WWI Mesopotamia
After the great fun we had playing Great War Spearhead on the Eastern Front, I decided to look at the Middle East. Among my lead pile I found some painted and unpainted figures I might use to start this project.
The figures are in 15mm, but I have many of them, so it would be silly to throw everything away and start in 6mm. I will probably make all my terrain in 6mm, including trenches, to play with them.
A painting guide I had found for 6mm armies.
What I have, painted in Bold
Turks
- 90 infantry, including some officers.
- 20 infantry officers
- 7 mounted officers
- 16 + 24 cavalrymen
- 8 + 21 infantry in kefiah
- 8 cavalrymen in kefiah
- 1 + 2 mule trains
- 4 + 3 HMGs
- 2 mountain guns
- 1 field gun
- 24 artillerymen
- 2 artillery trains
- 1QRF GLN20 packs with two guns.
British Empire
- 3 field guns
- 1 indian field gun
- 3 mortars
- 45 british infantry in sun helmet
- 9 indians
- 4 british HMG
- 1 british howitzer
- 4 LMG
- 5 cavalrymen
- 3 Aus HMG
- 3 lorries
- 3 artillery trains
- 20 infantry officers
- 9 camel mounted infantry
- 40 indian infantry
- 15 mounted infantry
- 1 + 1 AC
- 20 indian cavalrymen
- 8 british artillerymen
One division per side would need:
Indian/british
- 1 Division HQ of 4 figures
- 3 Indian Brigade HQs each of 2 figures
- 36 (32) companies of advancing Indian infantry each of 2 figures
- 3 Pioneer companies each of 2 figures
- 10 (6) Indian Vickers MG teams
- 2 2.5″ RBLs and crew
- 1 British Battalion HQ each 2 figures
- 12 companies of advancing British infantry each of 2 figures
- 3 British Vickers MG teams
- 4 (3) British 18pdrs and crew
- 1 4.5″ Howitzer and crew
Turkish
- 1 HQ of 4 figures
- 3 Battalion HQs each of 2 figures
- 40 companies of advancing infantry each of 2 figures
- 1 x Pioneer company of 2 figures
- 9 (6) x 77mm guns and crew
- 3 MG08 teams
What is needed to cover all scenarios, in Bold what I might achieve if I paint 15mm from my lead pile:
From this figures it is clear that a 15mm project would be too large to do. I must plan differently, maybe only one division per side in 15mm and the full number in 6mm. A cavalry and A/C complement is also possible.
Anglo-Indian
- 1 Corps HQ (to buy @QRF)
- 3 (3) Infantry Division HQ (to buy @QRF)
- 7 (7) Brigade HQ
- 84 (40) Indian infantry (to buy @QRF)
- 21 (6) Indian MGs (to buy @QRF)
- 36 (20) British infantry (to buy @QRF)
- 9 (4) British MGs (to buy @QRF)
- 4 engineers (to buy Irregular 15/40 Work party)
- 1 british pioneer (to buy Irregular 15/40 Work party)
- 1 (1) Cavalry Brigade HQ
- 14 (12) cavalry stands (to buy @QRF)
- 4 cavalry MGs
- 9 (3) 18 pdr field guns (to buy @QRF)
- 1 15 pdr gun
- 1 13 pdr gun (to buy @QRF)
- 3 60 pdr (to buy @QRF)
- 2 2.5″ Mountain Gun (use colonial?)
- 3 (1) 4.5″ howitzer (to buy @QRF)
- 2 armoured cars
- 2 motor lorry
- 1 Sumana gunboat
- 1 flotilla
- 1 Barge
Turkish
- 1 (1) Corps HQ (to buy @QRF)
- 4 (2) Inf Division HQ (to buy @QRF)
- 12 (6) Inf regiments HQ (to buy @QRF)
- 102 (40) infantry (to buy @QRF)
- 9 (7) MGs (to buy @QRF)
- 1 Cavalry Brigade HQ
- 6 Cavalry
- 8 camelry (cavalry in fact)
- 1 10.5 cm Howitzer (to buy @QRF)
- 6 (+1) 75mm field guns
- 1 (2) 65mm mountain gun
- 1 tribal arab HQ
- 8 tribal arab cavalry
- 8 arab irregulars
- 1 fort
