Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Overlord on January 08, 2012, 10:45:46 AM
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Although I painted around 150 miniatures and had a handful of games a few years back I've still had an awful lot of Darkest Africa miniatures lying unpainted for too long. I hope to amend that situation a bit this year. With the prospect of a club campaign later in the year, hopefully it will give me a bit more incentive not to get too distracted by my myriad other projects.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/overlord_awc/Darkest%20Africa/Games/11Sep09/DA008.jpg)
As I enjoy making terrain and buildings most that is where I decided to start the New Year. First off is a Tembe:
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320163647-445881347.jpeg)
A 4mm MDF base with 5mm foamcore walls. BBQ skewers for the entances at each end. The walls were rendered with filler applied with an old penknife and watered down filler was brushed onto the ground.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320163647-44587110.jpeg)
With the limited illustrations, model photos and descriptions I found this is my interpretation so far. Since then I've had doubts as to whether the doors leading off the central courtyard are correct. Would there be any doors at all along the long sides? Are the entrances at each end completely open into the courtyard, blocked off only when the tembe is used as a refuge? I also appreciate the "doors" might not be as substantial as I have currently modelled them.
Comments/suggestions would be gratefully accepted by those members of the forum with greater knowledge than mine.
Paul
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There's a bird's-eye-view illustration of a tembe, I think in one of Stanley's books, showing the courtyard arrangement. In this one there is a single door in the centre of the long inner wall opening on to the courtyard, rather than three. And surprisingly, the outer doors open directly on to the courtyard, the "hallways" at each end have no inner walls, just supporting beams holding the roof up. Also the courtyard is more spacious, compared with the size of the rooms, which look like they would be tiny, thin and pokey. The area of the courtyard looks like the same or more area than that of all the rooms put together, with room to keep herd animals in it and still have plenty of space for people to loaf about in the shade.
But of course, you don't have to stick with any of that. It is a picture of a tembe, not all tembes. I'm pretty sure that Unyanyembe didn't have very strict planning regulations.
I'll see if I can find that pic somewhere. Great job, by the way. I am mortally envious. I want one, but can't build stuff for shit.
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One more thing:
It's hard to tell, but there seem to be loopholes or small windows on the inner walls, facing into the tembe courtyard. Oddly enough, on this picture there don't seem to be any outward facing ones. One would surmise that perhaps the plan is to let the enemy get into the courtyard where he is caught in your crossfire. Or maybe the artist just forgot to draw the outer windows.
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Cheers Dylan, I was pretty sure you would have a better idea than I did (should have asked before I started building ::))
I was aware that my courtyard was a bit small compared to the walls/rooms, but wanted to model to fit into an A4 paper box for storage and making the walls thinner didnt look quite right. Like most wargame models it is a bit of a compromise.
Regarding the windows/loopholes, I found a reference to Stanleys men boring loopholes in the walls of a tembe, suggesting they might be windowless in normal use. Loopholes on the internal walls make sense in the event of a break-in. The few tembe references I found are all slightly different, so I'm not unduly worried about the local building regs! I did however want a reasonably accurate representation.
I can block off most the courtyard doors leaving one on each side, add internal loopholes and open up each narrow end of the courtyard too. Fairly easy to do before I go further. Many thanks for the help.
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This isn't the picture I was thinking of, but it does illustrate another example of the short ends of the tembe not having any inner courtyard walls:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/Tembe2.jpg)
This one seems to have lots of courtyard doors, so you don't really need to get rid of all of yours if you don't want to.
Another pic I stumbled upon,
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/SpekeTembe.jpg)
This one looks like it has some structures inside the courtyard, maybe small huts for animals or something? Also seems to have solid walls all the way around the courtyard, including the gate ends, though it is hard to be sure. And check out how wonky the arrangement of the walls is. Shows there is no one single template for a tembe, and that you have plenty of scope for making it how you want to fit your gaming needs.
