"Odd/colorful units/soldiers (good and bad ) in Sudan" Topic

Let's name some of the more obscure units, peoples who actually fought or reasonably could have fought in the Sudan 1883-1886 (or beyond).

(I have all the major forces, now i want to mix in some color and flare).

They could be British, Mahdist, French, German, Ethiopean, ANYONE within the realm of reason.

I have painted up:

- Zanzibari sailor/pirate/slavers/armed merchants (a pretty mix of Thouroughbred and Minifigs Barbary pirates)

-A US Marine, US Army, and a ad hoc unit of American gunfighters/adventurers, plus a kinda "Rough rider" irregular cavarly unit

- Zanzibari Warlord and retainers (mix of various, Arab/Muslim looking figs, Pathans, beluchis, and more)

- generic Southern Sudanese tribesmen, can be freind or foe to the Europeans (some zulus, ancients, pretty generic and maybe Hollywoodish)

- Arab, African and Eurpoean civilians in a ad hoc militia

-unit of civilian women, armed with guns and improvised weapons for a last stand/siege/raid scenario.

-Mexican laborers/bandittos/militia (plausible? Fify, right?)

What I plan:

- Azande, Ethiopean, Hausas, and other tribes that can be used in the region, and for Darkest Africa

-Italians, French and German units

-An "elite" unit of Sudanese vets (maybe ones that fought in Mexico, their Egyptian units were destroyed early, and they are nehind the lines, avoiding capture/conscription by the Mahdists

-primitive Congo and Sudanese tribes ("Kushites" look like good proxies)

-a lost colony of Confederate veterens, or maybe confederate raiders that went to Africa and went native?)

-Russians (yeah, I don't know how or why?)

Bashi Bazouks will add a certain flamboyancy.

Ottoman Turks

In the early Sudan you could justify almost anything in small numbers the Egyptians hired mercenaries. They even had an ex-Confederate general commanding an army.

You could use Bashi Bazouks and Basinger rifles for some Sudanese troops. Also Darkest Africa natives for south Sudan (Equatoria). There were also Egyptian units of chain mail curassier troops that fought in Hicks Pasha's expendition. And you could use Islamic knights from sub-Saharan Africa and Sultanate of Darfur for a scenario or two against Mahdist troops, too.

A friend (from the UK) is painting a unit of Australians.
He claims that an Aussie battalion served in the Sudan.
Don't know what uniform info he'll be using to paint
them, tho'.

I like my Portugese for a change of pace.

Belgians have an interesting history, too.

I am looking at some British Marines soon. They will add a different color uniform to the table.

hi there

>>>>>>>>>>>
A friend (from the UK) is painting a unit of Australians.
He claims that an Aussie battalion served in the Sudan.
Don't know what uniform info he'll be using to paint
them, tho'
>>>>>>>>>>

They turned up in red coats, but changed to khaki on arrival, they'd look just like other Brit troops of the day.

regards

db

French Canadian voltigeurs – there were actually some French Canadian boatsmen attached to the British forces

Yep, Frederick. Also some Canadian (and not Canadian) "Alleged Voltieurs".

I forgot, have a unit of bashis in Egyptian service (Peter Pig, nice figs, but too iniform in pose/dress, I think). My TSATF stat sheet: 17+ to hit Class 1 targets morale and melee are designed so mahdists can over run lots of Egyptian outposts early for a challenging reconquest campaign scenario.
Z

I'm liking the baluchi/Zanzibari warlord armies, and the azande. Wish I could find real askari (barefoot, bermuda short, fez, like Force publique) in 15mm. (there are NONE!)

Oh, and a growing horde of British regular, Egyptian, civilian and Mahdist zombies, for a pulp/horror/colonial crossover game (and mummies on the way). Converted wounded poses, filed/drilled/cut to make some real zombie looking colonials (OG and Peter Pig have nice wounded figures to use). Remove the gun, hat/helmet, and scribe hair.

Got to have a unit of camel ambulances if you're in the Sudan, and a balloon section of course! What about a section of RN manned water bowsers as proposed by one admiral (& those are just the genuine historical ideas!)

And, of course, the characters don't get more exotic than Fred Burnaby, Valentine Baker, Kitchener (disguised as an Arab), not forgetting Billy Hicks and his bunch of alchoholic, incompetent European officers, Loring Pasha (the aforementioned one-armed ex-Confederate General who ended up in the Egyptian army)and messianic Gordon (of Khartoum, not Flash).

And I'm sure that Harry Flashman was there somehow!