31 March 2016

All is well...

A reprise of the 21st Lancers looking for the enemy..."They're behind you!"


Thanks to those who gave me the advise on being able to rectify the tear in the Sudan plane of existence and revert to exclusively COLONIAL posts on this particular blog.  Thank goodness for you clever folks indeed who helped me open, edit, copy and paste.  I could have sworn I had tried that however...alls well that ends well.

Sudanese X battalion awaits orders


So what better way to celebrate than to post a few photos which may have not been put up on the blog before, or if they have, deserve a second showing.
  
Despite popular belief the red coats were occasionally STILL trotted out during the Sudan campaigns, often
to impress the enemy troops they were about to fight.  Here some skirmishers get ready to "stick it up 'em".


Jihadinye Rifles take on skirmishing foot from the 28th Bombay Infantry Regiment

On the painting table at present I have the Naval Brigade following a fresh coat of varnish and a tidy up of their basing as well as a few more older Connoisseur Beja "Fuzzy Wuzzies" that looked like they needed a touch up after a few too many rumbles in the desert.

20 March 2016

Emirs on foot join the Mahdist ranks

This seems like as good a place as any to play "peek-a-boo" with the infidel British!
One of the effects of Random Event and Mahdist Reinforcement decks in the game "The Sands of Sudan" is on occasion a force is called for which also has the presence of a local Emir.



These cards come with the rules...great fun and certainly add an unpredictable edge to the game


Out of the wadi the Hadendowah leap through the scrub and hopefully onto an unsuspecting
column or supply train...certainly quite a few of them!

These Emirs can be mounted or on foot depending upon the formation that has arrived and the Umpires discretion.  I distinctly recall seeing many great photographs  of Peter Gilders collection and his games where these particular Emirs appeared on round bases to the fore of these masses of brave native warriors.



Another angle of our friends

Theses are once again Connoisseur Miniatures available through Bicorne Miniatures in the UK.  Wonderful castings with excellent service and no, I am not on commission...you cheeky blighters :^)


Resplendent in coloured necklace, brightly adorned jibbah and glistening sword this particular Emir
will add +1 to troops about him in combat and is quite a fierce foe in our scenarios.



  

12 March 2016

Royal Marine Light Infantry return to the Sudan


Royal Marine Light Infantry advance along the banks of the Nile

Two new posts within a week!

Surely not!  What black magic is at work in the "Pyjamas" household to have this occur?

Yes, it is a minor miracle and I have taken the opportunity to finish the basing on some figures which I sent off to DPS to repaint about two years ago and now have finally gotten to basing.

These chaps are from, once again, the wonderful Sudan range of figures from Connoisseur and available through Bicorne Miniatures (their link is at the bottom of this page if you want to browse their wonderful catalogue and ever improving website).  Originally these were painted in the blue jackets and trousers as depicted in the Osprey MAA "Sudan Campaign" book.


Very different than the current depiction of the uniform

However researtch that has come to light as well as various discoveries in other old wargaming magazines and online actually depict these fellows in more of a grey uniform as can be seen.

Chaps march by under the watchful eye of their Colonel.

Close up to depict the level of detail still able to be picked out with a brush despite their
being scuplted and designed decades ago. Bravo Mr Gilder!


Still need to put a few more licks of gloss varnish onto that Nile!

The Colonel is actually mounted on an old Hinchcliffe horse I had lying about and I think he suits the Connoisseur Colonel perfectly.  Obviously the poor mare is seeking whatever it can in this god forsaken country to nibble on before heading back into camp later in the evening.

Some more refreshed Naval Brigade to follow as well as some Emirs that have been recently rebased and made ready in homage to the old photographs in Wargames World all those years ago.

Until then.



6 March 2016

"Fuzzy Wuzzy" reinforcements are based - finally!"



Fuzzy Wuzzies on the march


"We fought with many men across the seas,
An some of em'was brave and some was not:
The Pathan an'the Zulu an'Burmese:
But the Fuzzy was the finest o' the lot."



After what seemed an eternity I finally managed to get my elf organised and away from other projects to reinvigorate the Sudan collection.  This is a constantly moving feast for me with many figures awaiting painting, basing and/or replacing or touching up.

These particular fellows are from the wonderful Peter Gilder designed Connoisseur Sudan range from the shelves of Bicorne Miniatures


Looking quite fearsome as they advance upon the enemy - love the crouching figures.
 For anyone who has played the rules in the old Wargames Holiday Centre days or who has indeed purchased a copy of the rules recently, one knows that you go through the Ansar, Hadendowah and Fuzzy Wuzzies at a potential rate of knots.

Though it is very, very easy to recycle them through, I do like to have some massed formations available for games with friends purely for "dramatic effect"! 

As always, these are based seven to ten figures a base as originally detailed from Peter Gilder in order to get maximum bang for your buck.   No matter how many figures care actually on the base, they still represent 100 men or ten figures.

With such big formations possible in these games, the ability to move 80 figures with the push of only eight bases is a wonderful time saver!

You can never have enough of the airy enemy when playing The Sands of Sudan.

Connoisseur figures available through Bicorne Miniatures - designed and sculpted by Peter Gilder


Slightly wobbly spears which I claim is a result of the local wood - certainly not bendy white metal!!
As a reminder we still have some sets of the rules available from the last run and will be setting off for another major Third print run in April or May.

I also will make every effort to start to post a couple of small scenarios to be played through and get some feedback from before the major publication of the Campaign rules and a scenario book later on.

This post is also present on my generic wargaming blog "With Pyjamas through a whiff of Grapeshot".  Pop over if you would like to have a look:

With Pyjamas through a whiff of grapeshot

Next time I hope to have some refreshed Naval Brigade and repainted Royal Marine Light Infantry to post on the blog.

Until then.