If ...

[H.M.Stanley]

I've always had a hankering to do a "barbarian" army since seeing Rob Broom's Masai at a WAB/GT years ago. This has since focused into wanting a Colonial period African Warrior army.

Death in the Dark Continent is my choice of rules.

So, IF, you were me and going to do this, what would your choice of army be based on the usual factors of time/cost/quality of figures/practicality (ie the Masai shields look great but an issue to paint?). The usual suspects spring to mind but i'm open to ideas. In no particular order:

Ngoni (Copplestone)
Matebele (North Star)
Masai (Foundry)
Zulu (Warlord Plastics/Empress/Foundry)

To put this into context, a mostly Elite Masai Moran would still need 100+ figures. I'm a less is more kind of guy even with Native armies.

Cheers,

James

[Plynkes]

I would do some each of Matabele, Zulu and Ngoni and do all three armies. They are similar enough that they can proxy for each other providing one doesn't insist on absolute accuracy down to the last powder gourd and snuff spoon.

Three armies for the price of one.


Or if you are more of a stickler, get a lot of rank and file with little or no fancy regalia. Unadorned Zulus, Ngoni and Matabele are virtually indistinguishable (pick whichever figures you like best). Then give the force some colour by introducing elite units in regalia that are swapped into the army depending on who they are supposed to be that week.

Three armies for a bit more than the price of one.


I'm doing Masai and Ngoni, myself, because I love the East Africa thing, and both are massive fun to paint. Also I play skirmishy games, so I don't need the hundreds you do for DitDC.

[H.M.Stanley]

Or if you are more of a stickler, get a lot of rank and file with little or no fancy regalia. Unadorned Zulus, Ngoni and Matabele are virtually indistinguishable (pick whichever figures you like best). Then give the force some colour by introducing elite units in regalia that are swapped into the army depending on who they are supposed to be that week.

Ohh i like that!!

I used Matable for my Cannibals. I'm very tempted to use rank and file matable then for regular types (but the shields? - that would exclude Masai) and then get Elite Ngoni, say, to start with as i really like the look

[H.M.Stanley]

Plynkes - sorry man, this is going to burn ...

How best to do a quick paint job (acceptable wargaming standard)?

[cram]

Those Warlord Zulus look a good option for what you have planned. They look nice and at around £20 for a box of them you can keep the cost right down.

Have you thought of using Army Painter dip, for painting up your army? A quick method and the results can look pretty good!

[Plynkes]

How best to do a quick/nasty paint job (acceptable wargaming standard)?

Sorry mate, you're asking the wrong chap. The painting part of the hobby is the bit I enjoy most (except for the odd times when my powers mysteriously desert me and I find I can't paint for shit - that isn't fun), and I like to paint every guy in the army to the best standard I can. It's slow, but I don't mind that because I enjoy doing it.

I'm sure there's lots of fellas here with good quick-painting tips, but I don't have any, I'm afraid. I quick-painted some plastic Uruk-hai once because I had a game deadline. Not sure I picked up any tips applicable to African tribesmen though.  


You might want to give this a try, as it looks pretty quick:

http://www.perry-miniatures.com/pages.php?page=painting-dark-african-skin

Looks nice enough, a bit dark for my tastes perhaps, especially for Zulu types, but still pretty good. While there are people who are that colour most Africans aren't as dark skinned as we assume they are.

[Plynkes]

(but the shields? - that would exclude Masai)

Yes, the Masai are out of the equation if you do this. But you could make Matabele, Zulu and Ngoni armies from a core of generic Zulu-style warriors with more specific elites added for each of the three.

[H.M.Stanley]

Masai appeal because they are the most elite of the armies (read: fewer figures). Downside is the cost from Foundry [sob]

I love the idea of generic Matable/Zulu/Ngoni types with specific Elite Regiments

Plynkes - i shouldn't have asked you that. Sorry. Your figures are great looking - was just looking for ideas. I found the cannibals a bit of a bore/chore but that's because i wanted to get at the Explorers. They were inked/highlighted but i still spend too much time on them

I've used Army Painter before and quite liked the results for mass types

Cram - I have thought about the WL Zulus. Have you (anyone) seen them in the flesh? I'm not a fan of assembling plastics as a rule.

Thanks

James

[cram]

I've browsed pictures of them online and I'm pretty impressed by what I have seen, but no I have yet to see them in the flesh. Not sure how they compare size wise with the foundry/copplestone stuff either.

[Plynkes]

Plynkes - i shouldn't have asked you that. Sorry.

Nonsense! No harm in asking. I'm not offended, just sorry I don't have much in the way of tips. 


As for the Warlord Zulus, I've got a box and have been playing around with them. I think they look really nice, but like you I'm not all that fond of fiddling around with bits of plastic. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I find them a bit harder than metal to clean up. You can end up with little trails of fluffy stuff that is hard to get rid of when scraping the mould lines. A bit of a pain in the arse, but not enough to make me give up.

I'll post some pics when they're finished, but I'm working on something else right at this minute (my trouble at the moment is I have too many things on the go at once).

[H.M.Stanley]

On balance i'd rather go generic matabele (Nick's figures are lovely) for rank and file and make the Elites look really well

[H.M.Stanley]

I've browsed pictures of them online and I'm pretty impressed by what I have seen, but no I have yet to see them in the flesh. Not sure how they compare size wise with the foundry/copplestone stuff either.

Actually, the Warlord Zulu married types don't look bad at all. I may have to get a box.

Not sure why the unmarried Zulu are in fancy dress though

[Steve F]

How best to do a quick paint job (acceptable wargaming standard)?

I suggest that you get hold of a copy of Battlegames issue 14.  There's an article in which Barry Hilton tries and times seven different painting techniques.  His examples are ACW infantry, but the principles are broadly applicable.

[H.M.Stanley]

Looks nice enough, a bit dark for my tastes perhaps, especially for Zulu types, but still pretty good. While there are people who are that colour most Africans aren't as dark skinned as we assume they are.

No offence to you serious painters but to my eyes, thats a guide as to how to go from black to dark brown in 17 easy stages and an armful of paintpots

joys of being colourblind i suppose

[Plynkes]

 


It's quick for me, I usually opt for 48 rather tricky stages (or that's what it feels like sometimes).