This tembe at Kazeh (Tabora) even has a nice outer veranda (this is probably in the nice peaceful times before Mirambo started attacking them).
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/SpekeTembe2.jpg)
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Oooh. Very nice Paul. Looking forward to following this...
Glad to see your Sikhs getting some use. I knew all those LPL entries would come in useful :D
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@ Plynkes: Those images were very helpful and different to the ones I had. Little doubt as to the huge variation in tembe construction. Based on the additional information I have done a "Kirstie" on the tembe; knocking through the end walls and adding courtyard loopholes to "let more light in" and filled in most of the courtyard doors:
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165022-44589848.jpeg)
Oooh. Very nice Paul. Looking forward to following this...
Glad to see your Sikhs getting some use. I knew all those LPL entries would come in useful :D
Unfortunately that photo including the Sikhs (LPL3 R3) is from a game two years ago, which was probably the last time they were on the table. :'(
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Tembe looks good, it is extremely similar to the one I made.
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Great stuff. :)
Glad to see you back with a new building, can't wait to see more. :)
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I like it! It reminds me I have to finish my own tembe ::)
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Very good-looking indeed :)
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Excellent work! :-*
I would allow the blocked-up doorways to show somewhat in the finished model. They would be an entirely natural feature for such a structure, since it would be modified over time as circumstances changed.
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This looks excellent! I'd like to build something similar myself - can you share your other source pictures here on the forum for us to look at?
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It is remiss of me - i really need to get to my Explorer Project
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This looks excellent! I'd like to build something similar myself - can you share your other source pictures here on the forum for us to look at?
I will try and scan the images from books/magazines when in the office towards the end of the week.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Bundesarchiv_Bild_105-DOA0039%2C_Deutsch-Ostafrika%2C_Iringa_Wahehe.jpg/781px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_105-DOA0039%2C_Deutsch-Ostafrika%2C_Iringa_Wahehe.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Bundesarchiv_Bild_105-DOA0734%2C_Deutsch-Ostafrika%2C_Tabora%2C_eine_Tembe.jpg)
(http://gajominis.com/blog/blog%202011/images/damar1114.jpg)
Borrowed from Ignatieff and The League of Extraordinary Kriegspielers:
(http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh164/defoix/Return%20to%20the%20Heart%20of%20Darkness%20-%20August%202010/HeartofDarkness048.jpg)
(http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh164/defoix/Return%20to%20the%20Heart%20of%20Darkness%20-%20August%202010/HeartofDarkness047.jpg)
Not all exactly primary sources, but may be of some help:
http://gajominis.com/blog/blog%202011/blog2011no9.html
http://ajstable.blogspot.com/2011/02/tembe-1.html
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Managed to get a couple more images.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/overlord_awc/Darkest%20Africa/Reference/Tembe01a.jpg)
The last image is a tembe, but the others are of general interest.
There's a bird's-eye-view illustration of a tembe, I think in one of Stanley's books, showing the courtyard arrangement. In this one there is a single door in the centre of the long inner wall opening on to the courtyard, rather than three. And surprisingly, the outer doors open directly on to the courtyard, the "hallways" at each end have no inner walls, just supporting beams holding the roof up. Also the courtyard is more spacious, compared with the size of the rooms, which look like they would be tiny, thin and pokey. The area of the courtyard looks like the same or more area than that of all the rooms put together, with room to keep herd animals in it and still have plenty of space for people to loaf about in the shade.
I assume this is the picture referred to. I had it all along... ::)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/overlord_awc/Darkest%20Africa/Reference/Tembe02a.jpg)
I've started work on the (removeable) roof and painting the walls. Nothing particularly new to see yet.
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Great thread! Many thanks!
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I assume this is the picture referred to. I had it all along... ::)
Yeah, that's the fella.
Here's one more from my "British Central Africa" thread, which shows that these sort of defensive structures could be massive:
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/MlozisStockadesmall.jpg)
That's just one corner. The whole thing must be huge. Anybody fancy doing one that big?
