"Gaming French conquest of Western Sudan" Topic
27 Posts
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The Lost Soul | 25 Nov 2006 12:17 a.m. PST |
Does anyone game the French in West Africa, particularly the conquest of Senegal by Faidherbe 1850s-60s, or the campaignes against the Tokolors (Mali) and Samori(Guinea) during the 1880s-90s. I see little or nothing in terms of figures for these campaigns especially representing the African contestants. What's available in the USA in 15MM which is what I game? Are there lines for other campaigns that might work? French and ACW zoaves can pass for tirailleurs (though I'd prefure no feild packs) and I guess Zulu British could make passable French Marines, but the Wolof, Mauritanians, Tokolors, and the Mandinka wore caftans or loose shirts open at the sides with arms bare to the sholders. Their pants were short, but very baggy with the crotch almost down to the knees. Think of MC Hammer (Can't Touch This video) They wore white skull caps or fezs. Their faces were generally clean shaven except sometimes for a small pointy beard. Some troops in the early campaigns had spears, but over time they used flintlocks of European manufacture (Dane guns produced for the slave trade) Samori had access to modern rifles and even produced knock-offs of French repeaters. I thought about trying to convert OG Mahadist but it's too much work. The campaigns would be fun because they involve gunboats on the Senegal, seiges of French forts and hut to hut fighting when the French assault fortified villages. There would even be some great VSF senerios involving the construction of a trans-saharan railroad which actually got as far as sending out survey teams one of which was wiped out be the Turaugs. There was also the historical case of two French Lts Voulet and Chanoine who went crazy and led a column of Western Sudanese tirailleurs on toward Chad where they tried to establish their own empire in the style of The Man Who Would be King. Forced to live off the land they became vicious pillagers and when Col. Klob led a column to releave them of command, V/C ordered their tirailleurs to fire on the Col. and killed him. Eventually the Western Suidanese tirailleurs killed V/C when they discovered that the French comanders planned never to allow their men to return home to their families. I did my PhD dissertation on some aspects of the French conquest of West Africa and have long wished to game it, but there's not much published about it in English. I read French. Do French wargamers do more of this? I can post English written sources on the topic if there is interest. |
The Gray Ghost | 25 Nov 2006 6:05 a.m. PST |
I game this but I use 28mm, Castaway has a fantastic, and growing line. |
agplumer | 25 Nov 2006 6:48 a.m. PST |
I second the Castaway Arts recommendation. They make several usable types for Samori's rebellion and West Africa in general. Here are some other 28mm figure proxy recommendations Foundry link Darkest Africa: Zanzabari Arabs, Congo Free State Askaris, Old Glory Boxer Rebellion French Marines link Dixon Dahomey Range link Askari Miniatures askari-minis.com Tuaregs, Senegales and Algerian Tirailleurs I would like your list of English sources. Thanks, Andrew |
chicklewis | 25 Nov 2006 7:12 a.m. PST |
Who would want to use piddly little 15s for this colorful, interesting conflict when the 28s are so lovely?? |
Extra Crispy | 25 Nov 2006 9:56 a.m. PST |
And the armies so small
. Go 28. I'm reading Porch's "Conquest of the Sahara" even now. Very interesting period. Surely a testament to (simultaneously) human spirit and human folly. |
Gefreiter | 25 Nov 2006 11:35 a.m. PST |
Mark, I recall sending that to you. I welcome your thoughts when you finish it. Yes, your comments resonate today. Mike |
The Lost Soul | 25 Nov 2006 11:52 a.m. PST |
