"15mm Late 1800s Swahilis?/East Africa Germans" Topic

I am looking at revisting an old project, German East Africa during the late 1880s. Initially I was going to do this using 28mm figures and possibly Volley and Bayonet (the Age of Stanley variant) but because of space and cost am leaning towards 15mm. I can find Germans to cover the German East African Company by using Boxer Rebellion marines, the Sudanese Askaris are easy (can use Tin Soldier's askaris from their Italian colonial range as the Sudanese wore are turbaned covered fez), Zulus are, well, Zulus (even though I think the company of Zulus were probably dressed as typical askaris, I will use Zulus just to make another interesting looking unit), and the Zanzibaris can be covered using the Coastal Arabs from East Riding Minitures. But, about half the native forces were Swahilis.

I also need to find suitable castings to use as a 60mm mountain gun and revolver cannon.

I have some details on this period, and even have a set of rules converted from The Sand of the Desert, which appeared in Colonial Conquest magazine years ago.

Also, any books, magazine articles, websites, that you might know of please share so that I can get a good grasp for scenarios.

Thanks in advance!

The 'Zulus' were Ngoni from Mozambique. Everybody called Ngoni Zulus in those days.

They wore blue sailor suits with red fezzes as their dress uniforms, and a khaki version of the same outfit in the field:

picture
(note the sailor suit-style collar)

Thanks, Plynkes. Looks like the same uniform as the Sudanese askaris, sans the blue puttees.

Not quite, it has that funny collar (with coloured piping on it, though that isn't too clear from that pic), and they went bootless too. But close enough in 15mm, I guess.

The Sudanese uniform is to all intents and purposes the same as the later Schutztruppe outfit, other than the headgear.

You probably already know this site, but just in case you don't:

link

Indeed, in 15mm not going to be that noticeable. I would like to find 15mm Askaris without footwear though, to give them a distinctive look away from the Sudanese. I believe the Swahili Askaris wore that white, almost sailor looking, top with short pants/skirt, whatever.

I have checked out the site today. It's amazing how much I have forgotten. Helping me to narrow down suitable figures!

Buckeye,

Are you familiar with Blue Moon Manufacturing's 15 mm ranges? Some time soon we should see their African Exploration release – maybe some teaser items sooner (next week, hopefully). They are really 18 mm figures but work with other ranges. Can't be sure they'll have what you want but you should certainly pay attention to what they are doing. Probably your best hope in many ways. Also, check out Irregular Miniatures colonial range of figures.

"I believe the Swahili Askaris wore that white, almost sailor looking, top with short pants/skirt, whatever."

Yes indeed. The Swahili askari that had previously been in the employ of the DOAG were incorporated into Wissmann's force and they kept their old white "sailor" uniforms (the kind Mark Copplestone sells in 28mm).

If Blue Moon would release figures specifically usable for the Wissmanntruppe (Abushiri Rebellion) then I am going to be one of the first to buy them! However, trying not to wait that long!