Copplestone Ngoni Female Archers WIP

One of my long-term projects is painting some forces for Congo, and to that end I purchased some mixed Copplestone Africans quite a while ago.

As I also want to play some Paleo Diet in Africa, I thought I would add some archers to the spear-armed Zulus I painted back in 2016 (time flies!); I have four Zulu riflemen almost ready for primer, but I do not wish to use firearms in Paleo Diet.

It also struck me that I can work on an African warband for SAGA Age of Magic, and thus keep myself motivated for getting some minis painted from time to time.

This batch I intend to use for small breaks from Rohirrim, whenever I need some change, but I hope to get the eight Royal Guards painted fairly soon, as I need them to have a 'pure' six-points Rohan warband (and Age of Magic seems to use larger warbands than 'historical' SAGA does, so I shall see myself adding some riders to the mix this summer, too).

More African Critters

As with many others shown over the last couple of month, I have had these chimps for ages.

They were based on too large washers, so I chopped them off, and put them on 20mm ones instead.

I have another seven of them, enough for a family to hunt, I think, and very soon I shall get them onto the prepping station, but I have some plastic Hobbits, and Perry Miniatures French HYW spearmen to get moved along, first (the goal is to steadily reduce the amount of miniatures sitting on the workspace).

African Wildlife to be Painted!

I had an old Chaos Black primer working overtime this early afternoon - first the Minas Tirith archers, then these critters, soon to be found in a great many settings and games (they might even appear in games of Sellswords and Spellslingers as random encounters or complications).

I shall paint one when I have finished the first member of Lea's SS&SS warband - I would like to try out Paleo Diet in an African setting ASAP, and I think three ostriches and three baboons is just about enough for 3-4 Zulu warriors to hunt, for starters.

When the critters are all done, I shall probably start working on some giraffes or cape buffalos I already have in my possession, and I would also like to expand my collection of ostriches, as I have an idea for some special rules regarding the 'hiding' ones...

Baboon Family to Go

The baboon family is now also ready for primer, and I expect to get it sprayed alongside the Minas Tirith archers and the ostriches. I may paint the prey animals in between the characters for Lea's SS&SS party, as the Hasslefree fantasy mini is dragging on, and I need some variation (and to get something finished a bit faster).

Basing the Baboon

As promised yesterday, here is an update on the basing experiment.

The male Baboon has been glued to the double-base, and some filler has been applied.

Tomorrow, I shall file away the excess filler, and apply some more where needed, and we shall have a final result of the experiment - which already looks promising!

Monkey Business

And I mean it!

As part of my preparations for Paleo Diet in Africa, I have been busy prepping the baboon family.

This included sawing off half of the integral bases. to avoid the finished minis to sit on slotta-base like plinths.

The base of the male baboon is so oblongish that it would take a far too large single washer to fit, so I have started an experiment gluing 15mm washers in pairs to cereal packet cardboard; I then intend to cut around them to create a pill shaped base.

I should have the result of the experiment tomorrow.

The baboons should do sterling service as random encounters in all kinds of Colonial and Pulp games, so they will make a welcome addition to my collection!

Africa: Something to Raid

The last set from my recently arrived Caliver order was three North Star African Cattle (AA20). They are of course destined to be objectives to be stolen/defended, or just to provide some nice atmosphere.

Tomorrow I am going to begin work on my two planned God of Battles Skeleton Horde units, and I expect that project to take up at least half of January. After finishing those, I expect to resume work on my In Her Majesty's Name Zulu Impi. Plenty of work to do for now, before I go back to the Dark Ages (although I expect to do some work with Anna on the longhouse in between).

Africa: A Couple of Cheetahs

I actually may have this set already - I have to go check the box in which I store past HLBSC animal purchases (these are former products of said company, if my memory serves me right).

Nice, slender cats, need some cleaning up, but will look great on the table, I think.

All in all, with the wildlife I have in store, the somewhat recent purchase of a big Zulu War job lot, and the November orders from North Star and Caliver Books, I now have quite a collection for games set in the Dark Continent - I just have to get more of it painted up!

With my New Year's vow to reduce my hobby budget substantially for at least the first half of 2017, it should be doable, but I do have other projects to tend to, too...

Congo: Copplestone Ngoni Chiefs/Wichdoctors

Another pack from my November order with Caliver.

Because, you can always use some characters.

As that particular order is also the last minis I am going to purchase for a while, there actually is a chance that some of them will get painted within an overseeable future - which is always nice to know 😉

Congo: Copplestone Female Ngoni Archers

in the second half of November I put in an order with Caliver Books for some minis I wanted for my Africa/Congo collection, as I could get them with a discount, and with free shipping on orders of £20+.

