The last of the Beja and Medical Staff Corps stretcher bearers vignette

Life has crashed across my hobby time these past weeks, in a good way for the most part, but totally derailed my painting effort.

Anyhow, here are the last of the Hadendowa, which will finish the enlargement of my bands of warriors … for now, and the Medical Staff Corps vignette.

I will return to the screw gun battery mules once the dust has settled on my life and home – the latter quite literally.

The last eight Hadendowa warriors, which will bring each band up to a strength of 18 figures, and the Medical Staff Corps vignette.

More Beja and a couple of medics

Well, it had to be done. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have 16 finished Hadendowa warriors, based, but without a band of their own.

I decided to increase the strength of each existing band by two figures. This required that I order six riflemen and six crouching figures. I’ll employ two of the latter immediately, but I am sure to come up with something for the remaining four to do.

I ordered some Perry Miniatures’ dead and wounded British figures too (SB20), with a plan to deploy the medic aiding a wounded infantryman straight away. I’ve prepared a stretcher bearer from one of the Sudan/Afghanistan plastic figures to accompany them, substituting an Oliver pattern water bottle and using ProCreate to shape trousers over puttees. I also added shoulder patches to the right upper sleeves. The stretcher is made from aluminium foil and wire spears, cut to length.

Six Hadendowa riflemen. I swapped the pointing arm of the second figure for a plastic one so that this fellow would look less like a leader. The Medical Staff Corps vignette should turn out alright.

Osman Digna and his personal standard bearer

My adjustment to the organisation of the Hadnedowa army is now complete, and very much a family affair.

Osman Digna leads it, of course, and I have just completed his standard bearer Abdul Adab, both shown in the image below. The artillery will be commanded by Digna’s nephew, Fai, and the rubs will be commanded by two of Digna’s cousins, Muhammad Mussa, and Mahsud Musa, another by his nephew Madani bin Ali, while the fourth is commanded by Abdallah bin Hasid.

Osman Digna and his personal standard bearer Abdul Adab.

Last of the Beja. Yeah! Right!

I’ve scavenged the remaining bodies from the sprues and assembled another fifteen figures, augmented by a single metal sword-armed fellow.

For now this really is the last of the Beja … as I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I am considering expanding all the bands by adding two figures to each … one can never have enough of these fearsome fellows.

A lone band of warriors … perhaps they’re off to reinforce their kinsmen.

9th Bengal Cavalry and Beja reinforcements

Today I finished basing the Indian cavalry, and very smart they look too. 

I have 16 Hadendowa to finish basing, the last of the plastic figures. There’s a handful of metal command types in boxes, so I am undecided whether to establish a fifth rub or expand the existing force, probably by adding two figures to each band. The latter would be the expedient, only requiring two crouching figures and six rifle-armed figures in addition to the 16.

Top-to bottom: One can never have enough Beja; Brigadier-General Herbert Stewart and his Brigade Major, Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor; Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Palmer and 9th Bengal Cavalry.

Last of the Beja …

I have finished basing the last two bands of Hadendowa warriors, which will complete my black flagged rub, commanded by Osman Digna himself.

I finished the crouching miniatures’ bases with plenty of tufts for them to conceal themselves behind. I’m pretty pleased with the overall look of these fellows.

I added a wire spear to one of the crouching figures so that he could fly a black edged flag. The crouching drummer conversion looks the part too.

The rifle-armed band are similar to the previous ones, with some armed with rifles from the Zulu rifle frame.

Top–to–bottom: Hadendowa warriors crouching in ambush; the converted flag bearer; rifle-armed warriors.

Blog lock-out, a captured Krupp 75mm, and two more bands of warriors

Minor trauma – I was locked out of this blog for twenty days, and had begun to despair of ever having access again. It was my fault, of course, since I had failed to add recovery information to my Google account. Anyhow … an idle log-in attempt earlier today got me in, and allowed me to add the required recovery information. Lesson learned.

Meanwhile I made pretty rapid progress (by my standards), finishing the Krupp 75mm vignette of a captured Egyptian crew and their harsh overseers, and getting two more bands of Hadendowa ready for varnishing.

I have enough metal and plastic figures for one more band of 16 … but I will wait a bit before working out how to fit these into my planned army of four rubs, one camel mounted band, and three guns.

Back to the Black Watch next.

Top–to–bottom: The captured Egyptians, their Krupp 75mm, and the cruel overseers (I made the ammunition crate); the crouching in ambush and rifle bands ready for varnish.

Beja crouching drummer and captured Egyptian Krupp 75mm

The additional miniatures have arrived and I set to work with a minor conversion to add a drummer to the Hadendowa crouching band, and assemble a vignette around the captured Krupp 6pdr.

