Perry Bengal Lancers now available to order!

[Will Bailie]

Thanks to a tip from TMP, I've just ordered some Bengal Lancers!
http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=178869

[Mancha]

Not too impressive without a picture, although I'm sure they'll measure up to the usual Perry quality.

[Will Bailie]

No photos on the Perry website yet, but there are now a couple on TMP:
http://theminiaturespage.com/news/878106/

[Hammers]

Nice. How do their uniforms differ from the WWI pattern? I seem to recall Kitchener reformed Inidan army uniforms in, what was it?, 1904?

[Will Bailie]

I don't know how much the uniforms changed (sorry, not my speciality), but lots of photos and drawings on this website, from mid-19th century to early twentieth century.  These particular minis are for the 188os, so will be armed with Snider carbines, rather than the Rifle, SMLE of WWI.

http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyuniforms/uniform.htm

[Plynkes]

Hammers, according to Mollo "Bengal Cavalry were little affected by 1903 reorganistation, retaining their pre-1903 numbers, and apart from a few minor details there was little change to their uniform."

Main things that would be different would be (as Will said) their guns; by the time of the Great War there would be almost nothing colourful on their field service order uniform (everything khaki); and in almost every photo you see of Indian cavalry in WWI they have bandolier equipment. By mid-war some of the cavalry are wearing Brodie helmets, too.

The British officer is of course totally unsuitable.

[Captain Blood]

They look a neat fit with the Bengal Lancers the Perrys did for Foundry all those years ago... Updated versions of same really.
One thing very apparent though - they've got a whole lot better at sculpting horses in the intervening 15 (?) years

Dammit - I have no option but to add these to my collection! 

Not quite convinced by the cast bamboo lance though...  Looks a bit short to me, and a tad too knobbly.

[Hammers]

Hammers, according to Mollo "Bengal Cavalry were little affected by 1903 reorganistation, retaining their pre-1903 numbers, and apart from a few minor details there was little change to their uniform."

Main things that would be different would be (as Will said) their guns; by the time of the Great War there would be almost nothing colourful on their field service order uniform (everything khaki); and in almost every photo you see of Indian cavalry in WWI they have bandolier equipment. By mid-war some of the cavalry are wearing Brodie helmets, too.

The British officer is of course totally unsuitable.

Thanks. Good news. I think what little is seen of the rifle butt on the mounted lancers I think I can live with or convert. I never had the officer in mind so that's alright.

[Hammers]

They look a neat fit with the Bengal Lancers the Perrys did for Foundry all those years ago... Updated versions of same really.

But Perry is more slender than Brigade and Copplestone, aren't they?

Not quite convinced by the cast bamboo lance though...  Looks a bit short to me, and a tad too knobbly.

My thoughts to. I am trying to develop a method for producing brass bamboo lancers with a Dremel tool but  haven't succeeded yet.

[Plynkes]

Thanks. Good news. I think what little is seen of the rifle butt on the mounted lancers I think I can live with or convert.

Except that at least one of those figures is carrying his rifle on his back. And no bandoliers...

But Perry is more slender than Brigade and Copplestone, aren't they?

I would concur with that, from my experience.


I think the lances are okay for length comparing them with pictures in the afore-mentioned book (shorter than some you see, but within the ballpark, as they say) , but they are indeed slightly too knobbly. Not too bad though. I like the horses.

[Gluteus Maximus]

I think the lances are okay for length comparing them with pictures in the afore-mentioned book (shorter than some you see, but within the ballpark, as they say) , but they are indeed slightly too knobbly. Not too bad though. I like the horses.

I'd prefer smooth lances and then paint the bamboo effect on using very thin bands of a darker brown colour. I did this with my Almoravid spearmen and it looks quite good.

The Perry's horses are very good indeed - maybe the best in 28mm. Certainly far better than Gripping Beast!

I think these figures are the best 28mm Bengal Lancers I have seen, so I am going to try and get over my dread of painting horses and buy a unit. So what if horses didn't generally survive long in East Africa - they will still get posted there in my world

[answer_is_42]

Bugger. Just when I thought I'd dragged myself out of buying more things for the colonies. 

[aecurtis]

The Foundry Lancers may not have as fine mounts, but they surely looked like they were ready for the business of running down the enemy, be they Pathans or devotees of Kali!

http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/NWFRONT/1/index.asp

I thought we discussed lances not so long ago.  The bamboo shaft of a lance is not knobbly like that at all.

http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?p=1073505

And those lance heads on the models:  brrrr.  Those are for pig sticking, not combat.   Note the broader heads for making sure the boar goes down:

http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=92219

If you make your own--and given these, you ought--note the proper narrow shape of the head and (from the first link) the ball on the shoe of an Indian pattern lance.

Allen

[Admiral Benbow]

They look a neat fit with the Bengal Lancers the Perrys did for Foundry all those years ago... Updated versions of same really.
One thing very apparent though - they've got a whole lot better at sculpting horses in the intervening 15 (?) years
Dammit - I have no option but to add these to my collection! 

Exactly! Seems like a must-have for me as well. Just when I thought I'd finished my unit. Well, can't be bad to field two units of lancers ... 

I quite liked the Foundry horses, especially in comparison with Copplestone ones, but these here are even better. Lances are not to my taste and won't stay straight through wargaming anyway, so I'll go for my method of using steel wire painted like bamboo as Gluteus Maximus does.

Anyway, brilliant sculpts, and the first figs on my buying list for Crisis ...
 

[Traveler Man]

Hmm, not bad. I can find a use for them in my Daftest Africa set-up.