Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Captain Blood on November 17, 2009, 08:09:25 PM
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In fact, it's a damned shame that nowhere in his vast Darkest Africa output for either Foundry or himself, has Mark sculpted a couple of packs of Zulus. :(
Still, looking at these Ngoni, I can't help thinking that Copplestone Zulus would be well worth seeing...
Well, well, well... No sooner wished for...
Not QUITE Copplestone, but...
(http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x69/pantomaniac/7b.jpg)
http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/DA/020/index.asp
48 brand new Zulus fresh from Foundry.
From a new sculptor I've not come across before - one Ronnie Shilton.
(Not a psuedonym, surely?)
All I can say is they look darned good and an awful lot like Copplestone's Darkest Africa output. Hard to say without seeing them in the flesh of course, but stylistically, I'd say 'Ronnie' has made an extremely good attempt at capturing the same look... Nicely dynamic and lithe looking.
Now IF I was in the market for Zulus, these would join Copplestone's Ngoni pack as high on my shopping list. (And I haven't been able to say that about anything from Foundry for many a long year... )
;)
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Ancient civilians and now Zulus -what on earth is happening to everyones favourite wargames emporia?
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I'd heard Foundry were re-doing Zulus based on the Darkest Africa dollies.
Ronnie's worked for Foundry for some years as a master mould maker etc., nice bloke too. 8)
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Thanks Lance. That'd explain why they look a lot like the Copplestone DA figures - they're Copplestone's dollies with titivations such as monkey tails and headrings added.
Still - quite neatly done, despite being re-treads.
I may indulge myself with a pack or two ;)
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Thanks Lance. That'd explain why they look a lot like the Copplestone DA figures - they're Copplestone's dollies with titivations such as monkey tails and headrings added.
Still - quite neatly done, despite being re-treads.
I may indulge myself with a pack or two ;)
WARNING!!
One or two could seriously damage your health and where zulus are concerned will lead to rapid addiction ;)
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And here I am working on cleaning up the files for In the Heart of Africa. How fortuitous. 8)
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These are three figures from the pack of Zulu Chiefs, which I got as a pre-release on a visit to Foundry last month. They are very nice figures, compatible with Empress I think, but chunkier and more 'powerful' figures to my mind.
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh135/Yankeepedlar01/Zulu%20War/BIKELEZI2.jpg)
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Oooohhh shiny! How interesting. :)
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Look pretty nice, don't they. I particularly like the wobbly shields.
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Wobbly shields! Nice touch 8)
But £23 for six Zulus plus weapons, I'd have to be drunk. ;)
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Wobbly shields! Nice touch 8)
But £23 for six Zulus plus weapons, I'd have to be drunk. ;)
Is that what it comes out at with postage?
I do mostly agree with the Foundry rant but the base price of £10.75 for 6 makes them £1.79 each, but nobody orders unless there is a DFS style 20% off sale which makes them £1.43 each.
I can think of many who sell at £1.50-£2.00 each who somehow escape the bashing Foundry gets and I have recently had a moan about p&p which shows they are not unique in that either.
Oh I am becoming a right whinger lately - must get out more. ;)
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Is that what it comes out at with postage?
Just about, it's the postage that pisses me off.
I've got an 8 year old who'll think nothing of spending £3.99 of my money on a 30mm plastic Gormitti, so a couple of quid for a metal zulu doesn't scare me much.
£8 for a stamp and a box is taking the piss and I won't reward it, unless I'm really desperate ;)
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Thanks for the pic, David. I think these look really nice. Rather better Zulus than er.. other leading brands...
Presumably the shields come with the figures, it's just the assegais / knobkerries you have to buy separately?
I'm not going to pay postage on a couple of packs either - but I might arrange to pick 'em up at Salute, or the next time Foundry do one of their endless money-off / post-free deals ;)
Mmmmm. Tasty...
