Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: TacticalPainter on May 22, 2022, 06:59:49 AM
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A Sudan variant of the Too Fat Lardies' Sharp Practice rules was published in the recent 2021 Lard Magazine and I've been eager to try it out. Having enjoyed Sharp Practice for horse & musket and having tried The Men Who Would Be Kings for the Sudan I was interested to see whether Sharp Practice could deliver a good game with a suitable period feel. I played two games in quick succession, one in 15mm and one in 28mm. To be honest the scale was irrelevant, that was just a matter of circumstance, as the rules work just as well in either. I thought the variant worked very well and I'm keen to play it again. I've written a longer blog post that will give a better impression of how the various games played out which you can find here https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/05/sharp-practice-in-sudan.html
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/cwhmrf.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pncwhmrfj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/m9XWlE.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pom9XWlEj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/SbOyy0.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmSbOyy0j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/EbuZIH.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmEbuZIHj)
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Excellent looking game! I hadn't seen a Sudan scenario!
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Thanks for the reports. As always a pleasure to read. Great looking games and it sounds like it was fun!
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Really enjoying how the Sharp Practice variant is working in this setting and I've been busy making more themed game aids and desert terrain. There's a long blog post that goes into more detail on how they were made which you can find here https://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/06/terrain-bases-and-leader-markers-for.html
There are a few more items of terrain including an attempt at making acacia trees using Woodland Scenics armatures:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/aZyI4Y.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnaZyI4Yj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/3dti0P.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/po3dti0Pj)
All my sabot bases and leader bases are made for a North American setting and so I've put some together that are more appropriate to the arid terrain:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/jiSFwn.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmjiSFwnj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/HWHgkD.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poHWHgkDj)
Put them all to good use in another game last week. Once again it was a close run thing with an Egyptian victory but their force morale was getting precariously low.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/NHRAvz.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnNHRAvzj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/8AJYZh.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/po8AJYZhj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/p1c8J6.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnp1c8J6j)
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More great shots! Fantastic work!
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Great paint work, compliments !
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Beautiful collection, outstanding brush work and basing!
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A few more recent additions. I wanted something to represent a baggage train or similar for an escort scenario and I thought these lovely camels and baggage from Empress would work well. The two handlers are Indian or Afghan but I think they will work in the Sudan.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/rMQAOv.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/porMQAOvj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/cqySq3.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pncqySq3j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/T9jgNX.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmT9jgNXj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/YX2JGo.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmYX2JGoj)
This Perry 7pdr screw gun and crew has been primed and waiting for paint for a while now and so that's now ready.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/bMGUy0.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pobMGUy0j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/WLyITB.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmWLyITBj)
Last, these Perry Beja casualties were also waiting patiently in the paint queue and so they are now ready.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/pVzE2i.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmpVzE2ij)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/xhWaG5.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poxhWaG5j)
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AMAZING !!! I love those camels! Great paintwork
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Great stuff :)
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Very 'andsome. 8)
www.gallopingmajorwargames.co.uk (http://www.gallopingmajorwargames.co.uk)
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Our initial games have featured the Egyptians and we imagined they made a better match for the Beja than the British who have the ability to unleash some devastating firepower. Despite our misgivings we've ended up playing several games that have been very closely contested and not the walkover you might have imagined. I've written a detailed AAR of one of those games that I hope gives a good feel for how the rules play out in the context of Sudan. You can read the full AAR here http://thetacticalpainter.blogspot.com/2022/08/i-hear-camel-train-comin-sharp-practice.html
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/4wrlkm.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pn4wrlkmj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/46fLxc.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pn46fLxcj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/dXu9OJ.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/podXu9OJj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/Cf6K0f.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmCf6K0fj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/5LkJE4.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pm5LkJE4j)
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More absolutely fantastic figures and terrain!
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Now I have Credence Clearwater Revival as an earworm... lol Thanks for the report, cracking stuff, as always.
