Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Mesofluvian Incident - afterword.

It occurred to me this morning, reading over the latest comment, that I ought to have identified the figures used in this action.  They were:


  • Redcoats and Sepoys - Zulu Wars and Khyber Pass, ESCI
  • Gatling Guns and crews, HaT
  • Mountain guns - modified Napoleonic artillery - Airfix carriage and trail, ESCI wheels, modified Airfix ACW artillery gun barrel.
  • Mounted Turkowaz - Mamelukes, HaT
  • Turkowaz artillery - Souvenir piece from the Tower of London, the crew is just on of my Bashi-Bazouk command stands.
  • Bashi-Bazouks, Strelets-R

Foot Bashi-Bazouks from Strelets-R.  Still work needed
on them, but they look promising.







Rather than using my Azuria (French Foreign Legion) figures as Turkowaz, I'm looking for something more closely resembling Turks of the 1870s.  Strelets-R provides just the thing: 1877 Russo-Turkish War Turks.  Unfortunately finding figures available is not proving easy.  I think I was lucky to get the foot Bashi-Bazouks.  I just need one box each of Regular Turkish foot and horse, mounted Bashi-Bazouks and the Turkish Artillery (with Krupp guns).  And there would be my army.  Who would do a one-box run?

Although the Plastic Soldier review is not exactly fulsome in praise of the Strelets-R figures, I'm rather taken with them.  They paint up nicely, and, if the details are a little exaggerated, that goes to clarity of detail, and to the character of the figures.  In 'character', Strelets-R takes rather after Airfix, but in my view the Streletz figures - what I've seen of them so far - are better quality.

In the distance, some Mamelukes that masqueraded
as Turkowaz horse in recent battles.

Meanwhile, I have been reading Bob Cordery/ Eric Knowles's Madasahatta Campaign, and looking forward to seeing Paul 'Jacko' Jackson's campaign based upon a similar concept and premise.   I thought I was pretty creative coming up with names for people and places, but in the late Mr Knowles, I acknowledge a master.


2 comments:

  1. Got some Strelets British Light Infantry in Egypt that I do need to paint up. Going to be used as Oronegrean light infantry with the Hat figures already used being the line infantry, grenadiers and cazadores (skirmishers). I do like the exaggerated details. Makes them easier to paint as the detail is not lost as soon as primer is applies. Makes them easier to paint and the details stand out clear.

    Cool looking figures here too. Wouldn't want to come across them.

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    1. I certainly agree that Strelets-R figures have that little something. Bashi-Bazouks were not the thing to win you wars, but, like the Cossacks in this, had a powerful nuisance value that could really wear down an enemy provided you also had a regular army in the field.

      I just wish the Russo-Turkish War of 1877 was a bit more popular!

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