15mm , East Africa WW1 , QRF.

[zebra55]

KAR figures now available , with Germans and askaris in a few months.
 No idea if Belgian or Portuguese planned.

[FifteensAway]

Germans have been released and are available in both the Sudwester hat and Toppee (pith helmet, just released) and the Askaris are out now as well - also just released.  Next up will be the Portuguese followed by Ruga-ruga/tribesmen/porters and then the Belgians.  Plentiful options for machine guns and artillery - including naval crews and infantry (Konigsberg!). Personality packs?  Don't know yet but I suspect.

And there is positive news though still a bit hush-hush until released on the African "scenery" front.

With all the other items in their WWI range, it is possible to put together quite a nice collection of figures - heck, I even ordered some Stokes mortars.  I did supplement with some items from Minifigs but not needed to do GEA - QRF is your one stop shop for this period in 15 mm.  No one else comes close (not even the nice range in 10 mm by Pendraken).  Don't know the larger scale ranges but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the most complete range in all scales for German East Africa in World War I (or will be when complete).  I have bought in big time and will be placing an order soon for the recently released Askari and Toppee wearing Germans.

And for my Africa games I painted 478 figures in June alone!  But not specifically for GEA, more for the earlier period of exploration and colonizing - a mix of history, fiction, and cinema.  But much of it will be useful to add 'color' to my GEA games.  And for "pulpy" type games even.

QRF are really knocking this out of the ballpark (American baseball reference for the rest of the world not familiar with the phrase - and no, I am not a baseball fan, American football for me).

[freerangeegg]

This is a period I have wanted to game for many years, watching this with interest. On a slight tangent, does anyone make buildings suitable for East Africa? The only ones I have found are the Rorkes Drift set from Sarissa.

[FifteensAway]

Re: buildings: Not much specific to East Africa but keep in mind that the vast majority of actions occurred away from built up areas.  The biggest exception, of course, is Tanga which is probably the best known battle to most people.

I think buildings meant for north Africa and even adobe buildings meant for the American southwest can be used in a pinch.  Many of the buildings, especially in the ports, can be modeled after German architecture of the era - maybe not open timber framing, though.  Alas, the one company that did have buildings stopped producing all resin products early last year and I don't expect will start again (was a fantasy range for Conan style period but I bought a bunch of their buildings and will use as my main port).  As far native buildings, should be plenty of huts out there you can use. 

I would go to these sources: Hovels, Peter Pig, Stone Mountain Miniatures to start.  Also, check out QRF to see if they still have their building options (I think so, but they were planning to stop some of their terrain ranges (they did have great roads and railroad track, might still).  Another option I am less sure will have suitable buildings is TimeCast but maybe they will have some southeast Asia buildings that can be adapted - but might be a bit too modern.

The old scratch build standby of using foam core board may be your best friend.  Again, though, most of the battles were fought in the bush so scrub, grasslands, rivers, jungles, and swamps will be more useful than buildings.  Unless you really want to do Tanga!   Some of the other battles near towns were really fought away from the buildings.  One larger action did involve what sounded a lot like a mud fort did involve a fair amount of trench action - and introduced stokes mortars and mills bombs (if memory serves).

If you don't have it already, track down Battle for the Bundu.  Best book I have found on the conflict.

Good luck!

[Deflatermouse]

Battle for the Bunda is a great book. Inspired me to game the period and visit the country.
I was lucky to visit Tanzania in '95.
... but sadly got malaria (nearly died) so didn't get to see as much as we hoped. Was planning to go for lunch at the Kaiserhof in Tanga but didn't get to.
But did get some picture of Bagamayo.
They are mostly from George st.
First the Customs house.
Second an Administrative Government building
Third the Hotel from which Emin Pasha fell to his death from the balcony.
Fourth another Bomba
The majority of buildings were very similar to those through the rest of the Horn and East Africa. Huts, shanties or rectangular single story mud and daub stores.
Last pic is of my wargame buildings which I modeled on many East Afrikan main streets. Modelled from wooden blocks offcuts and ceral cardboard packets, painted with acrylics.

[FifteensAway]

Dflatermouse,

First, glad you "made it out alive". 

Thanks for the photos of those buildings.  And question about your own buildings in the last photo - why did you go so colorful versus the more sedate buildings in the other photos?  Something to do with more vibrant colors at the time (sort of like Greek statues were really pretty colorful, not marble white maybe?)?

