Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Antonio J Carrasco on May 25, 2021, 08:37:42 PM
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Ok, here it is another Spanish miniatures company. They will start releases in September, and will focus in the colonial war of Spain in the Rif (1921-1927), although many models can be used also for the Spanish Civil War. The models are 28mm and they project to release first the Spanish Legion, followed by Riffians and then Spanish Cavalry. According to a friend that is involved in the project the range pretends to be exhaustive, covering support weapons, vehicles, Regulares, Policía Indigena, ecc, even some pieces of terrain (blocaos, wire...)
One of their models (Spanish Legion, circa 1921):
(https://i.imgur.com/uqFUNGv.jpg)
And their leaflet:
(https://i.imgur.com/gzaePl7.jpg)
Link to their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/Baraka-Games-and-Miniatures-101375535464500
Disclaimer: I am not involved in the project in any way. I simply find it very exciting!
*Baraka: it is a word of Arab origin that means "blessing" or "blessed". In the context of the wars in Africa, it was used by the Spanish army to describe that mix of luck, charisma and bravado typical of successful colonial officers. Saying that someone "had baraka" was a way to express respect and admiration for their leadership in combat, and their "luck"; they were the guys that made things happen. I think that guys like Nicholson or Hodson, of the Indian Mutiny fame, would represent those that "had baraka"
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That's a really nice figure. And folks always seem to be clamouring for miniatures on this subject, so hopefully they will be a success.
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I'm very happy for our Spanish friends (and of course others lol) because I know a lot of them have been wanting the Rif War/SCW for a long time.
Mark
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That’s a lovely sculpt! I hope they do well with this range.
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Superb sculpting. :-* :-* :-* Lovely natural posture, which can turn a good sculpt into a superb one! 8)
From what little I know about the Rif War was that it was fought against some of the Berber tribes of North Africa.
I have wondered if any of these Tribes remained hostile during the SCW or were they incorporated into the French Nationalist army? Or none of the above?
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Now that is interesting news!
Back in the day, I got a lot of the Ansell-sculpted Rif War Spanish from RifRaf, but failed to purchase the Berbers to fight them. Since the Ansell figures, while very nice in their own right, don't work with any other range, IMHO, I'm quite intrigued by this if the figures are more along the mainstream "bulk/heft" style (as the image seems to suggest).
Will watch with interest!
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Superb sculpting. :-* :-* :-* Lovely natural posture, which can turn a good sculpt into a superb one! 8)
From what little I know about the Rif War was that it was fought against some of the Berber tribes of North Africa.
I have wondered if any of these Tribes remained hostile during the SCW or were they incorporated into the French Nationalist army? Or none of the above?
You are correct that the war was fought against the Berber tribes, but after the defeat of the Spanish at Annual Abd-el-Krim managed to consolidate the different tribes into a more formal polity, the Republic of the Rif. It had a formal army and actually fought conventional actions against the Spanish and French. The operation at Alhucemas in 1925 was a conventional amphibius operation. It is a very interesting battle, and the Riffians fought as an Army, not as separate tribes (harkas, in the parlance of the times)
By the time of the SCW most Riffians fought as mercenaries for Franco; there is not information of any disturbances in the Rif.
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Here's a book I have been planning to get. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1783310456/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_9?smid=A3IHWHW38Z0N1B&psc=1
Mark
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A couple more.
Mark
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https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/the-riff-war/
(https://i1.wp.com/toofatlardies.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Rif-War-Guide.jpg)
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Very nice new!
i am very interrested by a rif range!!
