From KenR - 28mm WW1 Highlanders (140 points)

This week we are back to the WW1 Mesopotamia Collection with this collection of 28mm Highlanders, those if you with very good memories will recall I did 9 of these for last years challenge, here is the rest of the Battalion, minus a bloke with a bagpipe who has been held back for the next bonus round.

There are a mix of manufactures here, the bulk from a very small 28mm range from Minifigs, the Lewis Gun Teams and command, including the lovely figure with the stretcher on his shoulder are from the Empress Miniatures Jazz Imperialism range.

The HMG is from Great War Miniatures as neither Empress or Minifigs did them, so that's 3 x 8 Fig companies plus a 3 fig MG with a half crew mounted weapon for a net 28 figures worth or 140 points.

This unit was inspired by the book "With a Highland Regiment in Mesopotamia" which is available HERE, however you can find it on some of the free book sites due to its age.

It's a really good personal account from the Black Watch battalion that arrived in the area after the initial push and was involved in the attempts to relieve the Siege of Kut. The volume of casualties they take is horrendous, dropping from a full battalion to 200 or so men on a regular basis.

It also contains some great snippets of info, for example the units would march to and from the front line in kilts (as painted) with bagpipe playing, before changing into shorts and shirts in the trenches.

I am away to Italy on a badly timed (for the Challenge) holiday so nothing from me next week, but when I do return it will be back to WW2 Desert vehicles and my first German Armour.

These are absolutely brilliant.  I'm not a historical gamer, but I do find myself fascinated by these little pockets of somewhat unusual battle attire, although I suspect the kilts were probably rather good in this type of theatre!

They look like a wonderfully coherent bunch and the basing sets them off excellently - 140 points to you it is!