Showing posts with label Colonial History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colonial History. Show all posts

Sunday 30 October 2022

Wolseley versus Arabi Pasha, 1882: HotE in 6mm

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):

Egyptian/ Sudanese lancers would be classified as ‘Riders’ in the HotE Egyptian 1882 army list.

A Bashi ‘Hoard’ (back left), two Sudanese ‘shooters’ (centre) and Bashi-Bazook ‘riders’ (right).

Egyptian infantry in foreground (Shooters) 

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!

Another shot of the ordinance - I’m a gunner at heart!

Another shot of the irregular infantry 

‘Lurkers’ Bashi-Bazook skirmishers 

The Egyptian army of the Arabi Pasha mustered

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Colonial Defences of Hobart, January 2013 visit

Some pics mostly of the caponiers and ditches at Kangaroo Bluff Battery from my recent trip to Hobart. We managed three (well four if you count two at Battery Point) colonial batteries in four days - how's that for a patient family! It's quite a difficult battery to photograph given it's low profile.





Mount for the Nordenfelt on the landward entrance to the battery.




Not much ventilation. You can imagine it would get very hot and smokey inside if a steady rate of fire was kept up.


This image gives an indication of how effectively the troops int he caponier can enfilade forces
making an assault on the battery wall.


Note the hatch in the low section of the roof which provides access tot he Caponier.
Another location I enjoyed was Alexandra Battery in Sandy Bay. There is a great tunnel down from the top carpark that gives way to a wonderfully preserved battery (although no ordnance left in place).


Sweeping view of the Derwent looking towards Kangaroo Bluff (on the south bank, just of left hand side of shot)
from a tower above Alexandra Battery 




Entrance to the tunnel down to the battery








Heading back up the tunnel

And finally the few remnants of the defences at Battery Point and some emplacements at Stinky Beach, Sandy Bay.
Inside the WWII gun emplacement at Long Beach, Sandy Bay



Tunnel entrance under Battery Point



Looking downhill from what I presume if the location of Prince Albert Battery in Princes Park, Battery Point. Note the scald marks in the grass suggesting something is below. The tunnel entrance is below the playground.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

80-PR R.M.L Warrnambool

Memories of the old days mucking around with (big) guns with the HRSA ... This battery is located at Flagstaff Hill, Warrnambool, in Australia.