Pashtun Field Force for the 1897-1898 Frontier Uprising

 

Over the last few years I've been building a Pashtun Frontier Force to use with my favorite set of Colonial rules The Men Who Would be Kings. Of course these can easily be converted to other rule sets. For my infantry I have more "shooters" than the "hand to gland" forces you might see in the 2nd Afghan War. By the end of the 19th Century the Pashtun tribes were better armed; but interestingly, the mass attack tactics were still commonly used.

This is a standard 24 point force though the Pashtuns, according to my research during the uprisings, did not have any artillery. But I have to use the BFG!

Three units of Irregular Infantry:

Irregular Infantry per the recommended point values are 4 points and 12 figures strong. I've made them poorly armed for - 1 point but have given them Fieldcraft option for + 1 point for a total of 4 points per unit.

I've built two units of Tribal Infantry which are 16 figures strong and their base cost is 3 points. I have given each unit the Fierce option at +1 point for a total of 4 points.

As I mentioned earlier, I had to give my Pashtuns the BFG! It will be a Poorly Drilled Crewed Weapon at 4 points.

To recap, here is my core force:

3 x Irregular Infantry = 12 points

2 x Tribal Infantry = 8 points

1 x Poorly Drilled Crewed Weapon = 4 points

Total: 24 points

Memorial Day 2024

 

The Battle of Five Armies

I was able to get a game of GW's The Battle of Five Armies which uses the Warmaster rules. It's sad that the Warmaster rules and The Battle of Five Armies are out of print as the rules are innovative as is evident by many of the game mechincis half been incorporated into many popular rule sets. It is a box set that is a complete game and comes (all unpainted) with plastic spurs of the Lonely Mountain, hard plastic 10mm figures for all of the armies with bases - though I still think Beorn looks like a rabid gopher and will eventually (I keep telling myself) be replaced. The ruins of Dale and Thorin's gate are plastic and the river is card board. For the game we use GW Warmaster Black Orks for the Goblin Guard and the river sections are from Gale Force Nine. I also added the cobblestone mat to outline the ruins of Dale and added the extra rocks. Some of the pictures are not from the game we played but just to show the pictures and how I painted them. The scenario is extremely well balanced, and currently both sides have won about 50% of the games.

More Soviet Naval Infantry

Yep. I was having fun with the camera.