9th Lancers for the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War

[H.M.Stanley]

http://www.britishbattles.com/second-afghan-war/kandahar.htm

Right, my Chinese WL project is moving on apace so back to my Colonial project

I'm using lovely Empress ZW Lancers for this.

Now, an all important Q gentlemen. Do i cut off the lance that is modelled and replace with one of the many North Star lances that i have. They're as sharp as can be and could easily be done.

Pro's and cons please incl aesthetics.

Thanks

James

[Cubs]

Any thin spears, pikes or lances are best replaced with wire imo.

[Ray Rivers]

Now, an all important Q gentlemen. Do i cut off the lance that is modelled and replace with one of the many North Star lances that i have. They're as sharp as can be and could easily be done.

Yep.

The Empress lances are just too thin.

[Plynkes]

Pro:
Wire lances will be stronger and more durable.

Con:
A bit of a pain in the ass to do for a bunch of figures.
Wire lances don't come with a pennant already attached.
The lances they have look just like the ones from that photo of the 9th in Kabul anyway.



I'd be more worried about how I was gonna put spikes on their helmets. 

[H.M.Stanley]

I thought you might say that chaps. Nothing worse than bendy lances

[reaches for the snippers]

Much obliged to you both

[Edit; just seen Plynkes' reply - i think i'll clean them up first and have a think]

Spikes on helmets - i knew some b*gger was going to say that  . Simple, i'm not going to bother 

[Plynkes]

You gonna "greenstuff" them some of those khaki quilted jackets? Because, while photographic evidence would allow you to avoid doing so (about 1/3rd of the lancers in the photo have them on), on the other hand they would look really fucking cool.  

Remember that the 9th's facings (and plastrons) were red, unlike the white ones worn by their colleagues in the Zulu War. The photo would indicate that at least some of the men wore the plastrons with the red side facing outwards.


Just to be even more of a pain, some of the men are wearing ankle boots with khaki puttees rather than riding boots.  Just laying out the choices for you. 

[H.M.Stanley]

"You gonna "greenstuff" them some of those khaki quilted jackets? Because, while photographic evidence would allow you to avoid doing so (about 1/3rd of the lancers in the photo have them on), on the other hand they would look really fucking cool." Get thee behind me Satan  

If i can ignore helmet spikes i can bally well ignore bloody ankle boots  

Plastrons - noted thankee

I'm going to file the stripes off the trousers and do those in khaki to tie in with Camerons and Indian troops

[Plynkes]

I'm going to file the stripes off the trousers and do those in khaki to tie in with Camerons and Indian troops

Nooo, don't do that! The Kabul photo and my reading would indicate that the dark blue home service pantaloons (with yellow stripes) were pretty much the only item of clothing common to every member of the regiment during that campaign. Other than those they seem to have gone out of their way to all dress differently to one another, what with sheepskin Poshteens, quilted khaki coats, blue serges, dress tunics, drill frocks and God knows what else. 

[Plynkes]

If you want to avoid painful amounts of converting and greenstuffing, this is the look I would go for:



For if you ignore the spike on the helmet, it only requires a paint conversion.

[H.M.Stanley]

Top banana (and for the catch on the pantaloons!)

I agree that modelling quilted jackets, afghan poshteens etc would look awesome. However, i'm a lazy *******  

[H.M.Stanley]

You gonna "greenstuff" them some of those khaki quilted jackets? Because, while photographic evidence would allow you to avoid doing so (about 1/3rd of the lancers in the photo have them on), on the other hand they would look really fucking cool.  

Remember that the 9th's facings (and plastrons) were red, unlike the white ones worn by their colleagues in the Zulu War. The photo would indicate that at least some of the men wore the plastrons with the red side facing outwards.


Just to be even more of a pain, some of the men are wearing ankle boots with khaki puttees rather than riding boots.  Just laying out the choices for you. 

Plynkes,

Would you mind posting that photo?

Cheers mate

James

[Plynkes]

I'll see what I can do. 

[H.M.Stanley]

Thanks chap.

You've shamed me into thinking about green-stuffing a few of the figures 

[janner]

Spiked helms might be easier than you think. How about cutting off the lance heads and popping them into a hole drilled into the top of the helmet?

[H.M.Stanley]

Spiked helms might be easier than you think. How about cUtting off the lance heads and popping them into a hole drilled into the top of the helmet?

Wouldn't they[Empress] be a little large? On the other hand, the top from a steel (sewing) pin might do the trick!

Thanks