17th Lancers

I finished the first cavalry for the Zulu War British last weekend - a small unit of 17th Lancers, once again Black Tree Design figures (thanks Von for the Xmas present!).

The 17th Lancers were sent from India to Natal, playing a crucial role in the Battle of Ulundi on 4 July 1879, charging and routing the Zulus whose attacks were faltering against the British infantry square.  

As per usual the figures are mounted on plasticard for skirmish and Black Powder games, painted in acrylics and gloss varnished.  I replaced the wire supplied for the lances with Xyston miniatures spears (which are very robust and alarmingly sharp).  The lance pennants are hand painted paper.  These figures had their first outing in a game a few days back, which will be the subject of the next blog post...

The Charge of the 17th Lancers at Ulundi

91st Highlanders - the vanguard

Embarkation of the 91st Highlanders at Southampton, Copyright National Army Museum

The 91st Regiment of Foot (Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders) left Southampton for Natal on 19 February 1879 to reinforce the British Army after the defeat by the Zulus at Isandlwana.  I was given a pack of Black Tree Design miniatures for this regiment - their Highlander characters - which will form the basis for my next British infantry company, the figures providing an opportunity to paint an appropriate variant of the Campbell tartan.

The figures were undercoated with white primer and painted in acrylics with a gloss varnish

Need to get hold of the rest of the unit now...

Married Zulu Regiment

This weekend I finished another Zulu unit - a married regiment of Black Tree Design figures which I'd received for Christmas.  I painted them as a reasonably senior bunch with predominantly white shields.  As with all my other Zulus they are based singly for skirmishing with a magnetised movement base for use with Black Powder.  This takes me up to 9 Zulu warbands.  Need to organise a game sometime...

With another, less senior, unit in support...

Beja Warband

Finished the last of the Beja foot this month, completing a warband.

The last 6 spear-armed Beja from my unpainted box...

The first Beja warband

British Zulu Wars Heliograph

This heliograph set from Black Tree provides my Zulu War British with long-range comms capability (admittedly one-way until I get another set...).

 

Beja Warriors

To back up the Beja camelry I've started on the Perry miniatures Beja warband that Andy kindly bought me for Xmas a couple of years back.  This bunch are armed with spears and throwing sticks.

The figures are Perry miniatures 28mm metal

Figures are undercoated in white and painted in acrylics.  Bases are tetrion on coins with sand and static grass

Mounted Boers

Back to South Africa for a couple of mounted Boers after a bit of break from 28mm figures to finish a couple more 15mm Napoleonic infantry battalions..  The Boer figures are from Black Tree.  I've based them on plasticard so that a unit of 6 mounted figures will take up the same frontage as a company of regular infantry.