"recommendations for a suitable Northwest Frontier fort?" Topic

Hey all,

I'm planning on running a cool Anglo-Afghan scenario in January, and am looking for something I can use as hill fort in the Northwest Frontier. Anyone have any recommendations? I may end up just building my own, but i think due to time limitations I may just pick one up from a company.

Thanks, let me know!

J

Scale?

I'm not sure if this one is still available. Its a 25mm Hudson and Allen Afghan hill fort. link

Actually the above is Fort Zinderheuf for the French Foreign Legion in Africa..

In 15mm / 20mm you could do worse than the Airfix FFL fort which will easily stand in for a hill fort anywhere.

I recently read an article in one of the Airfix annuals on how to turn 2 of them into a much better model !

The Hudson and Allen one is very good and looks just right for NWF.

There's also the big 15mm hill fort from Blue Moon, but it's a bit pricey. link It's also available in brown foamed-resin, but I think the grays are more accurate to the hill colors.

Hey all,

Sorry, totally forgot to include scale. 25mm. I have Old Glory troops.

I just found this company called Crescent Root. They seem pretty great.

Any chance the Blue Moon fort would be remotely suitable for 25s? I know that they are designed more for 18mm/20mm. Wishful thinking I guess. The model is so cool!

J

Jared, you have some of my scenery already. If you'd like something like this, let me know:

Professorbellbuckle@yahoo.com.

Otherwise, the Hudson and Allen fort is a very nice piece – all their stuff is.

The OG piece is very nice, but I am not sure how many hill forts on the NWF looked like that – perhaps in Rajasthan, perhaps Kabul or more likely Hollywood. Mr Squint above is more on the money for the local tribal elder who needs some pacifying. Apart from one made by Britannia years ago, it will have to be scratch built. The H&A fort might do for a British blockhouse e.g. Chadkara.

I guess it all depends on what you are setting out to do – something historically accurate or Hollywood. Nothing right or wrong with either BTW.
cheers
John

Mutineer Miniatures make these lovely Indian looking walls:
link
But they are very expensive. Too bad no one is producing Ian Weekley's Indian walls any more. HG Walls has his great Sultan's Palace based on an Ian Weekley fort:
link
I've got the Hudson and Allen fort myself, but I have yet to take it out of the box.
I also bought this Armies in Plastic Hill Fort:
link
It looks cramped for 54mm, so might be just right for 25/28's

With some styrofoam boxing manterial and spray 'Fleck Stone', you can make a fort pretty easily, in any style….

Lots of great products already pictured &/or linked to above, but in case you do end up scratch-building an Afghan Hill Fort for yourself at some point, here's some additional inspiration, courtesy of the somewhat legendary Chris The Model Maker…

Thanks everyone for the advice and pics!

A huge part of me wants to scratchbuild, but my time is so limited that I may just shell out some bucks to get something.

I found a company called Crescent Root…seems like their stuff is just great.

I'll post pictures of the game when we actually play it.

J

I have the Hudson and Allen one. I bought it many years ago from Old Glory as Fort Zinderheuf for the French Foreign Legion. It is a very good fort and I have used it many times over the years and it stood up well to travel and conventions.

My brother and I built this around 1970. To be honest I don't recall whether we got the idea from the Airfix Annual mentioned above or came up with the concept on our own. The interior buildings are made from balsa wood. I believe the arches came from the Fujimi British Army Infantry set. link

Wow, genew49 -- your kit-bashed twin Airfix FFL Fort combo is AWESOME, and the fact that it is more than 40 YEARS OLD, and still looks good, is INCREDIBLE! I still have two individual versions of the same model, bought and painted during the late Seventies, one of which was put to use around 1980 as a very modest-looking version of the Bala Hissar in Kabul, for a campaign game. I must say, your customized fortress would have looked much better!

But they are very expensive. Too bad no one is producing Ian Weekley's Indian walls any more.

Nick – Magister Militum have them I think.
link

Thank you Mad Guru. Just saw this now. Where have I been since November 23?

Glad to have you back, Gene, wherever you've been!

Now I remember:
YouTube link

Mad Guru
that is a really great model!

I most certainly agree, tsofian, and only wish I had one exactly like it! I do have a couple of nice ones, but neither are quite that nice. Maybe some day…

For pictures of the real thing:

link

For tribal village forts, my opinion is that the desert fort with square towers and crenulations as per Blue Moon is not correct, unless you are the local Emir.

For British forts, go for squat straight walls:

link

link

Here is a link to an article on Forts in the Chitral Campaign:

PDF link

Acheson Creations has some mud brick walls, corner sections and entryway in their colonial section. The straight walls are 4 inches long and about 3 1/4 inches high and come in three different types. The parapets are purchased separately.

If your gonna build one, try to make it generic. Proper weathering and detail is the key.

Also planning. make the wall and towersections with a purpose, designed for a certain number of defenders.

Also, a crumbling wall section with cribbing and hasty repairs, that is kinda weak, is a great idea, as attackers do not fare will in most siege games, especially TSATF without a fort weakness.

I have been working on an Afghan mudbrick fort in 25mm. I have just about finished the front walls with some more hi-lightiing and touch up to do. I bought the basic elements from Acheson Creations.

This is all very inspiring stuff!!

Darrell.

Just Add Water Blog:
link
Gewalthaufen (Late 15th /Early 16th Century) Blog:
gewalthaufen.blogspot.co.uk
La Journee (Early 15th Century Blog):
link
Shooting Leave (Late Victorian Blog):
allthebrave.blogspot.co.uk

Try Magister Militum for the old Battleground Walls made by Ian Weekly

What do you guys think of this fort/city:
link

I've got their Indian walls and a lot of their Spanish buildings – excellent value for money, well painted and robust, ideal for gaming.

And look at the Colonial Steamboat Company website for other suitable forts.

I made one just by putting a lot of assorted walls, towers and buildings that I have together.

@Basha

Thanks, i ordered some of their stuff. I will get that Indian fort too.

The Colonial Steamboat Company things look a little inflexible, hard to store and frankly, a bit brittle.

@Rhingyll

That set up looks great, Are those rivers from that Wargamers Terrain guy? wargamersterrain.com Seems like those deluxe rivers. I wasnt sure if I should get those or the ordinary rivers.

And if they are from there, how do you like the product?

@Minipigs: The river is from the Terrain Guy. I like the river sections a lot. I believe they are the deluxe rivers.I just scotch tape the sections together on the back to make to joints fit together tighter.

Rhingyll, awesome set up my friend! I want in that game.
Cheers,
JB

Those rocky outcrops look exactly like a ridge I walked parallel with on a bush walk earlier this year. It sits uncomfortably in the middle of a vast swathe of farmland.

hey sarge, you want in every game, especially if there is WHISKEY. (OR black, black)

Nick Pasha, you know me well my friend! :)
Cheers,
JB