The Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902

[Wirelizard]

My father lived in Colenso - site of one of the larger battles of the Boer War - for a few years when he was growing up - apparently it's incredibly easy to find shell casings, bullets and other minor artifacts in the fields and veldt around the town; every so often they'd find something more interesting - British uniform buttons were especially prized; one kid found an actual bayonet once.

[carlos marighela]

The Foundry line were/are lovely. Personally I'd love to see some more Boer War Era figures, if not so much for the Boer War itself but for other exotica like Chitral 1895 or the great Pathan risisng of 1897 and then there's the prospect of Britain and the US slugging it out over the territorial argument the Brits had over Venezuela ( the US at one stage foolishly threatened to intervene).

Perhaps someone should start lobbying Gerry Webb at Castaway Arts. Gerry does some outstanding figures for the 1870s/1880s and for the Sudan. Maybe he'd be inclined to inch forward and do a Boer War range given sufficient demand.

[commissarmoody]

Whats this about a territorial argument over Venezuela?

[Gluteus Maximus]

A veritable mine of information!

Thanks very much for those URLs, Allen.

Very useful indeed 

Cheers,
Ian

[Gluteus Maximus]

Whats this about a territorial argument over Venezuela?

This sounds fascinating. Please enlighten us, Carlos!

[carlos marighela]

In a nutshell Britain was in dispute over the border demarcation of it's colony in Guyana with Venezuela. President Cleveland, decided his sliding popularity could benefit from with a nice distraction. He  invoked the Monroe Doctrine and weighed in on the Venezuelan side threatening the use of force if Britain did not submit to US arbitration of the dispute. Preparations were made by the US for a war.

An interesting hypothetical, Britain had quite a bit on its plate in 1895. Of course given the need to transport troops by sea and the complete disparity of naval powerit would be a short game for a US player. And of course after the US navy is summarily sunk, no prospect of a war with Spain. The mob don't get Havana as a play ground.

More detail here :

http://www.guyana.org/features/guyanastory/chapter84.html

[Gallowglass]

Cheers Carlos, food for thought 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Yes, could be a good basis for a quasi-historical campaign - maybe with Germany allying with the USA and therefore giving less chance of the RN ruining all the fun too early.

The Chitral campaign is also a great little mini-campaign, with the siege of a small fort and the race to relieve it before the tribes overwhelm it. It would be a great game for small-level actions such as T&T or GASLIGHT etc.
The NWF is such a fascinating theatre, with so many gaming possibilities for larger Brigade level actions or smaller .45 Adventure style skirmishes 

Apologies for any hijacking, BTW 

[commissarmoody]

tell me about it, I got qute a few foundry NWF and some old glory mins heading my way now for thouse ranges.

[Poliorketes]

Yes, could be a good basis for a quasi-historical campaign - maybe with Germany allying with the USA and therefore giving less chance of the RN ruining all the fun too early.

I think in 1895 the better US-ally-british would be-enemy France. Remember, Faschoda happened three years later while the Navy still managed the three-power-standard with France haveing the second largest Navy and Italy being third.

[commissarmoody]

WW1 in the Spanish main Folks! We got sun and sand, a nice sea breez and death leaden swamps and jungles waiting for you and your freands!

[Gallowglass]

Could you use Boxer Rebellion and Spanish American War figs for this?

[carlos marighela]

Could you use Boxer Rebellion and Spanish American War figs for this?

Can't see why not. God knows what the Venezuelans would look like but I suspect Span-Am Spanish would do admirable service. France was still a popular trend leader in military fashions in South America so maybe some chaps in kepis.

The French BTW would make a better fit for a US ally, not only for political reasons, they have a navy, of sorts. The German navy at this point isn't exactly the most potent of threats.  And on a related topic of course the Germans French and Brits all united to fight the Venezuelans but a short few years later.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/venezuela1902.htm

[commissarmoody]

wow ever one jumped into that one didnt they

[Gluteus Maximus]

Yes, could be a good basis for a quasi-historical campaign - maybe with Germany allying with the USA and therefore giving less chance of the RN ruining all the fun too early.

I think in 1895 the better US-ally-british would be-enemy France. Remember, Faschoda happened three years later while the Navy still managed the three-power-standard with France haveing the second largest Navy and Italy being third.

Fair enough. I was just thinking of a way to keep the RN threat to a minimum, with the ground forces being British/US/Venezuelan and not involving mainland Europeans. I've no problems with having the French as particpants 

I never realised the Italian navy was that large, though