RUMBLINGS NEAR JALABAD

I have started serious work on my 2^nd Afgan War skirmish game. I’m starting with the ghazi-rebels, because I always find it easier to start with the larger, more difficult force to paint and leave the lower hanging fruit until the end, when my enthusiasm is waning. So far I have 18 rebels on the paint tray, and 12 khaki-clad Brits to follow.

The idea is to basically transplant a very famous British defence from the Zulu War to Afganistan instead. ‘Ghazi, thousands of ‘em!’.

The plan for them is to play out a short campaign, maybe 3 or 4 battles (we’ll see how it goes), with the British mounting a desperate last-stand defence of an Afgan compound, whilst the Afgan hoards surround them and attack in waves over 3 or 4 days (one game per day). After each game we will assess how the battle went, see which of the defenders was lightly wounded, badly wounded or killed outright, and how much of their ammunition supplies they used, before re-setting the reduced defenders for the next day’s assault. The Brits might get a few reinforcements as more stragglers join them, but by the end there should be just a few hardly defenders left when the final assault comes. Basically, if any British troops survive then they will win campaign.

As well as the models to paint, I also have the last of the terrain to sort. I have the basic desert boards and few buildings for the compound, but need the extra details, compound walls and surrounding rocky outcrops, etc. I also need to write-up the scenario background, and sort the rules too. Actually, for a easy project this has expanded! Models, terrain, scenario and rules to do - just a little work then.  I’ll post the work here as I get it done.

Here are a few shots of the first model WIP, basecoats and brown wash only so far - Perry Sudan infantry and Foundry Hill Tribesmen getting ready for the battles to come. Black spray, covered in Citadel scorched brown as the undercoat. Vallejo khaki-grey, with a small amount of black added, as a basecoat for the Brits. All sorts of colours for the ghazi, oof-whites, browns, reds, blue, yellow, greens, which makes a nice change from the dirty browns, greys and greens of WW2.