Baluchi Mercenaries

Just before the end of July, I completed the unit of 17 Baluchi mercenaries that I acquired from Ken H. at Bayou Wars.  They were the last of my Bayou Wars purchased figures to be painted.  I think that this is the first time that I have completely painted all of a convention's figures within such a short period of time (about seven weeks!).  But let's get on with introducing them.  As I stated in my last post on July 5 (Was it really that long ago?!), they are armed with matchlock muskets but also have swords and shields.  They should have an advantage in melees, but they'll have to drop those muskets in order to fully utilize their close combat weapons.  EDIT:  These figures are 28mm from Foundry's Darkest Africa line.

They are organized for Larry Brom's  The Sword in Africa rules (a small unit variant of The Sword and the Flame rules).  Each unit is 8 figures, including a leader and every two to three "native" units has a senior leader.

First, their leader, the Sheikh, is a grizzled veteran of many an action in south Asia, the Arabian coast, and the east African littoral.  He has a huge two-handed sword which he plies with great zeal as he smites the foes of Allah.

The first part of the command has varied shades of indigo dyed clothing.  Their leader wears a red fez (left center).

The other part of the unit wears white clothing.  Their leader is an old retainer of the Sheikh and is wearing a red sash and belt (right center).

With the exception of a new armed leader for my main Zanzabari unit, these Baluchis will complete my "Zanzabari" command for The Sword in Africa forces that I have been raising.  Although they are not as well armed as the rest of the Zanzabari command, they will, I'm sure, acquit themselves well.  My Zanzabari command now has two 8-man units of heavily-armed Zanzabaris, one 8-man unit of musket armed Zanzabaris, two 8-man units of Ruga-Ruga (mercenary "bandits"), these two units of Baluchi mercenaries, and an old muzzle loading cannon with a 4-man crew.