The Abyssinian Crisis project blog (update 21JUN17) - **It. Askari platoon **

[Happy Wanderer]

A small update for anyone following this post and not the Chain of Command:Abyssinia army list thread.

All the Chain of Command Italian lists are uploaded on the The Abyssinian Crisis blog ready for download.

In the next series of lister releases we will start to look at the Ethiopian Chitet, Mehal Sefari and Kebur Zabanga lists..stay tuned  

Once the month of army list releases is complete we'll start to look at some of the hobby aspects of the project along with some more background info...

 

Cheers

Happy W

[kramsenoj]

Thanks for the continued supply of information on units and armies involved in the conflict.
Especially on how to put them in an CoC game environment.

The only slight drawback for myself is the need to build at least a detachment of most of the forces so far covered.
Further lists will I'm sure will just add to this. Oh well, one should accept this as normal wargames perennial problem. Mission creep.

[Happy Wanderer]

Thanks for the continued supply of information on units and armies involved in the conflict.
Especially on how to put them in an CoC game environment.


You're welcome  

The only slight drawback for myself is the need to build at least a detachment of most of the forces so far covered.

Well that could be a problem with 17 lists!!! Great if you own Empress miniature though! The good news is that most platoon forces you build are usable other periods so really only the Ethiopians are unique to the period....and even they can be used in other conflicts in the Horn of Africa between 1896-1937...so there is a good deal of double duty on anything you'd put together.

Further lists will I'm sure will just add to this. Oh well, one should accept this as normal wargames perennial problem. Mission creep.


...a natural state of affairs...one thing leads to another!  

[El Grego]

Thanks for the continued supply of information on units and armies involved in the conflict.
Especially on how to put them in an CoC game environment.

I'll second this   

Happy, I think that you have set the hook here deep enough to start up my own Abyssinian project - you almost had me with the Sumerians some time ago  (and might yet, in the future...      )

[Arlequín]

We don't expect a mass-exodus from WWII to the far more stimulating and gratifying Interwar Era, but it is nice when someone takes the bait all the same.

 

[Happy Wanderer]

Hey El Grego,

Glad to see you here checking out The Abyssinian Crisis stuff...there's lots to choose from and plenty of interesting combinations in play for the interwar.  We're  over the hump lists wise and into the Brits and French now on the home run.

You might want to wait and see what else these armies have to offer as there are some interesting options in the British and French lists...particularly when looking at TAC. Take as a whole there is stacks of stuff in the TAC lists and they have been 6 month plus+ in the making...

I hope to get back to the Sumerian stuff in due course and I have infact been redoing the webblog and will relaunch when I get clear air again...for now, I'm concentrating on on one or two things at a time...no more!! 

...so, by way of ideas, what are you thinking would be a good TAC scenario for you to pursue...I'm curious as to what's caught your eye.

Cheers

Happy W 

[Arlequín]

Obviously if Abyssinia isn't your thing, the scenario sets up the almost definite invasion of Egypt by the Italians and probably action in the Levant between Britain and France. Barring the Ethiopian lists themselves, most of the lists are usable for the forces involved on these other fronts.

Arabs, Senussi and whatever else can make use of the various 'irregular' lists and the British, French and Italian lists for Abyssinia use forces drawn from these areas in any case.

In reality the British established a heavily fortified defensive position at the choke point of Mersa Matruh and defended it with an infantry brigade. Despite the entire Italian Army (some 15 divisions) having to pass that way, they were confident that they could hold it. The 'armoured forces' (8th Hussars, 7th Hussars, 1 (Light) RTC and 6 RTC) were to execute raids very much like Operation Compass of 1940 (which is where I guess the idea for 'Compass' came from), before re-grouping behind Mersa and supporting the garrison.

All that was needed to make this happen would be for the Italians to cross the Egyptian Border... true story. 

[El Grego]

...so, by way of ideas, what are you thinking would be a good TAC scenario for you to pursue...I'm curious as to what's caught your eye.

Errr, I have yet to come up with an actual scenario      but I had better do so, as it will make the eventual shopping much easier.  I might try to set up a more historical setting first, then throw in the British and French forces later.

So far, TAC has the feel of a colonial campaign from the 19th century with some of my favorite tankettes thrown in.  Reading your background material is also an inspiration, as I was not aware of the potential rift between Britain and France back in 1935.  Of course, I could just go with historical actions in the Levant (1941) for that, but throwing in the irregular troops will make it more interesting.  Once it is done and dusted, the Levant actions will be quite easy to set up and my slide into the world of WW2 gaming will be complete   

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

I've added some details on The Abyssinian Crisis blog about the miniatures I've used for the Ethiopian forces and the details on how I paint them, using a combination of colours and shade effects.

FYI.

Regards

Happy W

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-xr

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

A little more history.

There is an article (WWII Quarterly) giving an abridged account of the Italo-Ethiopian War by Colonel Feodor Konovalov, a military advisor of Ras Seyoum Mengesha, commander of the Ethiopian Western Tigrey forces. His is an eyewitness account and has many interesting military details from the Ethiopian perspective.

Definitely worth a read.

Enjoy!

Happy W

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-jG

[commissarmoody]

Thanks for the link. Going to take a bit to read all of that.

[Hammers]

This is so lovely.

[Happy Wanderer]

Thanks guys 😉

Just bye the bye...I use 28mm as my preferred scale but Early War Miniatures are doing some very cool stuff and making specific troops for The Abysinnian War and, as detailed on their Facebook page, organising pre-packaged platoons for sale. Sounds like a great idea.

20mm is not my scale but their range is certainly one to consider if not already committed or perhaps looking to do it on a smaller scale.

I've added a couple of links on the blog.

Check them out 😉

https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/2016/01/15/20mm-italians-c-1935/

[FramFramson]

Amazing link with the book excerpt(s) - thanks!

[Cyrus the Great]

Many of you might not be aware of this book, "The Rape of Ethiopia, 1936" by Ballantine Books published in 1971. There are used copies available from Amazon Books that won't break the bank.

http://www.amazon.com/Ethiopia-Ballantines-illustrated-century-Politics/dp/0345024621