The Men Who Would Be Kings

In anticipation of doing some Colonial skirmish-style gaming on the North West Frontier using Dan Mersey’s new Osprey rules The Men Who Would Be Kings) and possibly the classic TSATF rules, I tapped Blue Moon’s new NWF range along with Stone Mountain Miniatures to recruit my forces, which represent a small detachment of foot and horse under the ambitious Captain Brant, who has been charged with policing the supply lines and keeping the fractious Afridi tribes under control in the Peshawar Valley, while the main Anglo-Indian forces wage war with the Afghans circa 1878-1880 AD.Knowing it would take me forever to paint the figures, I commissioned the indefatigable Paul Potter, who did his typical tremendous job.   Attached are some pictures from Paul’s painting table.

First up, the wily Afridi Amir Ali-Khan (C) along with Capt. Brant and his buglar (R). The ambitious Captain Brant hopes to catch the eye of his Brigadier J. Y. Tytler (L, with binoculars), a VC recipient no less.

Here we see Brant’s Indian mountain gun and supply train, along with the dismounted horses of his Queen’s Own Guides cavalry detachment.

The always steady British sergeants point out targets, while the mounted Guides prepare to charge home.

Here we have a platoon of British regulars detached from the 1st Battalion Royal Leicestershire, along with two squads from the 51st Sikhs.

Not all units  are likely to be deployed for the anticipated skirmishes to come….the assumption is that some will be left defending their garrison, while others may be away on patrol, leaving Capt. Brant and his heavily outnumbered force to contend with….

…the irascible Afridis, or is that untractable?  Or maybe they’re more obstreperous.  I’ll have to consult Her Majesty’s Colonial Officers’ Standard Native Reference Guide for the proper terminology.

I can’t wait to put these guys on the table.