Yes. 28 is tempting. I have a number of foundry figures (unpainted). I go with 15mm for a few reasons. The scale works better for incorporating gunboats and urban warfare. I have very large British/egyption vs Dervish armies in 15mm. Because colonial campaigns are often unbalanced, I have looked forward to gaming hypothetical conflicts between European colonial forces with native armies allied with each side. So I want to paint a 15mm French army to fight the Brits I have. I'm also into VSF and as with gunboats, landships work better in 15mm (IMO). I guess someday I'll go to 28mm. Since Andrew asked, here are some sources off my shelf on the period: A.S. Kenya-Forstner, Conquest of the Western Sudan, Cambridge, 1969 (The definitive work.) W.B. Cohen Rulers of Empire: The French Colonial Service in Africa (How the French administered their colonies) Klien M.A. Islam and Imperialism in Senegal.Edinbourgh, 1968. (Faidherbe's campaigns against the Mauritanians, campaigns against MaBa) D. Robinson Chiefs and Clerics: Abdul Bokar Kan and the Futa-toro 1853-1891, Oxford 1975 Robinson, The Holy war of Umar Tal: The Western Sudan in the Mid-19th C. Oxford, 1985 (The Tokolor Empire) Charles John Balesi, From Adversaries to Comerades in Arms:West Africans and the French Military 1885-1918, African Studies Association 1979 (History of the Tirailleur Senegalese though mostly on their participation in WWI) Douglas Porch, The Conquest of the Sahara, Knopf 1984 (Deals with French actions a bit north of the Area I'm interested in, but has a chapter of the V/C affair. Also talks about the never built trans-Saharan RR. See also his books on Morocco and the French Foreign Legion Michael Crowder ed., West African Resistance, Hutchison, 1971 (Great book on some more essoteric campaigns much from the African perspective) Thomas Pakenham, The Scramble for Africa, Random House, 1991 (a large vol covering the entire continent, but only 35 pages abouth the French in West Africa. Same guy who did the big work on the Boer War) Some of these are very academic. Most are out of print, but try amazon.com though the academic texts will be VERY expensive. Unless you have access to a university library, you may have trouble finding some of these. My reseach was on the tirailleurs and the laptots the latter were African sailors that opperated the French steamships. Again the best works are in French, but if you're not an academic next to impossible to get. Hope this is useful and sparks greater interest. |
Dye4minis | 25 Nov 2006 1:36 p.m. PST |
I have been trying to trace the exploits of Lat Dior, in Senegal. (I have often stayed in Theis, his headquarters town.) Finding research is quite difficult, in affordable print. Also, the creation of The Gambia is quite interesting. The British were allowed to have as much land (from the French) as their cannons could reach going up the river-either side. This nearly splits Senegal in half! It's one of my "back burner" projects in 15mm, too! Best, Tom Dye GFI |
agplumer | 25 Nov 2006 5:32 p.m. PST |
Laptot, Thanks for the bibliography. Reversico tin-soldier.com They makes Laptots in 28mm link A good article I would recommend is "African Warlord: The Rise and Fall of the Empire of Rabih Fadl Allah" by Ian Croxall of Warflag.com fame. It was published in the Courier about four years ago. Andrew |
BlackWidowPilot | 25 Nov 2006 10:28 p.m. PST |
<<I can post English written sources on the topic if there is interest.>> Messr. Laptot, *I* am very interested indeed! Leland R. Erickson Metal Express metal-express.net |
The Lost Soul | 26 Nov 2006 3:42 a.m. PST |
Tom, Andrew, and Leland Another English text is Charlotte A. Quinn, Mandingo Kingdoms of the Senegambia, Northwestern, 1972 (Which talks about MaBa as well as Lat Dior) Tom, the best sources on Lat Dior are in French. check out L.L.C. Faidherbe's own history, Le Senegal, la France dans l'Afrique occidentale, Hachette, 1889 and Yves-Jean Saint Martin, Le Senegal sous le second Empire, Karthala isbn 2-86537-201-4 If you know anyone with university ties they can get it via interlibrary loan. I'm assuming you have a bit of french given your visits to Theis (what were you doing there?) Your best bet is to make a request through your library (a local university even better) and search the perioticals for the J. of African History. What do you want to know specifically about Lat Dior? I have a day by day timeline for about 60 years of the French conquest that I wrote from archival sources (some periods very detailed other very scetchy). It's buried along with 5000 note cards of research. Its been 15 years since I've looked at it. Thanks to those who suggested makers. I've seen many of these lines. Great figures, but alas, 28MM. Any suggestions on 15mm substitutes or convertions esp. for West Africans? Malcolm |
Grognard | 27 Nov 2006 1:02 p.m. PST |
Malcolm, Another insane person line me (wanting to do 15mm French Colonials)
