Reading, Painting, Sikhs, Turtles & Salute.

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One of the things that I noticed last year is that I barely read anymore.  Between work and children, I rarely get time to just sit down and appreciate a book.  I'm determined that this is the year that I rectify that.  I've been bringing a book with me where ever I go, but there are certain books that don't lend themselves to being dropped in a bag.  

"Into the Valley of Death" by John & Boris Mollo was based on research that they conducted on the British cavalry in the Crimea while working as advisers on Tony Richardson's 1968 film on the Charge of the Light Brigade.  I've been spending twenty minutes on the couch with it in the evenings while the kids are watching cartoons.  For someone with a good knowledge of the period and an interest in the (albeit niche) subject matter, it's a very pleasurable read.  Best enjoyed with a whiskey. 

The plates by Bryan Fosten are a joy to behold. 

The Heavy Brigade, often forgotten, get their due in this edition.  Top stuff. 

Meanwhile I've been experimenting with some AK paint pens on my tea breaks in work.  This is a 3d printed Dwarf automaton by Frank Turfler.  These were made to fill a hole in the Heroquest line up.  One of the quests calls for some of these, though the game advises you to use Chaos Warriors instead.  

It seems mad to be painting them up for just one quest, but the heart wants what the heart wants. 

Meanwhile the Sikh Project continues apace.  I have boxed up the current roster of British and HEIC infantry, while I wait for the rest of the lads to arrive.  I have tried to exercise some self control with these.  Not every regiment is there, so long as they have the right headgear and the right facings, I'm willing to allow some units to double job.  

I was sad to hear that Ian from Irregular Miniatures is retiring and lobbed in an order to complete my Sikh War forces.  Between them and some more figures from Newline Designs, I should be in a good place with this project relatively shortly.  Though given that Irregular Miniatures will be closing down next month, I added two small Indian Mutiny armies to my order.  

Because if not now, when?

He is struggling to contain his excitement.  Holding a tortoise was like meeting a celebrity. 

The other thing we did recently was take Bear to the National Reptile Zoo for a "Zookeeper for a day" experience.  It was a combined birthday and Christmas gift as it was quite pricey, but given that he was radiating joy for the whole six hours it was worth every penny. 

Bear has a real interest in the natural world in general and reptiles and amphibians in general. 

Feeding "Tank the Tortoise" some chicken. 

Did I pay good money for Bear to pick up Tortoise poop.  Yes I did. 

He did seem to develop an alarming affection for millipedes. 

Life admin, work and children have been hoovering up most of my time, but we're hoping to do a big Napoleonic bash next month with possibly some Second World War action as well. My Battlemasters project with the kids is continuing, though I'm waiting to get some more of the forces painted.  My own gaming has been some solo Napoleonic action using Rebels & Patriots and an online semi-Kriegspiel with some friends. 

I am really looking forward to going to Salute in April. If any of the bloggers will be attending, do give me a shout - I really appreciate the opportunity to finally put some faces to names last year. I've already got my shopping list ready! 

Sikh, interrupted.

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Andy Copestake & James Main's excellent book on wargaming the Sikh Wars. 

Never let it be said that we move hastily here at Joy & Forgetfulness. I checked the last time I did something with my Sikh Wars project and it turns out it was May 2024.  

I have determined that this is the year that I do something about it, because if not now, when?

John French The British in India from Foundry Books. 

This isn't just a great resource for the wargamer as it is absolutely chock full of information, but it's also a lovely book to just read.  It's well laid out, engagingly written and physically a very nice book. 

I've been cross referencing the information I have from the Tilson scenario book and relying on French when it contradicts Tilson. 

Newline Designs, with some added reinforcements from Nick Stern

Looking at the troops I need, I worked out what was required with reference to the Tim Tilson scenario collection for The Sword and the Flame.  Tilson uses slightly smaller units, but I've bumped mine up to 12 figures per unit instead of eight, so that I can play the Tilson amendments or use the 12 figure units for The Men who would be Kings.  In the event that I get to play The Sword at the Flame as written, I can stick two TMWWBK together to get one TSATF unit. 

Looking at the British & Company infantry for the First Sikh War. 

