Naval troop S.M.S. Leipzig

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Just discovered that photo in my newest colonial book. The german sailors from the SMS Leipzig, 1888, German East Africa. Finally a pic of the Wissmann' naval troops. Any ideas about suitable minis?

[Big Guy]

Short of head swaps nothing comes to mind.  But if enough of us say we want some we could get Eureka to do them (I'll take twenty)

[Prof.Witchheimer]

not sure about twenty but definitely a dozen

[Big Guy]

I use units of ten,  gun crew and command would be nice also... time will tell.  

Given the increasing popularity of WW1/late colonial Africa I think it won't be to long until some one makes ' Sailors in pith helmets'

Stu

[Hammers]

Sailors in tropical gear look very similar during this period, don't they. Part from the Mausers(?), it's the hats isn't it?

I see tropical helmets without the ponted front the Limeys have, that's the officers, isn't it. Or is that what most of them are wearing? There are a couple of sennet hats among the sailors, I think.

So conversions is probably the way to go.

I seems to recall that HLBSC used to make these to. I definitely have a few German officers looking very much like those in the pic.

[Poliorketes]

Maybe Reviresco? But I don't think their miniatures are that nice. But they have loads of heavy weapons.

[Plynkes]

Personally I would like to see Brigade (or anybody for that matter) bring out some German sailors in these sort of hats:


They seem very common in pictures, but nobody makes figures wearing them.

[Hammers]

Well, you'll be happy to hear that Copplestone makes German marines.

But I guess the professor was looking for sailors,not marines.

And I agree, Reviresco makes quite crude miniatures.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Well, you'll be happy to hear that Copplestone makes German marines.

But I guess the professor was looking for sailors,not marines.

actually the guys on the photo aren't marines but sailors wearing tropical helmets. The one officer on the right side looks lika a Copplestone marine

Plynkes, this photo is totally great! where did you find that?

[Plynkes]

Yes, those are sailors from the Emden, not marines. I already have those Copplestone chaps, and while they are close, they're not quite what I'm after. Looking closely at the centre boat you'll see chaps in sailor's outfits. That's what I mean. Basically the same as the current Brigade sailors, just with different hats.

[Plynkes]

Prof, I knew there were photos of the Emden's landing party on the Cocos Islands  (the "Coconut" Islands from my game), as I have some in a book.

So I just typed in "Emden landing party" into Google Images and that popped up!

This was the page:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18334/18334-h/18334-h.htm

It's a great page! I'm glad I accidentally found it.  

[Prof.Witchheimer]

wow, that gutenberg page is so great  :love:

[Plynkes]

I love some of those "Ships the navy might have had." Good fuel for the minds  of VSF enthusiasts.

I was hoping there might be hundreds of those pages on that site, but I could only find one other, also from 1914:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18333/18333-h/18333-h.htm

It has a bit more on the Emden, plus a photo of Tommies and Japanese together at TSING-TAU.

Ooh! Ooh! Also "Reliable Fur Coats at Special Prices!" I wonder if they're still available? "Reliable" seems to me an odd adjective to use to try and sell a fur coat. Makes it sound like a washing machine or something. I've never had to call a repair man out to fix a broken-down fur coat before.

[dadlamassu]

Both Copplestone and Pulp Figures make Seebattalion.
http://www.pulpfigures.com/cat.php?range=Germans&catalog=PGS&custID=8019263141179310126

The Seebattalion troops were, I belive, sailors not marines.  

However, neither Mark Copplestone nor Bob Murch model the sailots with the collar.  You might have to add that yourself.

[Plynkes]

I think it would be easier to take Brigade German Sailors and headswap them with someone with a suitable hat, rather than the other way around. But even those Seebattalion hats aren't quite the same as those the sailors wore, and would need some work. You'd need to get rid of the plates on the front for starters.

I don't think I'm bothered enough about it to go to that much trouble!