Exploring how I might use the Wargames Research Group fantasy rules, Hoards of the Things, has been on my to-do list for years, nay, decades! There is an active Facebook group and WRG released a second edition in 2002. There is talk of 2.1 being out there but I have yet to track a set down.
While the fantasy setting has some interest to me as an another option for gaming in the style of Osprey’s Of Gods and Mortals, the adaptations of HOTT:
1. Hordes of the Empire (HotE): the Victorian colonial Mr wars adaptation of HOTT by Paul Potter, Blake Radetzky and Terry Webb.
HotE and related resources can be obtained through the DBA & HOTT Wargaming Facebook group. If I find a reliable web link I will update this post.
2. Hoards in the Trenches: the Great War version by Matt Kirkhart.
There are some (somewhat questionable) downloadable versions of HitT for those Google savvy types among you, the only link I feel comfortable advertising is the v.5 http://ianjgow.blogspot.com/p/hordes-in-trenches.html?m=1
To that end, my first project for HotE will be the Anglo-Egyptian war of 1882. I came separately, rather surprisingly, to the same view as Featherstone that Lieutenant-General Wolseley’s 1882 expedition to overthrow the dictator Said Ahmed Arabi foreshadows the British expedition to the Falkland Islands to eject the Argentinian junta one hundred years later (Featherstone, Tel El Kabir 1882, Osprey Campaign 27).
Both campaigns lasted four and a half weeks and, due to logistical constraints, required the British to deploy their crack regular regiments not normally used for these purposes. While in wargaming terms the engagements are a little unbalanced, the variety of units on both sides make for a fun miniatures project - household cavalry, armoured trains, the Naval Brigade, Egyptian veterans redrafted into service, Sudanese conscripts, Bedouins, Krupp ordinance!
There are no doubt some great new lines in 6mm Colonial miniatures out there - more-so with the growth of 3-D printed options - but I am an avowed metal figure gamer and rusted-on (or the non-ferrous equivalent) user of Irregular Miniatures. https://www.irregularminiatures.co.uk/6mmRanges/6mmColonial.htm
In typical fashion, I rushed into the first set of elements, probably sacrificed the paint job a bit and went with what I had for basing - I may add some detail later - but here they are (With HotE/HOTT descriptors):
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| Egyptian/ Sudanese lancers would be classified as ‘Riders’ in the HotE Egyptian 1882 army list. |
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| A Bashi ‘Hoard’ (back left), two Sudanese ‘shooters’ (centre) and Bashi-Bazook ‘riders’ (right). |
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| Egyptian infantry in foreground (Shooters) |
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| 3 bases of Krupp artillery (foreground) and the ‘General’ in the centre. The army list only calls for 1 artillery base but given there were 75 Egyptian guns at Tel El-Kabir, I upped the numbers! |
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| Another shot of the ordinance - I’m a gunner at heart! |
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| Another shot of the irregular infantry |
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| ‘Lurkers’ Bashi-Bazook skirmishers |
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| The Egyptian army of the Arabi Pasha mustered |
