28mm Qajar Persian Irregulars

[Leigh Metford]

I'm looking to collect a Qajar Persian army for Lasalle 2nd edition. I know that Black Hussar has the regulars, tufangchis, and Kurds covered (although I'm uncertain of that company's current operational status), but I'm wondering what people have used to represent other tribal infantry and cavalry ethnicities.

My initial focus will be on the forces that opposed the Russians, which means Qajars, Kurds and various Caucasus peoples. I'm thinking the Gripping Beast Arab Light Cavalry set might have the potential to represent the Qajars (and further down the track, Turcomans) with the addition of firearms to at least some, and the same approach might make at least the bodies from the Fireforge Mongols and Steppe Tribes sets usable. Would renaissance Cossacks work for the Caucasus types? Of course, hats will probably have to be sculpted.
 
I'll be block painting and quick-shading with AP dips, which counts out the Irregular Miniatures range; the figures need to be well sculpted and detailed because the dip will be doing the shading.

Can anyone with experience with collecting this army in 28mm  offer any advice?

Thanks     

[elliesdad]

I can’t offer anything about figures, but I know there’s a book that will hopefully be of interest -

https://www.wargamevault.com/product/168892/The-Persian-Army-of-the-Napoleonic-Era

Cheers,

Geoff

[Leigh Metford]

Thanks elliesdad. I was aware of this publication and will probably order it soon, but I was hoping someone could shortcut the process of working out what figures to use for me by relating his/her own solutions.   

[carlos marighela]

Eureka do some Cossacks in their Wars of the French Revolution range. They might be a better fit for Caucasian types with suitable head swaps.

[cuprum]

Kurds:








Azerbaijanis:






Arabs:






Persians:



You need to select figurines based on these and similar images.

[Leigh Metford]

Thanks Carlos. I had a look at the Eureka Cossacks. The Ural Cossacks come closest to the right aesthetic effect, but in light of Cuprum's contribution I'll need to expand my probing of suitable ranges (maybe my Copplestone alien Greys can help with that task).

Thanks Cuprum. Can you provide the key to the numbers on the illustrations?   

[carlos marighela]

For those Kurds I'd have a look through the various Ottoman ranges. Perry, Steve Barber, Miniature Figurines/ Matchlock, even the Eureka Ottoman pirates. Plenty there that will fit the bill or would do with just a little work.

Some more hopefully useful images.

https://warfare.6te.net/Persia/19/Gayumars.htm

https://warfare.6te.net/Persia/ByWesterners/Persian_warrior_on_horseback.htm

https://warfare.6te.net/Persia/19/Persian_19th_Century_Soldiers.htm

[cuprum]

There are no signatures. But I think you can use the figures with weapons as a guide.

https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-1732-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/wallach-division-picture-collection#/?tab=navigation&roots=7a2e95b0-c54c-012f-edcc-58d385a7bc34

[carlos marighela]

I found it fascinating that there was a battalion of Russian deserters in the period.

https://warfare.6te.net/Persia/19/Russian_Deserters_In_The_Persian_Army.htm

[cuprum]

In Muslim armies, troops were not so rarely recruited from prisoners. The choice was small - either become a slave or accept Islam and serve in the army.
For example, in the Caucasian War, Russian deserters made up all of Imam Shamil's highlanders' artillery, and his capital even had a Russian quarter, where mostly free Russians lived with their highland wives.
In addition, soldiers of different nationalities served in the Russian army, some of whom went over to the enemy's side voluntarily, for example, the Poles.

[Leigh Metford]

Just as a postscript to this thread, anyone considering converting Qajar irregulars from plastics should be aware of something I discovered when, following a hunch, I checked my copy of Ian Heath's 'Armies and Enemies of the Crusades.'

It turns out that the flap on the Mongol robe was worn left over right, and this tradition continued through the centuries, as late as the 19th century amongst their descendants the Tartars, and importantly, also the Persians (according to the line drawings in Mark Bevis's book on middle-eastern Napoleonic armies).  Turks and Turcomans however wore their robes with the flap right over left. What this means for plastics converters is that the Fireforge Mongol bodies should form the basis for Tartars and Qajar Persian LC, while the GB Arab light cavalry set should be used for Turcomans.

I have a couple of boxes of WA Afghan Cavalry on order to form a brigade in my Persian army. Helpfully, this set comes with a generous supply of Turcoman heads that can be attached to GB Arabs.   

       

[Leigh Metford]

Cuprum - In my spam there's a private message purportedly from you about this subject. Of course, you'd have to have somehow obtained my email address to send it, so I assume it's an attempted scam. Can you confirm or deny? 

[cuprum]

Hello.

Don't worry, this is really a letter from me. I don't know your email, but this forum has a function to send an email to a member (you left your email when registering).