North West Frontier, Brits with Grit!

These images, originally from my Shooting Leave Blog, but too evocative not to publish here again. So, a few snaps of the Renadra Mud Hut and my Artizan 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot.

Constructing the building was a simple process though there were quite a few gaps that needed filling. For some reason I chose to fill them with Milliput, which came away in places due to the tool I was using having to be dipped in water rather a lot. I wouldn't let this put you off putting the model as it is really nice and the very subtle detail really doesn't come across viewing it on the net. It beats getting out the filler and mixing it with sand which always produces a rather unrealistic effect IMHO.

List of Perry Sudan Miniatures that can be used for the Second Anglo Afghan War?

First off, a picture of Drummer James Roddick of the 92nd Highlanders defending Lieutenant Menzies at Kandahar, 1880, National Army Museum

I popped the question on the Lead Adventure Forum; which codes from the Perry Miniatures Sudan range can be used for the Second Anglo Afghan War?

It didn't take long before Mad Guru of the famously brilliant Maiwand Day Blog popped in and gave me the lowdown.

As this information is no longer available on the new Perry Miniatures site I thought I would print his reply below:

"I believe that would be the various packs of Infantry, Indian service dress (SB21-SB25);

The 10th Hussars command (SB33) and swords drawn (SB34);

The Sikh Infantry packs (SB68-SB70);

And the various Bengal Cavalry command & with lances packs (SB74-SB76).

NOTE: I did not include the 3 x "Bengal/Bombay infantry" packs (SB71-SB73), because these all wear smooth khaki covers over their turbans which post-date the Second Afghan War, and as there now are some perfectly accurate Second Afghan War Perry Indian Infantry figures in their "Victoria's Little Wars" range, there's no need to do turban conversions on the Sudan range Bombay/Bengal infantry figures to make them fit the Afghan War, the way I did more than a decade ago.

You could also use the Royal Artillery 7 pounder Screw-gun and crew (SB45) -- though if you're picky you may want to remove the desert goggles from the officer's foreign service helmet, and possibly remove the puggarees from all the crew's helmets, as in Afghanistan they would probably have been wearing khaki cloth helmet-covers.  But if you leave all their helmets as-is and just paint them in khaki uniforms with blue puttees, I will in no way hold it against you!"

My God! Maiwand! Revamped.

I recently had to say "bye bye" to Adobe Photoshop CS2; my old mousepad on my last but one laptop started to give up the ghost. Rather than having to resort to downloading GIMP again (great software but not very intuitive) I splashed out on Photoshop Elements. Not happy about having to pay for it again as I already own Elements and CS 2 on another (steam powered) laptop but cannot for the life of me find old password! Needs must.

In order to test the new version of Elements out I thought I would have a go at revamping some pics which look like they were edited with stand in software.

These are the results:

Second Anglo Afghan War Brits - 66th Berkshire Regiment of Foot

Afghan Tribesmen:

(I really wish I had kept more pics of these guys)

66th Regiment of Foot:

Afghan Tribesmen:

These Afghan Tribesmen were entered into the Salute 2011 painting competition and made it to the finals table. Unfortunately they were trumped by other superb painting and deservedly so. I managed to retain my "Finals Table" card which I have somewhere safe. A proud moment of sorts.