German East Africa as a Colonial Adventure?

[FifteensAway]

I know there is a WWI page but wondering if German East Africa WWI might find a better home here on the Colonial Adventures page?  My thinking is that it is really more of a colonial era fight than most WWI battles.

There are the British and Germans, of course, but also King's African Rifles and some black troops from the Caribbean even, and the Askaris, troops from India, South Africa, Rhodesia, and Nyasaland, also Belgians and Portuguese.  With all those players, it feels more appropriate here. 

Given some of my plans, there may be times that the games might actually fit better on the Pulp page.  But that's a different 'story'.  The plans are secret at this time! 

So, here or WWI?  (Unless too pulpy for either.)

[CapnJim]

Hmmm.  Interesting.  Looking forward to seeing your progress on this!

[marco55]

WW1 is so big that they should have sub-sections.They could have,
1.Western Front
2.Eastern Front
3.Balkans
4.Gallipoli
5.Caucasus
6.Middle East
7.Africa
8.Asia
9.North Italian Front
Mark

[Michi]

My vote for Colonials!

[Plynkes]

Great War in Africa topics are more than welcome here, as they are most definitely colonial. By the same token you can post them on the Great War board if you prefer. When such overlaps occur we tend to leave it to the individual to decide where to put it.

As for Pulp, if you are approaching the topic in an Indiana Jones, pulpy type of way, then yes, by all means post it there if you want to. Pulp is more about the attitude than any strict period definition, I feel.

[FifteensAway]

Plynkes,

Thank you for your response.  I am hoping for the Belgians and Portuguese to be released soon to round out my collection of figures - along with some African "scenics" in the form of animals (perhaps more?) from QRF.  Then it will be on to painting and filling in any missing terrain needs.  Hopefully, I already have all the other players to meet my needs. 

If the range reaches its full potential under the new owner's (apparently the previous owner's nephew), it should be the most complete range for WWI German East Africa (as I've stated elsewhere).  And a cool 'adjunct' is that most of the figures can be repurposed to also use in Pulp-ish sorts of games.

[marco55]

Have you seen these?  https://www.hlbs-redux.co.uk/28mm-german-colonial-1895-1918.html
Mark

[Deflatermouse]

QRF new owner? I didn't realise they were changing hands.
 I knew they were moving but not sold.

[tumeveumevla]

great topic,

I plan to skirmish on the theme of German colonies in the Pacific during the Great War.

Sebastien

[monk2002uk]

If someone new joins the Forum with a specific interest in German East Africa 1914-1918 then they will look under Great War. This is not to say that some of the actions could not be represented as 'Colonial Adventures' but my recommendation, FWIIW, is to keep the association that others will make.

Whilst WW1 covers a number of theatres, the number of posts is limited and prevents this era from being overwhelming in the current Great War section. IMHO.

Robert

[FifteensAway]

Marco55, thank you for the link but I will really have to seriously pulp up to use those figures since 28 mm will really tower over the rest of my 15 mm figures!   . (QRF range is 15 mm)

Just to add, most of my games will be based in historical settings for GEA, though often with a dose of the Lark-Side (doses of silliness/humor to lessen the seriousness).  The games that may be better placed in the Pulp board will lean away from the hard left of the pulp-o-meter and rise maybe as high as a 4 or perhaps, if I really go crazy, a 5.  Very unlikely I will run any games over on the right side of the meter.  History is my wheelhouse - with good doses of humor making games more memorable.  But as a die-hard fan of Major General Tremorden Reddering, I can't leave pulp completely alone.

[marco55]

I didn't realize you were a 15mm collector.
Mark

[Deflatermouse]

As a Colonial and a WWI gamer. I've always thought GEA could happily have a foot in both camps.
One of the first forces I collected was Minifigs 15mm for use in GEA. Part of the reason why I travelled there in the '90's.

I think the possible reason some think less of it as a colonial campaign is due to it having a vast majority of Regular troops in all the Belligerent armies,  albeit supplemented  by native units and supports.

 But no-one would argue that the 1882 Egyptian campaign isn't a colonial campaign. And other examples which I can't think of ATM.

My 2 cents

[FifteensAway]

Deflatermouse, a well valued two cents worth.

I think for a lot of people the dividing line is the prevalence of machine guns and other 'modern' weapons that impact the battle field.  However, the earliest such weapons made their appearance in the American Civil War which is very much in the time - if clearly not proper for colonials - of the Victorian era, for many the 'guideline' for the colonial era.  And GEA has plenty of such weapons but very little of the trench warfare of the western front (though some).  But GEA is, for the most part, very much about a mobile field of battle, or at least very fluid battles which is, for me, another reason why I prefer the colonial side for the war.  Even the eastern front and the Middle East front were, by my limited understanding, pretty ponderous campaigns with much larger forces engaged. 

And, the piece-de-resistance for me is that so much of the transport was in the form of human porters - that just smacks colonial.  (Though just made me wonder about many campaigns throughout history about how the logisitics were handled when wheeled transport was of limited presence?)

I would cross post to both Colonial and WWI except that is against the forums rules.  So, colonial for me - when appropriate.