QRF - 15mm African animals (WWI GEA) - Hope fading

[FifteensAway]

Starting a new thread so I can adjust the subject line as appropriate.

QRF latest update states: "Just in case you wanted to add animals to your wargame tables, keep a look out for African animals which are coming soon from our sculptors, the lions are in with more on the way!"

Pretty sure some of the 'more' are Thompson's gazelles and impalas, hoping for other ungulates.  Curious what they do with the lions as far as poses, male, female, young, animal prey like a dead zebra or wildebeest?  Will they release vultures?  Africa needs vultures.

Also hoping for chimpanzees and gorillas, maybe even baboons.

I have been busy painting my African plains herds and really wanting to see these releases sooner than later to get them in the painting line-up. 

And, of course, still waiting on the Belgians and Portuguese for German East Africa - and Force Publique useful figures for early periods than WWI.  Probably order some suitable ACW figures to get the ragged look and feel I will want for such units.

There was more in the update about post WWII and WWII but I am just focusing on WWI GEA.

edit: Just checked and don't see this update on the website, received in my email as a long time customer.  Looks some really nice WWII Italians for desert war (I think).  Looks like price increases on the way but that is no surprise given the state of the world of late.

[Deflatermouse]

I would be very happy with Baboons.
So many periods I could use them for.
Vultures. Alternative Armies has them in their 15mm range. Part of their skeleton command set. Nice figures.

[FifteensAway]

Thanks for the heads up on the vulture from Alternative Armies.  Keep as a 'last resort'.  Hoping for more than one pose and would be paying for a lot of figures I could not use - though I could use the skeletal horse by removing its base, maybe a skeletal zebra.  And I'd want about a dozen vultures and no way am I going to buy a dozen packs with that many figures not of use.

Any idea if Alternative Armies might sell just the vulture by itself?

Keep hoping for a pack from QRF miniatures.  Sounded like the sculptor was enthusiastic about African animals so I have hope.

[ithoriel]

At the risk of teaching my granny to suck eggs, Victorious Miniatures have a reasonably extensive African Animals range (https://victoriousminiatures.com/product-category/28mm-african-animals/) with Ostriches and an Eagle but no vulture, alas.

[FifteensAway]

ithoriel, thanks for that link.  If I ever switch to 28 mm, I'll enjoy those figures.  For now, though, I am happy in 15 mm which is what QRF produce (except, I think, for their 1/2400 ships).  No harm, no foul.   This thread is to follow QRF's World War I 15 mm range, specifically the figures meant for German East Africa.  To help avoid further confusion, I have adjusted the thread title.

The African animals they are producing, at least in my mind, are an adjunct to the GEA campaign - though certainly useful for any games set in Africa, especially east Africa, like my Slightly Cracked Colonials which is set during the Scramble for Africa era with a large dose of Major General Tremordern Reddering inspiration (less the fantasy/sci-fi elements).  Here is a link: http://web.archive.org/web/20081220230900/http://www.zeitcom.com/majgen/index.html. If you are not familiar with that old site, enjoy the journey. 

[FifteensAway]

Well, with nothing new from QRF (holiday closure through the 1st), all I can report is that my 194 wildebeest are painted, bases textured, and seal coated.  (180 herd animals, 8 live animal trade, and 6 dead). Quagga are in process with zebras up behind them.  Photos at some point (probably on the Pulp page though).

[FifteensAway]

QRF have become very non-responsive to inquiries regarding German East Africa Belgians, Portuguese and the African animals I was hoping for.  Who knows, they may still release them.  I miss Chas, I think he'd be pissed at the decline in customer service.  For now, I am moving on and will be using the Irregular pronghorn antelope as closest stand-ins for various African gazelle and antelope.

QRF even failed to respond to an inquiry about whether or not they had US infantry in their WWII range.  Maybe the new owner bit off more than he can chew.  Only one response from Geoff, long time associated with company - maybe he retired too, and nothing from Harry, the new owner, for six months.  Last relevant post I think was October on the news portion of the website (or maybe newsletter) about lions having been received but still not released - but I have lions from other sources.

I will probably strip the four painted Thompson's gazelles Chas sent me gratis with an order and make my own casts of them to at least get a heard of a different size - they were smaller animals.  And the four, if I recall, are a male, a female, and two young.  The young can be used for even smaller animals.  Too bad, I would have greatly preferred to buy them from the company.

[Driscoles]

We do not support recasting or as you say, "I make my own casts of them" in this Forum. Do not do that. I will lock this topic.