New Pulp Sikhs

[traveller]

Pulp figures has added two sets of Sikhs to their catalogue. They look really good and they are telling my credit card to buy them. Can anyone advice which period/conflicts they would be historically suitable? Grateful for any advice!

[Arlequín]

North-West India? 

It depends on the time setting of your games really. Indian troops stayed pretty much in India and the surrounding regions between the wars. They were sent to Iraq and the Sudan at the start of WW2, but as far as I know they would only be found were there was a 'British interest' that needed protecting in the far East.

Try asking on the Colonial Wars Board, in case some of the contributors there don't visit this one.     

[traveller]

Thanks Jim!

looking at the equipment they have, would they qualify for the early 20th century as well, ie 1910 onwards? I am mainly thinking of the Mad Mullah campaign

[Plynkes]

No, mate. They are wearing 37 pattern webbing (the 37 referring to the year 1937). That means they are for late 1930s and World War Two only. The special weapons are too late for your period too (apart from the Lewis Gun). In addition, they are wearing British Army style uniforms including shorts, which also firmly places them in the 1930s onwards.


Sikhs were involved in the 1902/1903 campaign against the "Mad Mullah." For that campaign you would want to use Victorian Sikhs with Martini-Henrys, such as the Foundry Darkest Africa ones. I don't think Sikh troops were involved in the later campaigns (though I'm not 100% certain).



So, to sum up and answer your original question, I think World War Two is probably your only historical option. There were columns sent against the followers of Mirza Ali Khan, the Faqir of Ipi, on the Northwest Frontier in 1936-1937, but I'm doubtful whether they would have had the 1937 kit yet. A colour plate from an Osprey shows an Indian army Bren-gunner in shorts and a woolly jumper, but still wearing the 1908 webbing at this time. However, the campaigning continued against the Faqir during the war (he was supported by the Germans and Italians) and so you could probably use the figures for this (though I don't have details of the units deployed, so don't know if Sikhs were involved).

[Arlequín]

Obviously if you aren't too concerned by historical accuracy and just want 'representative' figures, you can please yourself. But iirc there are figures about for specific periods, i.e. WW1, 19th Century. This is Plynkes' field far more than mine, so I'd go with his comments. 

[Plynkes]

Jim's right, there certainly are figures that fit the Great War and inter-war years better than those Pulp fellows (who are fine lads, just fine lads from the late 30s and 40s).

You can't go wrong with either Copplestone or Brigade's Sikhs for something 1910-1930ish. Either are fine figures. For the slightly earlier late Victorian and Edwardian period there are the above-mentioned Darkest Africa Sikhs, and also various other options such as Perry, Old Glory and the old Foundry NWF range (and no doubt a bunch of others which escape me at the minute).

[traveller]

Decisions, decisions...the "problem" is that Pulp offer some really nice variation and armament. Copplestones pack offer only 10 very similar poses. Brigade looks quite nice. Has anyone seen the BG-WIAB46  Sikh Command II (not pictured on their website)?