Cape Wars,figures and alternative theatres

[discok3]

Hello Gents,
Just a quickie really...I came across 1st Corps Cape Wars range of figs and have fallen hook, line and sinker for them...bought a couple of books on the subject and like much of the colonial period the fighting varied from skirmish to fair sized battles.
What I'm enquiring about is will these figures fit any other theatres of war in this period as the Cape Wars might be a little spartan as a genre and I was hoping to get more use from the figures...all ok for the Boer War but the Brits are largely in their own fatigues from what I can see...Cape Wars seemed to last for most of the 19th Cent. on and off and perhaps these figs represent the earlier part of the war?
I just need the smallest excuse to buy them so am looking for some positive feedback if you guys can make any salient suggestions I'd be most appreciative
Cheers
Kev

[Plynkes]

Those rough-and-ready campaign uniforms are pretty specific to South Africa in the 1840s and 50s, really. Can't think quite what else you could use them for.

But in addition to the Xhosa wars, they would be suitable for the annexation of the Orange Free State (battles of Zwartkopjes and Bloomplaats) and Natal.

[discok3]

Thought that might be the case as I have never seen fatigues like that before(which is why I like them so much)...still with enough tribesmen for enemies and with some lateral thinking I could also use them for Darkest Africa type rules and get some beasts involved too...finding it all too hard to resist...watch this space for some updates and hopefully some pics too.
By the way have you ever dabbled in any relevent rulesets for this period

[Plynkes]

No, not as yet. Cape Wars is still at the daydreaming stage for me. Got way too much other stuff to even think about starting buying figures or considering rules.

What I wanted to do was maybe a skirmish or two of Brits vs. Boers in the Orange Free State, and perhaps a bit of fun with the Xhosa too. Some of the Perry Carlist War Brits look to me like they would work in South Africa (some of the infantry, artillery and Rifles in soft caps). They look really nice to paint, but the Carlist Wars don't really appeal to me all that much. Other than the backlog of other things to paint the one thing that is stopping me is that I'm unsure how Perry and 1st Corps would match up. They are quite different stylistically. Do fancy doing it some time, though.

[Malamute]

Other than the backlog of other things to paint the one thing that is stopping me is that I'm unsure how Perry and 1st Corps would match up. They are quite different stylistically. Do fancy doing it some time, though.

The 1st Corps stuff is alot closer to 25mm than the Perrys stuff. Depends on whether you don't mind a height difference, but it will be quite noticeable. Perry's maybe head and shoulders above them.

[Plynkes]

Bum.

[traveller]

Maybe they could qualify for the British Legion in the Carlist War in Spain? I share your devotion to those figures. They are just great!

[Galloping Major]

The 1st Corps stuff is alot closer to 25mm than the Perrys stuff. Depends on whether you don't mind a height difference, but it will be quite noticeable. Perry's maybe head and shoulders above them.

I can confirm that, I have some. The 1st Corps Cape Wars range were sculpted by Robi Baker when he had that company, and are very nice indeed, but are nearer to old 25mm than most of the Perry stuff (their ranges for Foundry, gorgeous though they all were, did tend to up and down a bit). They'd be a near enough match (without getting them out to check) for the (Perry) Foundry Crimean War Range, and though not quite as small as the Crimeans, the lovely range they sculpted for Foundry for the Sikh Wars are a bit smaller than most, and noticeably smaller than than their Indian Mutiny range.

I have to say here that I'm not as obsessed as some about the odd  mm or 2 here or there as long as the style is reasonably compatible (I'm 6'1.5" and have friends of between 5'4" and 6'7.5" - so which of us is correct for scale?).

I'd say though - again without looking to check, that the Cape Wars figures are a bit smaller, but wouldn't look out of place alongside the Foundry Sikh Wars British (but would look seriously undernourished alongside the [earlier manufactured though later chronologically] Indian Mutiny range. One problem with the Sikh Wars stuff is that the whole range were withdrawn, then some, not all, were re-released under different titles. I do know the British infantry from the range were available last time I checked, somewhere among their Victorians.

The reason I mention this is, I reckon you could put together Sikh Wars and Cape Wars British as these are roughly contemporary. You could use them for both, plus other lesser known campaigns such as possibly Maori Wars, Rajah Brooke's interesting stuff, other 1840s Indian Campaigns such as Sinde, Gwalior etc. etc. The only thing is, that while the figures are of the same aprox timeslot, once painted to represent particular units from either set of campaigns, they become very distinctive to anyone who knows a bit about 1840s-50s Victorian warfare. And, the Cape Wars stuff (very nicely) does have a very Cape Wars look about it. So, you pays your money and you takes your choice 

I'm not sure whether what I've said has been any help at all here,  let me know if you'd benefit from some comparison shots, then I'll try digging some out (not earlier than nest week I'm afraid), not quite sure where I left my (still unpainted) Cape Wars stuff.



www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

[Svennn]

For no other reason than I am mad, I always think of New Zealand and Maoris when I see these figures. Perhaps it is just that I have often fancied doing them when I see the pictures in the Ospreys etc.

[discok3]

Galloping Major all your info was helpful and you make a good point with regards having adaptable figs but that comes to an end once you paint them the relevent colours for their particular theatre of war...I was only hoping that the figs might be good for more than one war really...but considering the fact that I neither have these figs yet or an enemy for them,nor have I painted them or found an opponent then why I am looking for flexibility I don't know ...guys I love this forum and the dormant knowledge that waits to be unleashed when a question is asked...cheers for all your views and keep em comin' if you have any more pointers or ideas
Nice one
Kev
ps great site Galloping Major esp. re. French/Indian wars...another untapped genre I wish to dabble in...also might purchase a few of your figs too(discount for batch/bulk buying perchance )

[Galloping Major]

ps great site Galloping Major esp. re. French/Indian wars...another untapped genre I wish to dabble in...also might purchase a few of your figs too(discount for batch/bulk buying perchance )

Thanks Kev, glad you like what we're doing.  Look forward to hearing from you via the site or PM (not Gordon Brown - we're not on speaking terms) 

Quite a lot of FIW stuff going on in the Swashbuckling Adventures lately 

Lance


www.gallopingmajorwargames.com