Author Topic: Diablo Jon does Darkest Africa - now with A DitDc AAR (Read 68349 times)

Diablo Jon · « **Reply #255 on:** August 17, 2020, 07:36:27 PM »

The second of my European explorer baggage/set dressing pieces are these two explorers trading stories of daring around the evening camp fire.

The scene – Somewhere in deepest darkest Africa members of the Chumley-Warner Congo expedition sit around their evening camp fire discussing their adventures.

Zamro (cook, gun bearer, man servant and general camp dogs body) ” Your gin and tonics sirs.”

Captain Chumley-Warner (all around good fellow and hero of the empire). “Excellent Zamro. Actually while you are here I was just telling Emmett here about that lion I fought off with my bare hands. The one that gave me this scar. Huge beast he was and quick to. I had him in my gun sights, a sure shot as any, but he managed to dodge the bullet and maul me. You where acting as gun bearer for the party that day weren’t you Zamro? Tell Emmett here about that lion”

Zamro ” Oh yes sir he was a ferocious beast one of the largest lion cubs I ever saw. The beast must have been quick to dodge your excellent shot sir. Tis a shame Mustafi, my fellow gun bearer, was not as quick I hear being shot in the buttocks is most painful.”

Captain Chumley-Warner “Ermmm…yes well like I said Emmett a lion with my bare hands.”

Dr Emmett Greyson (expedition surgeon and good egg). “Well of course a lion is still a dumb beast old chap. If you want real danger you have to face your fellow man in battle. This scar on, my leg, came when we fought the AwFupi during that march through that, god awful, jungle. I was naturally with the rear guard. We had almost cleared the jungle when the AwFupi launched one last ferocious attack. They came out of the jungle led by a tribal champion. A huge man he was, a rippling wall of muscle, covered in red and white war paint, a razor sharp spear in hand, he came straight for me. I’d lost my rifle but luckily I still had Betsy my trusty revolver here. My first shot didn’t slow him, nor my second but my third shot, just as he plunged his spear into my thigh went straight between his eyes. That fight is still talked about by the porters now, so I’m told, isn’t that right Zamro?

Zamro “Oh yes sir the men say your attacker was one of the biggest pygmies they have ever seen some say he was almost four feet tall. After that battle the men named you Afemba wacki wozzi”

Dr Emmett Greyson ” What does the name mean Zamro something impressive I’m sure?”

Zamro ” Of course sir it means man who fires his gun with his eyes closed. The men where very impressed that you managed to shoot your target while not looking and screaming loudly.

Dr Emmett Greyson ” err yes well mmmm…. oh just serve the damn gin and tonic will you?”

Zamro “Very good sir”

Captain Chumley-Warner ” Did I ever tell you about the time I survived a crocodile attack Emmett old bean?”

Zamro (now walking away and whispering) ” That crocodile was a log ….”

Diablo Jon · « **Reply #256 on:** August 19, 2020, 05:53:01 AM »

The last of my European camp baggage/set dressing pieces is intrepid Victorian lady explorer Miss Agatha Hardlace. Miss Hardlace is an avid collector of native artefacts, and has a keen interest in tribal customs, so much so she is prepared to pay in trade goods for genuine items much to the bemusement of the local natives…

Native 1 – “So you know those strangers camped in the valley?” I hear they are up for trading. They have a woman chief who likes to trade good stuff for junk. You know Mubatsa traded his old goat stick for a whole reel of copper wire.”

Native 2 – “What that old stick he found, which he tied on that monkey tale and bell, to help herd his goats?”

Native 1 – “Yeah that stick. He told her it was a magic rain maker stick and she traded it for wire. Mbosa traded that old Ngoni warclub with her for a whole bag of blue beads”

Native 2 – “The one he captured in battle and gave to his wife to pound the millet?”

Native 1 – “yeah that one he persuaded her it was a ceremonial chiefs staff. Apparently what she really wants to see is a witch doctor ceremony. She’ll pay in red cloth to see one to.”

Native 2 – “Red cloth!? just a minute what’s a witch doctor?

Native 1 – ” No idea but the guys in her camp reckon she just wants to see some locals dancing and chanting in a religious ceremony.”

Native 2 – “Who dances for religion? If I’m dancing it’s for war.”

Native 1 ” Well I had this idea if I throw on some old war paint, a few old skins and dance like a crazy man for her maybe she will give me the red cloth. I need a drummer though. I don’t suppose…

Native 2- “Red cloth my wife would love some of that…I’ll get my drum”

syrinx0 · « **Reply #257 on:** August 20, 2020, 03:27:30 AM »

Good man. way to help out a friend.

gamer Mac · « **Reply #258 on:** August 20, 2020, 10:19:05 AM »

Love it

Diablo Jon · « **Reply #259 on:** August 26, 2020, 08:47:42 PM »

Just a small update today I picked up this pack of Northwest Frontier characters from Artizan Designs just because I thought they looked cool. Of course these ones aren’t likely to ever see the Northwest frontier but I reckon they’ll feel right at home in Darkest Africa. I’m not really sure what I’m doing with them yet I just fancied painting them. The female might make a good settler, missionary or wife in the mould of Florence Baker. The pistol armed gentleman looks like he’d make a good trader or river boat captain. While the last gentleman (who I suspect is meant to be Kipling) would make a good trading station manager or reporter.

Golgotha · « **Reply #260 on:** August 26, 2020, 11:36:28 PM »

All of it simply stunning - want to see more of your inspiring work.

anch_io · « **Reply #261 on:** August 27, 2020, 04:15:19 PM »

This is topic is neverending source of inspiration. Thank you, sir!

Diablo Jon · « **Reply #262 on:** August 27, 2020, 07:38:42 PM »

Thanks guys.

Shtim · « **Reply #263 on:** August 27, 2020, 07:49:54 PM »

Absolutely fantastic work. As per usual, super characterful painting and great basing work - really nicely done

marianas_gamer · « **Reply #264 on:** August 27, 2020, 08:04:29 PM »

Like these a lot!

Diablo Jon · « **Reply #265 on:** August 31, 2020, 08:21:36 PM »

I thought my first teddy bear fur gaming mat had worked quite well but recently I’ve been thinking about steamboats, native canoes, slaver Dhows and Zambezi gun boats all of which saw use during the wars around lake Nyasa in British Central Africa . My current African gaming mat doesn’t really work well in that respect. So I decided to make a new one with one edge representing a large body of water like a lake (or a major river or even the sea) that I could sail a gun boat up and down.

This time around I bought a much shorter haired mat that took a lot less cutting, though at the expense of a much more varied grass height, than my first mat has. Then I shaved one side right down to the mat and caulked it. To make the water I used tissue paper and PVA glue painted it in a blue-green colour and then added several layers of gloss varnish. The beach is just caulk with sand added and painted. My aim was to try and create something that looks like the shore of Lake Nyasa