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I'm currently working on a tembe model some 8" square. The photo above is useful, and it's interesting to see the staggered arrangement of the loopholes.
Now, if I can just persuade the frickin' roof to stop warping! >:(
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Here's one more from my "British Central Africa" thread, which shows that these sort of defensive structures could be massive: ...
....That's just one corner. The whole thing must be huge. Anybody fancy doing one that big?
That is one serious tembe! I don't have the space to build, let alone store one that size (unless I did it modular...). It would take up a large part of the table in a game.
The photo above is useful, and it's interesting to see the staggered arrangement of the loopholes.
Are they loopholes? To me they look like the ends of wooden poles running across the tembe.
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Ah. Yes, you're right. They did look like loopholes at first glance. ::)
At least I persuaded the roof on my version to stop warping, mainly through use of a heavy book. :D
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Tembe looks fantastic! Make me one too please! :)
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Your terrain looks amazing. Nice info for building one myself.
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Made a bit more progress:
The walls are now pretty much finished:
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165347-44590309.jpeg)
The roof is 2mm foam PVC strengthened against warping with 5mm woodstrip. The beams fit into slots cut in the walls to ensure a snug fit:
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165347-44591925.jpeg)
The thatching is bristles cut from a cheap broom head (not Bromhead!). The bristles are fixed in place with PVA glue and a heavy weight applied (sheet foam PVC used to stop it sticking to the weight):
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165347-445921971.jpeg)
The thatch is still drying, so you may see bits of the white PVA showing through. It takes ages to dry as the foam PVC is non-absorbant. Final trimming and removal of stray bistles will be done once it has completely dried out
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165347-445931639.jpeg)
Who lives in a tembe like this....
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165347-44594598.jpeg)
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:o
Superb! Very inspirational!
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Marvellous. I'll have five, please. :)
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Looking excellent. ;D
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This is one of the reasons I love LAF. There is just so much darned talent.
Fantastic work.
Jake
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Excellent work, sir! :-*
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Great stuff. :-*
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I've now finished off the tembe.
The excess thatching was removed, but was still a bit wayward. I covered it with brush-on matt varnish which, when it eventually dried out, made it lie a bit flatter and has probably made it a bit more resiliant. A final trim of the edges was all that was left to do.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170157-44595986.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170158-445962093.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170158-445971602.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170158-445981568.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170158-44599121.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170343-44600186.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170343-44602493.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320170343-44603859.jpeg)
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Very cool building, something I could also need for my Africa setting. Well done, Paul.
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Great shots. Sure looks grand, though I think it looked fine with the "wayward" thatch, too.
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A cracking piece of scenery there.
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Superb! Love it :-*
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Very nice Paul :-*
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I'm a big fan of buildings where the roofs lift up to incorporate minis.
Nicely done. :-*
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Thanks for all the nice comments. :)
Not sure whats next. The LPL6 looks likely to intrude into my plans for a while now. With a bit of luck several of my entries with be on a DA theme.
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Very nice. And did you paint the underside of the roof? Maybe its just me, but I think it should be so that when you lift it off there isn't a glaring bit of white to distract from the wonderful visual of everything else in your photos. Just a thought. The devil is in the details - forestall the devil! >:D
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As events conspired to prevent me entering the LPL6, I thought I would post some of the WIPs for the steamer I was hoping to build and include in the final round.
