American Adventurers sighted...

...in Rhanzlistan. I went to the Great Barr Table Top Sale last month with Jon ~ he anted to buy some prepainted 20mm WWII Russian troops and vehicles ~ not really thinking I'd buy anything. I was surprised to see one chap selling heaps of based and undercoated Pulp figures from any number of manufacturers. I bought five, very disciplined I thought, and the two shown below have gone right into he Rhanzlistan back story.
I see them as two American Adventurers, seeking the lost kingdom of Bhladi Bhla, where they might find fame and fortune, although getting it back home might be a problem, you really can't trust those Bhurpas any further than you can spit into a gale! For no other reason than I like to name figures in these Pulp style games after my friends, I decided to call them Joe Paddock and Davy Moore. Any resemblance to living chaps is of course accidental as they say. Here they are ~

Joe Paddock & Davy Moore

They are Copplestone figures of course, although which sets they are from I can't say off hand. They will be setting out on an adventure later in the month I hope.

Flashman at the Pass

Meanwhile, deep in The Pass, we find Flashman Jr about his cunning business, and possibly accidentally aiding the Crown!

The figure is the Empress Miniatures Charity Figure, "Flashman's Grandson"sculpted by Paul Hicks. He costs £3.00 and I got mine at Salute last Saturday. I see him in many scrapes and adventures in Rhanzlistan in the coming months. Of course he will need a ruthless and merciless adversary! And here he is, the Rajah of Rhanzlistan ~

He's a figure from the Mutineer Miniatures Mutineer Command pack. I was taken by the one Phil painted for my Indian Mutiny collection {See Tales from GHQ blog} and have been looking through Mutineer's single figure boxes at shows here and there for one without any success. At Salute on Saturday I drew a blank again, but then the 'Jolly Jocks' kindly opened a pack and sold me him for £1! Wonderful service chaps and, I hope you'll agree, a super addition to Tales from Rhanzlistan!

Lord 'Lippy' Rawnsley...

...moves from the Canadian frozen wilderness to the hot lands of Rhanzlistan. In other words, Pulp Miniatures' "Movember" charity figure sculpted by the talented Bob Murch. Super service as ever from Bob and a lovely addition to the back story of the Rhanzlistan Field Force ~

I hope he'll star in many stirring adventures in 2014 in the Back of Beyond that is Rhanzlistan.

Into Action...

 

The latest copy of the Rhanzlistan Times to reach your correspondent brings alarming news. The S.P.I.F.F. have been reported to be active in the area of the Bykla Pass, stirring up trouble for the Empire amongst the erstwhile loyal tribes of the Bhurpas. This is undoubtedly the handiwork of one Ivan Justokov and the Russian Mission to Rhanzlistan!

Action will be joined here in GHQ on Friday, when Commrade General Robinski and the forces of S.P.I.F.F. will be engaged by the Rhanzlistan Field Force for the first time. Here we see the Shropshire Yeomanry column leading the way!

Pop back in due course to read the special report of our correspondent embedded in the RFF HQ.

 

Setting the Scene

Even an imaginary setting for Back of Beyond games needs some sort of geographical location rooted in reality in some small way. Rhanzlistan is no exception to this rule. I wanted to locate it close to, but not on, the North West Frontier, if only to be able to justify the incursion of the Russian hordes of the SPIFF, not to mention the possibility of those dastardly Chinese of Wun Ung Lo making an appearance. So, where is Rhanzlistan to be 'found' you ask? The map following shows its general location in the north west of the sub continent.

As you can see, Rhanzlistan lies to the west of Rawalpindi and north of Mianwali, occupying an area which in reality was a part of the Panjab in 1920. It is a land of many rivers, mountains, plains and of scattered villages and towns. The principle City of Rhanzlistan, and site of the Governor's Residence, is Byklabad, a city of some notoriety during the Mutiny of the mid C19th! Other important towns are Muuha, Pa'Dhok and Phi'Lippe, while Fort Aston guards the southern approaches to the Frontier.

Rhanzlistan is administered for the Empire by the Governor, Sir Godfrey Godalming, from his Residence in Rhanzlistan. His Excellency is seen here with Brigadier Bykleigh and the young Prince Kasim, the rightful heir to the throne of Rhanzlistan, who 'lodges' with the Governor as a surety for the loyal behaviour of the Bhurpa tribes.

Most recently posted to the Province of Rhanzlistan to bolster its defences are the Shropshire Yeomanry, seen here under the command of Major Whyte.

Rummours abound in the souks and market places of Byklabad that the RFF will soon be in the field to counter the threats from SPIFF...