A Scattering of Mahdist Skirmishers

Mahdist riflemen - 28mm plastic figures from Perry Miniatures

Since I finally dug out my 28mm Sudan collection earlier this month and finished re-basing these models (a project I started back in 2013), I find I am inspired to add to the collection while I'm working with it.  With that in mind, this post features a small group of Mahdist skirmishers I painted up recently. The warriors are armed with rifles. They are 28mm plastic models from Perry Miniatures. 

Another view of the Mahdist riflemen

During their revolt in the Sudan the Mahdists made extensive (if not altogether effective) use of rifles captured from the diverse Egyptian garrisons they overwhelmed and punitive expeditions they obliterated during the course of their uprising. They turned these rifles on the final Egyptian garrison in Khartoum and on the diverse British relief forces which went into action in a vain attempt to relieve General Gordon in that garrison.  While the rifles were not decisive in any encounters with British and allied forces, accounts from the period consistently mention harassing fire from Mahdist skirmishers - sometimes coming around the clock, through the night, into the zareba encampments.  This small group of riflemen will represent one of those harassing-style forces on the table.

I tried to give some variety to the cloth on the Mahdist fighters

While these plastic Mahdist figures from the Perrys have been available for several years now, these figures were still new to me and it is the first time I worked with them.  The box has enough parts for 40 miniatures inside (a great value).  While most of these figures are to be built carrying spears as their armament (and I'm pretty mixed on plastic spears), there are enough extra figures to put together a few riflemen, so I thought I would make them into a skirmishing unit.

These plastic figures are pretty easy to assemble, and paint up very quickly! These were the first Mahdist figures I had painted in many years, so I was a little rusty, but once I figured out the colour palette again the old experience came back to the brush quickly, and they painted up pretty fast.

Ready to fight the British oppressors

When it comes to colonial gaming, I don't think you can ever have enough Mahdist figures available - especially for Black Powder games!  I have more Mahdist warriors on the painting table right now, and hope to add another unit (or even two!) to my 28mm Mahdist collection before moving on to other painting subjects.