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It would be worth getting the E R Ritter Shaka Zulu book and doing intertribal wars on the rise to power of Shaka, that way you could use some of the other DA figures as well as rival tribes etc
or add in the old Europeans as in the TV mini series :D
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Yes, and if you have a Brian Horrocks figure from your Arnhem games, you can use him too!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/FoxZulu.jpg)
"This is a story you will tell your grandchildren; and mightily bored they'll be."
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£8 for a stamp and a box is taking the piss and I won't reward it, unless I'm really desperate ;)
But its not 'just' a stamp and a box is it; its also the time it takes someone to process the order, collect the packs, pack and seal the box, address the box, etc. Its all part of business costs. Having seen Bernard, Matt et al at work on orders its just as much work to process one or two pack as it is a dozen.
Now, I agree with you that its a tad dear for one or two packs, but Hordes are usually post free. Buy a copy of 'Battle in Africa' from them and perhaps the whole order is post free? :)
David
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But its not 'just' a stamp and a box is it; its also the time it takes someone to process the order, collect the packs, pack and seal the box, address the box, etc. Its all part of business costs. Having seen Bernard, Matt et al at work on orders its just as much work to process one or two pack as it is a dozen
Bernard and Matt must be on fabulous money then, unless they only pack one order a day lol
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I didn't notice these the other day (but then again I walk around with me eyes shut), but an email from Foundry today brought them to my notice. Some real nice character figures...
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/5b.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/7b.jpg)
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/8b.jpg)
My Ngoni thread had the lads idly talking about using Copplestone Ngoni as Zulus, now the tables are turned! I'm sorely tempted to use some of these Zulus in my Ngoni force! I have already painted up Darkest Africa musketeers for my Ngoni army, but they're going in the bin now. I want those guys! (even though they are the exact same guys just with some Zulu doodads fixed on) Nice inyanga herbalist and what looks like a sangoma, too. Some nice types I haven't seen depicted much before. I think I need a whole bunch of the dancing girl figure.
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They are nice I agree and that dancing girl is straight out of Zulu :) The Zulu character in the front with headress is spot on for the chap that played Shaka. What I would say is that he is the most natural looking the others seem to have been working out on the old bench press machine, I only mention it as when I painted some DA up in the past I loathed painting them and someone mentioned it on another forum and this is the reason why, the pectorals are too well defined/heavy
(http://www.zulu-culture-history.com/henry_4.jpg)
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Can't say I'd ever noticed that. I love the Copplestone/Foundry Darkest Africa. They're my favourite figures ever, and I don't seem to get tired of painting 'em. And many of these are Copplestone sculpts re-done with new Zulu nicknacks, though maybe not all of them, as there are some poses I don't seem to recognise.
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Its not a big gripe and that is why I hadnt thought about it before to be honest I think we expect guys with pecs these days (in figures and in the media) and it must be more the normal expectation and easier to sculpt that some one with less definition and convey the brute force of the zulu or other native
I do like that Not Shaka Figure though :D
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Giuys, have you tried Dave Ryan at Caliver books for obtaining your Foundry needs? I'm not sure of his retail costs to the customer, but I'm thinking they would be cheaper than going through Foundry! Just a thought.
Very nice miniatures by the way.
Helen
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Giuys, have you tried Dave Ryan at Caliver books for obtaining your Foundry needs? I'm not sure of his retail costs to the customer, but I'm thinking they would be cheaper than going through Foundry! Just a thought.
Very nice miniatures by the way.
Helen
Dave T who does the show circuit in the UK and has a good e-bay shop is worth a try, if you drop him a line he may be able to get something that isnt in the shop too
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The outsized pecs are a Copplestone signature, take a look at his ancient Germans for Foundry and some of his Future Wars figures. He goes for the graphic novel-look musculature. He's still my favourite sculptor.
I have to say I think some of these figures are smashing.
I don't care if they've re-used Copplestone's old DA 'dollies' - these look like new figures to me, it's just some of the poses that are a bit familiar. But the new detailing is excellent.
I fear I shan't be able to resist a few packs... And I don't say that lightly about too many figures ;)
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I have to say I think some of these figures are smashing.
