It's been chucking down today, so my plan to play the Broadside and Ram game on the ping pong tables outside had been well and truly scuppered. Instead, I've been doing some more background reading for The Men Who Would Be Kings project, having unshelved several relevant books from the library. These include the excellent Mahdist War Source Book Volume 1: 1883-1885 publishing by the Virtual Armchair General in the USA, but available over here from the likes of Caliver Books. If you haven't got a copy, it's well worth getting hold of.
I was particularly interested to read an article by Doug Johnson on the use of firearms by the Mahdist forces, as it gives some credence to my inclusion of a Remington rifle armed 'skirmisher' Irregular Infantry unit for my Beja, which otherwise might be seen as a little indulgent, not to say unrealistic. In the article, which references several contemporary sources and eyewitness accounts, the author makes a convincing argument for the effectiveness of rifle armed Ansar in the skirmishing role and even for high levels of marksmanship amongst some elements of the Mahdiyya, at least in the 1884-85 campaigns.
It's a pretty solid interpretation and certainly adds some weight to my use of a rifle equipped Beja unit.
Hey Jim,
ReplyDeleteI'd have no problem with Ansar with captured Remington rifles. The good thing about TMWWBKs is you can change irregular infantry's shooting stat and weapon choice up or down to suit your interpretation. For my British Central Africa project most troops are going to be downgraded to poor shots as even the British trained ones with sniders couldn't hit the broadside of a barn by all accounts.
Interestingly I have read the British removed the sight sliders from Egyptian Remington rifles, in case there was a repeat of 1882, so they where only accurate to 250 yards.
cheers Jon
I am making mine poor shots but with democracy to balance them out to four points. They'll probably get shot to bits anyway!
ReplyDeleteThat's fieldcraft...#!#_:++ predictive text!
ReplyDelete