For my first 8 Nations Alliance Field Force to use with The Men Who Would be Kings, I'm focusing on General Sir Alfred Gaselee, GCB, GCIE, second relief expedition. Why? All of the 8 Nations Alliance forces provide variety and color, but I choose this because I already had some figures for the force though I painted some more to add the color and historical makeup of the Alliance.
In the summer of 1900, when the Boxer Uprising in China was at its height, Gaselee was chosen to command the British element in the international expeditionary force, and on 3 July 1900 promoted to major-general. Gaselee was nominally put in charge of the Second Expedition because the Eight-Nation Alliance refused to the allow the Japanese general Yamaguchi Motomi to lead it, even though he was the highest-ranking officer present. As a reward for his services, he was created Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE) on 24 July 1901.
Here are some of my "generic Field Forces" I'm going to use first with a 24 point limit:
1. Japanese Infantry Unit.
Regular Infantry: 6 points.
Total: 6 points.
The Japanese had the largest contribution to the 8 Nations Alliance; plus the new Crusader Miniatures look cool.
Regular Infantry: 6 points.
Total: 6 points.
The British were strapped for manpower with the Boer War. Most of the British troops came from India including the 1st Indian Brigade which consisted of the 1st Sikh Infantry Punjab Frontier Force, 24th Punjab Infantry, and the 7th Rajput Infantry.
3. Austrian-Hungarian Naval Brigade.
Regular Infantry: 6 points.
Total: 6 points.
Come on! You knew von Trapp and company would be included!
Gun and crew from Tsuba Miniatures.
4. Russian Artillery.
Well Drilled Crew: 6 points.
Total: 6 points.
The above is actually an Imperial Russian Putilov M1902 76mm quick firing gun which was first used in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. Close enough for now until I get an older gun.
Total points: 24.
1. Japanese Infantry Unit.
Regular Infantry: 6 points.
Total: 6 points.
Figures from Copplestone Castings.
2. Russian Infantry Unit.
Regular Infantry: 6 points.
Poor Shots: -1 point. Russian firing doctrine emphasized volley fire and not individual marksmanship.
Unenthusiastic: -1 point. Infantry were conscripts from the East Siberian Regiment and were not quite up to Western (and Japanese) standards.
Total: 4 points.
The above is my version of the The Izmaylovsky Lifeguards Regiment circa 1905. Evantually I will get some earlier Russian infantry for the Boxer Rebellion.
3. Austrian-Hungarian Naval Brigade.
Regular Infantry: 6 points.
Total: 6 points.
4. 1st Bengal Lancers.
Regular Cavalry: 6 points.
Lancers: +2 points.
Total: 8 points.
The 8 Nations Alliance did not have a lot of cavalry and the 1st Bengal Lancers did yeoman service. The above are Perry Miniatures painted as the The 10th (The Duke of Cambridge's) Bengal Lancers (Hodson's Horse) and they will do the trick.
Total points: 24.
So far that's what I'm doing though eventually I will have some troops for Admiral Seymour's relief attempt, the follow-up expeditions after Peking was captured, and the Legation defense.