There is a French firm called Touller (but it operates like a guy from his garage) that makes dedicated figures. From the few that I have been able to get, they look pretty good (they are about the same size as OG15s, maybe a bit thinner). He makes both French and Africans (as enemies and allies). I was able to get my figures from Campaign Game Miniatures in Spain (Dermot Quigley has always been very helpful in this endeavor), but it took a long time (he doesn't stock them, and he only orders Napoleonics from Touller on occasion). Mark (Extra Crispy) doesn't have anything too nice to say about Touller Napoleonics (but I'm not sure if that has to do with the figures or the totally inadequate service). Irregular, Stone Mountain and MiniFigs make FFL figures (and enemies), so you can use them (as they will be immediately identifiable as French) but not historically accurate. There are also some French marines & sailors in the OG Boxer Rebellion line and the old Frontier Boxer line also had some Anamite Tirailleurs (IIRC) and maybe still available from Cellmate miniatures -- who also do 15mm Boxer figs and have some French figures as part of their line. Quite awhile ago, I put in a "Club 300" proposal for several generic Africans and specific French troops, but the response never warranted much more than the original Eureka (I may have been the only person to have expressed an interest). I keep a list of 15mm colonial era mini lines at: link The links are way out of date (I just need to find some free time to update them), but the list itself could be helpful in identifying potentially convertible minis). There maybe some figures in the Grumpy's catalog that would make good West Africans (there are lots of weird armies in the DBx books). I always wished that someone would use the Cannon Fodder (28mm) Xhosa warriors as inspiration and make 15mm figures of them (as they would serve perfectly well as West Africans). Joe |
Grognard | 27 Nov 2006 1:04 p.m. PST |
Ooops, need a spell checker, that should have been: "Another insane person, *LIKE* me
" *smile* Joe |
The Lost Soul | 27 Nov 2006 4:18 p.m. PST |
Joe, Thank you for the link which I have put to good use in the past. I have looked at Touller before, but had trouble reaching them. did not know they did 15s Using French Boxers a good idea, but how do they differ from OG Brits Sudan/Zulu figures? Even the Boxer FMs would only suit West Sudan campaigns after 1879, but some of the more interesting campaigns can be gamed for the 1843-68 period. These senerios would be more balanced because with the exception of artillery, weapons technology thus far was not vastly different between the Europeans and the Africans. Another interesting feature is the seasonal navigation of the Senegal river which fell too low during the dry season to be used to reinforce isolated French forts up river. There were a few rare cases of French garrisons being beseiged and Bakel was almost overun in 1874 I think. Finally, campaignes had to be squeeze in between the period when the water was high enough for gunboats but the bulk of the troops had to be ferried back to the coastal capital (St.Louis) before the malarial season started and the water fell. Uniforms for this earlier period look alot like Union ACW paraid dress, baggy long pants and long tunics, and kepis. Ideas as to suppiers and lines? Would OG French FPW units work as colonial forces? OG ACW turcos would work for some French colonial troops, though the tirailleur senegalese would not have worn field packs on campaign. They had their wives along to carry thier stuff and cook. The French Marines greatly resented this. This brings up the need for a good line of Sub-saharan camp follwers and porters in 15s. Museum has a set of Arab followers, but I don't know if they would work in this zone. As for FFL, they did not see much if any service in Western Sudan. Northern Sahara and Dahomey, yes, but in the Sudan there was instead the compagnie de discipline made up of European malifactors from French units. Unsure about their uniforms, but like the FFL they were expendable. The FFL figures I know about are more suited to the 1920s anyway. How does the Club 300 work? Does Eureka have a US distributor? Malcolm |
Dye4minis | 27 Nov 2006 5:31 p.m. PST |