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While up until now our Sudan games have focussed on the conflict between the Mahdists and the Anglo-Egyptians one of the guys at the club suggested we try a game with his Force Publique from the Belgian Congo. This opened up a whole new aspect of the war in the Sudan that I knew very little about and sheds more light on why Kitchener was so eager to get to Foshoda after the victory at Omdurman.
We played a game last night that was very loosely based on the Battle of Rejaf where the Belgians forced the Mahdists from a position on a ridge. Another very enjoyable game although in hindsight we may have needed to increase the size of the Belgian force given the Mahdists held such a strong position. Essentially it allowed the bulk of the Mahdists spearmen to remain concealed in the rocks and behind the ridge before bursting out onto the plain once the Belgians had come closer. It meant the Mahdists could use all their advantages of speed to get into fisticuffs quickly before the Force Publique could make good use of their range and firepower.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/JqXR3W.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmJqXR3Wj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/4DZKn8.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pm4DZKn8j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/R3pmIZ.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnR3pmIZj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/8Rjqvs.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/po8Rjqvsj)
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Better and better! Great looking figures and terrain!
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Great stuff here. Maybe the Belgians could have tried to lure the Mahdists down off the ridge...
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Great stuff here. Maybe the Belgians could have tried to lure the Mahdists down off the ridge...
Well they sort of did. Problem was they lured them down with their main force and came too close, so the Mahdists could suddenly charge down before they could fire off enough volleys.
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Added a few odds and ends to serve as play aids.
A Mahdists primary deployment point (on the left) and a movable deployment point (all from the Perry plastic set).
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/xlyJU1.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnxlyJU1j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/kFQKnL.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmkFQKnLj)
So far I've only made a primary deployment point for the British (again using Perry plastics)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/kdC4gy.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnkdC4gyj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/QFIeB1.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmQFIeB1j)
The Perrys do a set of Mahdist casualties in metal and so I intend using a couple of these as replacement leader figures for when a leader is wounded. I'll simply substitute the relevant figure in the leader's sabot. It seems a tidy way to mark this without cluttering up the table with other markers. The prone figure will represent one who is temporarily out of action.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/7FTbsi.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pn7FTbsij)
The standing figure (if that's the right word for a 'falling' figure) will be used when the leader suffers a wound that they will carry for the remainder of the game.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/hA0BSX.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnhA0BSXj)
The Mahdists can have a Mullah, who serves much like a 'Holy Man' from the main Sharp Practice rule book. I decided I could make one of these quite easily doing a simple conversion of one of the plastic figures.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/GMeII9.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnGMeII9j)
Last a few more British leaders, again these are Perry plastics.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/diZgu7.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/podiZgu7j)
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These look really good. Well done!
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I've added a couple of wounded British leader figures to use in leader sabots bases as I've done with the Beja above. I don't have any prone figures but I've ordered one of the Perry Zulu War sprues and will try a simple conversion. The two figures here are from the Perry plastic set. The arm in a sling comes on one of the sprues as does the option for a bare head. I've used the head without any changes on the officer with his arm in a sling. I've used exactly the same head but sculpted a bandage and hair using miliput for the other.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/auNTXu.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnauNTXuj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/ycObSd.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnycObSdj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/cW4Idp.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pocW4Idpj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/G4JOmE.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poG4JOmEj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/R9fviq.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmR9fviqj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/FiF4gj.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmFiF4gjj)
It will be a simple matter of replacing a leader figure once he is wounded with the other figure and that way it will be easy to keep track of which leaders are wounded without any unnecessary clutter on the table.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/OOom71.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmOOom71j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/sspmmB.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnsspmmBj)
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That's a great idea. Plus, they look really good!
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All very nice. Impressive.
Curious, though, about the British in green? Is it meant to be rifle unit soldiers or an interpretation of khaki? If the latter, a bit greener than I understand the khaki in period to be, more of a sand color or maybe a bit tannish. Or maybe there is something about uniforms for the period I am unfamiliar with?
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All very nice. Impressive.
