Pathan Jezailchi Riflemen, 1839–1902

The Pathans are semi-nomadic pushtu-speaking peoples consisting of more than 60 tribes, numbering 10 million in the North-West-Frontier Province of Pakistan and 6 million in Afghanistan. The Pathans, also known as Pashtuns, Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, and Pakhtoons, have a reputation as fierce fighters. British punitive expeditions in the late 19th and early 20th century failed to subdue the Pathans who were eventually granted the North-West-Frontier Province as a semi-autonomous homeland. The Ral Partha 1:64 scale Pathan Jezailchi Riflemen shown here are wearing traditional angarka tunics, or long sherwani coats with posteen fur coats, baggy trousers, turbans, skull caps, leather belts over a traditional kamarband, and sandals. They are armed with Khyber knives and long muzzle-loading rifles knows as Jezails.

Contents

10 Figures in 2 Poses – 26 mm equal 166 cm Height

• Pathan wearing Angarka and Skull Cap, firing Jezail (5)
• Pathan wearing Sherwani, Posteen and Turban, firing Jezail (5)

Evaluation

Excellent choice of subject, Pathan tribesmen like these can be used for a period of sixty years of campaigning on the Northwest Frontier. The Pathans are wearing traditional dress which is worn virtually unchanged until our times.

The two firing poses are most suitable for wargames, where Pathan snipers are typically seen firing from rocky ledges, fortified rooftops, and improvised firing positions known as sangars. The traditional Pathan dress worn by these figures may be painted in a variety of natural colours to conveniently disquise the fact that there are just two figures poses in the set.

The figures’ long muzzle-loading Jezail rifles are of the proper length which gave these sniping weapons excellent range and accuracy. Jezails take some time to reload, providing the British attackers with some respite from enemy fire.

Good casting quality, practically no flash. Ral Parta colonial figures are a joy to paint and collect.

Compatible with other 25 mm 1:64 scale figures and some of the taller 30 mm 1:60 scale miniatures now available from many manufacturers.

Historical Employment

• Afghan Irregular Infantry, Pathan Tribesmen, 1839–1902
  • 1st Anglo-Afghan War, 1839–1845
  • Sind and Gwalior, 1843–1845
  • The Indian Mutiny, 1857–1859
  • Second Anglo-Afghan War, 1878–1880
  • Northwest Frontier, 1877–1893
  • The Chitral Campaign, 1895
  • The Tirah Campaign, 1897

Ral Partha Pathans are excellent figures suitable for skirmish wargames of the Northwest Frontier Wars, using The Sword and the Flame (TSATF) and other popular rule sets. A handful of these snipers are enough to keep British and Indian infantry units busy while other Pathan tribesmen attempt to close into melee and put their Khyber knives to good use.

Colonial Wars Miniatures