I had all but given up on the stuff, as I enquired about it shortly before Christmas and was ensured that the package had gone out on November 20th.

I was not able to get through to the mail over the holidays, and then suddenly the package showed up in the mail this morning, 40 days after dispatch...

Well, here is one of the blisters from my order: I had the pleasure of playing with a nicely painted set of these in the Congo game I participated in at Horisont VIII, and I really want those models as part of my Africa games!

Fine Young Cannibals!

The next part of the North Star order I received yesterday is primarily destined to become part of my slowly evolving Congo project, but will also see action as part of, for instance, Pulp Alley Cannibal leagues to make life miserable for leagues of intrepid explorers.

I went for the 'Extreme Cannibals', as they are very cliché and fitting for use in Pulp games, too (and will probably be very fun to paint).

I do not know if they are Mark Copplestone sculpts, the North Star site has no sculptor info I was able to find (so if anyone out there knows, feel free to tell me), but I suspect they are not, as I think they lack the typical Copplestone features.

These Cannibals come without spears, so I ordered a pack of 50 mm wire spears, too, which sould last med a long time (I could have cut down some of the 100 mm wire spears I have, but I got lazy).

When you say 'Cannibals', you have to also mention the fat king/chief of the tribe, and as this pack comes with a crone witch/shaman (H. Rider Haggard reference? - I just learned that he was actually of Danish descent!?), I simply had to get it, too.

I shall probably not paint any of these until long after Christmas, as I have the seasonal minis and another bunch of Zulu warriors to keep me busy for now, but it is my intention to get them painted within an overseeable future. Of course, my Butterfly Syndrome may kick in and make me do something completely different...

Horisont VIII, 2016: Congo - My First Game

I played a much anticipated game of Congo at Horisont this year. I took up the bloody spear of the natives to avenge the theft of a sacred mask by the nefarious British expedition.

The explorers had to leave the table by one of the two edges of a pre-determined board edge - I had to prevent them from doing so.

My Jungle Cannibals charged right into the nearest group of Askaris.

And were beaten off.

Another group of Askaris and some Scouts moved to attack the Warriors on my right flank.

Followed by the White Explorers.

The Warriors swiftly charged in and drove back the enemy!

The Askaris decided that it was better to engage the natives from a distance, opening up with their rifles (I guess?).

The British tried to sneak out through some dense jungle.

My other unit of Warriors, led by the mighty Chief, swiftly moved to intercept the white devils...

...and charged thim on the next Activation Card.

The female lone surviving explorer ran off from the carnage, while the soldiers formed up to protect the rear of the expedition Column.

The expedition, hard pressed from 3 sides quickly re-grouped into a makeshift, almost square formation to protect the young woman,

With the Askaris out of the way, the Cannibals decided to ransack the camp.

And both the Maiden Archers and the musket-wielding guys (I forgot what they are called) moved to be able to pepper the British formation with lead and arrows.

Seeing the Cannibals looting the wardrobe of the English Miss, the Maiden Archers also decided to try their luck plundering the camp.

My decimated warriors on the far right withdrew, and the British circled my flank, going for the nearest corner. Again, the Chief's unit moved to intercept.

I was taking some beating, but managed to prevent the expedition from leaving the table with the sacred mask, depriving them of 5 victory points, and on the next to last Activation Card, my musket guys ran to the camp and secured loot worth 2 victory points, carrying the day for the Jungle Tribes!

I can only day: Studio Tomahawk did it again!

As with SAGA, the system is VERY streamlined and elegant, and although I am not a fan of too many counters/markers in the playing area (and I really think the rosters could be used for placing those on, instead), the gameplay is so easy and involving, that this game is a must for anyone interested in Victorian or Pulp games set in the Dark Continent.

It would be too time-consuming to explain the system, but it uses identical decks of Activation Cards for both sides - players choose 3 cards at will for each game turn, then both players reveal the first card they wish to use. The cards have an Initiative Value which determines who goes first on this card. Players the resolve the actions listed on the card, shooting/combats are resolved as soon as they occur, usually with one side retreating half a move. All 3 card are played each turn.

The game also has 'Totem Cards', usually 1 drawn before chosing the Activation Cards. They provide extra actions, dice, or other effects, and can be played at will when appropriate.

Try it, if you like fast-flowing, simple mechanics that till offer lots of depth and tactical choice!

I already ordered some minis form North Star/Copplestone to use along with the Zulu I have WIP, so that I can make my own native 'Column'. and I shall then probably purchase the rules after Chistmas (no need to rush, as I need to paint up quite a bunch of minis before I can play the game as intended).