Lots of inspiration from other projects on the forum, but especially Admiral Benbow's fantastic build: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=19955.0
I had started out with the intention of building the simple steamer originally built by Gary Chalk in an old Wargames Illustrated, but the above thread led me astray somewhat.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160541-445731109.jpeg)
The basic hull shape was cut from 2 layers of 5mm foamcore and a sheet of balsa, that had been previously glued together with PVA. The decking was the scribed into the balsa with a pencil and ruler. I then cut 2 side pieces from mounting card and glued them in place with PVA. So far it was just a stretched version of the Gary Chalk model.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160541-44574786.jpeg)
I then built a larger version of the stern wheel using foam PVC for the wheels (5mm) and paddles (3mm). 3 corks formed the centre of the wheel and were clad in cereal box card. Its a bit bulkier than I would ideally like, but makes for a reasonably sturdy wargame model.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160541-445751752.jpeg)
After reading the Admiral's thread I decided that I wanted a slightly more detailed boiler than the Chalk model, which I built from a bottle top various odd bits of plastic card and tubing and some map pins. Probably not even vaguely realistic to ship/steam enthusiasts, but should look OK on the final model.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160716-44579345.jpeg)
The completed components together with the start of the cabins, and starting to deviate from the original idea.
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A friend saw your pics here and asked me if I could build a Tembe for his birthday. Well, I can and hope to finish it till friday...
(http://www.displacedminiatures.com/images/1.img.1331071769tembe2.jpg)
(more pics on my displaced acount)
Let me know what you think!
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Oh, that's just fantastic.
I want one.
I want three!!
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A friend saw your pics here and asked me if I could build a Tembe for his birthday. Well, I can and hope to finish it till friday...
Looking good. 8) I like the stepped walls, just like the picture that Plynkes posted.
What have you used for the thatching? It looks very effective.
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Its an old towel. The method is described somewhere here or over at Sweetwater-Forum (german).
(http://www.displacedminiatures.com/images/2.img.1331071769tembe3.jpg)
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An old towel???
That's so simple and brilliant! I love it!
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oohhhh it lucks so good -thank you ben
fryday its beer and vodgaa time for your wonderfull work
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Excellent stuff!! I feel inspired enough to have a go at building my own tembe this summer :)
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Amazing work, Ben! My birthday is April 6 by the way. :) :P
Old towels are great for such undertakings. I built a Zulu hut using an old towel. Just make sure to take into account the direction of the fibres or your thatching will look messy.
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One last picture before I leave your thread! ;)
Nils got the finished Tembe on friday, we had a lot of beer and vodka and a fun game!
(http://www.displacedminiatures.com/images/0.img.1331417238NilsGeb4.jpg)
(http://www.displacedminiatures.com/images/2.img.1331417190NilsGeb3.jpg)
Askaris enter the Tembe...
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This rocks! I am useless at terrain making so I am always impressed by folk who can do it and do it so well!
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One last picture before I leave your thread! ;)
Don't leave on my account, that's a very nice model. 8)
Meanwhile, back at the steamer...
The upper deck was made from balsa and mounting board glued together, then scribing the planking into the balsa with a pencil. This helps prevent the balsa warping when its painted.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160541-445772456.jpeg)
The stern board was cut from foam PVC. The funnel is 8mm plastic tubing which fits snugly onto the top of the previously built boiler.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160716-445782210.jpeg)
The wheelhouse is mounting board with balsa details.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160716-44579345.jpeg)
Rather slow progress currently.... :(
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Slow...but worth the wait, splendid stuff :)
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(http://www.displacedminiatures.com/images/0.img.1331417238NilsGeb4.jpg)
Askaris enter the Tembe...
I don't suppose you've got a link to the tutorial on how to do that roof using old towels? (or perhaps care to share the details yourself!) I'd really like to give it a try for one of my own projects!
-Alex in Alaska
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I don't suppose you've got a link to the tutorial on how to do that roof using old towels? (or perhaps care to share the details yourself!) I'd really like to give it a try for one of my own projects!
-Alex in Alaska
I think I found it here (http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=37726.0), there you can see this link (http://ryan.skow.org/city/greentree/ThatchedRoof.html)
I use a hot glue gun to fix the single stripes as this dryes very fast! And it's really better to use dark towels, as you will never reach every part of it with your brush and lighte parts could shine through.
Im going to finish my next african building in the next days, I try to take some pics.
