Review: Afghan regulars
Tiger Miniatures is a British manufacturer of 28mm Colonial miniatures that includes Rough Riders, American Infantry, 9th and 10th Cavalry, Spanish in slouch hats / sun helmets, Cuban Civil Guard, Cuban Rebels and Moros. Also included are mountain guns with crew, artillery with crew, Gatling gun with crew, and three different mule drives and two mules.
Amanullah Khan’s ten years of reign initiated a period of dramatic change in Afghanistan in both foreign and domestic politics. Amanullah declared full independence and sparked the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Amanullah altered foreign policy in his new relations with external powers and transformed domestic politics with his social, political, and economic reforms. Although his reign ended abruptly, he achieved some notable successes, and his efforts failed as much due to the centripetal forces of tribal Afghanistan and the machinations of Russia and Britain as to any political folly on his part.
Amanullah came to power just as the entente between Russia and Britain broke down following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Once again Afghanistan provided a stage on which the great powers played out their schemes against one another. Amanullah attacked the British in May 1919 in two thrusts, taking them by surprise. Afghan forces achieved success in the early days of the war as Pashtun tribesmen on both sides of the border joined forces with them.
The military skirmishes soon ended in a stalemate as the British recovered from their initial surprise. British forces used airpower to shock the Afghans, the King’s home was directly attacked in what is the first case of aerial bombardment in Afghanistan’s history. The attacks played a key role in forcing an armistice but brought an angry rebuke from King Amanullah. He wrote: “It is a matter of great regret that the throwing of bombs by zeppelins on London was denounced as a most savage act and the bombardment of places of worship and sacred spots was considered a most abominable operation. While we now see with our own eyes that such operations were a habit which is prevalent among all civilized people of the west”
Britain virtually dictated the terms of the 1919 Rawalpindi Agreement, a temporary armistice that provided, somewhat ambiguously, for Afghan self-determination in foreign affairs. Before final negotiations were concluded in 1921, however, Afghanistan had already begun to establish its own foreign policy, including diplomatic relations with the new government in the Soviet Union in 1919. During the 1920s, Afghanistan established diplomatic relations with most major countries.
Contents
The review sample sent was a Afghan regular cast in metal. It came shipped in a baggie.
The Good
There was no mould slippage and only a very small amount of cleaning was required. It is an overall gorgeous miniature that has an amazing amount of detailing.
The Bad
None.
The Ugly
None.
Scale: 28mm heroic scale
Cost: £4.50 / set
Rating
