Ian Knight

As to my own projects, I did get a review of my Zulu Commanders book for you, but have 'temporarily mislaid' it in the chaos of the move. I'll pass it along as soon as it turns up. I also have another book out from Greenhill, called Marching to the Drums, which is an anthology of eye-witness accounts of Victorian campaigns from the 1st Afghan War to the 2nd Anglo-Boer War. It falls into the 'thumping good read' category (I can say that since I really only edited the text!), rather than serious research, but is perhaps all the more fun for that.

I'm also putting the finishing touches to a 45 minute video about the Isandlwana re-enactment in January last year. About 15 mins is a straightforward doco account of the battle, and the rest is about the perils and pleasures of re-enacting it. No obvious wargaming content, but it may be of interest because of the unique footage of red-coats and Zulus running about on the actual site. At present it's only in UK format, but if I get enough interest in the States I will run off a few on US compatible systems. Perhaps people can contact me on mahaweni@compuserve.com if they are interested.

There is a new Flashman novel out here. I've not read it yet, and apparently it is a bit of a compilation of stories originally written as short stories - but it does include Flashy's account of his escape from Rorke's Drift!

Odd report in the UK press last month that someone MIGHT be about to do a re-make of ZULU. Very early days, I think, and it will probably never happen, but won't it be fun if it does!

Both of your new books sound pretty interesting, as does the video. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of Ian's video about the Isandlwana re-enactment his email address is above, count me in Ian. If you don't have email drop me a note and I will send it to Ian. Flashy escapes Rorke's Drift interesting concept, they should make that a part of the possible remake of ZULU.

Gregory Blake

A bit of news about CFM. I now have a horse, a nice sturdy small horse typical of the type ridden by most non Europeans. An unexpected bonus is that figures from other ranges such as OG seem to fit my horse like a glove. At the moment the horse is without saddle, bridles etc but these will be added as appropriate. I'm begining to put together a mounted Xhosa chieftain like in the Osprey book. I'll also do the Loring Pasha figure. A regular Egyptian gun crew is almost finished. I'm going to look into getting credit card facilities early next year as I think this will help facilitate sales. There is a chance of a US stockist, but more of that when I know more.

I have a question about the Xhosa horse that you might be able to answer or know someone who could. In the Osprey book there are photos of a Sotho with a horse that is saddled. It doesn't appear that there is any horse cloth beneath the saddle to protect the horse's back. In the illustrations of the African riders, including Xhosa, it's not clear if there is a horse cloth under their saddles. Did the southern Africans just throw the saddles over the horses back or did they use a cloth to protect the horse? It might seem a small point but I don't want someone to come along and tell me I'm wrong after I've made the mould. With Helio, just where do you draw the chronological cut-off line for "colonial warfare"? For example does the Mexican Revolution of the early 20thC count, what about the Anglo-Irish war 1916-1921?

I received the October Helio today. Another good job, well done. Regarding the confusion over the charging Fuzzy, he is 'H8'. Check out the catalog by following the links from CFM's website at: http://members.xoom.com/canfodmins/canfodmins/home.htm Also check out the free flags.

First, I cannot answer your horse question, the only illustration of a mounted Xhosa is on an ox and is wounded. May be Ian Knight can answer this. For me Colonial Warfare lasts right up to 1948 after the Brits have left India and Palestine and formed a commonwealth rather than empire. As to the Mexican Revolution I would not consider that a colonial war, rather an internal matter. The Irish question I really do not see as a colonial war rather an internal matter again. However, that does not mean I wouldn't fight the Irish against the Brits.

As to articles for these conflicts, if you send an article I will print it. If it, generically, receives a lot of complaints that it is out of period than I would rethink my position on printing another article on the same subject. As long as the readership is satisfied I have no problem with it. My answers above are my personal opinion that the conflicts really do not fit my definition of "Colonial warfare".

My policy on the Heliograph is that as long as it is not a strictly European conflict and that the combatants are European versus natives, with the emphasis on native not transplanted Europeans, than it is colonial. Imperialistic tendencies on the European's side should be the deciding factor, not a war of conquest against a neighbor or a revolution.

I look forward to reading, and printing, everyone elses comments on this subject.