I need more morrocans rifain ! are the french planed either ?
best reagrds
paco
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Here's another one coming out in the fall. https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/rif-war-insurgency-in-northern-morocco-1920-1927.php?sid=dfb38d38b268923074e7e6955617e7d3
Mark
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You are correct that the war was fought against the Berber tribes, but after the defeat of the Spanish at Annual Abd-el-Krim managed to consolidate the different tribes into a more formal polity, the Republic of the Rif. It had a formal army and actually fought conventional actions against the Spanish and French. The operation at Alhucemas in 1925 was a conventional amphibius operation. It is a very interesting battle, and the Riffians fought as an Army, not as separate tribes (harkas, in the parlance of the times)
By the time of the SCW most Riffians fought as mercenaries for Franco; there is not information of any disturbances in the Rif.
Thanks Antonio. It's all very interesting as I know nothing about the history of the Rif, not the Rif war. Literally nothing which might say a thing or two about the bias in the English speaking world re the military history of the non English speaking world! I'm having a devil of a job with my Itlaian Wars project as apart from the obvious authors there is little by way of detail. Thankfully that's changing with the likes of Predonzani Massimo authoring his very useful books for Helion.
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I’m very interested in this range and this conflict! Keep it coming.
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It’s a pity the Berbers didn’t have an airforce. I’d be happy with a Rif Raf.
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By the way if anyone plans to buy the Harris book "France, Spain and the Rif" it is currently on sale half-price for £10.39 from Naval and Military Press in the UK. I may just buy a copy!
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It’s a pity the Berbers didn’t have an airforce. I’d be happy with a Rif Raf.
They tried to have one, and in fact they bought a couple of planes -I don't remember the models; check it later and tell you- and hired to French pilots to teach them. One of the planes actually flew from Argel to the Rif. It could make for a fun what if! lol
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By the way if anyone plans to buy the Harris book "France, Spain and the Rif" it is currently on sale half-price for £10.39 from Naval and Military Press in the UK. I may just buy a copy!
I have it saved on Amazon but the cheapest one I can buy is about $38 with shipping.I'll have to check out the place you say.It would depend on the shipping which is getting out of hand .
Mark
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I checked the site out.Great prices but the shipping is a killer.I ordered 3 books (about 26 GBP) but the shipping was like 45 GBP for tracked air.I could have went for surface which was about 12 GBP but would take 2-4 months to get here and I don't think it is tracked.I might as well get the books here because with free shipping it comes out about the same.I know all shipping is going up fast but in the long run as a lot of people won't buy from other countries because of the cost.
Mark
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Hidalgo-Beneito Miniaturas just came out with this beautiful vignette. https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/hidalgo-beneito-new-releases-pre-order.315186/#post-1135256
Mark
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The painting that inspired the vignette is based on an incident during the operations to recover the initiative in the region around Melilla, that started in February 1924 and continued up to October of the same year. The goal was to secure the areas of the Beni Sicar, one of the kabilas that did stay loyal to Spain. One of the better known -nowadays, at least- events was the "Blocao de la Muerte" (Death's Blockhouse). The blockhouse was part of the lines of outposts in the outskirts of Mount Gurugú, which dominated Melilla. There, in Dar Hamed, there was a blockhouse, with a garrison formed by twenty men of the Batallón Disciplinario de Melilla (Penal Battalion of Melilla), under the command of the lieutenant José Fernández Ferrer; the garrison was reinforced by 14 legionarios under the command of lance corporal Suceso Terrero López, all of them volunteers. The Riffian army in number of 600, supported by two captured 75mm mountain howitzers -which ended the action firing on open sights, at less than 50 meters from the position- attacked on September 14th-15th, 1924. Finally, on the night of 15th September, the last defenders were killed in a vicious hand to hand combat, when the Riffians assaulted the position with the support of the guns, after the defenders had spent all their ammunition.
Neither the Penal troops, nor the legionarios were rewarded postumously. The Spanish government did not want to give publicity to a combat that only happened because the general that commanded the operation, general of brigade Carlos Tuero, blotched the deployment and over-extended his troops. He was demoted and tried by a military court of inquiry, by the way.