I don't care if they've re-used Copplestone's old DA 'dollies' - these look like new figures to me, it's just some of the poses that are a bit familiar. But the new detailing is excellent.
I could n't agree more if I tried! At last, some common sense about sculpting 'new' figures. :)
As I said on another site's thread, ALL sculptors/figure manufacturers do this in creating new figures to extend old ranges or to introduce new ones. As an aside, I have seen the British for this new range too, and while they are by a different sculptor I am fairly sure most people will like them too for their character and variety.
Like life, Foundry have moved on post-Perry twins, and our choice is actually extended as a result in our hobby. What's to complain about?
David
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Who's complaining? My statement that many of them were made from old Copplestone poses was just that, a statement - not a complaint. It won't stop me from buying some. :)
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Who's complaining? My statement that many of them were made from old Copplestone poses was just that, a statement - not a complaint. It won't stop me from buying some. :)
Damn right! Copplestone's sculpts got me into Darkest Africa virtually single-handedly, so having these partially based on his is great news. Mark's figures are marvellous and I agree, even after the 50th Azande, they don't get boring to paint. These Zulus look like they are in almost the same league.
This is fantastic news, as they look like they will fit in perfectly. That's my birthday money spent at next year's Triples, then ;D
Assuming Dave Thomas or someone else has them in stock, of course ::)
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This is fantastic news, as they look like they will fit in perfectly. That's my birthday money spent at next year's Triples, then ;D
Gluteus, Gluteus, Gluteus, you still have to fulfill for that promised order before you can go off and indulge yourself in other shiny new things..... ;) lol
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Gluteus, Gluteus, Gluteus, you still have to fulfill for that promised order before you can go off and indulge yourself in other shiny new things..... ;) lol
Ah yes, Senor, those shiny things. I'm sorry, I have a brain made of cheesecake. Don't worry, there will be an order lol
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Ah yes, Senor, those shiny things. I'm sorry, I have a brain made of cheesecake. Don't worry, there will be an order lol
;) :D lol
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(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/8b.jpg)
I think I need a whole bunch of the dancing girl figure.
Alas she is available only as a part of the pack.
there is a lot of potentials in their use: remembering some other thread I think they can even find place in a cabaret show even in pulp era.
Some question: I am not familiar with what all tribes of africa looked like, maybe I know none. But I think that these villagers can be used as different tribes villagers. Forgive my ignorance and correct me please.
(In my mind I think they are pretty generic and can populate villages even not only of Zulu )
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The two women wearing hats are very Zulu. The hat the lady with the stick has on is the type married Zulu women wear to special occasions. Other tribes may wear such hats too, but I'm not sure.
The others could be used for other Bantu types in south, southeast and east Africa, I reckon. It isn't just the Zulus who had izinyanga and isangoma. Everybody needs a G.P., and all of southern Africa was (and still is, to a certain extent) obessed with sorcerors, witchcraft and curses, and needs someone to fend it off for them.
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I too hadn't looked at the civilians before, very nice.
Well done Ronnie says I :)
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Another use would be the Matabele who were very similar culturally (having been amazulus themselves)
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Bought a few. Very tasty. I mean VERY tasty.
Think you'll like 'em Plynkes... ;)
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Bought a few. Very tasty. I mean VERY tasty.
Think you'll like 'em Plynkes... ;)
I'm surpised you managed to hold out this long... ;)
Apparently the British have been sculpted by Rob Baker and there are loads of them. interesting to see what route they go down, ie just red coats or focus on the many colonial cavalry troops... ::)
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I'm surpised you managed to hold out this long... ;)
Apparently the British have been sculpted by Rob Baker and there are loads of them. interesting to see what route they go down, ie just red coats or focus on the many colonial cavalry troops... ::)
I have seen the British figure blisters at the Foundry on a recent visit, but am ashamed to say I can't recall what they all were, other than that there were many blisters to choose from. The command set was very nice I thought.