African figures

[OSHIROmodels]

Are there any available for this period (medieval)? Central rather than northern or southern.

I know it’s painting a broad brush but the actual time frame/date isn’t important, just the location and approximate time line.

[traveller]

Would they differ from the standard 19th century spear armed, dressed in loincloth ”Darkest Africa” types?

[OSHIROmodels]

No idea 

Oh, should mention 28mm for the scale.

Weren’t the Ethiopian troops fairly elaborate?

[Atheling]

No idea 

Oh, should mention 28mm for the scale.

Weren’t the Ethiopian troops fairly elaborate?

I found this James, though who knows how accurate it is:
https://thelosttreasurechest.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/historical-warrior-illustration-series-part-xll/ethiopian-warrior-of-the-aksumite-empire-in-the-5th-century-ad/

[Pan Marek]

I found your question interesting, since there were a number of African Empires during the Medieval period, but I've never seen figs for them.  First, the empires:
https://atlantablackstar.com/2013/12/05/7-midieval-african-kingdoms/#:~:text=The%20leading%20civilizations%20of%20this,Kingdoms%20and%20the%20Benin%20Empire.

But my google search reveals no figs.  And a couple of threads searching for them on TMP and the Wargames website.

Good luck!

[Will Bailie]

Fascinating project - good luck!

There are a Crusades ranges that include 'Sudanese' infantry, such as Fireforge.  Is that too far north for you?  another possibility to consider is Berbers from El Cid/Reconquista ranges, such as Artizan, Eureka or Gripping Beast, although those are more North African than Central. 

[Thew2]

Irregular do a Kingdom of Benin range, but only in 15mm. 

I have previously used Perry plastic Sudanese converted with bow hands, to make into African archers for this time frame (but not painted them, as yet!). 

There are images in the Osprey book on The Moors that might be useful if you can track that one down. I think there are also some images of medieval African soldiers in one of the Ian Heath WRG books.

Muslim cavalry in quilted armour and/or barding, maybe with foundry copplestone African head swops,  would be good for many of the medieval sub Saharan kingdoms in Niger, Nigeria etc. I've not tracked any suitable figures for these down as yet.

Good luck!

[OSHIROmodels]

Many thanks for the replies chaps.

The image Athling posted is the closest to what I had in mind. Now for the bad news, it's for a little fantasy project that's been on the back burner for a while but I thought this board would be best as I want the figures to be fairly realistic.

[Atheling]

Many thanks for the replies chaps.

The image Athling posted is the closest to what I had in mind. Now for the bad news, it's for a little fantasy project that's been on the back burner for a while but I thought this board would be best as I want the figures to be fairly realistic.

Fair do's

Looking forward to seeing what you do James.

[Will Bailie]

Artizan Designs has 'African Spearmen' who are a little similar to the image Athling shared:


https://www.artizandesigns.com/prod.php?prod=1159
https://www.artizandesigns.com/prod.php?prod=1160

In Perry Miniature's Sudan range, esp since you are looking at a fantasy project, there are some neat gems.  Like these commanders in mail on horses with quilted barding:

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product/sa15-mounted-armoured-command-one-armoured-emir-one-armoured-army-standard-bearer-and-one-unarmoured-religious-leader/

[Diablo Jon]

One thing I found from doing my colonial Darkest Africa project is that before the 19th century there is very little info on the peoples of central Africa. Their own histories were oral and by the time anyone wrote them down, they were more like folktales or legends, and very difficult to decipher into a proper history. The Kingdom of Kongo from the 16th century seems quite well documented thanks to extensive contact with Portuguese.

In the absence of any evidence to the contrary I'd use Darkest Africa natives from Foundry.

[mithril]

Ethiopia at least has some potential for unique figures..





since they were remote from europe and isolated some from the cultural influence of the Muslim empires by their location and religion, they had their own style.

most of these are from more recent periods but it wouldn't be hard to work backwards a couple centuries

[OSHIROmodels]

Thanks for the continued input, those images are great 

[Amsivar]

Fascinating subject 

Read a book on the African middle ages some years ago, which sparked an interest in the Songhay empire: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691181264/the-golden-rhinoceros. Not much information regarding military matters or pictures though.
A google search for "songhay warrior" or "Mali empire" will yield some good images, as will "Benin warrior", bringing up many photos of Benin bronzes.

The only miniatures I found was a range of West Sudanese from Khurasan: https://khurasanminiatures.tripod.com/west-sudanese.html. Sadly, they are 15mm, but the pictures may be inspirational.

So my idea for 28mm was to use something like Byzantine kataphraktoi with quited overcoats / bardings (e.g. Essex https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0157/3412/products/gal_ab2_large.jpg?v=1571439839) or moorish black guard with cowhide shields (e.g. Footsore https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0657/9717/products/03ARB101_b8e2c997-6e9e-4f2b-bf69-d31eed09a6c3.gif?v=1571438764), the already mentioned Perry Sudanese and generic Darkest Africa miniatures (spear and shield, loincloth and Tuareg-like headdress) and lots of green stuff.

[Diablo Jon]

I don't think the Abyssinian warriors looked liked that in the medieval period though. When I was looking for info on a Portuguese in East Africa project, I had in my mind, Im sure I read that trousers didn't really come into use until the 18th century. For earlier Abyssinian you might be better taking a look at Copplestone Somali's or kit bashing Perry Beja.