Uniforms: First British Expeditionary Force Feb - Mar 1884: Cavalry Brigade

Cavalry Brigade

10th Hussars

The 10th hussars had also arrived from India and were wearing khaki.

19th Hussars

Mounted Infantry

Another order off to Perry Miniatures

I have just sent off another order off to the Perries. They usually come back pretty quickly but it doesn't matter as I still have 12 days worth of Greeks painting left! It will be nice to have the next units based up and ready to go for after that, however.

I have ordered enough figures to complete a unit of 20 of each of KRRC and Naval Brigade. So another 12 figures for each plus command packs. I also ordered one each of the Gardner and Gatling guns to complete the naval contingent. The Perries don't do the naval guns and crews used by the brigade but I am sure I can get suitable guns elsewhere and just adapt the crews.

Redoubt have a few items that might prove useful which the Perries don't make, such as their camel train carrying a screw gun, but no doubt the figures are huge. It may be easier to buy an extra gun and disassemble it to mount on some camels, as the Redoubt figures and animals are a bit crude.

Next British Figures

I made good progress on the Greeks today so could spare some time to file and base my next British figures. Latterly, I have started to try to paint complete units rather than odd groups of figures but in this case I had a couple of spare packs I could start work on stright away. I will have to order the figures to make up these units next week.

Firstly, I have a pack of the Naval Brigade figures. When cleaning these up this evening I realised how very good these Perry figures are. I can't wait to paint them!

Secondly, I have a pack of firing figures, to which I have added a spare officer and sergeant to begin my Kings Royal Rifles Corps unit. This was my Grandfather's regiment so I better paint them nicely! I think the firing figures are best for Riflemen so I may get the firing line pack next. The Sword and the Flame Rules make no use of musicians but there are some lovely drummer and bugle figures in the command packs so I may just have to replace a normal foot soldier with a musician.

I really need to make a desert base to photograph these figures against!

British Line Officer and Sergeant Early 1884

These are my first British troops, painted as line infantry in the grey uniform issued to the expeditionary force. Perry Miniatures of course.

For El Teb (or et-Teb, as I have also seen it written, notably in Michael Asher's book) and Tamai there were no line troops wearing this uniform as they were all Highlanders, Rifles, Naval Brigade or troops in khaki Indian service dress. These chaps will have to wait!

Uniforms: First British Expeditionary Force Feb-Mar 1884: 2nd Infantry Brigade

2nd Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion 42nd Regiment (Royal Highlanders - the Black Watch)

Ist Battalion 65th Regiment (Yorks and Lancs)

Another regiment that had arrived from India.

Royal Marine Light Infantry

Naval Brigade

Some artist show them wearing sennet hats but as the Perry figures have caps I will stick with these.

Royal Artillery

Uniforms: First British Expeditionary Force Feb-Mar 1884: Ist Infantry Brigade

These are what the different units wore for El Teb and Tamai. Pictures are scanned from the Miniature Wargames article by Michael Perry. An online version can be found on the Perry Miniatures Website. Look at the Sudan Extras page.

http://www.perry-miniatures.com/index2.html

As I paint the relevant figures I will add pictures of them as well.

1st Infantry Brigade

1st Battalion 75th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders)

Wearing the grey uniforms specially devised for the campaign and their normal kilts. It is very difficult to get an idea of what shade of grey was used. I have seen it depicted as everything from a light blue-grey to quite a dark almost slate grey. I am going for a light battleship grey.

3rd Battalion 60th Regiment (King's Royal Rifle Corps)

Wearing the grey uniform with their normal black leather accoutrements and buttons. These should be the quickest figures to paint anyway!

2nd Battalion 89th Regiment (Royal Irish Fusiliers)

They had arrived from India so wore the India service khaki uniforms.

6/1 Scottish Division Royal Artillery

British Expeditionary Force Sudan 1884: Historical organisation

This is the British force I have decided to build first. Most of the troops can be used for later in the campaign too.

General Sir Gerald Graham VC

This was the force commanded by General Sir Gerald Graham for the battles of El Teb and Tamai (with approximate numbers).

Major General Sir Redvers Buller VC

1st Infantry Brigade - Major General Sir Redvers Buller

1st Battalion 75th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders) 712
3rd Battalion 60th Regiment (King's Royal Rifle Corps) 565
2nd Battalion 89th Regiment (Royal Irish Fusiliers) 343

26 Company Royal Engineers 62

6/1 Scottish Division Royal Artillery 7 pdr screw guns 150

2nd Infantry Brigade - Major General John Davis

1st Battalion 42nd Regiment (Royal Highlanders - the Black Watch) 623
Ist Battalion 65th Regiment (Yorks and Lancs) 435
Royal Marine Light Infantry 478

Naval Brigade 3 Gatlings, 3 Gardner guns 150
26 Company Royal Engineers 100

M/1 Royal Artillery 2 6cwt and 2 8cwt Naval guns on field carriages 126

Major General Sir Herbert Stewart

Cavalry Brigade - Major General Sir Herbert Stewart

10th Hussars 251
19th Hussars 362

Mounted Infantry 124

Abyssinian Mounted Scouts 100

Khartoum and Second el Teb

Having decided to re-start work on my Sudan figures I have just begun to read "Khartoum" by Michale Asher. This is a terrific book and I cannot imagine a better one being written for a very long time. Asher was a serving soldier (SAS) and also lived in the Sudan for ten years so has a very good feel for the people and locations.

I'm about a hundred pages in and have just read his tremendous account of second el Teb. This easily provides enough information to put together a wargames refight and as the battle involved quite small but diverse forces on the British side (Highlanders, Riflemen, Marines, Naval Brigade, Hussars, Khaki clad infantry etc.) I think I'll make it the model for my first British force. What I'll need to do next is get some sort on breakdown of troops involved and then try to convert them to wargames sized units. Then I'll try to work out the uniforms involved.

Command Group

I haven't posted on here for ages but I am starting to feel that once I have the last Greeks finished for Cynoscephalae then I won't want to paint another Ancient for months. The Perries have just announced that they are about to start the Egyptian army for the Sudan so I think I will go back and finish some of the figures I have started.

I have also picked up some cavalry in the interim so will do some of those too.

In the meantime here is my army command group. The Perry figures are so nice even my dodgy painting can't spoil them.

I have ordered the new Mahdist sourcebooks from the Virtual Armchair General which should prove very useful and they have a great offer on flags as well.

http://www.thevirtualarmchairgeneral.com/