Thursday 23 November 2017

Anglo-Zulu War British - 24th Foot

So, it happened again!  The change to a new historical period, messing up plans of completing other armies, and yet an exciting and interesting change that enlivens the hobby and keeps it ever interesting. 



I blame the new period on getting to fire my Martini-Henry rifle at the range for the first time last month.  I have owned it for about 3 years but never got around to getting the ammo or the kit to make the rounds up. When I finally had made some ammo, off to the range I went...and I don't think the smile left my face for a week!


So enthused in spirit I purchased a copy of the Warlord Games 'Zulu!' book for their Black Powder rules.  I have to say how impressive these are too.  Each scenario seems to have a completely different approach to the game, from using small sections for Rorke's Drift to companies for Isandlwana and to battalion units for the final large battles.  I really like the thinking behind it and it got my imagination racing even more.


I placed an order for Perry's Anglo-Zulu War British Infantry and I have to admit to stopping another project on my work bench to throw myself into making and painting these.  I even took the figures with me to construct and start to paint when I had to spend a week working away from home.


I have started with a 16 man unit instead of my usual 24 - the idea being that I can now downscale the number of Zulu's I need by 1/3rd on this ratio.  There are already going to be plenty of Zulu's but I do want some room on the board for figures to move! 


As usual with plastic figures from the Perry's, the troops were a joy to construct with not too many parts and nothing especially weak.  A couple of bayonets did get clobbered by my clumsiness during construction, but nothing broke or bent.  There are 38 figures in the box including casualties which gives a great mix.  I'll make and paint the standard bearers at a later date. They are in the box too along with the Colours for four regiments on the printed sheet supplied.


The commander of this unit (for it will be a company or battalion depending on scenario) is not of the Stanley Baker/Michael Caine clean shaven appearance but has the full 'eating a bear' beard popular of the time.


As a small digression I should mention that these are the first 'proper' colonial period figures that I have...which amazes me! The history of this period is just so incredibly interesting and the redoubtable British Soldier was active all over the place with his trusty Martini-Henry.  I do have Esci 1/72 Zulu War plastic figures in the attic but it has been a long long time since they were painted and saw daylight.


I used the Foundry Triad colours particularly useful using British Napoleonic colours mostly and the French Dragoon greens for the cuffs and collars.

 


I really wasn't sure how to base the troops and gave this a lot of thought.  The casualties were always going to be based on Warbases casualty stands which give space for a small dice to be placed to show 'excess' casualties, as well as a numeric dial.



To give the greatest flexibility I decided to use circular single figure stands, again from Warbases, but in addition I purchased 4 man skirmish type movement bases and 5 man close order bases. 



I chose the bases which could be fitted with their 'rare earth' magnets.  These little magnets are great fun on their own! Prising them off each other was a great challenge and trying to drive two opposing tiny little magnets together was a real test on something so small!  Amusingly when setting these photos up I discovered that one magnet was the wrong way up.  The figure was ejected from the movement tray to my bafflement until I realised what I had done!



I had never used the magnets before and wondered if they were sufficient to hold the figures safely in their movement bases. I can safely say that the figures are well held. As a test I held the base upside down and shook it and there was no movement whatsoever from the figures.




It took me 6 weeks to get these chaps painted up. This involves research and doing lots of other things at weekends and I am now ready to paint something else!  In my early enthusiasm I ordered a huge battle set of Rorke's Drift from 4Ground with many boxes of Warlord Games Zulus. I decided that I would keep this box as my gift to myself at Christmas so I have yet to open it!  I am sure I will be ready to paint more British Infantry then...and Zulus........... 'Tharsands of 'em!' 

12 comments:

  1. Lovely work Jason. Which Foundry triad did you use for the red - the British Red Coat? It is very effective.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lawrence, I'm glad you like them. Yes the red is 'British Red Coat 68 a,b,c' triad. It is a nice colour though try to be sparing on the lighter shade.

      Delete
  2. They look fantastic, excellent job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Phil,
      Thank you very much. I'm painting something completely different now - I think the lace on the cuffs finished me off!

      Delete
  3. Fabulous looking figures, and a great way to be inspired with that historic rifle! I like the Perry plastic, and if I were to get into the period, this would be the figures. Have you tried The Men Who Would Be Kings? A more of a skirmish set than Black Powder, and probably requiring less figures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dean,
      I haven't tried 'The Men Who Would Be Kings'. A skirmish set might be the very thing for me. I'll do some investigating! Thanks for the good idea :-)

      Delete
  4. Superb 24th Foot Jason! As Dean says The Men Who Would Be Kings is great fun and a good way to get started without as many figures as you need for Black Powder.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cyrus, thanks, I'm pleased with the way they have turned out. I like Dean's idea - I'll get some Zulu's painted up though strangely I have tanks on my painting table! - I think I just felt doing something simple for a while. :-)

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Hi Peter, Thanks I'm glad you like them. It took a little longer than I liked but I got there in the end!

      Delete