Back to Africa: Arabs

[Plynkes]

(Nice bit of lurid pandering to stereotypes, just for Smokey!
He likes his Zanzibaris to be Victorian moustache-twirling villains!)


So anyway, on to the next army. A general purpose force that can stand for coastal Zanzibaris, Tabora Sheikhs, Congo Arabs and just about anything else I want them to. In the earlies Burton described the Zanzibari army as being mostly made up of Baluchi mercenaries, so I'm going to have them as the core of my army, mostly just because I really like the figures. To begin with, the command group:


A Sheikh and his bodyguard of Baluchi swordsmen. Now Chris Peers gives a long list of the names of the Tabora Sheikhs - we could pick one of those - but I say that life is short, and one should never turn down the opportunity to make a stupid pun, so instead I shall call him Sheikh Yebouti.




This one's my favourite. Really pleased how he turned out, a little more so than the others.







Camera has obliterated some of the detail on the whites. Can't seem to get that right. Oh well. It'll do. More soon.

[Mosstrooper]

Veeery nice indeed !

[answer_is_42]

Most impressive. How many are you planning to do?

Camera has obliterated some of the detail on the whites. Can't seem to get that right. Oh well. It'll do.

I can't take any photographs half that good. Don't mock me.

[Mr.J]

I wish my Arabs looked this nice! Very jealous!

[Smokeyrone]

Just great stuff!

And thank you.

Yes, I do like my villains to be over the top bad guys.    (Half the time I end up playing them in the game, so they might as well be dramatic)

[Plynkes]

How many are you planning to do?

Command Group (5) as seen above.
2x8 Baluchi matchlock/swordsmen (one unit of which can be seen in background above).
1x6 Swahili/Arab types with modern rifles (African Arabs/Arabised Africans, or something in between - whichever you will).
1 cannon (everybody does the cannon, you have to, don't you?)
2x8 Wangwana slave-soldiers.
Evil guy with whip leading coffle of slaves (to act as a kind of baggage element).

Plus put some swivel guns on the dhow that I bought from Bugsda, and perhaps do a few more crew for it (it only has three currently).

Then I shall stand back and see how that all looks as a force. If necessary add more Wangwana and/or Baluchis to taste.

[Ray Rivers]

 

Those of really super.

Love the skin tones and the funny hats!   

[Count Winsky]

Great Looking Arabs.  I wish I could paint like that.

[Smokeyrone]

The eyes.  Great menacing look to them.

Glad to see the Colonial forum back up to snuff! 

[gamer Mac]

Great painting

[mortimer]

I'm painting some of them... but my minis are so far of this artist work, stunning!!! I'll take some ideas, sure 

[mortimer]

Which colours are you using for the beards and hair? I've some problems with this, specially with the long-haired baluchis...

[Mors]

Beutiful stuff, very jealous too

Mors

[Hammers]

Command Group (5) as seen above.
2x8 Baluchi matchlock/swordsmen (one unit of which can be seen in background above).
1x6 Swahili/Arab types with modern rifles (African Arabs/Arabised Africans, or something in between - whichever you will).
1 cannon (everybody does the cannon, you have to, don't you?)
2x8 Wangwana slave-soldiers.
Evil guy with whip leading coffle of slaves (to act as a kind of baggage element).

Plus put some swivel guns on the dhow that I bought from Bugsda, and perhaps do a few more crew for it (it only has three currently).

Then I shall stand back and see how that all looks as a force. If necessary add more Wangwana and/or Baluchis to taste.

Gorgeous, P.

[Plynkes]

How come we always end up painting the same things, Mortimer? 

Which colours are you using for the beards and hair? I've some problems with this, specially with the long-haired baluchis...

The dark hair on these fellows was done as follows: GW CHAOS BLACK with a bit of CODEX GREY in it. First highlight same but using more CODEX GREY. Second highlight same but mostly CODEX GREY. Finish up with GW BADAB BLACK wash over everything.

The grey-haired Sheikh was done differently. In fact I have forgotten what I did with him. Some white was used I imagine.