9th Bengal Cavalry turban colours

A correspondent on Facebook may have come up with a reliable reference for the turban design and colours.

‘Earl Cardigan’, a member of the Colonial Wargaming group, found a splendid reference on the Royal Collection Trust’s web site. The turban is blue with a striped section of gold, blue and white.

Left: Rudolf Swoboda’s portrait of Risaldar Nadir Khan, 9th Bengal Lancers, painted around the time of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1887. Right: Illustration by Michael Perry from Go Strong into the Desert.

First line infantry company

I’ve been looking forward to working on these fellows since they arrived. The poses could have been inspired by Karl Kopinski’s painting adorning the cover of Mike Snook’s Go Strong into the Desert, (and perhaps they were). The spirited painting encapsulates the character of the conflict, the pluck of the Mahdist warriors, and the bravery of the Empire troops.

I’m planning an entire company (24 figures) in mêlée, but I haven’t yet decided which regiment they will represent.

Karl Kopinski and Perry Miniatures capture the spirit of the close quarters combat. I added a lanyard for the officer’s revolver from fuse wire, gently shaped around the figure’s collar. It needs a bit of adjustment, but already looks the part.

First recruits and sundries

This post marks the beginning of a project I have been thinking about for over 18 months. At the outset I read Mike Snook’s excellent Go Strong into the Desert, which led me to seriously consider the early years of the Mahdist uprising for my miniature adventure.

I like the idea of improvised armoured trains, paddle steamer gunboats, and marauding slavers, while the romance of the Nile and the desert are major draws.

Just before Christmas I received my first deliveries from a handful of manufacturers and suppliers. 

I needed some additions to my scenic palette to allow modelling of mimosa for landscaping and, importantly, zarebas. Accordingly I bought some rubberised horse hair. I also bought brown short and long tufts, and tall shrubbery in yellow/green and natural hues.

I am considering The Men Who Would Bed Kings for rules, and gave the organisation of my forces some thought, but failed to form any firm conclusions about composition for the British. So I decided to order miniatures for Naval Brigade, Royal Marine Light Infantry, and King’s Royal Rifle Corps units, with some medics and war correspondents for vignettes; I settled on early war Beja (the Fuzzy Wuzzys of Kipling’s poem), and ordered two boxes of plastic figures, metal rifle armed, and camel mounted warriors, all from Perry Miniatures.

I also bought the Blood on the Nile Black Powder supplement, principally for the Fred Burnaby miniature, but it turns out to be an excellent source of inspirational photographs.

I bought Union Flags and White Ensigns from Flags of War. I will need to buy some flags for the Beja too … The Virtual Armchair General’s extensive range looks suitable.

My first Perry Miniatures order: metal Naval Brigade, RMLI,
King’s Royal Rifle Corps, and Beja …

… more Beja, and a handful of tents …

… and Blood on the Nile for the Fred Burnaby figure, (the volume is full of great photos).

A range of accessories including Martini-Henry rifles, assorted loads, packs, and helmets, and a water cart, all from Empress Miniatures; assorted crates and bundles from Field of Glory; scale chain from Green Stuff World.

Union Flags and White Ensigns will stake out the territory the plucky Brits are hanging on to!

I needed some additions to my stash of scenics, and rubberised horse hair for mimosa thorn bush.