Howitzers and Elephants

[Will Bailie]

IIRC, the Afghan uniform was similar to the Turkish uniform, except for the hat - so could you use Woodbine Designs Turks with Fez, and convert the fez to the lambskin hat?
 http://www.grippingbeast.com/product.php?ItemID=2055

[argsilverson]

Alternatively you could soup up a camel like this...
http://media.photobucket.com/image/camel%20gun/TheCamelDS/CE%20Username%20Pics/Camel-Gun--3344.jpg?o=1

Brilliant!!!  I can see whole regiments sweeping down on unsuspecting Ferenghi!

Sadly not quite right for 192? though..... I am going to have the Afghans pulling some old late 19th century field guns (Foundry Franco prussian war models look nice), with the Brits and others with howitzers.  Come to think of it, I'll need some Afghan regulars from the time of the 3rd Afghan war (1919).  They wore khaki with a black lambskin cap.  Anybody know if any reputable figure manufacturer does these?

Tiger Miniatures do Afghan regulars, without specifying an exact time period for them. The uniform at the time of the Third Afghan war isn't a million miles from what it was in the Victorian period.

My sources say they should have puttees in 1919 but I fear these are as close as you are going to get...

http://www.tigerminiatures.co.uk/page9.htm

Tiger miniatures does not only the afghan regulars but has also some suitable mules and mule carts for the supplies.
However they do not have some suitable figures for driving them in the High pamirs (yet!)
Irregular miniatures has some pack camels (bactrian) and pack yak, each one has its own driver. You might need something:
the link is:
http://www.irregularminiatures.co.uk/
[they are in the section of 25mm under topic: wagons, workers, artillery etc.]
there you can find some women in eastern dress that might also be suitable for camp followers! also pack horses and mules and may some other suitable bits.

Alternatively you could soup up a camel like this...
http://media.photobucket.com/image/camel%20gun/TheCamelDS/CE%20Username%20Pics/Camel-Gun--3344.jpg?o=1

not quite necessary to use such modern weapons for that. use late 19th c equipment.
Also, I  not think that the regular 1920's afghan army has advanced since the victorian era, too much!

IIRC, the Afghan uniform was similar to the Turkish uniform, except for the hat - so could you use Woodbine Designs Turks with Fez, and convert the fez to the lambskin hat?
 http://www.grippingbeast.com/product.php?ItemID=2055

also a good idea, but I think is little too expensive! maybe for some small elite unit!

[Plynkes]

The pictures I have show the Afghans with old-fashioned double ammo pouches (like the ones the Tiger Miniatures have), rather than the Great War German-style ones the Turks used.

That's what would make me hesitate to go expensive head-swapping, when the Tiger ones are almost right as it is (pity about the lack of puttees, though).

[Will Bailie]

The Afghan logistical supply chain probably wasn't that great, so having troops with no puttees is probably not such a big deal.  A large portion of the army would have been Pashtuns and Baluchis anyway, and they would not have worn any uniforms at all!

[Plynkes]

That's true. Especially as the book I have describes the uniform as having puttees, but the soldier in the illustration isn't actually wearing any! 


Just dug out my book and by 1919 the lambskin hats seem to be flat-topped like the Turkish Kalpak, rather than the conical sort from Victorian times. Something to bear in mind, if one likes to get the details right.

[Ignatieff]

Picture of said gun in action.  Was used in WWI and WWII (still can't find a WWII model either), and only declared obsolete in 1960! The closest model I can find for the shield and gun barrel is the Brigade miniatures mountain gun, which I have and is wonderful (picture below).  A gun conversion would be easy enough, but not sure about the trails.  Any thoughts?

[Hammers]

Alternatively you could soup up a camel like this...
http://media.photobucket.com/image/camel%20gun/TheCamelDS/CE%20Username%20Pics/Camel-Gun--3344.jpg?o=1

Pimp my camel.

[Ignatieff]

 

[Stauffenberg]

Ahha - more new acquisitions!

[Will Bailie]

Both the paint job and the photo leave a bit to be desired, but here is the Battle Honours Indian Mountain Gun.  As you can see, I used the wheels with tyres, but it also comes with spoked wheels.  Hope this helps your decision making process!

[Ignatieff]

Both the paint job and the photo leave a bit to be desired, but here is the Battle Honours Indian Mountain Gun.  As you can see, I used the wheels with tyres, but it also comes with spoked wheels.  Hope this helps your decision making process!

Thank you WB - it does, that works for me!  I think I'll use the trails and barrel off the BH version and use the shield and wheels off the Brigade one.  Hopefully the scales will be compatible!

And yes Von S, portability of assets may well be decisive in the forthcoming 'End of Empires' scenario!

[Ignatieff]

That's true. Especially as the book I have describes the uniform as having puttees, but the soldier in the illustration isn't actually wearing any! 


Just dug out my book and by 1919 the lambskin hats seem to be flat-topped like the Turkish Kalpak, rather than the conical sort from Victorian times. Something to bear in mind, if one likes to get the details right.

Plynkes - thank you.  I do like to get it right, and yes the hats were exactly as the Turkish Kalpak (Foundry do a very good book with a chapter on the Third Afghan War, complete with illustrations: 'Armies of the 20th Century, Risings and Rebellions 1919-1939, by Edwin Herbert)...however time (and money) may prevent me achieving this on time for our game in August.

[Ignatieff]

I've went for the Woodbine option after all.  20 of those excellent fez chaps with a bit of green stuff on the hats and we'll have 20 useless Afghani regulars in no time!  Add a sprinkling of giant green flags, a couple of ancient Krupp guns towed by elephants and a horde of screeeeeaming Ghazis and we are away!  I'll share the results later on this year.

Many thanks for everyones helpful suggestions.  This is what makes this forum so powerful 

[Emir of Askaristan]

Glad to be of help.

Has any one ordered BH from the states to the UK? Any problems recieving the orders?

[sukhe_bator]

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but quite often Pack Mule mounted Hwz discarded the gun shield to save weight. If its an add on with the kit, that could make an interesting looking variant, whatever version you go for.