."

The palanquin is made simply from a foamboard base with thin cardboard sheeting. The supporting "pipe" is made from an ear bud tube, that goes directly through the whole piece. I was able to get the slightly curved roof shape (although it is a little hard to see it) by packing a few extra strips of card down the center of the roof.

The new improved Palanquin 2000

Whenever I set about to build anything my plan usually demands the piece to be versatile, hence I have made the bearers removable. This has two benefits. Firstly the palanquin can also represent a "parked" vehicle and secondly the bearers can be utilised for other projects (I see them carrying a tiger fresh from the hunt between them one day). The bearers, by the way, are Foundry Indian Mutiny figures. The poles are simply toothpicks that have their pointy bits inserted into the palanquin "pipe".

The second piece is a Front Rank ammunition cart. This is a nice model I scored years ago (a pair actually) from a car-boot sale, but like a lot of things has sat unpainted in a box. I'm a big fan of Front Rank and their vehicles are no exception. The cart comes with both a wicker and wooden cover, and includes traces for hitching the draft animals. BIG yoked horses were included in the buy, but of course for Indostan, one must simply demand oxen. They should probably have been painted for use by either the British or the French, in blue or red, respectively, but you know how versatile I like to be.

The wicker...

the wooden...

...and the oxen

The Supply Train

Here is our collection of porters, water-bearers, dhoolies, camels, oxen and our (so far) sole wagon. They are all pictured below in a supply train of sorts with a small British escort and mounted officer. We have two Front Rank four wheeled ammunition wagons and two Front rank medieval wagons to be painted and added to the collection, along with more Foundry oxen and porters. (Click the images to enlarge)

The supply train

Front Rank medieval wagon

Front Rank ammunition wagon

Of particular note is the new cloth they are all on, which I picked up from a Bunnings hardware store. It was the plainest and largest I could find and for $17.95 was pretty good value. It is actually meant to be a painters drop cloth and was even made in India. Authentic! My biggest concern is the uniform color, which compared to our usual sheet is quite obvious. I do hope to remedy the blandness by copying the Lardies' own Sharp Practice tables with sand, grit, stones and Woodland Scenics bits.

Help a Lady!

A special post for Valentine's Day on the fairer sex. The Sharp Practice rules include many instances where ladies can turn up and will obviously require rescuing. I have already shown you Front Rank's fine example of an 18th Century lady here, but having scoured the Net she was one of very few appropriate figures. However I did find and purchase some from Outpost Wargame. The lady is from their Highwaymen range, with a figure both standing and mounted (that doesn't sound quite right - he he). I was a little skeptical about these originally, but after having them painted up for me, I think they came up very well. I opted to add no additional base because the figure comes with a substantial base anyway, just a tad smaller than the washers I use. Adding the washer may have turned them into true Amazons, and as they stand now are a nice mix with our other figures. I bought two standing and one mounted (he, he) ladies. (Click the images to enlarge)

An Outpost Wargame's "Pink Lady" with a Front Rank companion.

An Outpost Wargame's "Blue Lady" with an Old Glory companion.

Outpost Wargame's horses on the other hand are not for me. Although it looks OK in the picture the figure is poorly cast and just looks wrong. Thankfully Front Rank came to the rescue with a beautiful horse that suited the seated (that sounds better) lady well.

An Outpost Wargame's standing and mounted (he he) "Pink Lady" on a Front Rank horse.

I think you'll agree the horse and lady look well together. For completeness I have included an image of the original Outpost Wargame horse along side the Foundry one. The surplus horse will become a dead horse figure or  dog food/glue pot counter.

Front Rank horse (left) and Outpost Wargame horse (right)

Lastly I have tried looking for some parasol bearers for all these pale European types, sweltering under the Indostan sun and have failed miserably. If anyone knows of a good umbrella bearer, please point it out in the comments below. In the meantime I have scratch-built a parasol myself.

Scratch-built parasol and Foundry bearer.

The parasol is made from a tiny washer and greenstuff, with a sleeve and brass rod attached. It was very simple to do and will be easy enough to replicate. The bearer figure is from Foundry's Indian Mutiny range and required a simple bend to position it's arm. Happy Valentine's Day!

Latest Additions

For the last post of the year I thought I'd share with you some of our latest additions to the fight in Indostan. They include both some of Dave's commissioned miniatures as well as a few painted by myself. The British miniatures are all exclusively Front Rank, the Indostani mostly Foundry. A couple have already been shown elsewhere.

We endeavor to have a game this Sunday, the first of the year (and the first of many I hope), so a report should follow shortly. (Click the images to enlarge)

The Governor's retinue

Some new officers, their fifers and standard bearers.

A Royal Engineer crew puts their gun through it's paces

A European Captain watches his Indostani troops on the march

The British are coming!

After what seems like years, Dave has finally amassed enough British redcoats to form a company of hatmen and a half company of grenadiers, in accordance with the Sharp Practice rules. The figures are all from Front Rank, mostly from their Jacobite Rebellion range, a couple of the officers from their SYW range. The native bhisti's and servants are Foundry figures from their Indian Mutiny range, the little boy from Eureka.

To celebrate the company's formation we had a game on Sunday and saw the British in all their glory for the first time. I've quickly thrown together a couple of shots with them formed up. A full AAR of the skirmish to follow these pics soon.

Congrats Dave - they look very proper indeed! (Click images to enlarge)

The infantry company

First half-company close-up

 

Second half-company close-up 

The grenadier half company

A few choice individuals

A selection of figures recently commissioned for the Indostan campaign. They are all characters, mostly British, who will either act as Big Men, scenario goals or just a bit of eye candy. The two British captains are actually Front Rank WSS British officers, but will serve well enough. They are a slightly larger build than their enemy though. All the better to intimidate them I suppose.

The Front Rank civilians are all great figures, I just wish there were more of them. I have found suitable civilian types the most difficult figures to procure, particularly ones representing the fairer sex. The Front Rank lady pictured below is a very nice figure. The poor woman will likely be the key to many "rescue the damsel" games. I better get her a parasol. (Click the images to enlarge)

A couple of British East Indostan officers straight off the ship. They do look keen as mustard. (Front Rank)

An Indostani merchant and his guard (both Foundry) discuss business with a European merchant. (Front Rank)

"Welcome to Indostan, milady. Tobias Snobswallow, at your service." (Front Rank)

Artillery Crew and 6 Pounder

Here is Dave's first British artillery crew. Both the gun and crew are Front Rank and part of their Jacobite Government range. They were commission painted, but I can claim that I at least painted the gun. British might grows, albeit slowly.
The gun does look a little inadequate compared to some of our Indian ones, but you know what they say a large gun makes up for ;). (Click the images to enlarge)