So, while I have Indian Mutiny, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, French Foreign Legion, and Boxer Rebellion collections of figures (plenty of Old West but I don't think of that as colonial though I understand why some do), my most 'interesting' collection is my hypothetical collection. It is based, very loosely, on east Africa exploration but is based on an island south east of Madagascar and allows certain other players to 'enter the fray'.
For instance, I'm tossing the United States into the mix – though perhaps less as a colonial power than more of a 'protector of native rights' but with an occasional 'financial' or natural resource gain. And then there is a Nemo-esque force lead by an eccentric that just might but you in mind of Conrad's "Into the Heart of Darkness" but less sinister and more humorous. There's also a Sultanic force. Plus I have quite a few native figures, combative as well as civilians – can't do without civilians to do this period justice, really.
(And I really, really want some 15 mm civilian Polynesian men, women, and children!!!!!!!!!!!!! In pre-contact style attire, please. And true 15 mm for these, not the bigger 15s. Though I do have plenty of the larger civilians for Africa courtesy of Irregular and Blue Moon's offerings. And I have Pygmies – thank you Blue Moon!)
Another influence is the Fashoda Incident but I've injected it with some colonial steroids and all the 'powers' get into the mix in my version. And since we are not in actual Africa, the flora and fauna gets more interesting with elements from south Asia, Australia and environs, and even Antarctica.
I'm not into the fantasy and sci-fi worlds of gaming personally, but for this "period" I'm willing to pull in a few 'outer' elements. I really want to inject steam traction into the mix (though not quite the way VSF does, more 'historical' in my variation). Where I'm most willing to cross the 'willing suspension of disbelief' bridge is in Lost World type actions. I'm quite willing to bring in stone age flavor in the form of cave men and critters like wooly mammoths and saber tooth cats. The outer edges of my world just might – might – bring in living dinosaurs. Or, at least, caches of dinosaur bones. (If you are in 15 mm like me, try and find Dinosaur Ooze at your local dollar stores, inside that ooze are some really nice skeletal dinosaurs).
I guess, ultimately, you might call my gaming here a variation on Pulp but set in the Victorian world. Oh, and with a lot more figures than are the custom in Pulp games. I know I'm not the only one whose travelled this hypothetical path.
So, who else out there finds this approach a load of fun?
