Salute Bloggers Meet Up

Darrell Hindley (moi) is posting this pic..... care should be taken when approaching this individual..... he has a dark sense of humour!

I hope to see you all there. apparently my services are not needed by the Lance and Longbow soc so I'll be free all day. We need to arrange a time and a place me thinks......

Indian Mutiny Rules?

Hi,

Apologies for the lack of posts of late; i've been very busy preparing for Salute on the 25th of this month and haven't had a chance to really take any pics. I'll do so just prior to the great event so you can see what I've been up to.

With all the well deserved hype over the new Iron Duke Miniatures Indian Mutiny range I'm now on the look out for a regimental set that would allow for skirmishers to be thrown forward (literally in game terms).

Does anyone know of a set?

It would be a real shame to waste all those Enfield armes Flank Coys (in the early part of the Mutiny)!!! I've been advised that both Sepoy and John company both have rules for pushing skirmishers forwards and I have another set of The Devil's Wind on the way (the whereabouts of the last set? Well that's a long story!).

I wonder if anyone has anything to say about the two rule sets mentioned above?

The next question is of course basing..... if I go for a 'Regimental' type set up they will be based of square bases with the skirmishers on longer and thinner bases so they do actually look like they're skirmishing. but basing seems to be a biggie with the Indian Mutiny as most of the games I've seen at wargames shows over the years have had a glut of single based miniatures.

It's a question that i would suggest finding the right rule set would soon sort out!

for now though, here's a few pics of the brilliantly sculpted, dynamic and perhaps more importantly action posed Brits from the brainchild of colonel Mike Snook and sold by Empress Miniatures:

I've ordered one of each of the first four packs to be picked up at Salute, which will be standing in as HM64th and/or HM84th as from the literature I've read on the Iron Duke Miniatures site, such was the emergency that they were issued with no hot weather gear and initially did the fighting in their shirtsleeves! I've also ordered a second pack of the third pack pictures to use as an extended skirmish screen. I'll no doubt be adding to this unit some Salute when I hit the Empress stand! The mini's may well have grown to represent both units by the time i leave the show.

IMBC 1 British Inf, shirtsleeves, covered Kilmarnocks & curtain, P1842 percussion muskets, slope arms, 

(centre coys HM 64th & HM 84th to Sep 57).

IMBC 2 British Inf, shirtsleeves, covered Kilmarncoks & curtains, P1842 percussion muskets, charge bayonets, 

(centre coys HM 64th & HM 84th to Sep 57).

IMBC 3 British Inf, shirtsleeves, covered Kilmarnocks & curtains, Enfields, skirmishing, 

(both flank coys HM 64th to Sep 57; light coy HM 84th Aug-Sep 57).

IMBC 4 British Inf, shirtsleeves, command (HM 64th and HM 84th).

I've also included some WIP pics of Sikh/Punjabi Infantry that will be used as Braysers Sikhs and a single pis of the up and coming Madras Fusiliers. They will all be joining my collection!

Bye for now.

Optivisor Advice Please?

Hi guys and gals,

I've been looking at the 'Optivisors' on amazon and i'm a bit befuddled as to what is good quality and what is not!

Can anyone recommend any of the following:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=optivisor

Any help in this matter would be appreciated :)

Darrell.

Colonel Fred Burnaby Belligerent!!

What can one say about Colonel Frederick Gustavus Burnaby? He joined the Royal Horse Guards in 1859 no doubt that he was 6'4", 15 Stones and boasted a 47inch chest all being to his advantage but finding little chance for active service he was ideal Shooting Leave material known for being the first person to cross the channel in a hot air balloon an activity he exported to Spain and Russia. He was larger than life in an age of Victorian heroes who were larger than life. He is famed for riding to the Khanate of Kiva on an unofficial mission to detect if possible the latest Russian moves in the Great Game. He spoke seven languages and was correspondent for The Times with the Carlist forces in Spain.

He's one of those larger than life characters that looms above anyone interested in the Sudan or indeed other Victorian wars. That he made his own way to the Sudan in the first place gives us a hint into his character. to leave Fred Burnaby out of the Sudan just wouldn't be doing his name or indeed wargaming the Sudan a great disservice.

I've put together my version of Burnaby at the Second Battle of El Teb, shortly after gunning down several Ansar with his shotgun. Hopefully it catches something of the real man in a tight situation braving it out.

Bye for now

Next Brit Conversion... Sneak Peek!

Here's a sneak peek at what's up next for the Brits.... once the conversion is finished that is!

As you can see it's going to be a Screw Gun on it's travelling canopy for the Royal Artillery. I'm thinking of adding an officer leading the force on a camel but i'm a little worried about the base size of the unit being very large as it is. Time will tell.

Darrell.

Perry Miniatures Converted Mounted Infantry at El Teb

So, there I was studying the Blood on the Nile lists for El Teb when I realised that Perry Miniatures did not do any Mounted Infantry that were, well, mounted. Converting what was available was to be the only answer.

After asking a few questions on the net I was just about ready to go. I ordered three packs of British Camel Corp in total, one of the command and two of the riflemen. That was the troopers covered. I ordered two packs of the 10th Hussars so they would be supplied with mounts. I used Mike Snooks excellent book and guide to the uniforms of the British, Egyptian and Mahdists from the appendix of Go Strong into the Desert  to gather all the information regarding the uniforms of the Mounted Infantry that fought at El Teb.

As to the conversions, it was really a matter of persuading the models that had been designed to fit onto camels to sit nicely on the horses. This was much more of a task than I had first envisaged. Some of the saddles had a little putty inserted but all in all, with the filing of the troopers and the saddles most of them fit quite snugly in the end.

The painting process was quite a long (but not laborious) one as it was new territory for me and I didn't want to get anything wrong on such a project. In the end I think that they're turned out quite nicely and I'm a little proud of my efforts.

And here they are, the light wasn't great so I may retake the pics and add a few of the individual bases whilst I'm at it- so, as they say, watch this space:

Pre-Salute Plea!!

Hi,

I may (or may not) be able to get to Salute this year. If I can make it I will almost certainly be helping out with the Agincourt game that the Lance and Longbow Society will be putting on which means I will not be eligible for the free Agincourt Giveaway designed by the Perry Twins.

So, I was hoping that given my obsession with Late Medieval Warfare I was hoping that one of you guys and gals would be willing to part with their mini? I know it's a bit of a cheeky question but it may be the only way I can get hold of the miniatures.

I'm happy to pay for the mini as is only correct.

Anyway, if anyone is willing to part with their mini and sell it to me please contact me at:

darrell.hindley@googlemail.com

You will make me a very happy man.

Of course, if I am able to make it to Salute I will let you know in advance.

Bye for now!