Kilted Highlanders in Darkest Africa

[The Breaker]

Kilted Highlanders in Darkest Africa, possible or stretching the friendship?

I would like to use some auxileries (spelling?) as well both with firearms and without, which tribes were more friendly towards the British?

[Emir of Askaristan]

There was a non kilted, trews wearing, scots regiment involved in the Zulu wars (91st), and several kilted scots regiments fought in Egypt and the Sudan from 1882 onwards.

Im not aware of any kilted regiments in any other areas of Africa - however I have seen a picture  by a photographer called Zwelethu Mthethwa of Zulu youths in a coming of age ceremony where the costume they wear is directly influenced by the kilts, socks, shirts and spats of highland regiments and who call them selves the "Iscotch"

The photo is on the National Galleries ofScotland website .

Hope that help sand provides a bit of Darkest African inspiration!!

[The Breaker]

Thanks for that, I just had an image in my mind of chaps in kilts and pith helmets. I am a bit of a noob when it comes to this topic, but I am very interested in Colonial Africa.

[Sirius]

Plenty of Highlander units active in Southern Africa from 1806 till 1902...

The first wave of the British invasion of the Cape was led by the Highland Brigade consisting of the 71st, 72nd and 93rd regiments. Not sure if they wore kilts or trews...

Highland units (74th?) were involved in the Cape Frontier wars (trews, though, IIRC)

And of course the Highland Brigade was shot to ribbons at Majersfontein... (many of those who survived complained about severe sunburn on the back of their knees - the gap between kilt and sock - as they spent a full day laying in the Karoo heat avoiding Boer fire).

[Corporal Wissman]

In terms of auxiliaries it depends on which part of Africa you are interested in South, Central and East African British could rely on various auxiliaries from the Natal Native contingent in South Africa to the Masai and Baganda in various regions of east Africa, although the latter were more just tribal allies than auxiliaries, I think

[Remington]

If you're keen to use them, why not do so anyway? Darkest Africa is such an easy-going pulp inviting setting!

[Steve F]

And of course the Highland Brigade was shot to ribbons at Majersfontein... (many of those who survived complained about severe sunburn on the back of their knees - the gap between kilt and sock - as they spent a full day laying in the Karoo heat avoiding Boer fire).

I have no idea if this is true, but I remember reading somewhere that, because they had a khaki kilt cover to the front but not the rear, an unusually large number of highlanders were shot in their colourfully-clad buttocks while prone.

[Sirius]

I have no idea if this is true, but I remember reading somewhere that, because they had a khaki kilt cover to the front but not the rear, an unusually large number of highlanders were shot in their colourfully-clad buttocks while prone.

:-)

Nice story, even if not true...

Just to add fuel to the OP ideas, what about units that were BOTH highlanders and auxiliaries? Cape Town Highlanders, for example?  

Its worth pointing out that in the British invasion of Zululand, the British regulars were outnumbered by auxiliaries. While its stretching things to say that more Zulus fought on the English side against the Zulus, than English fought on the English side against the Zulus, its not far off. Amongst the auxiliaries were Zulus who thought they were more legitimately Zulu than Cetswayo, others who saw themselves as independent of the Zulu nation (but who the Zulus regarded as treasonous citizens), others deemed by the Zulus to be unworthy of Zuluness, others who were never conquered by the Zulus but had a grudge against them, and some others who simply wanted Zulu land,  or to be rid of their powerful neighbour. Which is a round-about way of saying that things were bit a more complex than "which tribes were friendly with the Brits"...

I agree with Remington.. if you dont want to be limited by the constraints of history, you can quite easily indulge your ideas in a Victorian pulp fiction background...

[Svennn]

Just do it

If anyone wants to count the buttons, let them.  I have painted lots of things that "don't comply" such as Empress Brits in khaki for my China campaign as that was the way I wanted them.  There will always be as many, if not more approving comments than stuck in the muds anyway.

[Rob Herrick]

The Gordon Highlanders were at Majuba, and there were plenty of them in the Sudan and Wolseley's invasion of Egypt, so it's quite plausible.

[H.M.Stanley]

Kilted Highlanders in khaki/Pith just says NWF/Sudan to me unlke, surprisingly, my Indians/Sikhs which often find themselves as part of [the Sudan Expedition or] a Naval Landing Party in Darkest Africa

Your figures/your fun

Enjoy

[The Breaker]

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate them. Anybody know a good place to get some mid to late Highlander Infantry in kilts and pith helmets?

[Svennn]

I presumed you would use Perry Sudan but when I typed my earlier reply I was imagining Mutineer Miniatures with Empress heads

[H.M.Stanley]

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate them. Anybody know a good place to get some mid to late Highlander Infantry in kilts and pith helmets?

I used a mixture of Foundry [Dave Thomas] and Perry

[folnjir]

I have been thinking a out this very idea as an excuse to paint some of those great Perry highlanders.