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Nice detailing on the interior of the wheel house!
Keep at it, I want to see more! :D
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Apologies for raising this thread from the dead. Real world events distracted me somewhat, followed by a loss of mojo. ::)
However, this past weekend I finally got on with the steamer and completed it.
A photo of the almost complete model, which was then disassembled to paint components separately before final construction.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160716-445802460.jpeg)
The vertical posts are bamboo skewers with plastic tube caps on the bridge roof. They were carefully drilled and a wire fed though to provide the railing. The bridge roof is scored foam PVC. The cabin doors and searchlight were built from assorted bits of plastic card and tubing. The ladder up to the bridge was one I had lying around (of unknown provenance).
The final finished steamer: HMS Bluebottle commanded by Major Denis Bloodnok, coward and bar :D.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320161846-445862263.jpeg)
The rear paddle wheel.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160716-445821767.jpeg)
The bridge and searchlight, which doubles as a handle to remove a roof section to place miniatures within.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160858-445831542.jpeg) (https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160858-445841193.jpeg)
This steamer owes a big nod to the beautiful craft built by Admiral Benbow: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=19955.0
My model is simpler with steampipes etc not modelled. Its fairly open on the lower deck to allow easier placement of miniatures.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320160858-44585248.jpeg)
Some Ruga-Ruga currently on the painting desk (though given how long they have been there I'm suprised they haven't built a village......)
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Outstanding :-*
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Glad to see your mojo is back, it's been well worth the wait. :)
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Nice canoe that ;) The figures are pretty damn good too
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Excellent Paul. Good to see you crafting models again. And modelling craft :D
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:-*
Well done!
She'll be a real eye catcher on any table top.
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Wow!
I remember you told me at the first blam I was at that you had loads if darkest foundry figures lying around. Good to see you back at it!!!
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Wonderful!!
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Top notch work 8)
www.gallopingmajorwargames.com
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That's a good job well done, Paul!
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Great to see new stuff of you. It is not 7TV, but it is great. It was a pity, that you did not came to the GLAM.
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I'm glad you bring the thread back as I totally missed it first time round ::)
Cracking work all round :-* :-*
Wot no geezers though ;D
cheers
James
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Fine work.
Prefect for gaming.
Lots of room for figures.
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Many thanks for the generous replies. :)
I really enjoyed completing this, but currently have so little time spare to get anything done. More as & when I can.
I remember you told me at the first blam I was at that you had loads if darkest foundry figures lying around.
More than I'm ever likely to get painted.....
Excellent Paul. Good to see you crafting models again. And modelling craft :D
I see what you did there Richard. ;)
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Lovely stuff Paul :)
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Beautiful work, sir! :-*
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That ship looks simply marvelous. I'm one who truly appreciates when design bends a bit to playability. I've seen many beautiful, intricate models...which suck when it comes to gaming! That ship looks marvelous...almost inspiring me to do one for some old west riverboat adventures... 8)
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A small native village:
More a family group of huts rather than a village. I may later build a larger village or some additions to this one to create a larger settlement.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320155155-44570440.jpeg)
The base is cut from 4mm MDF (approx 12" x 9" to fit in a file box for storage/transport).
The enclosure is cut from a cheap IKEA bamboo window blind I bought ages ago to break up for modelling purposes. The thread holds the blind together, although I found by trail and (mostly) error that once it is removed from the rest of the blind it untwists and you end up with a pile of short bamboo sticks and some thin thread! I solved this by running cheap (Pound shop) cyanoacrylate along the line of thread before cutting. I used some very old greenstuff to fix it to the base.
I will add another short length of fencing to form a more defendable entranceway.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320155155-445711708.jpeg)
There is just enough space for 3 huts. These will be free-standing to make placing miniatures etc inside easy.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320155155-445722019.jpeg)
The body of the hut is a section of Pringle tube (other snack-based card tubes may be available). Around this I used PVA to glue part of a (Pound shop) grass beach mat. It makes for a great texture which may need little or no painting. I will need to cut out doorways and maybe add a curtain or similar before adding a roof to each one.
