"Figures for mid-late 1860s British Indian Army" Topic

Hello all,

I'm sketching out the contours of a project for a British force suitable as a potential intervention force in Japan during the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, especially the Boshin War of 1868-9, and I'm looking to include a sizeable Indian contingent as part of that (taking cues from the expeditionary forces in China in the decade prior). I've decided (for infantry at least) that the regiments represented will be:

6th Bengal Native (Light) Infantry
10th Bengal Native Infantry
32nd (Punjab) Bengal Native Infantry (Pioneers)

Of which the 6th and 10th were Jat regiments while the 32nd was Sikh.

In terms of what figures are available, let alone appropriate, my impression is that the main two options are either from ranges covering the Indian Mutiny over a decade earlier, or the Second Anglo-Afghan War nearly a decade later. My (admittedly limited) understanding is that the 1857 figures will be a bit off if they have muskets, while the 1879-80 figures will have puttees which may not have been in use yet? Or is there anyone who does in fact do 1860s Indian troops for some reason?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

What scale are you using? IIRC, the Snider – Enfield breach-loader as issued in 1866 and was used until 1874. The Snider looked just like the Enfield, at least at wargame scale. The Indian troops were probably still armed with the Enfield as, post Mutiny, the Indian troops were always one weapon generation behind the British troops. You are right about the puttees no coming into general use until the 1870's, so you should probably go with Mutiny era sepoys.

Ack! Forgot to mention that I'm using 28mm; good catch!

How about the Perry's British Intervention (ACW) range for around 1864/65 or Gringo Opium War range for later half of the decade…

The Perry Bombay infantry from The Victoria's Little Wars range do wear short gaiters.
link

Does anyone make Indian army for the Abyssinia Campanian of 1867? Seems like they would be the perfect fit. I seem to recall Foundry did British infantry, in the unusual sun helmet with the tube on top, for that campaign but I don't know if they added any Indian troops.

@Royston Papworth – Hadn't come across Gringo's range before! That said, Perry BIF have been on the list for a good while for the British component, hence asking for Indians!

@Glengarry5 – I'd had a look at those; I'll have a think. For the time being I'd marked down Artizan's Punjab infantry as the 6th and 10th were Jat regiments so the headgear is a bit closer. The Artizan figures do have puttees, but I'm willing and able to do a bit of work to cover those up.

@Prince Rupert of the Rhine – I can't find an Abyssinia tab on the Foundry site and I wonder if the ones you're describing figures from the 1857 and Arrow War ranges with the 'airpipe' helmet, as I'd imagine the difference would purely be in the rifle breeches.

Thanks again, all!

I believe when they were first released (many years ago)they were marketed as good for the Abyssinian campaign these days the same miniatures are in the category

2nd China War 1859-60 & Operations Against the Taipings in the 1860's

The Sikhs in that category are from the Mutiny range. The difference between Sniders and Enfield's is pretty much negligible at 28mm. So without out anything better I'd use mutiny and China miniatures from Foundry rather than later miniatures.