Indian Mutiny (5/2)


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Elephants!  And camels and other things exotic.  Just don't pet the striped kitties.

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Another, as almost all are, very large collection of figures awaiting getting the figures painted.  Well, there is a bit of start with the pachyderms but so much more to do.  As it should be for a hobby that is meant to fulfill the spare hours of a life.

July 27, 2022

Oh, my, a long time between posts - but the Indian Mutiny is not being ignored, just so many other things to work on.  Today I am posting a photo of a find in a local pet store, I stopped hoping they might have it and they did!  And the price was much better than on line prices I'd seen so that was great (about $24 US).  Here is a photo of what I found:

That is an Indian temple with a 15 mm elephant for size comparison.  I plan to use it for 15 mm but it might be workable for larger scales.  Will do some work to give it a 'floor' in the big open space and put it on a base to protect it better.
Here is a closer shot of the elephant - not a painting prize winner but when base is textured it will be workable in games.  It will be part of some Nabob or some sorts private retinue in league with the mutineers.

Note that some of the information in the posts below is out of date and that I also bought in a nice amount of the much newer Bluemoon Manufacturing 15/18 mm Indian Mutiny figures.  Also need to resequence the posts so it goes from newest to oldest but not just now.

July 9, 2012

Wanted to take a moment to digress into names.  Yesterday, while working on pirate terrain I made a piece that can be either a long, narrow island or a ridge and I imagined a name to go with it.  I've struggled with parodying Delhi but finally found something that works for me: Smellhigh Ridge.  This goes along with Pluckwow for Lucknow, Cowporn for Cawnpore, the Rhani Pukah-ahni, and, not to forget Bad-odor-shah for Bahadur-shah.  Who, me, irreverent?  Well, yeah!  But no offense intended to anyone - I quite democratically and happily poke my wit stick in every one's eye.  So, if you've taken offense then we're writing you down as short on a sense of humor and noting not to invite you to our games.  You wouldn't fit in.  If, however, you've enjoyed the moment...

December 17, 2012

Those Windy Devils!

Hope no one is disappointed but, no, this is not an entry about demonic flatulence.  Rather, that wee bit just above is the title I'm considering for a set of rules for the Indian Mutiny, a set of a similar name, sort of, adapted to my collection from a set published many years ago in a hobby magazine.  Of course, if one does spend much time wondering about a devil passing gas, you have to ask just how sulphurous an odor would result?

Enough of that.

And time for this - the listing, or beginning thereof, of my figures for this period.  Another place where the pleasure of designing and collecting an army (well, both sides, really - which I do for everything so as not to be left with an unplayable set of figures for lack of opposing figures) went a little further than originally intended, by a lot!  Ah, but they reside happily awaiting paint - those with none on them.  I have painted quite a few of the elephants and gotten a start on a chunk of artillery and a bunch of cavalry.  And then came to a hard stop for too long now.

Don't expert historical precision here, this is more for fun games in an exotic setting than anything else.

For the British and their allies I have:

The Commander-In-Chief's force (in the field commander, not over all of India!)
Three mounted and three foot figures for the main man's stand.
A general stand (two mounted figures and two foot figures - one with a standard/flag)
3 "cavalry" formations
     6th Dragoons on horses - 6 mounted figures, 6 dismounts
     3rd Light Dragoons - 6 mounted figures on an elephant (+mahout), 6 dismounts (driver on foot)
     14th Light Dragoons - 6 mounted figures on an elephant (+mahout), 6 dismounts (driver on foot)
4 on foot formations - with a 3 figure stand to command them
     these represent officers and others without a command - 12 figures each
     and 6 marksman figures on two stands (memory a bit foggy on this, misplaced notes)

Corps of Guides
A general stand (as above for all general stands to follow)
Horse mounted man and foot figure for subordinate command
Camel mounted man and foot figure for subordinate command
Two horse mounted units, 6 mounted figures, 6 dismounts for each
Two camel mounted units, 6 mounted figures, 6 dismounts for each
Two foot units, 12 men each unit

1st British Foot "Brigade"
A general stand
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
10th Foot, 19th Foot, 29th Foot, 38th Foot
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
61st Foot, 64th Foot, 75th Foot, 86th Foot
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
95th Foot, 97th Foot, 60th Rifles, Rifle Brigade

2nd British Foot "Brigade"
A general stand

Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
13th Light Infantry, 32nd Light Infantry, 52nd Light Infantry, 90th Light Infantry
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
5th Fusiliers, 87th Fusiliers, 1st Bengal Fusiliers, 1st Madras Fusiliers
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
42nd Highlanders, 78th Highlanders, 91st Highlanders, 93rd Highlanders

(for the two above "brigades" I've got it sorted out so I don't have to paint the same uniform twice, similar but different in some cases, but all different - pretty cool)