I know I should be cracking on with my scots, but just now I am finding the Beja easier to get on with – I’m not quite well enoiugh for the level of concentration that painting the tartan will demand.

Crouching drummer conversion, with parts from the plastic Mahdist Ansar set, and the Krupp 75mm with captured Egyptian crew and Beja overseers.

Yet more Beja!

As I recover from the last two weeks I am beginning to get my modelling mojo back … so I assembled the next batch of plastic Hadendowa riflemen to acompany the metal figures arriving shortly.

I have augmented these plastic fellows with parts from Perry Miniature’s Zulu rifle sprue, which ads a bit more variety to the poses and weaponry.

More rifle-armed Hadendowa for my black flag rub.

More Beja

Well … life crashed across my painting efforts in a bad way – I have tested positive for COVID-19 for the past 11 days, the first time I have had it, and it has been a pretty grim experience. Today I tested negative. A relief.

Meanwhile, my Scottish miniatures have languished, but I prepared the first of a band of Hadendowa warriors crouching in ambush. I have ordered another six, and some riflemen, so that I can finish my black-flagged rub.

The first of the Hadendowa in ambush, including a converted flag bearer.

The Beja army

I have finished my Mahdist army … for the moment. Comprising three rubs, a camel mounted band, another band of warriors on foot, and a brass gun battery, it’s 195 figures.

As I finish a unit I put the figures into box files (lined with magnetic sheet), so this is the first time I have had them all out … and it looks like quite a large host. There will be more – of course there will! I already have a handful of painted figures over, and a mix of plastic and metal figures in the drawer.

But first I want to finish the Empire uints I have.

Osman Digna’s Mahdist army. In due course I will name the tribal leaders.

Third anniversary of my blog

Blimey! Three years! Everything has taken far longer than I imagined it would. Then again, I have been busy over the same period with a major work project.

The Empire forces are well advanced now, with just four units waiting to be painted. (I intend to finish everything I have before ordering anything new.) The Mahdist forces approach completeion (for now) with three more bands of warriors at the basing stage. I hope to have these finished this week.

Basing the last three bands of Beja warriors … for now. (A mix of Perry Miniatures’ metal and plastic figures.)

Last of the Beja …

As the British Infantry and command figures approach completion I prepped the last of the Beja, a healthy mix of plastic and metal figures.

These will form three bands, two of which will join a band of rifle armed fellows. The other will join the brass gun battery and camel mounted band, and form around Osman Digna and his command.

Osman Digna’s command, with variously armed warriors. I’m looking forward to painting these.

Last of the plastic Beja … for now

While waiting for the terrain boards to dry I got on with assembling the last of the plastic Beja for my third rub. I know some folk find assembling plastic miniatures tedious, but I actually enjoy it – it takes me right back to my teenage self tackling Airfix, Frog, Matchbox or Revell sprues.

These fellows will be augmented by a handful of metal swordsmen, and once complete will join the rifle band and command group that are already finished.

I have a feeling that these will not be the last (one can never have enough Beja, I guess), but I have set myself the task of finishing all the Empire and Beja units I have before purchasing any more miniatures.

Drummers, flag bearers, and variously armed warriors – the beginnings of two more bands of Beja warriors.

Second Hadendowa rub, British hussars, and terrain items

The last nineteen days have been pretty productive as I made the most of any downtime I had to make progress with my burgeoning project.

Dubbed the green rub because of their green flags, the second Hadendowa unit is now finished, completed by more spirited swordsmen from Perry Miniatures’ metal range. I have enough metal and plastic figures for another rub (which will probably have red flags), although the command figures and riflemen are finished I want to concentrate on some Empire units first.

I have just finished priming fifteen horses and riders for the 19th Hussars. I also have a handful of command figures primed, including Valentine Baker, and a drummer boy wiping his brow that will become a mini me.

I stumbled on some rather nice Sudanese huts on the Hovels web site [link], and I couldn’t resist … so I bought three, which are just enough to give the sense of a settlement.

My mind has turned to upgrading my terrain boards too, to get them to match more closely the bases my figures are mounted on. Also I want to model some wells based on one of my existing terrain boards. I had seen some impressive water features on Perry Miniatures’ Facebook page, where Vellejo’s Water  Texture was highly recommended [link], so I bought some.

Top to bottom: The finished green rub; primed hussars; Sudanese village with goats and herder; the raw materials for some wells.

New recruits, progress with painting, and the towed Gatling gun and limber

I’ve managed to get quite a bit done over the last few weeks, and now I hope to maintain the momentum.

