Sudan: Ansar

So here’s the other half of the Ansar (Madhist) force, units of the Black Flag, Blue Flag and Red Flag.

Spearmen

The rank and file are made up of HaT’s Set 8271 Dervish Warriors, another good box set to bulk out the army. 

The commanders from their Set 8247 El Cid Almoravid Heavy Cavalry and even a camel from an Itlaeri set and a rider from Waterloo 1815′s Dervish Warriors. Many of the standard bearers are the unmounted figures from HaT’s Taaishi Camelry (see below)

Making up three Standard BP formations of 30 figures each (mounted count as two).

Jihadiya (Riflemen)

Representing the close rank African Slave Riflemen rather than the skirmishing units armed with firearms.

Again these are from HaT’s Dervish Warrior set with foot commanders drawn from Italeri’s Arab Warriors set (see below), standard bearers from the Waterloo 1815 Dervish Warriors set – with flag conversions, and ye olde Italeri camel with Waterloo 1815 rider again.

Another three Standard BP formations.

Jihadiya (Skirmish Riflemen)

Three of about the ten skirmishing rifle units available to this army  - the rest are painted, just not based. 

These Small BP units play a crucial role in the overall envelopment tactic of the Madhist forces. Staying just within range to continually pop off shots at the British rank and file, hoping for the roll of a 6 to cause disorder, and defending against cavalry from rough ground.

The majority of these skirmish troops are from Italeri’s Set 6055 Arab Warriors (a reissue of the old Esci Muslim Warriors set) and in some instances are pushing the bounds of historic accuracy for this Sudanese army – meh, I don’t care if you don’t. Apart from that, these are good figures to bulk out the skirmishers.

Artillery

The Madhists used to drape their flags on captured artillery peices, or…


… would paint the carriages in bright colours and paint Muslim slogans on the barrels.

So most if not all of the Madhist artillery – and firearms for that matter – were captured British and/or Egyptian pieces. These guns are from a game Age of Imperialism by Eagle Games and are best described as generic looking guns from about the right period. The crew are converted figures from the Italeri set mentioned above.

Taaishi Mounted Skirmishers

These are from HaT’s Set 8250 Taaishi Camelry, a good all round camel rider set. Pretty sure the Taaishi are another group from the Beja tribe. There are some variable poses in this set, one figure in particular has his arm stretched far to the right, hard to place weapons and flags so that they look good. Most of these were a commission painted by mate Spiro, I think I painted 12!

There are two Standard BP units amongst this lot, the rest are Small units. These are the rapid deployment part of the skirmish envelopment tactic, and I arm these with firearms – unlike the Hadendowa skirmish camelry armed only with throwing spears.

Command

HaT Taaishi camels and riders with flag conversions for army and rub levels.

Yet again, Italeri camels with Waterloo 1815 riders, for commanders small brigades.

Flags
All the non-sculpted flags above are all free downloads from Warflag.com.