The Ruga-Ruga have received slightly more paint, but progress is rather slow as I get (easily) distracted making buildings etc.... ::)
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Looking very promising :)
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Looks great. I myself is thinking on getting an African village so this will be great source for inspiration.
Cursed be this forum and all the shiny stuff.. My poor valet and freetime... lol
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Really like the huts. Interested in how you do the roofs.
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Nine months after it was presumed dead the thread steps out of the undergrowth ragged and unshaven.... ::)
These Ruga-Ruga have been lurking around my workbench for longer than I care to think.
I finally finished painting and basing them yesterday.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153451-445601359.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153451-44561994.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153451-445621476.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153451-44563739.jpeg)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153451-44564624.jpeg)
All together
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153636-445651204.jpeg)
I have another 14 undercoated, but who knows when they will be completed. ???
(For those wondering, I have made no further progress on the village.....)
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Great looking unit, wonderful variety.
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Brilliant!!!!!!!
I will treat you to my Darkest Africa foundry stuff at the next GLAM!
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Looking good. :-*
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Brilliant work I'm going to pinch some of those colours and patterns for mine :)
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Cool!
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Wow! Excellent Paul. What a colourful bunch :-*
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Excellent Africana :-*
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Lovely!
:-*
Missed this last time round....and the time before that!
Glad to catch it at last.
8)
One small point: How the hell does Ol' Pegleg the Gravity-Defying (top right) hold that pose without collapsing onto the ground.....?
;)
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One small point: How the hell does Ol' Pegleg the Gravity-Defying (top right) hold that pose without collapsing onto the ground.....?
;)
It's magic.... o_o
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320165347-44594598.jpeg)
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lol lol
Oh. Great Overlord, Witch-Doctor of LAF: Tell us your secrets!
:D
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Ahhh, Foundry Darkest Afrika, you now pull on my "heart strings"
Great job on both, thanks for sharing the technique! :D
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Nine months after it was presumed dead the thread...
Is a project ever really dead? :)
Nice additions, I must say. :-*
Personally, I really like these kinds of threads where folks keep adding onto them over time. It makes for a mini album/photo gallery and is fun to go back and see the progress and ogle the minis.
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Very nice work chap.
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.....18 months later....... Just to keep Ray happy!
Is a project ever really dead? :)
Personally, I really like these kinds of threads where folks keep adding onto them over time. It makes for a mini album/photo gallery and is fun to go back and see the progress and ogle the minis.
The rest of the Ruga-Ruga, done at the end of last year. Delayed somewhat by varnish problems, which have now been sorted.
Younger Ruga-Ruga, inspired by Plynkes versions.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153636-445661030.jpeg)
Minor conversions, adding the headbands (A bit too big in hindsight)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153636-445671681.jpeg)
More conversions (L-R): Cloth, rope, rifle, rifle & club, turban.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153636-445682112.jpeg)
A lone tribesman, found lurking on the workbench
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320153636-44569654.jpeg)
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Great stuff, lovely brushwork. ;D
Good to see you back. :)
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Inspired stuff! Good to see you back.
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Great stuff!
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Fantastic. Really nice paintwork.
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Paul!
glad to see you back and they look loverly 8) 8) 8)
cheers
James
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Bloody hell Paul. :)
What a way to make a comeback!
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Absolutely stunning work all 'round- both painting and modelling are superb :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
I'm going to have to make time to read through the whole thread!! (Time is sadly lacking at present)
Darrell.
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Thanks for the kind comments. :)
I'm pleased with how they turned out in general. I think I need a bit more contrast on the skin tones in future painting, but the varnish problems contributed to that somewhat and made them a bit darker than intended.
