British Force for Anglo-Egyptian Sudan circa 1885 or a bit earlier???

[FifteensAway]

Feel free to link to other threads that may have already covered this topic - though I didn't find one (well, yet).

I am considering building a basic British force for gaming the earlier period of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.  No plans to "rescue Gordon" or anything like that.  More along the lines of what will mostly be fictional field battles (historical battles too well known to have fun games with built in surprises for the players).

I figure a few British regiments, a couple of highlanders, some Marines and naval forces, mounted troops including on camels (ahistorical perhaps?), artillery and machine gun, some sort of train.  To help with variety, Egyptian and Sudanese and some Indian troops probably be included.
 
For the opponents I will certainly use the traditional 'recycle' them back into the battle so as to paint fewer troops - though I will paint more Sudanese than British and allies.  Anzar and fuzzies, cavalry and camelry. 

There will be river boats and dhows in the mix just because I have them.

Unit sizes may be 18 per or maybe 12 per but definitely multi-figure bases in 15 mm.

So, a list for a small but colorful British force, please?

Thanks!

[Plynkes]

The 1884-1885 campaigns that involved the British were almost entirely about rescuing Gordon. The 1885 Suakin expedition however occurred after the fall of Khartoum. There were only two battles as I recall. Neither are particularly well-known so you could probably game them.

The objective of the force was to defeat Osman Digna's Beja and build a railway westwards from the Red Sea coast to the Nile, as a preparatory step to defeating the Madhi. But the whole thing got called off after a while, and sadly for your boats they never got anywhere near the Nile. Perhaps yours will.

Here's a basic list of the forces involved:

Cavalry
5th Lancers
19th Hussars
20th Hussars
9th Bengal Cavalry

Infantry
3rd Batt, Grenadier Guards
1st Batt Coldstream Guards
1st Batt Berkshire Regt.
1st Batt King's Shropshire Light Infantry
2nd Batt East Surrey Regt.
Royal Marine Light Infantry
15th Bengal Native Infantry
17th Bengal Native Infantry
28th Bombay Native Infantry
New South Wales Infantry Battalion

Artillery
G Battery B Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
5 Battery 1 Brigade, Scottish Division
6 Battery, 1 Brigade, Scottish Division
Royal Marines Artillery
New South Wales Artillery Battery

Engineers
10th Railway Company RE
17th Field Company RE
24th Field Company RE
F Company, Queen's Own Madras Sappers and Miners

The entire force wore khaki uniforms, though a couple of the British Battalions may have started the campaign in the grey uniform manufactured in Egypt worn by the Gordon relief expedition.

Their opponents were Osman Digna's Beja, the famous 'Fuzzy Wuzzies.' At this point most reports seem to suggest they had shaved their heads and adopted the Ansar uniform. It was a transitional phase though, so you could probably get away with using a mixture of 'Fuzzy Wuzzies' and other types of Ansar troops.

Hope that helps a bit. Something historical you can build your fictional plans around.



Edited for about half a million typos.

[FifteensAway]

Thanks, Plynkes, very helpful. 

I also found the Perry uniform listing which will also be useful: https://www.perry-miniatures.com/the-sudan-1883-85-a-brief-history-and-uniform-guide/

One thing I like about the Perry list is it shows some units still wearing red at times.  While the switch to khaki might have been in full swing, I am one of those gamers who want to see the British in red coats - at least some of them.  I like the thought of red, blue, and green uniforms in evidence on the table even if a bit ahistorical.  Not so sure about those grey uniforms but I guess I can paint a few like that, maybe more of a blue-gray though.  The more tan and yellow khaki are easier for me.

I might push back as far as 1882 perhaps (Egypt) but will depend on further research.

History is grand and I love reading all sorts of history but I've found actual history too well known to present the best gaming experience thus the fictional campaign.  Not to say I don't try to recreate historical battles at times, I'm just finding plausible but fictional battles more fun.

[Plynkes]

Historically the scarlet uniforms weren't used very much. When gunboats were sent ahead to Khartoum the troops on board were told to wear scarlet, under the odd notion that seeing British redcoats might intimidate the Ansar. That's the only time they were worn during this part of the war historically, and they weren't worn in any battles. Of course, in your version things might have played out differently.

Towards the end of 1885 the Ansar tried to invade Egypt, and they were repulsed at the battle of Ginnis by an Anglo-Egyptian force in which the British troops did wear scarlet. This is often cited as the last time the British Army wore red coats in action.


The army that fought in the Egyptian campaign were also kitted out in the traditional red uniform, if you do decide to go in that direction.


Oh I forgot, the previous Suakin campaign of 1884 included a couple of Highland regiments. Just mentioning that as you expressed an interest in fielding Highlanders. While this campaign was part of the general war aim of relieving Khartoum, the expedition itself wasn't directly involved in that goal. So it requires only the tiniest leap of imagination to include Highland regiments in your non-Khartoum-relieving endeavours and still be able to consider it fairly historical.

[Deedles]

Thanks, Plynkes, very helpful. 

I also found the Perry uniform listing which will also be useful: https://www.perry-miniatures.com/the-sudan-1883-85-a-brief-history-and-uniform-guide/

One thing I like about the Perry list is it shows some units still wearing red at times.  While the switch to khaki might have been in full swing, I am one of those gamers who want to see the British in red coats - at least some of them.  I like the thought of red, blue, and green uniforms in evidence on the table even if a bit ahistorical.  Not so sure about those grey uniforms but I guess I can paint a few like that, maybe more of a blue-gray though.  The more tan and yellow khaki are easier for me.

I might push back as far as 1882 perhaps (Egypt) but will depend on further research.

History is grand and I love reading all sorts of history but I've found actual history too well known to present the best gaming experience thus the fictional campaign.  Not to say I don't try to recreate historical battles at times, I'm just finding plausible but fictional battles more fun.

Great stuff - don’t tie yourself up too much in historical knots I say . I like the Sudan period for its ability to field various types of forces . You can indeed do colourful with the imperial forces  , with the blue , red , khaki , naval uniform. Have fun!

[FifteensAway]

Thanks, Deedles.  And you are only mildly partly to blame with your extraordinary (possibly slightly insane?!  ) collection for the Sudan - just spectacular, sir. 

I have trains but more Old West than proper for the Sudan.  If anyone knows of suitable locomotive and cars in 15 mm for the Sudan, please let me know.  Skip the TT scale recommends, too rare here in USA and far too expensive.

Okay, Deedles really isn't to blame since I've had lots of figures for the conflict for ages, just making it one of my "greatly reduce numbers" periods to make it more workable.  Closing in on finishing my French Foreign Legion which also got this treatment of reduction.  Probably the best decision I've made over the years, the reduction - instead of my own "insane" over building collections of figures for various periods.  There is only so much time to paint - and play.

[Will Bailie]

For red coats, you could go just a year or two earlier and work on Tel El Kebir and the British conquest of Egypt. 
https://www.britishbattles.com/war-in-egypt-and-sudan/battle-of-tel-el-kebir/

[Jack Jones]

I think that the Suakin expeditions offer plenty of opportunities for inventing scenarios, for example around the construction of the Suakin–Berber railway.

There was also the possibility of a relief expedition from this direction.

And you get Fuzzy Wuzzies with big hair!

I have a 1884/85 hybrid field force, since I wanted to capture the range of Empire troops deployed. I have yet to add Indian infantry, mounted infantry, Egyptians, irregulars and so-on.

More on my blog.

Cheers
JJ