For my Colonial Games using TSATF I like to have a few ‘personality’ figures to add to the games or campaigns over and above the standard units and commanders. An Austro-Hispanic Missionary & Doctor who has done charitable work in Khartoum and Kordofan and is well travelled (South America, India, China). Dr Furtwangler has travelled much of the world doing his missionary work for various Catholic Churches & Societies, and has learned several dialects.
Continue reading “Doctor Ernesto Furtwangler”Tag: 28mm
Fire & Sword Battle 03: The Battle of Baqah al-Garbiyyah Oasis
As Sir Henry’s Column advanced South towards Akasha, he received word of a large Dervish Force from ostensibly friendly locals (but more likely disgruntled Mahdists with a score to settle against the Mahdist force’s commander). As this force was reported a few miles inland from the Nile, at a minor watering hole, Sir Henry felt obliged to turn and approach the Mahdist forces – he could ignore them, being but a day and half’s march from the town of Akasha, but that would allow them to remain behind him on his Lines of Communication, and potentially block reinforcements from reaching him. As a result he turned inland, and his plucky column headed into the desert…
Continue reading “Fire & Sword Battle 03: The Battle of Baqah al-Garbiyyah Oasis”Fire & Sword Turn 03: January 1884
After Turn 02: December 1883 the Anglo-Egyptians luck runs out – the revolt has spread into Western Sudan; Darfur & Kordofan are aflame with Mahdist support and Dara immediately falls to the rapidly growing Dervish Army in Darfur. Even worse El Fasher falls immediately after with the loss of it’s garrison. In Kordofan the expedition heading for El Obeid (2nd Company, XIIth Sudanese Battalion; and 1st Section, B Egyptian Artillery Battery) somehow survive the sudden onslaught, and are not perhaps fully aware of their precarious position.
Continue reading “Fire & Sword Turn 03: January 1884”The Egyptian Army: Sudanese Infantry
A Sudanese Infantry Company (the 1st as you can tell by the Blue Company Flag) – they mostly wear blue uniforms as per the Egyptian winter uniform (or perhaps they are from the XIIth Sudanese who wore a ‘Gendarme’ blue uniform). The Company NCO is in charge of the standard and there is an Egyptian Lieutenant or Captain (or Agha), while the Company Bugler is in somewhat non-regulation dress (he’s actually been requisitioned from the Perry’s Bazinger command pack). The Sudanese Infantry Battalion HQ features a mounted Egyptian Colonel (or Bey); a Veteran Sudanese NCO (or perhaps a trusted irregular scout – with Revolver & Sword and a non-regulation uniform – he’s actually a Perry’s Bazinger figure), an Egyptian Ensign with the Battalion Standard, and the Battalion Musician (another Egyptian, this time a Drummer), the latter two wear Sudan manufactured Brown (or perhaps dark khaki) uniform. Continue reading “The Egyptian Army: Sudanese Infantry”
The Egyptian Army: Fellahin Infantry
Egyptian Infantry Companies (the 4th on right as you can tell by the Yellowy-Orange Company Flag, the 3rd Company having the discoloured White Flag on left), supported by a Section of Artillery. Behind can be seen the Battalion HQ with the Colonel on horseback, and the Green Battalion Flag (of the 3rd Battalion), plus drummer and such. Battalion HQ consists of the mounted Colonel (or Bey), Battalion Senior NCO/Ensign with Standard, Battalion Musician (Drummer), and a fellahin rifleman guarding the colours completes the quartet.
My full Egyptian Infantry force consists of the Battalion HQ, 2 Fellahin rifle companies, and two supporting 6pdr artillery guns (along with 2 companies of Sudanese). All figures are Perry’s including the Krupp 6pdr Light Field Gun. The bases of these figures actually still have some minor work done to complete them (i.e. additional detailing).
Kofler’s “kommt zum Abendessen”
In Kofler’s previous adventure (Kofler “befehle die Marines”) the forces of the Kaiser were endeavouring to suppress the activities of an (apparently large) band of Zanzibari Sklavenhändler – this they were only partially successful in doing, although they did avoid the very angry Rhinos’ who didn’t appreciate their lunch being interrupted by a battle! However things were sufficiently peaceful for the column to return to base and nothing untoward occurred until the news that a German Archaeologist, his Austrian Mistress, and Hungarian assistant, had all gone missing and were apparently being held by a rather disreputable tribe! It would be up to Kofler, Muehlbauer, and company, to come to their rescue!