Curious, though, about the British in green? Is it meant to be rifle unit soldiers or an interpretation of khaki? If the latter, a bit greener than I understand the khaki in period to be, more of a sand color or maybe a bit tannish. Or maybe there is something about uniforms for the period I am unfamiliar with?
My figures, my khaki, you don’t like it, you paint ‘em! 😉
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Great stuff. I really like your wounded markers etc, they will add much to the look of the game and the player experience. Keep Em coming! :)
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All very nice. Impressive.
Curious, though, about the British in green? Is it meant to be rifle unit soldiers or an interpretation of khaki? If the latter, a bit greener than I understand the khaki in period to be, more of a sand color or maybe a bit tannish. Or maybe there is something about uniforms for the period I am unfamiliar with?
It was all kinds of colours. Local dyes, sun bleaching, wear and tear etc. would mean no two uniforms were exactly the same. Plus you need to consider the photographic process and the rendering of the images on a computer screen.
I think the whole collection is splendid!
My figures, my khaki, you don’t like it, you paint ‘em! 😉
lol lol lol lol
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I'm with TacticalPainter re: color choices. I've used very similar replies to button-counters at conventions...but I reckon Fifteensaway was just trying to offer constructive criticism, so perhaps we ought not be too hard on him...
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I'm with TacticalPainter re: color choices. I've used very similar replies to button-counters at conventions...but I reckon Fifteensaway was just trying to offer constructive criticism, so perhaps we ought not be too hard on him...
Indeed, hence the wink emoji.
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Tactical painter, great job, great colors, great basing! Khaki is subjective, paint them as you like. I’ve seen all manor of colors and shades of the same colors in the field.
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"All very nice. Impressive.
Curious, though, about the British in green? Is it meant to be rifle unit soldiers or an interpretation of khaki? If the latter, a bit greener than I understand the khaki in period to be, more of a sand color or maybe a bit tannish. Or maybe there is something about uniforms for the period I am unfamiliar with?
It was all kinds of colours. Local dyes, sun bleaching, wear and tear etc. would mean no two uniforms were exactly the same. Plus you need to consider the photographic process and the rendering of the images on a computer screen.
I think the whole collection is splendid!
Quote from: TacticalPainter on August 19, 2022, 10:25:35 AM
My figures, my khaki, you don’t like it, you paint ‘em! 😉
lol lol lol lol"
All of the above. Indeed splendid work all around. But I really was curious as to the choice of color and if there was some historical basis. As stated in the other reply quoted above, khaki was all over the place, even in the same unit - more poorly dyed cloth without proper mordants than a standardized color and highly dependent on what was available to color the cloth (including helmet covers). Wondered if it was meant to be King's Royal Rifle Corps which did serve in Sudan but would have been, by my interpretation, a darker green. And, of course, they are your figures to paint as you like - heck, if you want pink riflemen, go for it! lol
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Lovely work! I'm so jealous! Khaki is khaki is khaki and I wholeheartedly agree, your figs, your color choice! I'd be proud to play with them!
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The one thing missing from my Sudan collection has been mounted units and I'm looking forward to seeing what impact they have on what is already a fluid and fast moving game. We've been playing the small three game campaign that was published in Lard Magazine 2021 to accompany the Sudan variant rules for Sharp Practice. However we've played without British cavalry or mounted Mahdist horsemen (because I didn't have any) and simply adapted the forces accordingly. I've addressed that now with this batch of Baggara horsemen from Perry and not far behind them in the paint queue is a similar number of British hussars.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/NUVI4v.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poNUVI4vj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/R2SD9k.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnR2SD9kj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/hOgc3s.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmhOgc3sj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/xyoXoo.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnxyoXooj)
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A great looking set of figures.
We are playing Napoleonic SP, and have found cavalry a mixed bag, Dragoons have been not too effective, but impact cavalry can really skittle an enemy unit! Will be interesting to see how they work in a later period.
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A great looking set of figures.
We are playing Napoleonic SP, and have found cavalry a mixed bag, Dragoons have been not too effective, but impact cavalry can really skittle an enemy unit! Will be interesting to see how they work in a later period.