Malcom: Thanks for the title info. Will be in Paris on the 8th of December and know of several good bookshops. Will try to track one of those titles down. Lat Dior: Am interested in knowing the FULL story about his wife killing him on behalf of a French Officer (possibly her lover, too) who was "after him". I know he was wounded many times (several times they thought he would die) yet lived to fight another day. His followers thought of him as being nearly Immortal! Am also interested to discover just how much of the French experience fighting Lat Dior had on how the French executed their colonial policies (ie: not putting much money into transporataion and communication infrastructure to limit the abilities of dissenting leaders from achieving "mass".) I will be back there, again, next month. I have a "local" trying to find some "in print" reference materials for me. The experience in Senegal for the French does not seem to be "typical" for their other African Colonial experiences. The Senegalese have contributed troops for France since, what, the Crimean War thru Vietnam? (My French is very, very poor! Just enough to get into trouble with! ) 8>) BUT, am trying to recall more with refresher courses
took two years (make that SLEPT thru two years) in high school in the late 60's! 8>) Thanks for the info! Best, Tom Dye GFI |
The Lost Soul | 27 Nov 2006 11:55 p.m. PST |
Tom, The diplomatic history between the French and chiefs such as Lat Dior are very complex. In its simplest form both sides are using each other in a play off against other African regional authorities. Lat Doir flip-flops from being an enemy and then an allie of the French at least twice. His endurance as a contender as ruler of Kayor (Cayor) 1863-1886 was noteworthy. He inflicted two of the greatest military defeats (Ngolgol, 1863 and Mekhe 1869) the French ever suffered in West Africa in addition to numerous defeats against other African chiefs. (These by the way would make great gaming battles) The French hesitated in destroying him because he proved to be a useful ally against even scarier African resistance leaders. The story (an african oral tradition by the sound of it) of his being murdered by his wife is a myth. Lat Dior died on October 27, 1886 at the battle of Dekkele. At the momment I'm unclear if this battle involved French forces directly or African forces allied with the french. Your myth might have its origines in that the French under Governor Gallieni were courting the aid of an powerful African chief who had been hesitent to cast his lot in with the French because he was allied with Lat Dior. The death of Lat Dior removed this obsticale to his alliance with the French. I'll bet you that in this oral tradition of which you speak, the French lover of Lat Dior's wife will turn out to be the governor of Senegal. What follows is probably more than you want to know, but is cut and paste from my timeline. Much of it is out of context so you will not know who the other personages are, but they might make sence and help you next time you're in Senegal. War with Lat-Dior in Cayor: Two rivals contested the seat of the Damel (King of Cayor). The French had placed the weaker and less popular, Madiodio on the throne. The other, Macodou (Makodou) received support from Maba in Saloum who would take over as leader of Makodou's followers when he dies in June 1863. One of the secondary chiefs of the land, Lat Dior took advantage of the conflict to force Madiodo from power. In response, the French marched against Lat Dior in January 1862 and forced a peace treaty which agreed to recognize Lat Dior as Damel in exchange for his assistance in attacking Maba. 1-28-62: After Lat Dior deposes the French pupet, Madiodio from the throne of Cayor, a French column of 550 men departs St. Louis to attack Lat Dior at Lampoul. A peace is signed that recognized Lat Dior as Damel in turn for his promiced aid to the French against Maba. This alliance soon brakes down. 11-?-63: Faron (A French commander but not the governor) takes a force to Ndary in Baol were he encounters the forces of Lat Dior after the latter had been routed by the men of Modiodio who is still trying to reclaim his position. (results not known to me) 12-29-63: Captain Lorans, 25 spahis, a co. of tirailleurs and 20 workers in the engineers from the Nguiguis garrison are ambushed and massacred by the followers of Lat Dior at the battle of Ngolgol. The French loose about 110 men. 1-7-64: The Battle of Loro. 1000 regular troops and 3000 volunteers under Pinet-Laprade defeat forces of Lat Dior who flees to Baol. Lat Dior leaves behind his tam-tam symble of his authority which the chiefs of Conty take to Modiodio. Governor Faidherbe annexs Cayor and replaces the unpopular Modiodio with canton chiefs, thus abolishing the position of Damel. The French eventually sign peace with Lat Dior and make him a canton chief of Guet. He seems to be frendly with the French for the next five years. 