Mystery Colonial Italian Gun?
Can you identify this mysterious Italian Mountain Gun…? Askari Miniatures produce the illustrated Italian Mountain Gun – and while it is modelled on actual photographs of Italian guns it has not been positively identified exactly what model and calibre the weapon is.
Askari describe it thus: “Italian Mountain gun from the 1890s. Used by the Italian Askari camel and mule-mounted gun companies.“
I am attempting to identify exactly what weapon it is, when it entered service with the Italians (and for how long, i.e. was it still in use in WW1 or even WW2) and whether it may have been used by Nations other than the Italians (if it was for example an exported Krupp or DeBange gun or similar).
Order from the Flag Dude Arrives
My order from The Flag Dude has arrived for my Colonial Troops – I’ve been keen to get this as its the first time I’ve ordered from Rick O’Brien and I was looking forward to seeing first hand what his flags are like – now I can push on and complete my units now and give them their nice new flags. I’ve also taken photos of the Flags on arrival to give people an idea of what they look like!
The following is a random selection of flags I have purchased from Rick O’Brien, the Flag Dude, for my 28mm Colonial Forces. I’ve put these up to give anyone interested a good (but quick) view of some of the flags in a higher resolution than is available on Rick’s site.
Continue reading “Order from the Flag Dude Arrives”28mm Askari Miniatures Figure Comparison
I recently ordered some sample figures from Al Maurer at Askari Miniatures as I was looking at using some of his ranges and wanted to see how they compared with my existing Perry Miniatures & Wargames Foundry figures (that make up the vast bulk of my 28mm Colonial armies), and to get a feel for how they compared to Gerry Webb’s Castaway Arts figs.
Talking to Al about it I also promised to report back to him how they compared, in my opinion, as he advised he hadn’t directly compared them previously since the ranges didn’t really ‘crossover’ (e.g. Perry’s’ Sudan range is 1880’s while Askari’s French & Italians are later, the Italians being in fact 1930’s)…
BC’09 Conclusion: Results & Aftermath
Well what a weekend – we had had two really intense full on challenging battles, one rather frustrating indecisive game, and one very decisive win. As with previous BattleCry events games were generally played in good spirits and the environment was great. The new venue at the ASB Basketball Stadium was fantastic and I look forward to future events being there… Once again Philip and Andrew had the ‘most ancient’ army present, and special thanks to Battleline Miniatures for the competition prizes. Continue reading “BC’09 Conclusion: Results & Aftermath”
BC’09 Round 4: Kushite Egyptians 700BC
Sunday afternoon saw us facing the Kushite Egyptians of Philip Abela and Andrew Hunter. For deployment we placed two very large open fields and 2 roads to try and restrict their terrain placement (see the green & brown areas in the photos below) and force them to deploy in the open. However they were able to get two patches of scrub into their deployment zone and consequently corner sat with their force crammed into less than half the width of the table on the Kushan right. They also had a command off-table which we expected to flank march on on the Kushan right (see photo below) to support that deployment. The Kushite’s also pulled out a Guides Stratagem (again) and placed a hidden track through the scrub on the Kushan extreme right. Continue reading “BC’09 Round 4: Kushite Egyptians 700BC”
BC’09 Round 3: Later Carthaginians 202BC
Sunday Morning saw us facing Andrew “Benny” Bennetts and Al “the Spartan” Donald, running Hannibal’s army from Zama, complete with Hannibal as the Brilliant C-in-C. Cam and I switched roles for the second day, and I’d command 2 fighting Commands and he just 1 plus the baggage. Faced with the Carthaginians mass of Expendable Elephants we were a bit gun shy and we basically had our worst game of the tournament – being both indecisive, excessively complicated in our plan, and overly cautious (although Cam may argue the last game was definitely our worst). Terrain had come down very conventionally with nothing affecting the game other than a convenient piece of scrub in the Carthaginian deployment area (see below). Continue reading “BC’09 Round 3: Later Carthaginians 202BC”