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

[Happy Wanderer]

Hey Cyrus,

I am aware of the Ballantine book...I don't have it but believe it's not too bad. I'll pick it up at some point but with Mockler's book, the Osprey and several other titles on the subject as detail on The Abyssinian Crisis blog I didn't feel like I 'needed' to have that one...if you follow.

https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/tag/books/


I shall pick it up when I run across it however I'm sure.

 

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

We conclude Konovalov’s description of the Ethiopian army by picking up the story with the Italian response and preparations leading up to and from the Ethiopian Christmas Offensive and subsequent battle of First Tembien until the conclusion of the war.

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-yp

https://abyssiniancrisis.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/italian-troops-ethiopia1.jpg?w=593&h=392

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

For those interested I have posted a book review of Roman Eagles over Ethiopia. A very nice read on the military aspects of the Italo-Ethiopian War and chock full of info and scenario ideas for The Abyssinian Crisis.

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-aF

Not a very sexy post I'm afraid but nevertheless useful if you're considering this purchase...

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

I've added a couple posts on the Italian artillery in the Italo-Ethiopian War.

All background stuff but useful info on the Italian artillery arm that proved so effective in Abyssinia.

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-hk

FYI

Cheers

Happy W

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

I got Fritz’s Shapeways vehicles and got to painting one up. I’m well pleased with these models…highly recommend.

Check them out here.

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-Fe

Cheers

Happy W

[carlos marighela]

That looks very nice!

[Happy Wanderer]

Thanks Carlos,

Update -

...I've added a small post on making acacia trees for Abyssinia (Africa). Worth a look if you need cheap and easy acacias  

[von Lucky]

I love the effort you're putting into this project. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

Back to a bit of ‘hard history’.

This post takes a very good look at the Theatre of Operations covering the Physical and Human geography of Abyssinia and the critical Ports, Harbours, Rail and Road Net along with Possible Objectives and Routes of Invasion.

This is all important information for an understanding of the military factors at play and possible gaming scenarios that these discussion points throw up. It’s based on A US Army officers assessment of the theatre of war - very useful and interesting reading.

Hope you find it useful.

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-59

[Happy Wanderer]

Gents,

The TFL WW1 Chain of Command supplement quite naturally provided some of the inspiration for aspects of Chain of Command:Abyssinia.

In this post we provide the six scenarios from that supplement that form the basis for some of the attack/defence scenarios in The Abyssinian Crisis theme that can arise both historically and a-historically.

Whilst not well known the Ethiopians did build substantial fortifications which the Italians attacked with varying degrees of success. The French also built historical fortifications in French Somaliland that fit this style of game very well.

At the very least they provide you with six additional Chain of Command scenarios that frankly can be used for a number of other situations from WW1 to WW2.

Hope you find them useful.

Cheers

Happy W

http://wp.me/p6mUyQ-cu

[wargame_insomniac]

Gents,

In the ongoing description of the armies of The Abyssinian Crisis we take a look at the third power, Great Britain, and her forces in the mid-thirties. An army in evolution it was more WW1 than WW2, possibly even more colonial than WW1, even-though the Second World War was but 3 years away. It's an interesting force, not like you might imagine and with info that has proven surprisingly hard to find.

Hopefully this post will give a snapshot of His Majesties Forces that will be useful.

Cheers


Happy W

https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/2015/11/22/british-army/

Thanks for this,

I am wanting to do British troops for Interwar Pulp so that is really useful.

Any 28mm figure ranges you would recommend, especially for Egyptian force?

Thanks

James

[Happy Wanderer]

Hey James,

Glad you like the posts - try this backpost on figures to use for some descriptions of usable miniatures for the period...though there probably are more out there.

https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/what-miniatures-do-i-need/

Arlequin might have a better idea on the Egyptians in 28mm...I can't say off the top off my head. You'd probably be looking at the Sudan Defense Force for Egyptians so the post on them is worth a read.

The pic below is on the British Askari CoC lists and is of the SDF. Worth a read.
https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/chain-of-commandabyssinia-british-askaris/

[Arlequín]

I can give some vague details only. The Egyptian Army was reformed and re-equipped twice between 1930 and 1940, so working out what they had and when is hard work.

The fez seems to have been the ubiquitous headwear when helmets were not being worn. Equipment seems to have been either the British pre WWI leather equipment, or more usually 1908 webbing. Khaki drill jackets with a closed standing neck, worn with shorts and high puttees is one option, while the same with a collarless cotton shirt (probably white or off-white, as on the Ensign below... who is Abd Al Nasser BTW,  as is the 'rifleman' below that) might have been worn in hot weather.

[wargame_insomniac]

Hey James,

Glad you like the posts - try this backpost on figures to use for some descriptions of usable miniatures for the period...though there probably are more out there.

https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/what-miniatures-do-i-need/

Arlequin might have a better idea on the Egyptians in 28mm...I can't say off the top off my head. You'd probably be looking at the Sudan Defense Force for Egyptians so the post on them is worth a read.

The pic below is on the British Askari CoC lists and is of the SDF. Worth a read.
https://abyssiniancrisis.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/chain-of-commandabyssinia-british-askaris/

Thanls for the link to your earlier post - I have bookmarked for reference.

Was mainly interested in the links for WW1 Brits. I presume any figures for WW1 Middle East Brits would also be fine for representing troops in India? I will be using Pulp Alley so probably need at most a dozen figures. The idea was to have 4-5 adventurer heroes with the option of having some British troops as support for either Egypt ot India. Opponents would be cultists, tribesmen, gangsters etc depending on location.

For Brits the Cooplestone Castings figures in Tropical Dress look perfect - having a Pulpy feel works great.

I had been looking at Empress Miniatures for their Afghans (to serve as Temple of Doom style Thugees), plus their armoured cars.  And I had been looking at Artizan Designs for their French Foriegn Legion to have as either adversaries or allies.

Thanks again

James 

[Arlequín]

Anything without the big WWII-style ammo pouches would work, although if you aren't too fussy about that Pulp Figures have a great range of figures too (available from North Star).

https://pulpfigures.com/

I've no idea how they compare with Copplestone though.