David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Sunday 24 January 2021

Tales from Pendawar

 As I'm steadily working through the last 20 figures for my Punic Wars project, in the shape of a unit of Allied Italian infantry for the Carthaginian army, my mind has been focusing on what I should paint next. With that in view I sorted out the RUBs under my desk containing the Lead Pimple. There are enough units there to keep me entertained amidst all this ongoing pandemic malarky but I also fancied something new. Well, I'd guess as fellow wargamers you'd all understand that.

I must say at the outset though that I didn't really fancy two whole new armies, so I looked rather at what I might add to existing collections to give a different game. I looked at expanding the F&IW or adding a British Intervention Force to my ACW set up but in the end neither really gripped me. Now, as it happened I'd received a copy of The White Mughals by Dalrymple as part of a Christmas gift and that started me thinking about games set in India around 1800. It's immediately clear that numbers of irregulars and my Raja's Guard can be pressed into service from my Indian Mutiny collection, while some Canadian Militias from my War of 1812-15 collection can proxy for British and E.I.C. European battalions. 

While I was thinking on all of this I ordered up a couple of books from Caliver Books ~


The Wargaming Wellington in India is an obvious beginner's choice and at first read through seems really useful in planning the additions I'll need. The Wargamers' Annual I always enjoy and this one has the added advantage of numerous pictures of a display game of the period!

So, having decided what I would work on during the coming months I also decided on a semi-imaginations approach. The games will be set in the fictional Indian state of Pendawar, which for the geographically challenged neighbours Rhanzlistan. I took the plunge then and ordered up some figures: guns for the army of Tippoo Bykha from AWM; Matchlock men, camel gunners and artillery crew for the guns, together with Bengal Horse Artillery and 9lb guns from Foundry; and lastly,  Bombay Sepoys and British infantry in round hats from Perry Miniatures. Together with the figures I've identified as already available in GHQ these will form the basis of the game. (The guns from AWM arrived yesterday! I call that exceptional service in the circumstances.)

Now I'll obviously have to add cavalry to both sides and some foot artillery for the E.I.C. army, but that must await funds later in the year. We'll see how it goes, shall we?

18 comments:

  1. I think armies from this period look fantastic and importantly very different from the main themes that we often fall for, so looking forward to seeing these figures rolling off your table.

    I have not bought a Wargamers annual before, but seeing this edition on the recent Wargames illustrated video site has me quite interested.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement Norm, I shall need it at times I'm sure. The Annual can be a bit hit and miss I've found and is a bit old schoolish but I've always enjoyed them on the whole.

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  2. Very nice and an extension project is always good as it doesn’t take too long to get a workable force 👍

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    1. That's probably true, but I'm bound to find it slower going than I'd like. At least the AWM guns are assembled ready to spray undercoat.

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  3. Using forces across a few similar periods is a recent approach that I've adopted, to get maximum use out of my figures. Your project looks great and I shall follow it with interest. The 'White Mughals' book is excellent:)

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    1. I agree about the book, I found it really interesting.

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  4. I’m looking forward to seeing this project develop David...

    All the best. Aly

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  5. I think this project sounds great makes use of what you have already, whilst adding some exotic and new elements.

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    1. I'm hopeful the exotic element will keep me motivated.

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    1. No guilt on your part John, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it acted as a clear catalyst to my project thinking.

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  7. The Dalrymple is a good read, although I found that it put me off a planned First War of Independence project. The Return of a King though about 1841 and Kabul has me eagerly awaiting figures for 1841 and the Sikh wars, as well as the Mahrattas. Alas I have never managed to wrangle a trip to Kabul, or across the border from India, but I have walked in the Karakoram, and stood on Gwalior and Jhansi and the enthusiasm has not diminished, if nothing else comes up in the next year I shall likely expand my 15mm collection with suitable Minifigs.

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    1. Good luck with your plans Graham, though we all know from recent experience what happens to them...😕

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    2. Yes indeed, I started the year intending to paint some 28s for Spain, but got diverted into some 15mm SYW figures that I bought 30 years ago, and then into 1870. The current displacement activity is revamping a 1976 WoTR army for Never Mind. They are turning out rather well. BUt I have at least a year for India ;]

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    3. Best of luck anyway, wherever the muse or events take you.

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  8. This is a period that has been sitting at the back of my mind lately. At age 65, I have actually got to the very bottom of my lead pile, and have absolutely nothing left that needs painting. I wish I had come across your site yesterday, as last night I was umming and ahhing about a new project, and ended up sending in an order to Perry Miniatures for some additional diorama sets to decorate my standard British Napoleonic army ... but now I wish I had bought a couple of sepoy battalions instead to start a similar project to yours! Ah well, next time ...

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    1. You can jump in next time, you will find it fun!

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