15mm Frontier Light Horse and NNH

[Smokeyrone]

Been building up  15mm FLH and NNH units.

Bits and pieces here and there, as there are not too many figures available.

Using Old Glory 15s Basutos, mounted, the Essex FLH packs (one pose mounted, one DM) and various individuals deemed suitable (for unmounted horses, Friekorps.  Some mounted and dismounted boers, and even some American volunteer cavalry guys).

I want a unit of each, mounted and dismounted.

Seems you can improvise, as they were not identically clad, and they had many regular British officers which can be represented by standard Brit figures.

A fun project.   For two important forces, I'm kinda surprised at by the lack of availability.   The Natal Mounted Police, for instance, were a minor and kinda obscure unit, yet they are available from several sellers. 


So, what do YOU have for these two Zulu War yeoman units?


BTW, for some weird reason, the OG15 NNH, while nice looking and with about 5 poses, includes 4 mounted figures armed with assegais!  LOL!  Methinks that was a rarity and they are over represented in their pack? 

[Plynkes]

I don't think native weapons were a rarity in the Natal Native Mounted Contingent, they seem to have been pretty common. In one photo of ten or so such horsemen, half of them have spears. Of course, they all have guns too (the spears were secondary, fall-back weapons), so if the figures you are talking about only have spears, then I think the manufacturers have made a mistake.

[Plynkes]

Seems you can improvise, as they were not identically clad, and they had many regular British officers which can be represented by standard Brit figures.
 

While they might not have been identically-clad, they did have uniforms. It's just that with each issue of replacement uniforms, the new uniforms were different. During the Cape Frontier War they had black jackets. When they arrived in Natal to face the Zulus there was an issue of locally-made yellow/brown jackets (given to new recruits and probably replacing any worn-out uniforms the old hands had). So can have variety, but only within certain parameters. Towards the end of the war it seems their uniforms were rather ragged, and tended to be covered in patches.

Interestingly, they also had uniformity of horse colour. A Troop rode bays, B Troop chestnuts, and C Troop greys (though to what degree they were able to maintain this during the war is anyone's guess).

[Smokeyrone]

While they might not have been identically-clad, they did have uniforms. It's just that with each issue of replacement uniforms, the new uniforms were different. During the Cape Frontier War they had black jackets. When they arrived in Natal to face the Zulus there was an issue of locally-made yellow/brown jackets (given to new recruits and probably replacing any worn-out uniforms the old hands had). So can have variety, but only within certain parameters. Towards the end of the war it seems their uniforms were rather ragged, and tended to be covered in patches.

Interestingly, they also had uniformity of horse colour. A Troop rode bays, B Troop chestnuts, and C Troop greys (though to what degree they were able to maintain this during the war is anyone's guess).

Thank you as always, you really are a valuable source I appreciate, Plynke. 

Yep, I just forgot the NNH would have assegai backup weapons.  What got me on the wrong path, was the OG15s pack is called "Basutos", which in my mind means Durnford's troops and the Sikalis, etc and not mounted NNC .  While some figs are poster child worthy representations of said, some other poses are clearl;y NOT Basutos nor any other black soldier (two poses are obvious white irregular cavalry types, which can be painted black of course, but they are closer matches to the Duck Dynasty, bearded redneck type). 

I am working on a concept (born of necessity due to figure availability) that my FLH units include standard uniforms, and ALSO some non standard dress.  (Volunteers arrived on the spot, and its safe to say when they showed up at Wood's Command in the Kambula area, some wore their own clothes).  George Mossop, the 16 year old runaway hero, for example, showed up one step ahead of a posse with rifle and the clothes on his back. 

What do you think, Plynkes?   If All my units have the official uniform, then I am stuck with ONE Essex pose, mounted and dismounted, of a unique, long bearded fellow.   

BTW:   When Buller and Wood were in actual command of the FLH on sorties, I assume they wore their normal uniforms?  Wood often sported a forage cap, and his normal uniform.  Gotta research what Buller liked to wear when he was in the saddle. 

Basically, I'm trying to build a nice basuto and a FLH set up, so I appreciate your and everyone else's input on the best stratagy. 

