On the North West Frontier....

The Frontier Ablaze (again!)

I blame the Carry On team, Winston Churchill, Flashman and Kenneth More. The idea of war gaming the constant and unending struggle on the North West frontier of India has long been a guilty pleasure of mine but, like so many things, I never really tackled the concept other than to amass a small section of the library devoted to it. Spreading the idea further the whole Indian sub-continent has exercised a seductive allure from a military history perspective - from the time Alexander the Great up to the 18th century with Clive and beyond. The 'Jewel in the Crown' was aptly named and the potential for games set in the later years of the 19th century is both many and varied - from small scale skirmishes up to and including full scale battles and campaigns.

One of my all time favourite films....

....And another....

....And one of my favourite books....

....And another.

So what does all this mean then?

I have gone and done something that is not 'rather rash' - rather it has been an idea being mulled for probably at least the past 5 years to my knowledge - probably even longer if truth be told - and has been touched upon in the blog on a couple of previous occasions.

My adventures with 15mm have come to an end. I am sorry for this but I just cannot get on with then no matter how hard I try they just do not hit the spot for me in any way, shape or form. Were I to tackle anything in a smaller scale it would have to be 20mm as I suppose I am a little bit of a traditionalist in that respect and I indulged in painted armies in that scale long before 15mm, 25mm or 28mm.

I have also painted and converted a number of plastic 54mm figures for use with Western Gunfights; albeit many years ago.

I have acquired a modest selection of Armies in Plastic 54mm North West Frontier figures with a view to raising two forces - one Afghan and one Imperial - for use with a number of hex based systems, skirmishes and also Funny Little Wars. The action will focus on events in the little known Roghan Valley where the Imperial garrison at Dovecot attempt to maintain control of the area from the depredations of the fearsome Jalfrezis under their renowned leader Shere Khanaj and his chief advisor the self-styled Prophet Abul.

More to follow - once I have opened the boxes....