| AlexThePrettyGood | 25 Jul 2024 4:26 a.m. PST |
Hi all, I posted recently about how to pick a colonial-era project, and which wars/conflicts to focus on. Since then I've been reading (online) and looking at various figure ranges for what's generally referred to as "Darkest Africa". It's an intriguing subject, and I'm especially interested in wars and/or skirmishes which *don't* feature the "usual suspects" (eg Brits fighting Zulus etc.). Instead, the conflicts and "encounters" with other tribes interest me more: whether it's a conventional war, or scraps involving traders, explorers etc. Are there any books you'd particularly recommend (whether fact or fiction) that are informative re. the history, and might also provide scenario ideas? Many thanks |
| rmaker | 25 Jul 2024 5:17 a.m. PST |
The classic: "In Darkest Africa" by Henry M. Stanley. |
| panzerCDR | 25 Jul 2024 5:35 a.m. PST |
The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912 by Thomas Pakenham. A larger scale historical account full of fascinating anecdotes. I enjoyed this as well as his book on the Boer War. A long book, but it is a fast read and may give you ideas on other conflicts to conduct further research. |
79thPA  | 25 Jul 2024 6:47 a.m. PST |
link Lots of interesting stuff going on in Africa during WWI thta is still "colonial" in nature. |
| Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 25 Jul 2024 7:38 a.m. PST |
Chris Peers The African Wars: Warriors and Soldiers of the Colonial Campaigns is an excellent introduction to the era. It gives a general overview of African warfare through looking at a number of 19th century conflicts across the continent he touches on the Zulu war and Sudan but also looks at other conflicts across East and central Africa. Also if you can get hold of them Chris Peers East and Central African books that were published by Wargames Foundry are like Osprey books on steroids covering main different armies African and European along with lots of very nice line illustrations and photos. While the East African one is oop they still have the central African one for sale that covers British Central Africa, Northern Rhodesia and the Congo link |
| slugbalancer | 25 Jul 2024 7:59 a.m. PST |
How about…
Campaigning on the Upper Nile and Niger by Seymour Vandeleur |
| dbf1676 | 25 Jul 2024 12:37 p.m. PST |
How about "The Fall of the Congo Arabs?"
link |
John Leahy  | 25 Jul 2024 12:55 p.m. PST |
Totally agree with the Chris Peer's suggestion. Foundry used to have a ton of his articles about Darkest Africa on their site. No idea if they still do. Thanks John |
| Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 25 Jul 2024 1:05 p.m. PST |
Not a book (and a bit of self promotion perhaps) but Darkest Africa is a bit of a pet project for me and I have a whole section devoted to Darkest Africa on my blog. Lots of pictures of my armies, some alternative Field Force lists for TMWWBKs, some Wargamer history a couple of AARs and African terrain. Might be of interest to you. link |
| Kuznetsov | 25 Jul 2024 3:13 p.m. PST |
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| Zephyr1 | 25 Jul 2024 8:47 p.m. PST |
I second 'The Scramble for Africa'… |
| John the Red | 26 Jul 2024 9:23 a.m. PST |
Check out Death in the Dark Continent by Chris Peers (North Star). Covers lots of African armies and troops. Plus another vote for the African Wars book |
| Frothers Did It And Ran Away | 01 Aug 2024 11:47 a.m. PST |
Another vote for Thomas Packneham's Scramble for Africa. It's one of those history books which is as addictive as a bestselling novel. |
