Colonial Crossover Figures

[Bart of the North]

Greetings,

I made a rather sizeable purchase of figures for the 2nd Anglo Boer War this past spring.  The middle of last week I finally got off my duff and started to do something with them.  I cranked out about 300 British foot between Tuesday and Saturday and am now immersed in 400 Boers which should be done by the end of this weekend.  Easy figures to deal with and I'm keeping the details minimal (wargame quality) and I think my work here is fairly acceptable for that.  I hope to have enough done to do Magersfontein at 1:20 by the end of next month.  I've attached a few pics of the the Brits I've started with.

I'm pleased at how fast they paint up, that I'm already thinking of doing Maiwand or even a campaign for the 2nd Anglo Afghan War and/or something in the 1890's.  The Afghan range looks complete enough but I was wondering what figures folks are using for the British and Indian forces as crossovers to fight either of these conflicts.  I suppose that I could use the 2nd Boer war Brits, or NW Frontier Brits and Indian foot or are the Zulu War foot better?  Cavalry is really the bigger question for me.  I see that there are some Indian mounted figures in the WW1 range but I haven't seen them.

I'm not a rifle type stickler, kits are a bit more important but I guess head gear is the biggest deal for me as this is what you see first with figures on the table and there are several turban styles seen in photos and paintings for sure.  The Afghan range is definitely calling to me but before I start on that path I would like to hear what others have done or are doing for the other side.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Tim

[FierceKitty]

I'm going to go the other route for Boer War stuff; just a tiny handful of Boer Kommando troops with a couple of great big guns, and redcoated Brits to sting to death (in theory). I really can't get excited about large battles in those wars, myself.

[Bart of the North]

I found it difficult for the longest time for the 2nd Boer war as well.  I love the history but the game-ability  was rather marginal.

The Boers are hidden so you don't get to put most of the figures you've painted out on the table and the Boers usually win unless the Brit players act in an historically inaccurate adept manner.  I found an older (2002) set of rules that got me a bit jazzed. 

By Jingo by Real Time Wargames.   They're a short read and designed for 10mm gaming.  No eye candy but some novel concepts. The players are all Boers and the Brits are semi-robotic (which is pretty accurate).   This lets you put all of the figures out on the table and in plain view.  I think it will make for an interesting way to campaign the early war with some random set ups while sticking with historical numbers.  I think I can come up with a prestige points system that will pit the players off so they will have to walk a razors edge not to let their comrades come off too well while at the same time not lose the overall battle.  The campaign will really be fought between the players to come out as the top leader.

All talk though.  We'll see how it comes off in reality in the coming months.  I'm thinking the bases can also telescope down for smaller actions from 1 stand to 4 stands per company and other rules such as Battles for empire can be used there.

Tim

[FierceKitty]

I'll look forward to your posts after some play testing.

[Techno]

Excellent work Tim !!
They look really great !
Cheers - Phil.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Wow, great speed and details! 

[nikharwood]

I'll look forward to your posts after some play testing.

Likewise - does sound an interesting take on this period.

Nicely painted too 

[Rothgar68]

Nice work!

[Dickie255]

I was wondering what figures folks are using for the British and Indian forces as crossovers to fight either of these conflicts.

I've found that all Brits. figures for the Colonial period fit well with each other and if you dip into the WW1 range (Western Front, Middle East etc) you can increase your choices even further. I decided on the 1890's period  where you can have your plucky Imperial army fighting on the NW frontier, the South African veldt,the sands of the Sudan and rice fields of China. In addition to those scenarios there were plenty other little wars that can indulge your colonial army in (like fighting the Tibetans) . It's just a question of arranging your opposing forces. 

In regards of the Brit. figures there are only minor differences in between back packs for the Boer/NWF range. The WW1 Indian troops go well into the Afghan war with only a slimmer rifle than the martini henry of the NWF Indians     

[Bart of the North]

Thanks for the lead.  Also found the pics you have of them.  Very Nice. 

Finished about 400 Boer figures the last several days but ran out of bases.  Here's a couple of shots of Z.A.R.P. on a ridge line that I can did manage to mount.  I can almost see the highlanders laying in the rocks below aiting for the sun to set while the backs of their legs blister.

[FierceKitty]

I can almost see the highlanders laying in the rocks below aiting for the sun to set while the backs of their legs blister.

Laying whom? Highlanders are chaste and virtuous people (when someone's shooting a Mauser at them and there's a scorpion in their sporran, anyway). We seldom get laid on the battlefield.

[FierceKitty]

Which is both good and bad as far as I'm concerned. If my chaste and virtuous grandfather had been up for a bit of how's your father in action, I might have had an Italian passport today (good), or a Libyan one (less good).

[Bart of the North]

The Highlanders I've know have always gotten better action than I'll ever see.  That damn accent drives them crazy in Canada.

[Dickie255]

Nicely painted Boer figures. I'll look forward to the photo's of the Scots

[FierceKitty]

The Highlanders I've know have always gotten better action than I'll ever see.  That damn accent drives them crazy in Canada.

It's just that people are curious about what is worn under the kilt. Go around in a skirt and you too will get a lot of attention.