[Hang Tuah]

  And question about your own buildings in the last photo - why did you go so colorful versus the more sedate buildings in the other photos?

Probably because he's not playing Ost Afrika, judging from the pickups on the table?

[Deflatermouse]

Hi,
Sorry for the delay in replying. Thank you for your words.
The colourful tin roofs.
Yes I got a bit carried away with the red.
I was hoping to show different ages of the buildings by the colouring and the amount of rust each had built up. I realised I'd massively overdone it in my zest and hence, each new bomba has a grey tin roof to try to balance everything out.
I suppose I could have just repainted them. 

For GEA, when I used to play with Over the Top by Greg Novak, I have used a mix of 10mm buildings of European, Middle Eastern Adobe and Vietnam grass huts. and shanties
The buildings in this picture (not shown are the native huts or shanties). The idea was to show the European (or Arab) parts of town with a strip of the shanty shops. then working out surrounded by more shanties and the grass huts.
That way I could model Arusha,  or Bukoba, Tanga or Bagamayo.

[FifteensAway]

Deflatermouse, no worries on the delay.  There is more to life than the miniatures hobby and more to the hobby than these discussion boards so no worries.

I have received my order from Bluemoon/OG25 QRF Miniatures for the latest releases and need to sort them into their units - probably this evening.

And I got a nice little bonus peak at something they've added to the range: 15 mm purpose sculpted Thompson's gazelles!  That might not be exciting to some but it sure is to me.  One less stand-in replaced by proper sculpts for my African plains animals.  Looking forward to their release so I can order enough to paint up a decent sized herd - at least 60 and probably more.  It's a thing with me.  I've said it before - I will have well beyond 1,000 animals to put on the table for my games.  You just can't say that part of Africa without such herds.  Not to me, anyway.  Actually have painted the four gazelles I got but haven't got a photo or, for now, an easy way to post a photo.

Also, sounds like the GEA next batch will be somewhat sooner than later - some sort of delay with the other range that was supposed to be next. 

[Deflatermouse]

Thompson's gazelles ??
That will be very welcome.
As you say, Africa = herds.
I'd also love some baboons (hint,hint) in case they are  listening.

[FifteensAway]

I am hoping they add baboons - and gorillas and chimps, too.  Not from QRF, but I already have painted a herd of African Cape Buffalo - 96 alive and 4 dead.  I know QRF has more in the works for the African "scenics" but not sure what it will all be.  Many hopes, though.

I do have some baboons - in three poses - that a friend 3D printed for me.  Not spectacular figures but they will work until something better comes along.  Sorry, don't know the file he used.  Mine are not painted yet but primed and ready when I get to them.

I do have a dozen painted gorillas - the 9 from Bluemoon's Darkest Africa range, two from Highlander Studios, and one from Khurasan, but they are a little too 'aggressive' for what I'd like.  Will work for certain scenarios based on a movie or two, but not for simple table decoration, i.e. real gorillas.

You can get the Cape Buffalo from Highlander Studios - or could, I think he is still selling.  I don't think he sells with the dead animal, though, but does include a rider (as dangerously improbable as that is!). If you are in the states, we could work a deal out - I have some of the dead and plenty of spare alive animals.  Just don't want to deal with the whole international shipping issues.

[FifteensAway]

Latest "update".  Communication from QRF indicates the range is still to be finished - with hopefully the Belgians and Portuguese making their appearance in the near future along with the Ruga-Ruga and porters.  And more to come on the animal front.  Not really "new" but the communication from QRF was today so I figured I'd just post this up so people interested are aware.  More recent releases have occurred with the latest for WWII British 8th army which is of interest to the owner personally - and I expect to others.  I am just interested in the German East Africa releases.

[FifteensAway]

Per communication today, ruga-ruga, porters, and "natives" (new?) are due soon, the Belgians and the Portuguese later this month - and the 'scenics'.  Hopefully.  I'm ready when they arrive.

[Deflatermouse]

Good news. Thank you for the updates, they are very greatly appreciated. I do keep checking to see if any have been made.
Also looking forward to new minis.

[FifteensAway]

"Aarghh!" in a minor key.  The ruga-ruga, East African natives, and porters are posted up to be ordered - but no photos yet!  I'm more than ready to order, just want to see them before I jump.  I know the photos are due soon but I'm just impatient.