6-?-69: Under the command of Captain Vallon, the Podor garrison with the forces of Samba Omami (total about 200 men) set out pillage Amadou Cheikhou's (an Islamic resistance leader fighting the French) village of Ouro-Madiou (also called Wuro Maadiyu). Only the marabout's house remains standing and this is taken as a sign of Amadou Cheikhou's devine providence. Amadou Cheikhou then allies with Lat Dior (canton chief of Guet) in order to challange a column of French troops at Mekkhe. 7-?-69: Battle of Mekhe: Amadou Cheikhou and Lat Dior defeat French column in Central Cayor at Mekhe. Eager for spoils, the volunteers (African auxilleries allied w/ the French) rush the town in disorder and are ambushed by conceeled defenders. As they route, they collide with the spahis in their rear. The dispersed squadron is quickly surrounded by enemy cavalry and suffers heavy casualties. Out of 75 men, the spahis loose 24 killed, 13 wounded and three taken prisoner. This defeat eventually leads to negotations the would establish Lat Dior as Demal in 1871. (Obviosly the French resurect the title) 6-?-72: The alliance between Lat Dior and Amadou Cheikhou ends. 10-3-73: Massacre at Pété: Fighting breaks out between Amadou Cheikhou's family and Mamadu Siley in which 170 are killed and Pété burned. This humiliation of a Fouta village by a Wolof army (Amadou Cheikhou's army was now recruited mostly from the pop. of Jolof where he had been residing since his defeat at Battle of Mboyo Dieri in November of 1870) leads to an alliance between Mamadu Siley and Ibra Almamy with Lat Dior against Amadou Cheikhou (once an ally of LD) and his ally, Abdoul Boubakar. CIVIL WAR IN FOUTA: During 1874 Amadou Cheikhou attacks the Irlabes, destroying its capital at Pété and causes the chiefs of Lao to flee to Lat Dior. Between February and September, Amadou Cheikhou wins victories over Lat Dior at the battles of Belde, Coki, Tiowan, and Sakh, however, his brother, Ibra Madigu is killed. Abdoul Boubakar joins Amadou Cheikhou against Lat Dior. 1879 Lat Dior is at war with animist raider chiefs and needs French help. Signs treaty to allow a RR to be built across Cayor. 1881 More secure Lat Dior renounces the RR deal and expells the French survay teams. The French continue the railroad construction under armed guard (That would made a neat game senerio -- rail on the French rail head) Next 5 year see sporatic conflect with the French and their RR. The French appoint theirown pupet as Demal, but he proves incompetant so the French turn to Samba Laobe Fall, nephew to Lat Dior as the new Damel. SLF attacked the Bourba Djollof, Ali Bouri, for giving sanctuary to Lat Dior. The latter (Ali Bouri) then secures the protection of the French. 1886:The new Governor, Gallieni's first task in office was to place all other disputes the French had with African states on the back burner to be able to deal freely with Mamadou Lamine yet another resistance leader giving the French trouble on the Upper Senegal). To repair the damage which Frey (the previous governor and military commander) had inflicted on French diplomatic intrests, Gallieni was to be concilitary with Mamadou Lamine's allies and win their support through grants of clemancy. Gallieni was also to establish a treaty with Amadou (ruler of the Tokolors). Just at the time when Gallieni arrives in Senegal in October, death of Lat Dior makes the French position easier. 3-28-86: French court the aid of Abdoul Boubaka against Mamadou Lamine. Though the French correctly judge that Abdoul Boubakar looked upon Mamadou Lamine as an unwelcomed neighbor, they are mistaken in thinking that Boubakar will join in an alliance against him. Boubakar was at this moment just returning from Saloum where he had been aiding the Buurba Jolof, ALi Bouri and the Damel of Kayor, Lat Dior and therefore was unwilling to directly aid the French. French ovitures to Boubakar continue until July. Samba Loambe Fall (nephew of Lat Dior and French new choice as Damel of Kayor is forced by his people to join his uncle against the French. This promps a new French campaign against LD and SLF.
