KAR and British Askaris - Brigade or others

[VonAkers]

Hi Helen
Thanks for the imput.
I may well be going to Historicon this year,so hopefully the Sikh Command  will be rerady by then.
I agree with you that big units look good,what size do you run ??.I am cureently running 20/22 figures units for CLA.,and I have a few ,all about to be sent off for painting.Usually I paint my own figures not this time!!!!!.
I will spend most of my effort on brilliant terrain instead.
Any pointers/ ideas on terrain .??
I also had some Pulp Figures arrive the other day,and I am very impressed to say the least.
The German See Battalion in particular are amazing,the brits and sailors just almost as good,highly recommended indeed.I doubt any company is making nicer figures
Regards Gavin.

[skirmishman]

regarding uniforms of native troops for the Great war in Africa I really dont think it matters to much about there uniforms .From what I can gather most German askaris made use of any captured equipment they could because of the supply situation.If you can track it down Purnells history of the first world war has some useful pictures .And a small paperback taken from that called Tanganykan guerrilla ,with lots of photos.This campaign is really suitable for table top colonial skirmishes ,David.

[Helen]

Hi Helen
Thanks for the imput.
I may well be going to Historicon this year,so hopefully the Sikh Command  will be rerady by then.
I agree with you that big units look good,what size do you run ??.I am cureently running 20/22 figures units for CLA.,and I have a few ,all about to be sent off for painting.Usually I paint my own figures not this time!!!!!.
I will spend most of my effort on brilliant terrain instead.
Any pointers/ ideas on terrain .??
I also had some Pulp Figures arrive the other day,and I am very impressed to say the least.
The German See Battalion in particular are amazing,the brits and sailors just almost as good,highly recommended indeed.I doubt any company is making nicer figures
Regards Gavin.

Hi Gavin,

Thanks for your comments.

The units I run are about the same, but each faction has over 100 figures. For example, the KAR will be running at 120 figures. Same, same for the Sikhs and the British Frontier Battalion. I've roughly 90 painted figures for each at the moment. So its cosmetic what I need to complete them. For example my British need the new Lewis guns that have been released from Brigade Games. Stike mortars to round it of would be good.

I've the Belgians which is around 100 figures and just waiting on the Command etc.

Germans I'm okay, but need more Askaris as I've enough Europeans. I mean 100  German Sailors and approx 80 others.

Artillery is still very slim for both sides, but working on it.

Terrain - buy plenty of pet shop plants.

Best Wishes

Helen

[VonAkers]

Hi Helen
Just a quick run down of what I have at the moment
German
5 X Askari
1 X See Battallion
I X Millitia
1 X Other Askari
2 X German /Europeans
1 X Herero
2 X Mountain guns
5 x Machine guns

Brittish
3 X KAR
2 X British Infantry
2 X SA Infantry
1 X EAMR CAV  
1 X Nigerian Infantry ( to buy 1 more unit )
4 X Indian Infantry
2 X Mountain Battery
1 x Dismounted SA/EAMR
2 X Sikh Infantry ( yet to buy )
5 X Machine Guns
3 X Rolls Royce Armoured Car ( to buy )

Is there anything missing here do you think.??
Maybe another Indian unit ??,I read there was some Indian Cav present at some stage ?? Another SA Infabtry unit
I will pick up some Belgians in stage two .
Let me know what you think
Regards Gavin

[VonAkers]

Helen Oops

I also have 2 units of German Sailors as well.
Regards

[Helen]

Hi Helen
Just a quick run down of what I have at the moment
German
5 X Askari
1 X See Battallion
I X Millitia
1 X Other Askari
2 X German /Europeans
1 X Herero
2 X Mountain guns
5 x Machine guns

Brittish
3 X KAR
2 X British Infantry
2 X SA Infantry
1 X EAMR CAV  
1 X Nigerian Infantry ( to buy 1 more unit )
4 X Indian Infantry
2 X Mountain Battery
1 x Dismounted SA/EAMR
2 X Sikh Infantry ( yet to buy )
5 X Machine Guns
3 X Rolls Royce Armoured Car ( to buy )

Is there anything missing here do you think.??
Maybe another Indian unit ??,I read there was some Indian Cav present at some stage ?? Another SA Infabtry unit
I will pick up some Belgians in stage two .
Let me know what you think
Regards Gavin

Hi Gavin, Thankyou for your lists and recommendations.

I think importantly that you should look at time-lines for your forces. For example:

Very Early/Tanga etc:
Indians/Sikhs Mountain Batteries (10pdrs)
Indian Lancers
British Infantry,
EAMR
Small numbers of KAR
Belgians

Middle Period - Smuts
SA Infantry/Horse/Artillery(Use British Yeomanry) use 13lbs for SA Artillery
Indians/Sikhs/Mountain Batteries
Indian Lancers
2nd Rhodesian Regiment (Rifles) (use British Infantry/Aussie Infantry
KAR
Belgians

Late Period
Fit South Africans that boosted native units with NCOs and Lewis guns
South African British Police (use British/Aussie Figures)
KAR
Indian Mountain Batteries (2.75 in mountain guns)
Belgians
Rhodesian Native Regiment/Gold Coast/Nigerians/Others

This is all from the top of my head

Unless you are doing the colonial period prior to WW1 please don't use the German Zee Battalion as they weren't there. They were actually in the siege of Tsingtau. So you can use them there with your Brit and Sikh forces. I'm sure you could come up with a scenario not necessary a siege for that campaign.

Get some German Sailors even if its around 20 odd. They will be very handy for almost everything.

Revolving cannons from the London War room or Old Glory will fit in well with this period.

You can look at a colonial 12 pdr for the Volunteer battery from Calcutta that used this weapon in the early period. It was called "Logans Battery"!

British Naval forces were used extensively to man artillery onshore. You can use British sailors mixed with Bitish troops as there was really no destinction in dress - I mean shorts, shirt and cork helmet .

Askaris miniature have a Krupp mountain gun. This will suffice for a 7.5 in used from 1916 that came in on the Marie - blockade runner. It would be  a little different, but excellent representation for East Africa.

Apart from the little extras your list is fine. Just vary the sizes of the force being represented in a particular year and you will be sweet

Add in some African Kingdom and your on the way to a good adventure.

Best of luck and good gaming.