28mm NWF Guides Infantry

The Corps of Guides was an elite unit that was celebrated in Kipling's "Ballad of East and West." During the Second Anglo-Afghan War, it formed part of the Punjab Frontier Force. Never a large and numerous formation, it usually fought in detachments in support of other units. Different ethnicities made up the various companies of the Corps: there were 2 companies of Sikhs, 1 company of Punjabi Muslims, 2 companies of Pathans, 1 company of Dogra, 1 company of Ghurkas and 1 mixed company.

A brief history of this distinguished body of troops may be found here:

http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/corpsofguides/corpsofguides.htm

I am now about 70% done with these nice Foundry Miniatures Guides infantry figures from their Northwest Frontier range. They are all depicted as wearing khaki turbans (albeit still with red kullahs) and poshteens which makes it easier for me to paint them. Their cavalry counterparts will be more challenging on account of their blue-on-white turbans.

They all still need detail painting, washes and shading. But I am getting closer...

20mm Monte Cassino Ruins

Between Jan and mid-May, 1944, German forces and Allied armies that included Americans, British, Poles, and the Free French fought several desperate battles along the German "Gustav Line." In the process, the famous monastery established by St. Benedict on Monte Cassino and the town of Cassino below were completely destroyed. Cassino itself became a byword for wanton destruction.

Cassino Town Ruins

One-piece resin foam casting of Cassino town ruin from Monday Knights Productions (they call it Village Ruins), which is reissuing terrain models that used to be produced by Scenic Effects. Footprint 15" x 23". The third picture below shows two of these terrain pieces set side by side.

Monte Cassino Monastery Ruins

One-piece resin foam casting of Monte Cassino Monastery ruin from Monday Knights Productions (they call it Town Ruins). Footprint 15" x 23". In both size and physical configuration, the terrain piece fails to represent the actual Monte Cassino monastery in my view. But as a representative "ruin" it looks rather nice once painted up.

I couldn't resist making some modifications to the façades to give them more definition. The "real colour" is a bit warmer than it appears in these photos and somewhat matches that of the Cassino town ruins shown above.

28mm NWF Ghurka Rifles

These are Foundry figures from their Northwest Frontier range. I am painting half in khaki and half in the dark green for rifles.

These have been sitting around for three years and are still not quite finished! Meanwhile, I managed to acquire even more of these lovely figures (not in picture) that I will need to prime and paint.

I know that rifles regiments normally didn't carry flags into battle but I won't be able to resist putting the Ghurka regimental flag into the already-drilled hands of one of these figures.

Some 20mm Figures (Germans and British)

Some previously painted TQD 1/72 figures: