Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Will Bailie on September 05, 2009, 07:22:01 PM
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It has taken a few months, but my mates and I are finally gaming in Kandahar. Naturally enough, the forces consist of the British and the Pathans (ca 1880). After a couple of trial games to get the rules down, we had a nice little scenario, with a platoon of the 66th Regiment sent to rescue a troop of the Guides who were entrenched on a hilltop, surrounded by Pathans.
No proper terrain yet, so we simply piled dirt from the garden on the ping pong table to form hills. They ended up looking very much like the hills surrounding Kandahar - just the thing for easy to make battlefields!
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/TSATFinKandahar010.jpg)
The Pathans had a field piece provided by thier government. As I have no idea what Afghan artillery uniforms looked like in 1880, I simply took some Perry Egyptians and decided that green looks like a nice colour for the uniforms! Any information on more accurate uniforms is welcome.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/Mirwais090822036.jpg)
Game started with the Guides dug in on their hilltop:(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/Mirwais090822038.jpg)
Pathan jezzail men moved in to begin sniping at the defenders:
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/Mirwais090822044.jpg)
Pathan horsemen hoped to block the advance of the 66th, but were caught between two forces, and shot down mercilessly:
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/Mirwais090822048.jpg)
The tribesmen the rushed the hilltop, but without the horsemen to stop them the Indians were able to evacuate their position and hook up with the rescue force. At this point, the Pathans decided to preserve their strength for the next encounter.
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/Mirwais090822050.jpg)
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/TSATF%20in%20Kandahar/Mirwais090822051.jpg)
Gaming here has its challenges. No gaming shops nearby, so everything must come by mail order. Dice were a bit of a challenge. I managed to "borrow" some d6 from a Risk game, but for d20 we depend on a random number generator on a laptop. Basing certainly leaves a bit to be desired, but there is an unlimited amount of sand here, so I'll be able to improve that. The biggest benefit is that painting provides a good low stress activity to help unwind after a stressful day in the office.
Best wishes to all,
Will
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That terraain is not bad looking. Simple and effective but I guess a bit messy.
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Thanks for the great story and the photos.
I passed through Kandahar in '75, riding in the luggage box on top of the cab of one of those colorful Afghan trucks. Nobody was shooting then.
Chick
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Nice report, and an effective board, did you just spade a few shovel fulls of earth on the board? whatever you did it worked well.
dodge
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Effective terrain & no-one can accuse you of getting the colours wrong. lol Looks like a fun game.
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"Gaming here has its challenges. No gaming shops nearby, so everything must come by mail order. Dice were a bit of a challenge. I managed to "borrow" some d6 from a Risk game, but for d20 we depend on a random number generator on a laptop."
Will, if you want PM an address, I'll mail you a set of dice.
And the dirt hills look pretty danged good. I haven't been to Kandahar, but I've been relatively close (on pleasure some years ago, not "business"), and the terrain in real life does not look all that different.
Dave
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Awesome job on overcoming and adapting to your situation at hand. I was getting kinda sad thinking there would be no way to play when i head out in that direction sometime in the future again. You sir have inspired hope within me. Also, Yes, it does look like the real deal ;D
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Reminds me of when I was a kid. I spent a lot of time playing with my plastic toy soldiers in the dirt in the garden.
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Wow. I'm giving up on terrain boards :o
A couple of shovelfuls of rocky soil makes infinitely more realistic NW Frontier terrain than anything I've seen before.
Must have fair ruined your table tennis table though ;)
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Good to see that no odd conditions can keep a gamer from gaming! The ping pong table is at least big enogh to fight proper battles and the piled up dirt is the closest thing to an actual military sandbox you can achieve. Two thumbs up for that. Keep gaming!
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Very nice.
I particularly like the artillery!
very nice green.
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Thanks for all the nice comments!
The table was pretty much shot before we ever got our hands on it, as it had been out in all weather for several years. No one has complained, at any rate (which is why we kept our hands off the foosball table!).
Next plan is to build a few houses - I might try clay, since that is what they are made from here anyway.
It is surprising how much the dirt piles do end up looking like the real thing:(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/Kandhar005.jpg)
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Playing TSATF actually in Kandahar really takes the biscuit.
Too good an opportunity to miss I suppose. Bravo indeed.
I suppose it's out of the question to rope a Pathan or two in to play the erm.. Pathans?
Whatever you're up to out there, I wish you luck with it. I hope you stay safe. Shout if you need anything. I'm sure we can get a red cross parcel of wargaming goodies together.
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I think this whole endeavour typifies the "pluck" of the British fighting man, and I for one salute you and your mates for the sterling effort. Bravo lads! Bravo!
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Will Canadian? Some people may regard Canucks as a type of Briton, but I'm not sure everybody does! :)
As I have no idea what Afghan artillery uniforms looked like in 1880, I simply took some Perry Egyptians and decided that green looks like a nice colour for the uniforms! Any information on more accurate uniforms is welcome.
Will, according to Osprey they wore blue uniforms and brass helmets with a red horsehair plume. Don't have anything beyond that description, I'm afraid.
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Thanks, Plynkes - I was afraid it would turn out to be something like that. At any rate, the artillery's primary function in the battle was to
1. Look good (with those snazzy uniforms and all),
2. Misfire on 2 out of three shots, and
3. Accept an unreasonable amount of sharpshooter fire as soon as the 66th advanced to rifle range
In short, pretty similar to the role of every specialist unit that I have ever painted!
And I thought the British soldiers Bezzo was referring to were the ones that chased off the Pathans! Capn Blood, the idea of getting real Pathans to participate is intriguing, but probably not going to happen.
