"DAF saves the Raj! SYW in India AAR" Topic

Over the weekend, our group gathered at Chez Protz to fight the SYW in India using BAR rules (1:10 figure to man ratio)and our collection of 28mm figures.

Check out my blog for the complete report and lots more pictures:

link

One question: can anyone suggest sources for 28mm Sepoy troops for the French and British armies? I like the Forgotten Glorious French Sepoys and I'm looking for something similar for the British forces.

I had some French sepoys from 1st Corps years ago.

Those are BIG elephants. Are you sure you weren't playing Lord of the Rings?

Lovely game.

(On a historical note, The Raj refers to the period of Imperial rule – 1858-1947. Not used for the HEIC era.)

Saves the Raj in advance! Great looking game and figures.

Ah, my absolute favourite – 18th century India! Lovely figures, and looks like a great fun game.

Sepoys are a problem to get hold of. 1st corps do some, Parkfield Miniatures, and Indus (through Eureka in the U.S.). But they are all limited in options, and lack a bit of oomph. Hoping Perry or someone similar will one day get the bug and give us some options.

DAF

I've been wanting to do this part of the SYW for a long time: the campaigns in India are fascinating. But I've struggled to find figures I was happy with.

Did you ever manage to get hold of the Forgotten & Glorious French sepoys? I was told they were made as a private commission and were not going to be commercially available, which was a great disappointment to me. I saw all the figures they'd done for this period when I was on a trip to Paris. They were lovely figures and it was quite an extensive range, including European officers and Bussy's troops as well.

The Indus figures are nice and they do British as well as French sepoys, though I was a little surprised that they all carry the musket on the right shoulder, which I don't believe was the norm for the period.

I never got to see the F&G ones. Sounds like I missed out…

Duc de B, what are the best sources for the appearance of French Sepoys in the middle to later (1780s) c18 French Sepoys?

@Duc deBrouilly: I did not know that the FG sepoys were a private commission, which is a shame. I had only seen them on their web site or TMP banner ad and really liked them.

I was looking at the Indus figures today and liked their sepoys too; however, it looks like there are no command figures to go with them. Perhaps Juergen Olk will see this thread and comment on what could be used for the command figures and point us towards other figure sources.

Jim et al,
Juergen wrote the following to me more than a year ago after I played in his 2014 SYW India game at the Annual SYW Assn. Weekend in South Bend, Indiana, USA.
*****
Juergen says, "I use indus, eureka(U.S.A.), golconda rising, old londonwarroom, frontrank, foundry, perry, mutineer, 1st corps and now Fife and drum light troops for british company troops painting slouch hats white. Its like a scavenger hunt.I like using a hodgepodge"
*****
It was a fine and companionable game. Jim gets a very well done for his plan that kicked the French mostly off the Main Table everywhere. Ditto for his officers, Keith L. and John M.
***
I was on the extreme French Right Flank in traditional light troop areas minding my own business. At the end when I started paying attention to the rest of the Army, umm – well -. Great game!
*****
Respectfully,
Bill P.

what are the best sources for the appearance of French Sepoys in the middle to later (1780s) c18?

Not surprisingly the source material is pretty limited. The majority of sepoys in French service would have worn their native clothing (usually of white cotton) rather than European style uniforms, though from the 1750s some units were issued with European style jackets, for example in Pondicherry (blue with red cuffs) and Nellore (the Forgotten & Glorious sepoy on the TMP banner shows this uniform). An excellent starting point for the French forces in India is the Chartrand/Leliepvre Osprey 'Louis XV's Army (5) Colonial and Naval Troops'.

Great game!uniform scource books,"At the ends of the Earth "by'Partizan press and Ospreys Louis'sOversea and colonial troops. Figures Indus and Eureka top choices ,then Perry American southern continental s and Fife and drum Britsh light troops for English European troops ,fronk rank for French,Old London Warroom if you can find them. Send me a message for info om books and figures ,I have over forty units of all types painted for India and run a game every year at the SYW Con. Bill and Jim .I wish I could have been there ,looked like fun ,even if the British won! Darn it!

I will look out for the Partizan title (got the ospreys).

Many thanks.

It does sound like you need a very mixed approach when it comes to sourcing figures for India. I also have a bit of a potpourri for my own nascent Mysore wars project (Foundry, Indus, etc). Still not found a method of doing irregular cavalry (pindarries etc) that I feel very happy with – there are the Foundry Sikh wars ones, and the Indus guys, but there are only a few that really feel right. Thought I might try the Gripping Beast Arab Light Horse and have a go at some converting.

Very nice game!

Ashok
Indus miniatures

Dear Crazy Coote,your right you have to feel comfortable w/ the figures you use,plus you learn as you go ,I new nothing of this five years ago ,but what a blast and colorful,also not too many people can correct you if make mistakes.

Jurgenation – you are spot on. Great fun period, half the enjoyment of which is trying to piece things together!

DAF – I do love your minis. When I said I hoped The "Perry's or someone similar" might do something, perhaps I was being too subtle?

I can hope…

Looks interesting.Did French or British have any regular troops in India during this period?
Mark

The French had Cambresis,Loraine and Lally's Irish.plus the regt Comp des Indes,and Du busseys corps. Some reg art.marines . The British had beside East India regt's had 39th Aldercorns 54-58,-70th Trapands 1760,-79th Drapers 1758-64,-84th Cootes 1759 -64- 89th Morris Highlanders 1759-64,-96th Monsons 1761 -64. ,plus artillery. Two thirds of your army would be native levies ,sepoys and native allies. Most of the Britsh after disbandement went to comp.,service .better pay. then there were Dutch,Danes and Portuguese.

I've always loved this period since my very first Cold Wars in 1993,when I saw a game based on the siege of Pondicherry.