Loyal Native Foot "Brigade"
A general stand
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
1st Gurkha, 2nd Gurkha, 3rd Gurkha, 4th Gurkha
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
1st Sikh, 2nd Sikh, 3rd Sikh, 4th Sikh
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "regiment" command
Four "battalions" of foot, 12 figures each
1st Loyal Sepoys, 2nd Loyal Sepoys, 3rd Loyal Sepoys, 4th Loyal Sepoys

(unit numbers for native foot not researched but, again, no two need to be the same paint scheme)

The Cavalry "Brigade"
A general stand
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "squadron" command
Four "squadrons" of cavalry, 6 figures each with 6 dismounts
2nd Dragoon Guards, 3rd Dragoon Guards, 6th Dragoon Guards, 7th Dragoon Guards
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "squadron" command
Four "squadrons" of cavalry, 6 figures each with 6 dismounts
7th Hussars, 8th Hussars, 9th Lancers, 17th Lancers
Horse mounted man and foot figure for "squadron" command
Four "squadrons" of cavalry, 6 figures each with 6 dismounts
Hodson's Horse, 1st Punjab Cavalry, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 6th Irregular Cavalry

(and, yet again, every unit different in color scheme, part of the appeal of the period - more fun to paint)

The Naval Detachments
upper level command of two stands of 3 figures each plus two extra field guns and crew (4 total)
Detachment One
Command stand of 3 officers
Two units of sailors, 12 men each
Elephant drawn siege gun (mahout and limber), siege gun and 6 crew
Detachment Two
Command stand of 3 officers
Two units of sailors, 12 men each
Elephant drawn siege gun (mahout and limber), siege gun and 6 crew
Detachment Three
Command stand of 3 officers
Two units of sailors, 12 men each
Elephant drawn siege gun (mahout and limber), siege gun and 6 crew

(need to find three ship's names to assign these detachments to, HMS Shannon for one)

Artillery and Train
A general stand
Leader stands - three of them with a camel mounted man and man on foot
1st Horse Battery of 3 guns with 12 crew, 3 limbers, 6 horse, 9 drivers
2nd Horse Battery of 3 guns with 12 crew, 3 limbers, 6 horse, 9 drivers
Bullock Drawn Battery of 2 guns with 10 crew, 2 limbers, 8 bullocks, 2 drivers
Wagon Battery of 2 guns with 10 crew, 2 wagons 8 horses, 2 drivers
Rocket Battery of 8 tubes, 9 crew, 1 wagon, 4 horses, 4 drivers (in helmets)

2 Brahmin drawn Wagons, 4 bullocks, 6 drivers
Pack Camels, 4 camels, 2 tenders
Water Bullocks, 4 bullocks, 2 tenders

(can vary the uniforms a bit here by making some in Her Majesty's service and some HEIC.  some of the drivers and tenders are native figures)

Now, for those "not worth their salt."  (though Gandhi might have thought better of them before his days as a pacifist)

The Primary Mutineer Army:

The Infantry
General on elephant with mahout
Leader on horse with man on foot

Five "regiments" of mutineers - 3 command figures and 3 groups of foot at 15 figures each (48 figures)

Mounted Forces
Leader stand - 3 men on horseback
Regiment command - 3 men on horseback
3 squadrons of 9 men on horses (no dismounts for these guys, too ready to run for their lives)
1 squadron of 9 men on camels

Regiment command - 3 men on horseback
3 squadrons of 9 men on horses (ditto)
1 squadron of 9 men on camels

Artillery and Train
Leader on elephant with mahout
Leader on horse with man on foot
"Horse Battery" of 3 guns with 12 crew, 3 limbers, 6 horse, 9 drivers
Bullock Battery of  3 guns with 12 crew, 3 limbers, 12 bullocks, 3 drivers
Mortar Battery of 2 guns, 8 crew, 2 limbers, 8 bullocks, 2 tenders
Siege Battery of 2 guns, 8 crew, 2 limbers, 2 elephants, 2 mahouts

4 pack camels, 2 tenders
2 carts, 4 bullocks, 6 driver-tenders
2 pack elephants, 2 mahouts  (driver on foot)x2

Yes, I know the mutineers weren't supposed to have had a horse battery - but it could happen.

The Secondary Mutineer Army

Elephantry
Leader in howdah on elephant with mahout
Elephant unit - 4 elephants with man in howdah and mahout

Infantry
Five "Regiments" of 3 command and two units of 24 men each

Mounted Forces
2 "Regiments" of cavalry 3 command and two units of 15 mounted men
Two "Squadrons" of camelry of 9 mounted men

Artillery and Train
2 guns with 8 crew, 2 limbers, 4 bullocks, 6 tenders
6 jingal men

That's it for the actual mutineers.  Still to come are the two twin armies of local princes, the bodyguard of the Moghul himself, the force of the Maharanni, and the Badmash.  I've also got a rather large amount of civilians, mostly Indian but European ones as well.  There are dancers for nautch parties and all sorts of others, plus more elephants and bullocks and camels and water buffaloes and various and sundry other bits and pieces to add character to the games.  These can perhaps do double duty for other periods.  I've even managed to accumulate some India-centric beasties: tigers and peacocks in particular.  Time for ablutions and an episode of somnatic activity.

