Abyssinian heavy weapons query

[dualer]

Hi, I have invested in the lovely 28mm Empress range of figures for the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. However, the one thing missing from the range which would allow for the Ethiopians a "square go" against the Italians, is heavy weapons. Can anyone recommend another figure manufacturer who sells anything like this, even figures which offer a conversion possibility ? Thanks.

[Will Bailie]

I'll admit to near total ignorance of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, but if you don't mind a bit of fiction, I found Wilbur Smith's Cry Wolf to be rollicking good fun.  And you'll get an excuse to add Rolls Royce ACs to your Abyssinian force!

https://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/books/cry-wolf

[Will Bailie]

As for conversion fodder, Askari Miniatures might have something to start with:
https://askari-minis.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=23_46

[Arlequín]

The Invasion of Abyssinia didn't really allow for a 'square go'. Only the Imperial Guard had 20mm Oerlikon S dual-purpose guns (48) and medium mortars. Only they and the regulars had heavy machine gun companies within battalions. For the most part their artillery had been captured at Adowa. Germany did send twelve 3.7cm PaK iirc.

On the plus side you only have to face CV-33 tankettes and Fiat IZM armoured cars, both of which were only able to stop rifle-calibre bullets.

You could of course opt to use your figures for the East African Campaign of WWII, which would add some items from the British. Captured Italian equipment from both conflicts is also an option.

The hardesr part of all of this is finding Ethiopian crew for weapons. The Perry plastic Sudanese are perhaps the best fit for conversions, but afaik there are no purpose-made Ethiopian heavy weapons or crews around.

[Will Bailie]

A couple of years ago, the Too Fat Lardies followed a Chain of Command campaign on their blog.  It can be found here:  http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=5221
And the campaign's webpage here:  https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/

The resources include CoC army lists for both the historical forces as well as for an alt-historical Franco-British intervention force.  Even if you don't play CoC, there are some ideas there for support weapons for the Ethiopians.

[Arlequín]

I was the lesser half of that project, but I didn't want to confuse the issue. The vast majority of info is accurate historically speaking, but it can be hard to sift the fact from fantasy on occasion; one website has already copied the text verbatim as 'the real deal' of the Invasion of Abyssinia.

 

If I recall correctly the only fantasy/alternate facts as regards the Abyssinians is the 'armoured force'. In reality they had three (?) Fiat 3000 and that was it. Otherwise it's all kosha as far as I remember.

Even the British and French are accurate for the time, although British tanks in ME Command were a bit sparser in reality as they would have been divided by the need to defend the Italo-Egyptian Border and of course there was an ongoing revolt in Palestine.

We went for 'counter-factual' as opposed to 'alternate history' in the main though and almost all the French and British options were deployed to the region in reality; albeit the French had to be beefed-up slightly.

Just the same though, I would fact check if you're doing the real thing. 

[FramFramson]

There's a much longer thread from some time back with some additional ideas, such as a theoretical cobbled-together armoured force.

Also, make sure you get the Haile Selassie fig from 1st Corps! (Sculpted by our own Tin Shed Gamer).