Company Roster #1

My biggest problem is buying on impulse and so buying too many figures. Once purchased, I feel obliged to paint them, and so my IHMN companies are far too large for normal use.

So, too make it up to the figures, I am posting photos of the whole companies, even if they will probably never all get on the table at once.

First is the RN Landing party. Bought and painted before SDRS was published, they will need a new list when I get round to it.

They currently number 2 Officers, 1 Surgeon and 10 Ratings.


In this photo you can also see the newly arrived HMLS Daphne. With a crew of 3 and a turret mounted Gatling gun, great things are expected of this latest example of British engineering.

Hurah for the Tars !

Following complaints from villagers about mercenary looters attacking their settlements, Lt Phillips lead his men into the bush to try and flush out the miscreants involved. Native intelligence and guides helped him set an ambush for the gang, led by a certain Richard D'astardlee.

As the villains emerged from the bush to ransack another village, Lt Phillips and his men entered from the other side and engaged them in a fierce fire fight. D'asterdlee and his men were taken by surprise and with men wounded on both sides decided to try close combat as a way to settle the matter.

This proved a mistake as they picked on a man who had something of a reputation as a sabre fencer while at Dartmouth. He cut down three of D'asterdlee's men who unwisely came within reach and at that point the villains beat a hasty retreat.

A sound victory for the Tars, but with Africa seemingly overrun by mercenaries hungry for loot, I think we will see lots more of D'asterdlee's and his men in the future.

Sadly the automatic recording device used on this mission malfunctioned, so there are currently no images of the action. If we are able to recover any, they will be posted here.

First Company - RN Landing Party

I paint quite fast but I won't ever win any competitions. I can however turn out decent tabletop armies in fairly quick time and here is my first Company for IHMN - the Royal Navy Landing Party.

Lt Phillips and Assistant surgeon Ffont-Bittocks lead a party of a Chief Petty Officer (Pertwee) and 9 ratings armed with Martini-Henry rifles and boarding cutlasses. As my first company - and reflecting the traditional conservative approach taken by the RN in all things - this company has no 'new' weapons.

These landing parties were quite common in the 1890's as the Royal Navy worked tirelessly to stamp out the East African slave trade. Ships like HMS Sparrow provided detachments for land raids, as well as long patrols in the ships boats.

In the world of IHMN they also skirmish with illegal treasure seekers, hostile natives and of course the Imperial German Army.

Sometimes several ships would combine their on board Marines an armed ratings to form a Naval Brigade, and these took part in some large actions including the great battle of Omdurman.

As a gamer of a certain age, I take my gaming lightly and love taking inspiration from other genres, and this Company is no different from others. No prizes for spotting the source.

They fight for the first time tomorrow night ....

RN First Draft

This my first attempt at a Company. The RN landing party is based on a regular infantry company but all figures have a cutlass (except the Colonel). For the Lieutenant and the Asst Surgeon this gives the Duellist ability, but for the Ratings it is subsumed into the normal Bayonet Drill.

Lt Phillips (Captain + Inspirational and Duellist) 72pts
Surgeon Ffont-Bittocks (Medic + Duellist) 20pts
Col Entwhistle (rtd) (Great White Hunter) 48pts
CPO Pertwee (Sergant) 29pts
9 x Ratings (Riflemen) 20pts
Total 349pts

Yes, it's a large company, but I plan to run it with two players, each taking half. (The Lt and the Asst Surgeon plus 5 ratings will be one group, the Colonel, the CPO and the other 5 ratings the other.)