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Thanks for the kind comments. :)
I'm pleased with how they turned out in general. I think I need a bit more contrast on the skin tones in future painting, but the varnish problems contributed to that somewhat and made them a bit darker than intended.
If you don't mind me asking, what were the varnish problems you encountered? I may very well have a very good and easy solution for you.... trade secret of course ;) :)
Darrell.
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Like your conversions, Paul, and the photo background works very well, too.
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If you don't mind me asking, what were the varnish problems you encountered? I may very well have a very good and easy solution for you.... trade secret of course ;) :)
I've been using brush-on Winsor & Newton Galleria straight onto the miniature, for years without problems. My bottle had come to an end so I used an un-opened bottle that I had had for a while. The test was fine, but on these (and some Copplestone FW girls) it dried to a shiny satin finish.
I bought a brand new bottle but with little improvement. After reading forum discussions on the problems I decided to go with brush-on Daler-Rowney, but decanting off some of the carrier before gradually adding it with successive tests (a la Orctrader). This worked and (to me) seems a more matt finish than I have previously obtained.
The miniatures were saved, but with now 4 coats of varnish. This seems to have darkened the African fleshtones a bit more than usual, but I can live with it.
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Once again this thread staggers out of the jungle.....
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320115012-445471972.jpeg)
I haven't actually played a Darkest Africa game in a very long time. I do however have a very large number of miniatures unpainted. At the end of last year my friend Chris gave me a pot of GW Contrast paint, having mistakenly bought two of 'Goregrunta Fur'. I decided to give it a try, despite doubting it would fit my way of painting. I had some second-hand Masai that had been spray undercoated in white by their previous owner (I paint over a black undercoat) so decided to use a couple as test pieces.
In the end I used 2 coats of the Goregrunta Fur for the flesh. Although this is more red than African flesh should be, I felt it worked fine for the Masai who tend heavily towards red in their general appearance. I also bought a few other Contrast paints and used them in conjunction with a layered approach, albeit more simplisticly than I would normally adopt.
I was pleasantly surprised. Although the finished miniatures are a bit different from my usual style, the relative speed that they were completed with makes it worthwhile. It is a good compromise between speed and paintjob that I can live with.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320115012-445482432.jpeg)
Given their distinctive style I spent a bit of time on the shields, making each one unique. The right side is the same for all, denoting a single unit (Moran?) with the left side being individual. I think they look rather good en masse.
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320115108-445521959.jpeg)
In the end I did 20 miniatures (Equating to a maximum size unit of Masai for In the Heart of Africa), far faster than I usually do. :D
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Good use of the contrast paints, they look Jolly Nice indeed Paul.
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They look good to me the shields really make them pop. Nice job.
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Really great painting on those minis and the extra work on the shields make them really pop. :-* :-*
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Seriously spiffing, Old Bean!
8) 8)
Love those shields!
:-* :-*
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Thanks chaps. :)
I painted all the shields before attaching to the miniatures. It was much easier to do it that way. (I actually built a simple little painting rig for the shields)
(https://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/44/369-240320115012-44546191.jpeg)
(I've attempted to rebuild the older parts of the topic and upload all my photos today)
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Splendid! Particularly the shields.
I've always meant to do some units using the Masai heraldry system like you have: never got round to it yet (story of my life).
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Great stuff Paul. They look jolly good. The shields really make them. Lovely job 8)
I had all the Foundry Masai packs at one point, but I decided I couldn’t face painting them, so sold them on. Kinda wish I’d kept them now.
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Lovely work Paul :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
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Those shields are the bees knees. However, I am gravely concerned that the next time this collection stumbles out of the jungle it just might land in an actual game! Oh, the horrors, the horrors. ::)
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You have certainly got some amazing results from the contrast paints!! :-* :-* :-*
Those shields are excellently executed :-* :-*
Stunning work 8)
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Brilliant work Paul!! :o
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Excellent result, they look the doodads :) ;D
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Excellent paint work
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Splendid work Paul 8)