YES!!!!Check out the free flags at the Cannon Fodder web site and print them off for your use

Christopher Willet

I would like some information on where I can purchase the reprinted edition of Soldier's Companion. I remember reading about it somewhere in the Heliograph but I can't seem to find it. I hope you can help me out.

The reprint edition of Soldier's Companion is not out yet, I think, the best perrson to answer this would be Bob Giglio. I know he is working on a new edition but not about the production schedule. How about it Bob?

Blake Walker

Where would I find a uniform guide for painting Egyptian Mounted Rifles? I'm planning on doing the 1882 Egyptian campaign and recently completed my purchases for my Egyptian forces. However, the Egyptian Mounted figures have a different uniform that the Egyptian infantry or dragoons. I believe they were originally mercenery Sudanese troops that were used both in the 1882 campaign and the subsequent disasterous Hicks Pasha expedition of 1883 (they've got turbans and Zouave looking type uniforms, instead of the standard Egyptian fez and off-white cotton). If you know where I could find a painting reference for them please let me know. Also where could I get a reprint of Military History of the Campaign of 1882 in Egypt by JF Maurice?

PS Liked Roll to Your Rifle rules so much that I'll have to try them out with some of the Darkest Africa figures sometime once I get my 25mm Franco-Prussian figs done.

I think what you are talking about are Bashi Bazouks and Sudanese Gendarmes, if I am wrong someone please correct me. The painting guide for the Bashi Bazouks and Sudanese Gendarmes will be found in Gerry Webb's article on page 5 of the last issue. Osprey has ignored the Egyptian cavalry and camel corps as have most other books. Featherstone's Victoria's Enemies: An A-Z of British Colonial Warfare says the cavalry uniforms are the same as the infantry and this is correct according to the few photos or illustrations in the books I have. But the troop types you mention are different. One of the illustrations is by Simkins, unfortunately I do not have that in color and the uniforms are not described. It is possible that they are Turkish cavalry. The Egyptians also had at least one unit in ringed mail with feathered helmet, really great looking, but I have no idea of the colors. May be Henry Keown-Boyd would like to help with an answer. For Maurice's book try Articles of War.

Chris Nelson

I would agree with a lot of your reply to John Hollyoak's letter. i would put the American Indian Wars in the colonial wars arena even though strictly speaking it was not a colonial war. Still it was perhaps the period in which American soldiers learned their trade. I would say that the last two colonial wars of the 20th C were Indo-China 1946-1955 (French) and the Algerian War of the late 1950s/1960s. One could say that the colapse of theformer Soviet Union has lead to peices of the empire fighting one another.

I hadn't even though about the French colonial wars but you are perfectly right they would be the last two colonial wars, At least for now.

Timothy Boyd

I read with pleasure in your "Intelligence" section that the Guide to German Colonial Military Uniforms: Africa is ready.

I first became interested in the German colonial world back in the early 1960s when I saw figures in a Jack Scruby catalogue and actually sent for some. Would that my allowance had been as big as my ambition in those days--I would have had battalions of them, instead of the drips and drabs I could afford.

Years later, I invested in a batch of figures from Falcon (they are still nestled in a rather heavy box in my figure storage area), but never got around to painting them (does this sound familiar?). Now, with the potential for lots more info (I have the issues of Tradition with the multi-part article by Bob Marrion, but I'm always hungry to know more--and more--and more!), may be this is the moment whan those pounds of poured lead will turn--at last--into tiny fighting machines!? Thanks for all this effort on this. And thanks, as always for the Heliograph. Within its stapled pages you manage to pack so much information, from figure reviews (a great favorite of mine--your xerox method finally allows me to see so much of what I usually can only read abouta) to rules to the occasional bit of uniform material to cheerful chat from people I wish lived next door. I'm also glad that you review and display figures from all sorts of small and big companies and that Wargames Foundry hasn't gobbled you up. A certain English magazine had always shown a preference for their figures (as I do in fact), but, within the last year or so, it has clearly become almost as much WFs in-house journal as Old Glory's La Gloire is theirs.