10-6-86: French Battle Lat Dior at Tivaouane. A deligation under Capt. Spitzer tries to force Samba Laobe to end hostilities, but instead shoots him under mysterious cercumstances. (Could this be the source of your myth?) 10-27-86: Lat Dior is killed at the battle of Dekkele.
See Klein's book I cited earlier. There is also Julian Witherell, The Response of the People of Cayor to French Penetration (U. of Wisconsin dissertation 1964) which you could order through University Microfilms International 800521-0600 both of which talk alot about Lat Dior. |
Gonefromhere | 29 Nov 2006 3:12 a.m. PST |
Re 15mm figures, have you looked at the Eureka Abyssinians? Their barded cavalry look, to my untrained eye, reminiscent of Hausa cavalry, so might just work. East Riding miniatures do some "coastal arabs", at eastridingminiatures.co.uk/, and their Baluchis are VERY reminiscent of Foundry figures, so the arab muskets/jezails may also be good. |
Mysterioso | 30 Nov 2006 10:07 a.m. PST |
If you ever want to do a VSF game with this, this would be a good book to start with: link |
Timmo uk | 30 Nov 2006 3:46 p.m. PST |
This is on the edge of my interest but has been a great post to read! Thanks. |
The Lost Soul | 30 Nov 2006 8:59 p.m. PST |
Mysterioso, Thanks for the Verne source. I wrote a paper that related in part to this story and the historic events behind it. "The Saharan Sea" was based upon an actual proposed project back in the 1874 to irrigate the northern Sahara and make it cultivatable for French settlement. A survey conducted by Capt. Roudaine discovered that much of the area south of the coast of Tunisia was below sea level. He argued that the construction of a very short canal linking the Mediterrainian Sea to the Tunesian interior would flood the desert. This would produce climitalogical changes that would increase annual rainfall to such an extent that the new deset coasts would become cotton plantations, Moreover the Sahara could be crossed by steamship and this would allow France to beat GB to the Niger bend and Timbuctou. In the end, the government voted down the idea because scientisc said the the lack of tides and circulation would create super-salt saturation. A saharain lake would be another Dead Sea. The inland sea project was a rival project to another plan that talked about constructing a trans-Saharan RR to the Niger. All of these plans were impractable, but all the rage in France. The French Marine administering the colonies played on the popularity of these projects when it lobbyed the governmenr for money to build its own RR from St. Louis to Timbuktou (Thus starting a debate between the North/south Trans-Saharan technocrats vs the E/W Trans-Sudan military lobby.) The Marine won the funding because their project was cheaper. The Marine, however, never had any intention of spending the money on the RR which took another 50 years to finish. Instead the colonial administration used the money to pay for building a chain of forts (ie. train depots minus the train) and raising tirailleur units (survey team guards) to conquer the interior. This is what made it possible for career minded soldiers out in the colonies to exercise independent action in West Africa. Though ordered not to expand colonial responsibilities, commandants would use the garrisons of these "train depots" to conquer territory. Flushed with victory, the commandants presented the Home government with a fait au comple which it had to formaly annex or look weak. J. Verne was a close friend of F. Lesseps who built the Suez canal and was an active member of the technocratic/ geographic movements that favored the Trans-Saharan route. He also wrote a book about the completion of such a rr. Malcolm |
Grognard | 02 Dec 2006 2:56 p.m. PST |