What I have in stock - 

Two British infantry units in white forage caps with buff facings

Two BNI infantry units with green facings 

Mudki

31st Foot (buff facing) 2 units - forage cap with black peak and white cover

50th Foot (blue facings) 1 unit - shako with white quilted cover 

42nd Bengal Native Infantry (yellow facings) 1 unit 

47th Bengal Native Infantry (yellow facings) 1 unit 

48th Bengal Native Infantry (yellow facings) 1 unit 

Ferozeshah

1st Bengal European Light Infantry (pale blue facings) 1 unit

29th Foot  (yellow facings) 1 unit - forage cap with black peak and white cover

80th Foot  (yellow facings) 1 unit - forage cap with black peak and white cover

26th Bengal Native Infantry (red facings) 1 unit 

45th Bengal Native Infantry (dark green facings) 1 unit 

41st Bengal Native Infantry (yellow facings) 2 units 

Cornes' Convoy

This is a skirmish and requires four units of the 53rd Foot, which would involve quadrupling the number of units with red facings I would require.  I'll bite the bullet and accept that the facings will be wrong for this particular engagement. 

Action at Bhuderwal

There's an action here recorded in French (p.53 The British in India, Foundry books) that doesn't seem to have merited a scenario.  I might look at that. 

Aliwal

31st Foot  (buff facings) 2 units - forage cap with black peak and white cover

50th Foot (blue facings) 2 units - shako with white quilted cover 

24th Bengal Native Infantry (white facings) 1 unit 

47th Bengal Native Infantry (yellow facings) 1 unit 

48th Bengal Native Infantry (yellow facings) 1 unit 

Sirmoor Gurkha Battalion (I don't have any of these, but Sean at Newline seems to have done just the right stuff, time for a small order I think). 

Sobraon 

10th Foot  (yellow facings) 1 unit - bell topped shako white cover

80th Foot  (yellow facings) 1 unit - forage cap with black peak and white cover

9th Foot  (yellow facings) 1 unit - quilted cover on a dress shako

62th Foot  (buff facings) 1 unit - forage cap with black peak and white cover with "havelock" curtain

43rd Bombay Native Infantry (pea green facings) 1 unit (seems to be Bengal NI)

59th Bombay Native Infantry (saxon green facings) 1 unit (seems to be Bengal NI)

33rd Bombay Native Infantry (black facings) 1 unit (seems to be Bengal NI)

63rd Bombay Native Infantry (yellow facings) 1 unit (seems to be Bengal NI)

26th Bengal Native Infantry (red facings) 1 unit 

French doesn't list any troops from Bombay on his Sobraon order of battle, but all the right regimental numbers are there for Bengal troops, so I am assuming this is a typo on Tilson's part. The Bombay Native Infantry did serve in the Second Sikh War, so I'm assuming that this is were the mistake was made. 

Newline's British infantry are all in these rather fetching peaked caps. However, one of the downfalls of having better information then when I started the project is that I know know that these figures are correct for some, in fact most, of the British infantry, they won't do for all. 

When I started the project, I just saw British infantry and ordered some, not realising that different regiments would be wearing different headgear. Bah! 

I was picking up some other stuff from Irregular when I saw that they had early 19th century British infantry in shakos.  And didn't  I remember that they didn't wear bell topped shakos during the Sikh War.  Which will teach me to order miniatures late at night, when I may have had a few sherries. 

UPDATE: It looks like the 10th (see below) were wearing Bell Topped shakos.  Brilliant. 

    From French, The British in India. 

The variant headgear worn by the British infantry on this campaign. I think I should be able to do something with green stuff. 

Reflecting on the problem, I think it would be folly to get every regiment.  Most of the scenarios only deploy the units that were actually engaged, so the full order of battle isn't present in each engagement. That and the differences between them are not massive, so what I think I'll do is sort out my troops, working on the basis that so long as the headgear and the facing colour is correct (or near as damn, I'm not sure I'm that exercised about the difference between dark, saxon and pea green), they'll do.  So I'll need to work out how many units of figures I will actually need. 

Hopefully I won't have to wait until 2028 to do that.