ISAF Canadians

Back to Kandahar!

When I started this project, my original intention was to only have indigenous forces (ANA/ANP/ANBP and Taliban/insurgents), as I wanted to emphasize that the conflict predated Western intervention and was going to continue after the Westerners left, also to reflect that in overall numbers more fighting (and particularly more dying) is done by ANA and ANP.  In presenting this conflict I wanted to focus on the people who are most heavily impacted by it - the people of Afghanistan.

However, I heard last summer (2016) of a new company, Full Battle Rattle Miniatures, who were planning to produce miniatures of modern Canadian infantry.  For whatever reasons, distinctly Canadian military miniatures are in very short supply.  So as a patriotic Canucklehead, I just had to jump in feet first and order a set, which arrived promptly in late September.

So here is a small Canadian foot patrol, working alongside an ANP member and interacting with local Afghans.  They've been joined by an attached British soldier (a freebie from Eureka from an upcoming range). 

I've tried not to go overboard in my representation of CADPAT.  The uniforms have a basecoat of Vallejo Iraqi Sand, followed by a fairly heavy brown wash and then another drybrush with Iraqi Sand.  I've tried to simulate the greenish Canadian flag patch on the soldiers' right arms and the black and white ISAF IFF patch on the left arms, although these details are a bit hit and miss.         

Ooo, shiny!

I've been trying to restrict purchases a bit, at least as far as I am able.  Turns out that isn't very far at all!  I'd been good for a while, but then this week three different orders all arrived.

First in were these ISAF Canadians from a brand new company, Full Battle Rattle Miniatures.  Lovely sculpts, very well proportioned, clean castings.  I assume the equipment is correct (I'm no expert) - I certainly see no flaws.

I preordered these back in July, as soon as the company advertised.

Another pre-ordered item was the latest Osprey wargame book, the Men Who Would be Kings, which arrived today.  Looking forward to reading this weekend!

And finally, as I lost patience waiting for these two pre-orders to arrive, I finally broke down and got some lead for my 1880-ish North West Frontier/Central Asia.  Firstly, I ordered some Copplestone Castings Caucasian Cossacks.  My Russian infantry needs cavalry backup.  I looked for a while to find something that was specifically late nineteenth century, but eventually decided that these post-WWI figures are likely to be indistinguishable from their colleagues of 40-ish years earlier.

I ordered these from Imperial Hobbies in Richmond,BC, after I read that North Star had made a deal to distribute Copplestone Castings.  As I was throwing money around, I decided I also needed some Afghan Regulars, and ordered the Artizan Designs versions.  I'd been desiring these ever since I first saw them, and as I've wanted to replace the Wargames Foundry ones that went missing in a move several years ago.