Malcolm, Here is a link to the Club 300: eurekamin.com.au/custom.php Generally, someone makes a proposal for figures, and if there is enough interest (and pre-orders) Eureka has them sculpted and cast, then adds them to their existing line of figures. This is how the Eureka Abyssinians came about. As far as a US distributor goes, it used to be Brigade Games (http://www.brigadegames.com/) but they had a closeout sale a while back, so I'm not sure if there is a US distributor (although Nic has attended the last couple of Historicon conventions, so I am sure you can beat the postage costs by buying them there). If you want to try the Club 300 again, let me know, I'm sure that I'd get a couple hundred West Africans (especially if I could use them as Xhosa with my OG Zulu War Brits (the 9th Kaffir War was fought in 1878, just a year before the Zulu War, and many of the British units fought in both). As far as the OG FPW stuff, I use the Turcos & Zouaves (although they may not be good matches for West Africa) in my Army D'Afrique. There is a useful comparison of 15mm FPW minis at: link This is a site maintained by the sculptor of the 19th Century/OG15 FPW figures (note: this site doesn't work well with non-iE browsers, at least not on my Mac). I wonder if we had a sculptor do the masters, if Tom Dye would cast them? I think he has mentioned this as a possibility before (I just think the economics of the project aren't good), but it might be a way to get some of these figures made
I'm also planning to make a post-Christmas order of the Touller miniatures again (from Campaign Game Miniatures) so if you'd like double up with me, let me know. You can e-mail me directly at mac_grognard AT mac DOT com if you are interested. Joe |
The Lost Soul | 02 Dec 2006 3:37 p.m. PST |
Joe, Thank you for the links. As a matter of fact last Thursday I looked up the 300 club at Eureka and put in a request for a line of generic Western Sudan African warriors (wolof, Tukulor, Samori's Mandinkas and Bambaras discribing their typical dress and arms. Did run into a problem in suggesting reference material with pictures. There's very little in print. I just have poor photocopies of engravings I made from 19th C. French sources that you can only get through university library loan. Makes me think that I should approach Osprey publishers about writing a men at arms series of West Sudan. Anyway I would want a few hundred 2/3 inf. and 1/3 cav. Not sure how well the West Sudan Africans would work as Xhosa though. West Africans would have flowing robes, baggy pants and fez or scull caps. No shields. Let me check out Touller again. Malcolm |
Grognard | 02 Dec 2006 3:53 p.m. PST |
Oh, I just surfed over to the Club 300 list (link), and there is a current listing for 18mm 19C East African Warriors (on the 2nd page of the 19th C. listing). Not sure what they would look like, but might be worth ordering up a few
Joe |
Mackapaka | 11 Dec 2006 2:27 a.m. PST |
Interesting thread – a potentialy very nice extension of my Sudan passion. |
BlackWidowPilot | 11 Dec 2006 6:06 p.m. PST |
Al this talk of North Africa, the Sahara, Jules Verne, and I just got my hands on a copy of Aeronef
.you're giving me all sorts of ideas
. Leland R. Erickson Metal Express metal-express.net |
Gluteus Maximus | 14 Dec 2006 2:27 a.m. PST |
"Not sure how well the West Sudan Africans would work as Xhosa though. West Africans would have flowing robes, baggy pants and fez or scull caps. No shields. Let me check out Touller again." Malcolm,
they wouldn't really work. You need naked tribesmen, with just a "blanket" or similar over their left shoulder & the odd feather as a head-dress. You could get away with figures in just loin cloths. At a real pinch you could substitute Zulus in their most basic costume, but it wouldn't really look right. |
marco56 | 21 May 2015 8:42 p.m. PST |
Have started collecting figures (28mm) for this period.I think there are a lot more available now. Mark |
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