The Somali Master Plan

[Major Weenie]

Some time ago I became intrigued with Copplestone's Somali figures.  However, no one in our local gaming group seemed to be interested in building an army of appropriate opponents.  Then I found a Somali army list in a DBR book.  Then I found some Christian Nubian army lists in both a DBR book, and a DBM book. Then I found something, somewhere, that just might have indicated that the later Beja were somehow descended from one of the tribes on the edge of Christian Nubia.  That was good enough for me.  I now had a rationalization, albeit paper thin, for painting the figures.

The Copplestone figures would provide the infantry and cavalry.  For the Camelry I'd use the fine Perry Sudan figures, and explain that the incorrect kilts were just the result of 'rumpling whilst mounted,' and the improperly shaped hair styles were the result of 'wind resistance to high speed camel charges.'

And so it begins.
Perry camel troops.


Somali bowmen.


Somali musketeers.


And the extra tough (Warband Superior) Somali spearmen.
 

[Geudens]

I now had a rationalization, albeit paper thin, for painting the figures.

No kidding... 

Nicely done, Dow, where do you keep your Far East painters locked up?... 

Rudi

[Major Weenie]

Just found my DBR Army List: Book III and there it is.  List #12 'Christian Nubian.'  In talking about the 'three kingdoms' it mentions, "Alwa with its capital at Soba, near the junction of the White and Blue Niles."  So that would put it near Khartoum?  Then it mentions, "while many of the camelry may have been provided by Beja or similar tribal allies."

So that means I no longer need to make cheesey excuses for the army having Beja camels.  I just need to make excuses for the infantry being Copplestone Somalis.

[aecurtis]

In 1821, when Khartoum was founded, bricks from the ruins at Soba were used to build the new city--about twelve miles away.  So yes: near Khartoum, indeed.

You may want to do a little browsing about the sultanate of Sinnar (or Sennar, or Funj), which conquered and absorbed the kingdom of Alwa (or Alodia) in the sixteenth century, and continued on up to the Egyptial conquest in 1821.

I see no reason at all to make excuses for using Copplestone Somalis.  They're very appropriate (depending on the armament, or course) for use throughout the entire timeline, in my opinion.  It would also be good if more companies could produce some figures in long robes, too, like the Sennar king shown here:

http://www.dignubia.org/maps/timeline/ce-1504.htm

...but which would also be useful for other applications in East Africa.  Castaway Arts has a few suitable candidates in their "Western Sudan / Sub-Sahara" range:

http://www.castawayarts.com.au/catalog/catalog_main.php?cmd=groupload&group=24

And apart from the few armored "emirs' in Sudan ranges, it would be good to see more heavy armored cavalry, which was the mainstay of the armies of Sennar.  Foundry's book on "The African Knights" provides plenty of detail for sculptors to get to work on the cavalry of the eastern Savannah:

http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/books/cairns1.asp

...but as you can see, figures could be to a great degree interchageable with the Sudan.  The author does say that Darfur (which as Makuria, was one of the three Christian Nubian kingdoms, and under the influence of Alodian refugees became a center of resistance to the spread of Islam--alternately a separate kingdom and a rebellious province of Sennar***) and the eastern Sudan deserve their own book, so perhaps we will see one in the fullness of time.

But in the meantime: sculptors, get cracking!

***As they say, there's a wargame in there!

allen

[Major Weenie]

For Generals I thought that I'd use Perry Mounted Emirs, and then perhaps paint them in such a fashion to make them look a bit less Sudanese and more Somali/Nubian.

The Copplestone Somali cavalry would be perfect for... Somali light cavalry, but for the mediums ?  Just put two on a base instead of one?  A bit more armor, or maybe a helmet would be nice.

With regard to the link to Castaway Arts figures, you know, I think that I've got a box of some 17 odd Bornu () cavalrymen somewhere that I picked up in a trade to pit against my French infantry in West Africa.  I wonder If I could use any of those. Half seem to have fezes and half large, almost Chinese, straw hats.

Just checked the box and they're not Bornu, what ever that is/was, they're Segou.  And being as they're supposed to come from the 'French Soudan' I guess that places them somewhere just to the west of the 'Regular Soudan?'