We use cavalry in some of our AWI games and when committed at the right time they can be very effective. I hold out less hope for the Mahdist cavalry as breech loading rifles and machine guns could make a mess of them if they are not used carefully. On the other hand the British cavalry are likely to be far more effective given the majority of Mahdists have only edged weapons, although they will still need to be committed carefully.
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Hot on the heels of the Baggara horsemen are these 19th Hussars from Perry. I don't know what it is about painting mounted figures but I always find them a real chore and I've no idea why. I'm always happy with the end result but there is something about the process that I find laboured. A mystery. Anyhow pleased that these now give me options for a mounted unit for both the Mahdists and the British.
We used the Mahdists in a game last week and I suspect I committed them far too early as they were quickly driven off with a few volleys of breach loader fire. To be expected, I guess. At least these Hussars should be in with more of a fighting chance given the lack of Mahdist firepower, but like all cavalry, timing is everything.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/nX7aQp.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmnX7aQpj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/Slcrwu.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnSlcrwuj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/Oe6YSM.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poOe6YSMj)
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Very well done! All them horsey-fellers look great! :D
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Great inspirational stuff there – thank you!
Cheers
JJ
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Amazing project and painting keep it coming :-*
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I'm running four participation games of Sharp Practice in the Sudan in the Lard Zone at CanCon in Canberra on 21-22 January. The only thing I needed to add were a few prone casualties to represent British leaders that had taken a wound that temporarily incapacitated them. As you can see from earlier posts I have created figures for leaders carrying a wound that would impact them for the remainder of the game but I didn't have any prone figures to use for the temporary wounds. I've solved that by using two of the prone casualty figures that come with the Perry plastic Zulu War set. The uniforms are very similar, with the most obvious difference being the lack of puttees. Other than trimming the lace off the sleeves of their jackets these are as they come out of the box.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/Kvno2T.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmKvno2Tj)
As with the other wounded leader figures the idea is to substitute these for the leader figure when a wound occurs. They are really just glorified wound tokens but I think they maintain the visual appeal of the table and add to the narrative. It's a simple matter of replacing the figures in the leader bases.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/e8O4st.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pne8O4stj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/v7Ekbl.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmv7Ekblj)
While doing those I took the time to finish off a gun for the Mahdists. This is also from the Perry's Sudan range and features a crew made up of captured Egyptian gunners who are shackled, one of whom is about to take a beating from their Beja overseer. A very atmospheric set.
I've based the gun and two crew on a single base but the other two on separate bases to allow me to remove casualties.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/922/LelAeJ.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pmLelAeJj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/i4Nc8o.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pni4Nc8oj)
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those bases are fantastic. I've tried to do simular for my bases and haven't come close. So I just settle. Not happy with the results. But what can you do if you don't have the talent or product. :(
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Those chaps look great too!
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You continue to impress mate! 👍
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A little gap between new additions but here is a Naval Brigade contingent to join the British. These are all Perry Miniatures once again, I particularly like the command set, some very characterful figures in there.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/924/GGlmD9.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/poGGlmD9j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/VmOiL7.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnVmOiL7j)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/ja7qTd.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnja7qTdj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/LU7z4r.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnLU7z4rj)
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Those fellas look good too. They oughta be able to give somebody a good whoopin"...
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Fantastic painting work. About the Cavalry, I think that, in these late Colonial periods, they are great, and useful, as Mounted Infantry more than as pure Cavalry.
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You have a very fine collection of figures.
The Sudan is one of my favorite colonial periods to play.
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Well it seems you can never have enough Mahdists (which is probably why Kipling said you can never have enough ammunition). I think this extra twenty gives me about as many spearmen as I'm likely to ever need for the Sharp Practice variant, but in this hobby you can never say never, can you? Like my others these are all Perry plastics.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/923/WOvnbP.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnWOvnbPj)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/922/3086JB.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pm3086JBj)
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Lovely work :)