[Plynkes]

The Zikhali Horse were actually part of the Mounted Contingent of the NNC. It consisted of three troops of amaNgwane (the Zikhali Horse), the Christian mission converts of the Edendale Horse, the Jantje Horse from southwest Natal, and the Hlubi Horse who were Basutos who had settled in Natal. After Isandlwana, what was left of the Zikhali Horse was reformed as Shepstone's Horse. The Edendale troop and the Hlubi Horse were reorganised into the Natal Native Horse. These are the guys that served in Wood's column. So Wood did indeed have Basuto horsemen in his command.


Romanticized paintings of Buller in action in the Zulu War always seem to show him as an impeccably-dressed British uniformed officer in a bright white helm. But a sketch of him done at the time has him in a slouch hat with a red band, civilian riding breeches and a civilian grey jacket. He looks every inch the irregular. So simply pick whether you want the oil painting version or the on-the-spot watercolour. (Edit: Incidentally, the colour plates in at least two separate Osprey books put him civilian dress, what you make of that depends on how you feel about Osprey books, I guess.)


As for the FLH uniforms, well, unfortunately every photo I've seen of the FLH has them in a snazzy uniform. But they are all studio portraits, not shots of them in the field. I think you probably have some wiggle-room, especially as they are described as ending up looking ragged and patched. Who's to say some of them didn't replace worn-out issued uniforms with privately-acquired items?

I really don't know, I don't think anyone's going to call the gaming police if you just go with your gut and do what you want.

[ragbones]

Hi Smokey! Gallia Miniatures (under Warrior Miniatures) has two FLH figures, one a trooper and the other an officer. Naismith Design has two NNH figures, one mounted and the other dismounted. I have not seen these figures in person but hope to buy some later this year to augment my AZW collection. I don't know how they would mix with OG and Essex figures.

[Smokeyrone]

The Zikhali Horse were actually part of the Mounted Contingent of the NNC. It consisted of three troops of amaNgwane (the Zikhali Horse), the Christian mission converts of the Edendale Horse, the Jantje Horse from southwest Natal, and the Hlubi Horse who were Basutos who had settled in Natal. After Isandlwana, what was left of the Zikhali Horse was reformed as Shepstone's Horse. The Edendale troop and the Hlubi Horse were reorganised into the Natal Native Horse. These are the guys that served in Wood's column. So Wood did indeed have Basuto horsemen in his command.


Romanticized paintings of Buller in action in the Zulu War always seem to show him as an impeccably-dressed British uniformed officer in a bright white helm. But a sketch of him done at the time has him in a slouch hat with a red band, civilian riding breeches and a civilian grey jacket. He looks every inch the irregular. So simply pick whether you want the oil painting version or the on-the-spot watercolour. (Edit: Incidentally, the colour plates in at least two separate Osprey books put him civilian dress, what you make of that depends on how you feel about Osprey books, I guess.)


As for the FLH uniforms, well, unfortunately every photo I've seen of the FLH has them in a snazzy uniform. But they are all studio portraits, not shots of them in the field. I think you probably have some wiggle-room, especially as they are described as ending up looking ragged and patched. Who's to say some of them didn't replace worn-out issued uniforms with privately-acquired items?

I really don't know, I don't think anyone's going to call the gaming police if you just go with your gut and do what you want.

Spot on about the nuances of the various native horse units.  "basutos" kind of became a generic term by the Zulu war.   Units were more homogeneous earlier, such as the "Griquas".   I'd bet the Edendale Contingent, often called "Basutos", was a hodge podge, the common denominator being religion.  

I've seen pics of Buller and Wood in the field, wearing pretty casual dress.  But as you note, pics of Buller  , that are planned portraits, show a much more dapper style.  

I'm justifying my unit concept by the fact that Wood's column was in the field for what, a month, during the first invasion, and included groups of Boers (Piet Uys's clan) and often sorties included taggers on, and regular troops and officers.  

That said, most of my FLH will sport the dark tunics, and all my figures to date have a proper looking slouch hat.  Some will have varied firearms and kit, though.  Can't help it.   Let's blame the figure sellers!  

[Smokeyrone]

Hi Smokey! Gallia Miniatures (under Warrior Miniatures) has two FLH figures, one a trooper and the other an officer. Naismith Design has two NNH figures, one mounted and the other dismounted. I have not seen these figures in person but hope to buy some later this year to augment my AZW collection. I don't know how they would mix with OG and Essex figures.

Cool!  I have some Gallia Sudan figs, and I like them, and they are perfect with Essex and OG15s!!!!!