December 18, 2012

As you might imagine the "Great Moghul" wasn't the least bit happy about not being given pride of place, so I'd better get his bodyguard listed before he has me crushed by one of his elephants.

So there is Himself with a dhoolie and 8 carriers to haul him around the palace or wherever he's hanging his turban of late.  He keeps 8 of his harem near him at all times - and 19 (27?) eunuchs and other guards to protect their 'virtue.'  His general rides an elephant with a mahout and their is a unit with 4 elephants (and 4 mahouts, of course) with 12 men with matchlocks, plus two more elephants with six men (baggage).  There is a special unit of three horsemen and three men on foot (two stands) (I said nothing about skilled assassins, really I didn't).  For artillery he has two great bombards with a total of 16 crew.

His household guard is two commands of foot, 3 leaders and 3 units of 15 men each and two commands of horse, 3 mounted leaders and 3 units of 9 mounted men each.

There, that ought to soothe some ruffled peacock feathers.

And what of the maharanni?

She rides a camel and has a sidekick on foot.  And she has a leader (female) with two women who lead two fierce units of 15 women each.  There is also a mounted unit of a dozen men on camels.  And those special 3 mounted women plus 6 men on foot.  And a unit of 15 men on foot.  There are her two great mortars with 8 crew and her two carts with a total of 4 horses and six men driving and tending them.  Not a particularly large force but you don't want to rile her, no sir, not a good idea at all.

There are a couple of maharajah's who feel compelled (or are they more than willing) to assist the mutineers.  Long time rivals, they've matched each other step for step in sending assistance.  So you can read the list below and understand that there is another force of exactly the same composition to put on the table...pardon...field of battle.

There is the general on his elephant with his mahout.
There is the elephant unit with 2 elephants and 12 men.
There are the foot units, 3 of them, with a mounted leader with a foot figure plus two commands of 15 men each.  Then there is the mounted groupings, three mounted leaders and two units of 9 cavalry, and a camel mounted leader with a foot figure and two units of 9 camelry.  For artillery, there are 3 guns with 12 crew.  There are three jingal men, in both camel mounted and dismounted firing setups.  There are 2 tenders and 4 pack camels, a bullock cart with 4 bullocks and a tender, and 10 men and 2 camels (and darn if I recall right now just what they are for - but they are there!).

And, again, the above is one of two forces - I have all the figures for both forces.

Bringing up the last - and almost certainly the least (effective) force - is the Badmash, that nest of hooligans who can be led from battle to looting in the blink of a cobra's eye.  There is the elephant and that old pyscho who thinks he's a maharajah and his 4 drunken companions who likes to pretend he leads the rabble.  There are the two horsemen and their murderous companions on foot who can actually attempt some leadership of the horde.  Then there are the six stands of 3 men who actually have real influence over there band, 15 men in each band.

Can't be quite as detailed about the civilians because I've added some more into the mix but haven't properly recorded what I added but at a minimum there are 133 men and 87 women (220 people) to go along with at least nine carts and wagons being pulled by at least 32 beasts - brahmin oxen, camels, water buffalos, and bullocks.  I know I added in more wagons and carts, more pack camels and pack elephants and some other elephants.  Total would be hard to get to just now because of some stuff in the way.

And there you have it, another collection listed here on the blog (with some omissions on the civilians - but whose really counting them?).

August 24, 2013

Such blasphemy must be rectified!  Of course I count the civilians.  They are an essential part of the 'fun' for me since I don't build to just wage war but to create a little world in miniature.  So, today I am going to provide a detailed list of the civilians and associated items for this period/collection.  It does help that I actually pulled out the figures earlier to put down on paper a careful reckoning of what I have.  Part of the impetus for this is touched upon on the main page post dated this same date.

As  I list out what I quantified today, I expect I will make a few corrections to the prior post and I will do those in a different text color so they are easy to see, might only be one or two - or three.

To the civilians: I have 42 dancing girls and other poorly attired young ladies plus another 9 in the Great Moghul's harem.  Looking this over I just realized I don't have nearly enough women just going about there daily business but I do believe I have enough in the Arab civilians I have, not noted here, to make up for this.  Will have to check.  For the actual dancing girls, there are 6 male musicians.  And for the harem there are 27 harem guards, eunuchs, and 'viziers'.  Then there are 42 porters and another 46 men just going about daily life.  Mixed in with this are 9 elephants, 26 bullocks, and 14 camels plus 7 carts and 2 wagons.

The above apply to the natives of India but I also have some figures for the British.  Have 24 civilian men, not armed, diplomats and other sorts of men not likely to be recruited or volunteer for more dangerous duties.  They have 24 women and children to give succor to.  Plus there are another 30 porters, natives of course, who might be loyal or might desert.

Altogether that should add up to 250 people, 49 animals, and 9 pieces of equipment.









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