Melanesia - has it been done?

[Bezzo]

I do not know how long they have been out but I have just encountered the Pulp Melanesian warrior figures. I think they are great.

Then it occurred to me that considering the possibilitie in a South Pacific setting -coral islands and reefs (for ship wrecks), volcano Gods, jungles and cliffs, exotic wildlife, crashed planes etc. etc.) I do not seem to have seen many pulp games using the area? Have I missed any, if so could someone steer me in that direction.

P.S. I am not thinking of King Kong which I have always considered a one-off, and obviously intrinsically attached to the giant ape.

[Plynkes]

Grimm painted those Melanesian figures in one of his LPL entries, they were outstanding. Don't know if he's played any games with them, though.



The way he's painted them they look perhaps a bit more Polynesian than Melanesian to me, but it's all good. I've toyed with the idea of using them in a game, but in a Captain Aubrey Napoleonic or 18th Century (Captain Cook) landing party encounter; or perhaps Colonial, squaring off against German or Austro-Hungarian sailors as if it were something from one of the Otto Prohaska books.

[Hammers]

Grimm painted those Melanesian figures in one of his LPL entries, they were outstanding. Don't know if he's played any games with them, though.



The way he's painted them they look perhaps a bit more Polynesian than Melanesian to me, but it's all good. I've toyed with the idea of using them in a game, but in a Captain Aubrey Napoleonic or 18th Century (Captain Cook) landing party encounter; or perhaps Colonial, squaring off against German or Austro-Hungarian sailors as if it were something from one of the Otto Prohaska books.

Aubrey and Prohaska, both lovely ideas...

[argsilverson]

It is a nice setting and if you have Grimm;s models to play with, it would be an awesome game, in any era you choose.

The setting and the figures are very versatile and could be in all eras from 18th/19th century to pulp and possibly to the present day. Only invaders/castaways and so on needs to be changed. Even the jungle can be borrowed from africa/otherjungle settings!
(Yes I know the palm trees are different ). I also think that non purists may also add for some variety the dayaks with their catamaran and the hawaians Eureka is producing.


Now where are those girls (melanesian/Polynesian/hula or whatever they are called) to perform their dances !!!!!!!!

[argsilverson]

Grimm painted those Melanesian figures in one of his LPL entries, they were outstanding.

Really outstanding, one of the best entries!

or perhaps Colonial, squaring off against German or Austro-Hungarian sailors as if it were something from one of the Otto Prohaska books.

A good excuse to use Fita-Fita's produced by Tiger Miniatures!

[Plynkes]

Now where are those girls (melanesian/Polynesian/hula or whatever they are called) to perform their dances !!!!!!!!

Here's one for you...


Tevaite Vernette from the 1980s movie "The Bounty" (Either she's not totally Polynesian, or the 18th Century Tahitians had hair-straighteners).


Let's just say she had quite an impact on my young self when I first saw this picture, and I haven't forgotten her. She seemed to vanish after this film, though. One would have thought there would be lots of roles for someone who could play a bare-titted Island girl really well. I think there was scope for ten such films myself. Seems that isn't the case. Oh well.

I think this film has been a bit overlooked, and is something of a forgotten classic, full of good Brit actors. It's fun trying to recognise them all. It's also my favourite Mel Gibson picture that isn't Mad Max. But back to the matter in hand, this clip could provide a bit of inspiration for gaming perhaps, depicting as it does Lieutenant Bligh vs. The-not-so-Friendly-Isles:


Anthony Hopkins is great in this film, always about to explode into a tantrum.
"Bloody Savages! Row for your lives! We're chops and livers to them if they catch us!"

[argsilverson]

Thanks Plynkes, lovely stuff!

My remark was for, alas, lead figures of those girls. I am afraid that these will be the only ones I could handle "en masse" any more! Anyhow my wife will not allow me for more.

[Hammers]

Here's one for you...

I hate to appear the to be of the stereotyping kind, but I have to say that some ethnicities are just to good looking to be left alone. Just think what you could put together if you get these together in a very large bed: a Swede, a Polynesian, a Persian, a West African and...

Am I thinking out loud again?

[6mmfan]

Hi

There's a bit of a difference between Melanesians and Polynesians in appearance. Melanesians (think Aboriginals, Fiji, Papua New Ginuea) have a lot darker skin colour than Polynesians (think Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, half the All Black team).

Hammers: I live in Auckland NZ and theres a lot of polynesian girls around not as pretty as the one in the film.

Cheers
kieran

PS: excuse the bad spelling

[Plynkes]

That's a good point, and that's why I said I thought Grimm's chaps looked more Polynesian, as their skin is quite light in colour. I believe the word Melanesia actually means something along the lines of "The dark-skinned islands" (well, roughly, anyhow).


Looking at this picture some of the little blighters look almost African. Interesting that for a dark-skinned people, light brown and even blond hair seems very common. Something to remember when painting your lads.

Still, I think if we're not too fussy about it and in the absence of a huge amount of choice in this area, those Bob Murch figures make pretty good generic South Sea Islanders whatever colour you want to paint them.

[Bravo Six]

Man those are nice figures! Even nicer with Grimm's paintjob.

Say boyos... where does one find that tiki statue fauna?

-Todd