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More photos of the upcoming range:
(https://i.imgur.com/bVBZq7n.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/fiAhrQA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/G0i8gxb.jpg)
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:-* :-* :-*
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Looks like a new project is looming!! ;)
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By the way if anyone needs some of the Ansel Rif Raf miniatures like Chris mentioned, this company (https://www.templarwargames.com/) has enough to provide the missing Spanish Legion and the Rif's. Between Askari, Rif Raf and Empress I had enough to do a small project but these new figures are too gorgeous to ignore. Rif Raf never completed the planned line up and our new friends are sculpting a beautiful line that looks like it will be all comprehensive. Hope enough people throw money at them so the complete lineup goes forward.
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The miniatures look excellent : do we know who sculpted them ?
It will also be interesting to see how compatible they are size-wise with the existing ranges from Empress and others.
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The miniatures look excellent : do we know who sculpted them ?
It will also be interesting to see how compatible they are size-wise with the existing ranges from Empress and others.
I'll ask and will tell you something as soon as I know.
Update: Yes, they are compatible (Empress and Baraka, I mean). My mate is searching for a comparative photo, and will send it to me shortly. I will post it.
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Here is a photo that my mate sent to me. It is not very good, but it can give you an idea of how they will compare with Empress. I have been told they will take better photos, and will include models from other manufacturers, for a more exhaustive comparative.
(https://i.imgur.com/VE5jeJ8.jpg)
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Not bad
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I have some renders of the upcoming Riffian fighters. They are not definitive, though (posing and weapons details are still a work in progress, and will change before the definitive sculpts are sent for casting) but I have received permission from the chaps at Baraka to show you the first drafts.
(https://i.imgur.com/0nYosed.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/85Z1AX0.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oQMU6Ed.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YT63nLX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eIG4131.jpg)
These are, I insist, works in progress and will be subjected to changes.
By the way, they have told me that among their plans is also release French troops for 1920s Morocco, for the operations in 1924-1927 in the frontier between the Rif and the French protectorate. These will be released once the Spanish and Riffians are finished, though, so not earlier than 2022.
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I really like their stuff so far, it will likely tempt me into another period. Perhaps the guy with a rifle in his left hand might need changing as it appears to be a left handed rifle?
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By the way, they have told me that among their plans is also release French troops for 1920s Morocco, for the operations in 1924-1927 in the frontier between the Rif and the French protectorate. These will be released once the Spanish and Riffians are finished, though, so not earlier than 2022.
Very good new !!
if they need some informations about french in marocco .....
best regards
paco
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Very good new !!
if they need some informations about french in marocco .....
best regards
paco
I'll pass the info.
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Those Riffians look pretty tasty,and great news that there'll be some 1920's French.
Any chance of a Jean Claude Van Damme personality figure? ;)
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Centenary of a day the Spanish choose to forget:
https://insidearabia.com/battle-of-annual-moroccan-tribesmen-destroyed-army-of-spanish-troops/ (https://insidearabia.com/battle-of-annual-moroccan-tribesmen-destroyed-army-of-spanish-troops/)
"The Great War" YouTube channel also has an interesting overview of the events up to 1921 which features some great photographs of troops in the theatre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgTXDkwwz2o (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgTXDkwwz2o)
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Love the look of the figures. :-*
I don't need another range of figures to paint.
But these are so nice.
Damm you guys. ;)
Figures are too sweet to not purchase.
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Preorders are live!
https://barakagm.com/
(https://i.imgur.com/lJwjl0o.jpg)
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Painting Guide. https://balagan.info/painting-guide-for-the-rif-wars?fbclid=IwAR30E1wh7fv-8KOZBZlGEQMlBK7srfvxC38hfuZ8MC05HL1gxRZmDNq4lMo
Mark
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It’s a pity the Berbers didn’t have an airforce. I’d be happy with a Rif Raf.
This is why we can't have nice things...
lol
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These look great! Will you be distributing in USA through a US distributor, or direct sales only? (note I am fine either way)