Blast from the Past: Major Charles Wimmingson Stappsman

 21 April 2013, and Major Charles Wimmingson Stappsman is introduced to the World.

 

Major Charles Wimmingson Stappsman CBE (Commander, Order of the British Empire), Sportsman, Big Game Hunter, Explorer...all around man and hero of the Empire. He is as comfortable with a whiskey and soda in his club as he is with a .440 Webley in a lost temple in some Imperial outpost.

Major Charles Wimmingson Stappsman is a 28mm metal piece from Foundry I painted circa 2012.

Power of Egypt-1880's

Egyptian troops loyal to Ahmed "Urabi (Ali Pasha to the British) stand ready to fight for Egyptian independence in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882.

Most of the Egyptian troops were brave men, poorly equipped, trained and led.

In battle they were no match for the well-organized, equipped, supplied and led Imperial British forces. In less than four months the Egyptian forces were defeated leaving Britian in firm control of the country until then end of World War Two.

These are old Mini Figs cast in the 1970's. Little on detail now but state of the art for the time. African Colonial were the first historic wargame miniatures I painted (I did dozens of plastic military model kits back in the 1960's), the first armies I had and the first miniatures I played, all at Scrubby's Toy Factory in Cambria Ca back in 1974.

The NNL Fights for the British

 

These British scouts from the Natal Native Infantry (NNL) are on the lookout for the Zulu Army.

When the British invaded the land of the Zulus in 1879, companies of NNI were used to augment the British forces.  Their training, equipment and treatment were well below that of any of the other forces the British deployed in the Zulu War.

These are plastic pieces from Warlord for my African Colonial Campaigns.

Desert or Jungle the 60th Rifle Wear Green

     

Be it Dervishes in the desert, Zulus on the Velt, Boers in the mountains or countless in Africa, the 60th Rifles wears Green. As the Empire expanded in Africa throughout the 19th century, the distinctive green remained the colour of the "Rifles" until it was eventually replaced by the nondescript service order khaki that the rest of the army changed into.

These are plastic pieces that I painted in April 2017.

News from the Boer War Front

 

January 26, 1881, somewhere near Langs Nek Southern Africa. British troops enter into the thick of battle with Boer troops. While our brave boys suffer a setback, this reporter can assure his readers that the Boers have bitten off more than they can chew. With the power of Empire behind them victory can be assured for our hero's.

Unfortunately for the British, the 1st Boer War was an embarrassing defeat. It would take another, longer and more bloody conflict, the 2nd Boer War-1899-1902, to bring victory to the empire.

These are plastic pieces that I painted in 2015.

We Secure the Empires Frontiers

    A squad of His Majesties troops patrol the frontier Between the Wars. 

Some are veterans of the Great War who found civilian life as too quiet. They find the excitement of frontier life is exactly what they were looking for. 

All the pieces are plastic that I finished this week. This is the final stage of the previous works in progress seen here:

World Historyprof: May Worktable

World Historyprof: Worktable Day Two

World Historyprof: Worktable Day Three

Now on to the next projects, an M3 Lee Tank, Basilisk, and a WW II USMC squad.

 

Sudan on the March

Fighting for religion and nationalism are common themes for wars for centuries and the Sudan is no exception. 

In the last decades of the 19th century was wracked by war, with these Sudanese fighting against the forces of Egypt and Imperial Britian.

Some were armed simple muskets but most carried swords, spears and animal hide shields.

  Their military power was eventual crushed by the modern arms of the British at the battle of Omduman in 1898.

I painted these plastic pieces in 2017.
 

The Northwest Fontier is Always Hot

Even in "peace time," it pays to be armed and ready while on patrol on the Northwest Frontier.

Between the Wars, British troops needed to react quickly to disturbances lest they grow into full-blown combat. 

I painted these two plastic colonial Brits in March '22.
 

Pathans-Britain's Bane

For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the fanatic Pathan (Afghani Pashtun Tribes) warriors of the Northwest Frontier of the Raj (British Imperial India), Pathans were a constant menace to Imperial control. Raids, wars, punitive expeditions, threats, bribes and the like were common place events as these warlike tribesmen resisted Imperial authority. Rather armed with flintlock rifles like these men or more modern rifles as time progressed, no British officer took lightly the thought of fighting these warriors, not if they wanted a long life that is. Many a great career in Imperial service was started, or cut short, during these conflicts on the Northwest Frontier-including that of a young Winston Churchill.

These are metal 25mm Ral Partha pieces that I painted in the early 1980's
 

"ZULU'S"

The dreaded cry of "Zulu's" was feared throughout Southern Africa during the 19th century. 

Zulu's were fanatically brave warriors that were able to destroy a modern British force at the battle of Isandlwana-the worst defeat of a British Imperial Army in 19th century Africa.

This victory was all the more impressive as the Zulu were mostly armed only with hand to hand weapons vs modern rifles and cannon.

Eventually modern weapons, and the resources of the greatest Imperial empire on earth, doomed the Zulu Nation to defeat. Yet even in defeat, the bravery and fearless nature of the Zulu warriors is still remembered to this day.

These are plastic Warlord Games pieces I painted in 2017.

 

Trible Warriors- Brave Defenders of the Chief

In uncharted Africa, uncharted by the Europeans that is, a warband of local fighters heads out to battle.

Chief Natumpo Ikikki, heads this warriors into battle, as a good leader should.

 

Bearers of supplies bring up the rear of the column.

Armed with a variety of hand weapons, these warriors are a may=tch for any that they can reach in hand to hand combat.

Holding a cliff is an excellent defensive position for any army.

These are 28mm metal pieces from Foundry that I painted in 2018.
 

Pathans-Old School

A group of old Minifig Pathans that I painted in the late 70's. Old school 25mm metal style but

very serviceable in the many colonial battles I played in the last century.
 

Zulu Assault

A party of Zulu warriors on the hunt for enemies of the Zulu Kingdom.



These are 28mm plastic figures from Warlord.

Engarde

Major Jan De Ruyter of the New Belgium Legion is an expert with the sword. Woe to those foolish enough to face his blade as he never shows mercy to any foe.

The Major is a 25mm metal pieces designed by the old Game Designers Workshop in the 1980's for their "Temple of the Beastman" game.

Dutch Empire Builders

Two sections of KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army) stand ready to expand and protect the colonies of the Dutch Empire.

Ever under the burning tropical sun, the European soldiers of the KNIL fight for king and country (and a good laeger at the end of the patrol),

These are 25mm metal pieces designed by the old Game Designers Workshop in the 1980's.

Protectors of the Dutch Empire

This way, signals Master Sargent Koonze to his section KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army) soldiers. The KNIL was responsible for securty of the Dutch Asian colonies. In the 19th century,the troops were made up of units of Europeans and units of colonials with European officers.

Look out! They are behind us!!! These troopers are the sister squad to a unit lister earlier this year.

These are 25mm metal pieces designed by the old Game Designers Workshop in the 1980's.