Trailer for new doco on the colonial New Zealand Wars

[Arteis]

A trailer has just been launched of a new video documentary about the colonial New Zealand Wars. the film will cover the Battle of Ruapekapeka that took place in 1846.

You can view the trailer on my blog, and also see some screen-grabs compared to my own miniature armies for this period:

https://arteis.wordpress.com/2017/10/20/video-trailer-about-colonial-new-zealand-wars/

Some sample screen-grabs and pics:

[commissarmoody]

Good looking figs and a great read. Looking forward to watching the full doc when it makes its way to the internet.

[DintheDin]

Very interesting subject!
Excellent paintjob, your Maoris are all the money!

[Matakakea]

Rather a lot of percussion muskets being used there for the period, or am I just being too pedantic?

[Marine0846]

Great photos of your figures.
Hope to see the documentary if, when, it comes to the US.

[Arteis]

Thanks for the nice comments, guys.

@Matakakea:  I'm not really an expert in firearms, but I understand that  in 1843 the 58th received the 1839 issue percussion smoothbore musket. So hopefully the video is correct ...

[Goliad]

Good luck with the public demo game next weekend. If I can get enough of my house unpacking done by then I would love to come and have a look.

[Arteis]

@Matakakea: I was just reading Ryan and Parham's book on the colonial NZ Wars, and they state that 'because the 58th had recently arrived from Britain, they were the only regiment to be armed for the war in the north with the new 1839 pattern, smoothbore, percussion musket'.  So the video has got it dead right!

[Arteis]

The full documentary has now been released, and can be found at this link:  

http://www.radionz.co.nz/programmes/nz-wars/story/2018619186/nz-wars-the-stories-of-ruapekapeka

I found it a very moving film.  

From a wargamer's point of view, there are some amazing animations and reenactments.

[Matakakea]

@Matakakea: I was just reading Ryan and Parham's book on the colonial NZ Wars, and they state that 'because the 58th had recently arrived from Britain, they were the only regiment to be armed for the war in the north with the new 1839 pattern, smoothbore, percussion musket'.  So the video has got it dead right!

I should mention that I was actually looking at the scene of the Maori in their firing gallery. Surely they wouldn't have all that many (if any) percussion muskets in the 1840s?

[DintheDin]

Congratulations to the makers and participants of this documentary! A really moving and instructive narration!

[Arteis]

@matakakea:  I have been told by someone much more expert in firearms than myself that the rifles used in the video are ALL wrong - they are 1850s percussion rifles.  Even the 58th couldn't have had these back in 1845!  As my friend said, it is a shame in their attempt to get the costume right, the producers didn't have a firearms expert on board. But this doesn't stop me thinking this is still a terrific video.  And having the wrong guns by a handful of years doesn't change the sad story.