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Must admit I never noticed these before, but it turns out Foundry do make them...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/2b.jpg)
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Great stuff, the terrain is very effective, really looks the part. :-*
Is does bring back childhood memories though paying in the dirt with toy soldiers. Might need to try it myself, again. Don’t know what the Mrs would say to that though! lol
Keep up the good work.
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Must admit I never noticed these before, but it turns out Foundry do make them...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/2b.jpg)
That is correct!
But as I told before the egyptian artillery crew in green is very effective , too!
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Where did you get those crouching Pathans from? they look rather spiffing :D
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I think best uniform for the Pathans artillerymen is No uniform at all,
you could use those from Foundry look very realistic.
anyway my Pathans artillery was like this.
Afgans artillery could be a different matter, but no uniform is the best way.
Piero
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Where did you get those crouching Pathans from? they look rather spiffing :D
Will could correct me if I’m wrong but the Pathans figures look like Old Glory to me.
Nice looking game... and stay safe! 8)
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Yes, Calimero is correct - the crouching Pathans are Old Glory. I am very pleased with them, they are great looking minis, full of character. Some are even crouching behind rocks that are cast on to the base.
For the record,
Most of the Pathans (including all the cavalry) are Castaway Arts. So far, I have only painted up 4 of the OG jezzail men (but there are another 26 on my painting table).
The Indians are also OG (dismounted cavarly, so in TSATF terms they count as being armed with carbines, at least for our games).
The artillery piece and the British infantry are from Perry
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Fantastic Game! I am reminded of Featherstone's Sand Table that he boasted about in the early issues of the Wargamer's Newsletter and in his first Wargames books. Isn't the Sword and the Flame great? Its the rules system I use. If there is anything that is easier to use out there I would like to hear about it. Happy Gaming, I hope everyone had a good time.
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WOW! vary nice set up and cracker jake job on paint thouse guys up in the hill country. Wish I could have got some people intersted in gameing when I was in Ghazni and Gardez.
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Love the terrain, love the figures and love the setting.
Helen
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Must admit I never noticed these before, but it turns out Foundry do make them...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/2b.jpg)
Neither did I :o
They would be superb for VSF figures as the generic evil overlord/villain state's landship/aeronef crew etc as well as the obvious gun crew usage.
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That's a great idea. A certain chap with a submarine springs to mind. Those two holding their hands together in front of them are in perfect 'flunky' pose, to be flanking him while he sits in his big boss baddie chair and gloats over the captured heroes (or defending his goal from a free-kick in the annual Victorian Arch Villains' six-a-side knockout football tournament).
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Must admit I never noticed these before, but it turns out Foundry do make them...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/2b.jpg)
I'm sure that the fancy brass helmet must have been for parade only - wearing one of those in the 45+ degree heat would have been no fun at all. The peaked cap looks far more practical for field use.
Thanks for all the nice comments!
W
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I dunno about that. Horse Artillery of the presidencies and others had daft metal helmets like that which were part of their standard combat uniform, and not just used for parade wear. But of course, that's not to say that they would still have them on their heads at the end of a battle, after several hours serving a gun in the sweltering Indian sun.
In the Indian Mutiny they had white cloth covers to put over them, though whether that would help all that much I don't know.
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I dunno about that. Horse Artillery of the presidencies and others had daft metal helmets like that which were part of their standard combat uniform, and not just used for parade wear. But of course, that's not to say that they would still have them on their heads at the end of a battle, after several hours serving a gun in the sweltering Indian sun.
In the Indian Mutiny they had white cloth covers to put over them, though whether that would help all that much I don't know.
Also the 2nd Dragoon Guards was diverted back from the Crimea and took part in the Mutiny in their helmets, minus plumes. That must have been a pleasant change from the Crimean winter :?
(http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/dhm376.jpg)
I assume the Afghan troops would have been up to wearing them in action, if required.
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Not sure how I missed this thread before (despite your prodding) looks like a lot of fun in a limited enviroment for gaming .
Hope you dont inspire me to get into another era . ::)
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OK, one quick and dirty paint job later, and the artillery is now close enough for me (I'm not going to muck about trying to put a visor on the cap). Sorry about the green, Argsilverson, but the Goorkhas are on their way and will have rifle green uniforms!
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x96/WillBailie/Miniatures/Kandahar%20Gaming/Kandahar004.jpg)
Hi, Dan! Good to hear from you. I could try to tell you that the NWF games are not that different from the BoB and Mesopotamia gamesthat we did before, but that wouldn't be fun, now would it? Come on, take the plunge, abandon Dad's army and the zombies, you need Bengal Lancers!
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Hi Will , after reading Svennns thread on the Brits in China I have been thinking of a 1920's version to take on my Chinese Warlord Army. So some Lancers would fit in quite well.
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Hi, folks,
Apologies for the threadomancy. I just received a very generous gift from Matakishi, including dice and scenery, and wanted to convey my thanks.
Thanks, Matakishi - I'll get them on the table asap!
Cheers
Will
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OK, one quick and dirty paint job later, and the artillery is now close enough for me (I'm not going to muck about trying to put a visor on the cap). Sorry about the green, Argsilverson, but the Goorkhas are on their way and will have rifle green uniforms!
No need for sorry ! The green artillery uniform is very effective. I like them a lot!
Persian army used to have some green uniforms, I do not remember if in the artillery, but who cares. Those green artillerymen are very nice.
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Hi, folks,
Apologies for the threadomancy. I just received a very generous gift from Matakishi, including dice and scenery, and wanted to convey my thanks.
Thanks, Matakishi - I'll get them on the table asap!
Cheers
Will
Pics man! and that was a vary nice thing that Matakishi did.
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I'm new to this site and chuckling over the terrain [in a good way]