I write letters to almost all the figures companies requesting samples and display what I get. Old Glory, Dixon, Essex and others don't even respond that's one reason they're not on these pages. At Cold Wars I may buy some Old Glory and then you will see them. If thet'd send samples you would see them as fast as they come out but.... I bought some of Jacks' colonial Germans in 1961 and about three years ago I finally got the info to paint them properly. I got just enough infantry for two 30 man batallions and cavalry for four ten figure troops. All painted up for Southwest Africa. Now all I need are some Hereros. I thank you for your comments. and hope you enjoy the painting guide.

John Baxter

An update on goings-on down under: * read a book called 'Arab versus European' by Bennett which covered the European expansion into Africa - perfect DA background material, or so I thought! Whilst it covered the areas that we would be interested in (the Lakes, Congo, German East Africa etc), it was just too dry to get anything out of. I suppose it shied away from military detail deliberately, but it also lacked direct accounts from the participants. Not recommended;

I received my first order from Pallas Armarta. Gareth Simon copies old books, journals, pamphlets, reviews etc from out of copyright originals for very reasonable costs and in a better finish than expected. Examples that I ordered included:

INDIA

A Catalogue of books Relating to the Military History of India by MJD Cockle (1901) 3.00

A Few Notes on the Characteristics of Hill Fighting in India by Maj Gen Sir WF Gatacre (1899) 1.30

The Presidential Army of India by Col ES Rivett-Carnac (1890) 14.00

History of the Bombay Native Army by Maj Gen WE MacLeod (1888) 1.30

The Battles of Chillianwallah and Gujerat and 14th LD at Chillianwalla (Gough etc) 1.50

Everyday Letters written during the 1st and 2nd Sikh Wars (Grant) 1.25

The 95th Regt in Central India (Raines) 3.80

Outrams Divison Watching Lucknow 1857-58 (Seaton) 1.40

The Story of Tirah (Hutchinson) 1.65

Recollections of the First Campaign West of the Indus and of the Subsequent Operations etc ("a Bengal Officer") 3.50

The Chitral Campaign (Younghusband) 1.30

ASHANTI WARS

The Ashanti Expedition of 1873-74 Col.E Wood (1874) 1.75

The European Brigade under Sir Archibald Alison in the Ashanti War, Robinson (1920) 1.80

Fanti and Ashanti Capt. G.L. Huyshe (1873) 4.50

Ashantee (The Edinburgh Review) (1819/1824) 1.60

EGYPT & THE SUDAN

The Egyptian Army Camel Corps and their Work, Percy (1914) 1.10

The Organisation and Employment of Camel Corps in Warfare, Green (1885) 1.25

Soudan Warfare, King (1885) 1.40

The Nile Expedition of 1885, Duncan (1886) 1.10

Land and Water Transport in the Soudan and on the Nile, de Cosson (1888) 1.30

The Native tribes of Egypt and the Soudan, Smart (1885) 1.30

The Battle of Tamai, by a soldier (1884) 1.30

The Egyptian Campaign of 1882, Clarke (1888) 1.65

The Desert Frontiers of Lower Egypt Rycroft (1906) 1.40

The Seige and Fall of Khartoum ed. Wingate 2.70

ITALY IN AFRICA

The Italian Operations at Agordat in the Eastern Sudan 1.40

You have to be a member of certain societies to use the service (including VMS and IMHS), but its certainly well worthwhile, especially for areas that it is difficult to get information on (eg 1st Afghan War, Italians and Germans in Africa, Armee d' Afrique);

I am painting some DA Belgians for our next open day in May 2000. Will probably recrate one of the scenarios from the Arab v Belgian article in WI. Still debating whether to use TSATF (have to get a set first) or the new Chris Peers rules from the Foundry website. Perhaps I might try Piquet (anyone out there used them for Colonials?);

I took advantage of the Foundry 50p deal to get 130 figs for 1st Afghan War and 1st Sikh War use. I now have around 230 inf and gunners and 70 cavalry for these periods, all awaiting painting. Does that sound familiar to everyone else? That is added onto the 200 odd Pathans yet to be painted plus 50-60 1890s British/Indian. My DA collection which is now around 200 painted figs unfortunately has gotten in the way of finishing/starting these other periods.

I have heard of Pallas Aramata but never used his services. I must find his address and write to him. I don't even want to think about unpainted figures, I haven't painted more than a dozen figures in three years.