My latest Perry Miniatures order arrived, and I wasted no time getting the new Beja into the painting work flow. I wanted some slightly more aggressive swordsmen, and more spirited command figures to acompany the khalifa on a rearing horse.

The bulk of the order comprised Empire figures, including Black Watch, 19th Hussars, 9th Bengal Cavalry, a couple of 7pdr screw guns, various command figures, and, finally, Naval Brigade figures for the towed limber and Gatling gun piece. Easily enough to keep me occupied beyond Christmas.

I also added Brian Robson’s Fuzzy Wuzzy to my references (second hand but in excellent condition), which is dedicated to the campaigns in eastern Sudan.

Top to bottom: Fuzzy Wuzzy is spot-on for my interests; the second Hadendowa rub with some figures ready for varnishing while the new recruits are only just started; an Emprire infantry unit in mêlée, which also received a handful of new recruits; a couple of minor Naval Brigade officer conversions – just enough to make them different to the ones I already have; the main components of the towed limber and Gatling gun.

Work in progress

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve surprised myself with my output this month, especially given everything else I have going on.

Just now I’m varnishing a couple of Empire units, and preparing another for priming, while beginning preparation and assembly of more Beja for my second rub. I enjoy the assembly, in particular a bit of minor conversion work like attaching a sword-armed forearm to a sleeved upper arm, or adding an extra spear to a hand.

I will need to make an order for some additional metal riflemen and charging command and swordsmen, and I fancy some Empire cavalry, but I am mindful of not allowing the lead pile to begin to look unmanageable. I worry less about the plastic sprues, accepting that these represent a longer term effort.

The second rub begins to take shape.

The second anniversary of my blog

Firstly, happy new year. It’s two years since my first post here, and what a couple of years we have all had. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic I have collected some 5,794 page views and six followers, although I cannot imagine that these six are responsible for all those page views. Limits to personal freedom and movement weren’t all bad though, as these circumstances enncouraged downtime focused on my Sudan project.

I thought it time to take stock. I work slowly, seeming to spend a lot of time on research and modelling (the Gatling gun limber model is a very good example of this), and not enough time actually painting miniatures.

All the same, I seem to have got quite a bit done, including a handful of scenic items comprising buildings, a fortification, supplies, barricades, trees, shrubs, and thorn bush.

The Mahdists are ahead in terms of finished miniatures, with a rub comprising a camel mounted band, two bands armed with spears and swords, a band armed with rifles, and a command group. Another rifle-armed band and a brass gun battery are finished (both destined to join the main command group. (I don’t think ‘flags’ as such were a form of organisation deployed by Osman Digna.)

Within a few weeks I should have added another Naval Brigade contingent (from HMS Hecla) and a RMLI company (from HMS Carysfort) to the Empire forces.

My first rub, which I have dubbed the Blue Rub because of the blue accent to the flags.

Mahdist brass gun battery; it’s very likely that the guns were spoils of the disastrous Hicks Pasha expedition.

A second rifle-armed band.

Naval Brigade contingent with Gatling gun battery, deployed by HMS Carysfort. Colonel Fred Burnaby is ready for anything at the front, while Melton Prior sketches at the rear.

Medical Staff Corps Number 3 Field Hospital.

A strong point built to protect the construction of the Suakin to Berber railway … a whole other project waiting in the wings.

Three buildings at this scale seems like plenty … but we shall see.

Basing the Hadendowa mounted band

On Friday evening I promised myself that by the end of the weekened I would have assembled and based the Hadendowa camel mounted band, and finished painting the rifle armed band, two spear and sword armed bands, and the command group.

I did a bit better than that, since all the foot and command figures are shaded too; just the highlights to do before varnishing. The camel mounted band of 12 rifle and spear armed warriors is based, waiting for the sandy paste to dry … which I managed to apply without getting any on the figures – a first!

So … all’s well with the world of Sands of Soudan.

Waiting for the sandy paste to dry … Perry Miniatures with a couple of conversions (the fellow on the white camel and the fellow in the bottom foreground have plastic arms holding rifles, to which I added foil slings). The flag is by Adrian’s Walls.

On the painting desk

I had a bit of time to do some painting, but didn’t feel like doing the final detailing the Naval Brigade figures require.

I had a another two bands of Hadendowa warriors assembled and/or prepared for painting, so I set about the blocking in. I now have more figures ready for detailing than I have ever had … at any time … ever.

Top, left to right: two Hadendowa,  spear and sword armed bands, one camel-mounted band, command group, and one rifle armed band.

Bottom: The first Naval Brigade company is ready for detailing, while the RMLI company is barely started. All figures are Perry Miniatures.