Honorable East India Company (H.E.I.C.)

This month WR journeys to the subcontinent and reviews the favored troops of the Honorable East India Company (H.E.I.C.) along with some Maratha supporters. The H.E.I.C. army is organized along the historical three Presidencies of Madras, Bengal, and Bombay and is pictured deployed in lines of each Presidency.

Generally all the infantry battalions are 1×6 miniatures unless noted. Artillery batteries have 6 cannon basing and the British light dragoons are 4 miniatures (4 sqn.) strength. Native Infantry (N.I.) or sepoys form the majority of the army and have two battalions per regiment. Note: We use a 100:1 miniature gaming scale for the group battles. Napoleonic Game Primer

Madras Presidency: Madras European regiment, 4th N.I., 8th N.I., 12th N.I. (Light 2×7), 13th N.I., Madras “Extra battalion” (1×5), Madras Volunteer rifles.

Bengal Presidency: Bengal European regiment, 1st N.I., 10th N.I., 12th N.I.

Bombay Presidency: Bombay European regiment, Bombay N.I. Grenadiers (1×6), 2nd N.I., 3rd N.I., 13th N.I., Bombay marines (1×5), 1st Nasiri (Gurkha) battalion.

Common artillery for the Presidencies is 5x 6lb foot batteries, a horse battery, and the hard-hitting 24 lb elephant towed siege battery. Various artillery crews and native artillerymen man the cannon. Note that each N.I. regiment has regimental artillery attached (artillerymen miniature behind each regiment). Three “Irregular” or local native battalions march with the H.E.I.C. army. They are the Ramgarh local light infantry battalion (1×9), the Calcutta native militia (1×9), and the Bengal native regiment (1×9).

Attached are Crown troops: 74th Regiment of Foot, 19th Light Dragoons and 26th Light Dragoons.

H.E.I.C army overview.

H.E.I.C. rear view.

H.E.I.C left flank view.

H.E.I.C. right flank view.

Closer view below (l to r); the Madras 2x 6lb batteries, Madras European regiment (column on road), Madras 4th N.I., Madras 13th N.I. Skirmishing in foreground is the Madras Volunteer rifles btn.

The next line has the Bengal Presidency (l to r); 74th Foot, Bengal 1st N.I., Bengal European regiment on road, 2x 6 lb batteries, Bengal 12th N.I., and the Bengal 10th N.I. Skirmishing in front of the Bengal Presidency is the 1st Nasiri Gurkha btn.

The rear line has the Bombay Presidency (l to r). Bengal Native regiment on far left, then Bombay 3rd N.I., Sappers on building with Bombay Marines, along the road is Bombay European regiment and Bombay Grenadiers, Bombay 2nd N.I., Bombay 13th N.I.

H.E.I.C. right flank closer view.

Next picture below shows the other side of the Presidency lines….

English Crown Light Dragoons (19th and 26th) with their French grey jackets. Madras Presidency is formed on the right…showing the Ramgarh local light infantry battalion, behind them is the Madras 12th (N.I. Light) regiment and Madras 8th N.I.

Middle line as Bengal Presidency parading their Calcutta native militia battalion. Next in lines has the Crown’s 74th Foot and behind them the Madras “Extra” battalion. Next in line is the Bengal 1st N.I.

Far left of photograph has the Bombay Presidency parading the Bengal native regiment, the Bombay 3rd N.I., Sappers on building roof….and the Bombay Grenadiers leading into village the 24 lb siege battery with elephant.

H.E.I.C. right flank view.

Honorable East Indian army paraded and ready for action.

H.E.I.C. army national characteristics notes: HEIC

Maratha army friends and foes for the Honorable East India Company:

WR’s local Maratha state has additional forces for the hard pressed H.E.I.C.

Units include: Skinner’s horse (1×10), 2nd Skinner’s or Baddeley’s frontier horse (1×10), Poona Auxiliary (Bombay) horse (1×10), Bengal native horse (1×10), and a Maratha horse regiment (1×8).

Six infantry battalions of supportive Maratha foot (6×9): Grey, Yellow, Red, Brown, Green and Blue color themed battalions. Maratha artillery crews are still unpainted but some interesting (dime store) cannon have been based up of various battery sizes.

Maratha army overview.

Maratha army right flank view.

Maratha army left flank view.

With cannon in rear ranks, the paraded Maratha cavalry ((l to r) is; Maratha horse, Poona auxiliary horse, 2nd Skinner’s (Baddeley’s frontier horse) and the blue Maratha infantry in foreground.

Maratha army left frontal view.

At the other end of the lines (l to r), we have additional cannon; the Skinner’s horse, Bengal native horse and back to the Maratha horse in center. This view shows all the Maratha infantry in their color themed battalions.

Maratha army left frontal view.

Local Maratha army on the march.

Maratha & Mughal armies notes: Mughal & Maratha Indian States

Armies of the Mysore wars article: Link

General information: Wiki Link

The armies were painted during the early 80’s, mostly from the 25mm Minifigs Indian Mutiny range, with headgear conversions. Elephant siege battery comes from a Foundry set.

WR