New African Adventure using S&tF (and Schutztruppe Askari)

[H.M.Stanley]

I'm planning an Explorer Expedition having picked up some Copplestone Figures for the characters, Old Glory Porters/Bearers and, because i have no patience and they were right in front of me on an otherwise empty rack, ... Schutztruppe Askari

I would have preferred more irregular Askari but would the Schutztruppe look out of place for this sort of thing?

Thanks

[Plynkes]

A bit. I'm struggling to think of an example of them accompanying an explorer. They were a colonial defence force, see. The exploring had already been done by the time they showed up. The German East Africa Company troops Copplestone sells can double as explorer's askari, though, as they are dressed almost the same as the men on Carl Peter's expedition did.


Still, it all depends how important stuff like that is to you. No reason you can't use them if you want to. They're your toys. Just call it a 'what if' or say your adventures are set in a fictional version of East Africa where things were slightly different. My own games are as often set in a 'slightly' fictional world as they are in dead kosher history.

[H.M.Stanley]

Hi. I suspected as much.

They'll probably be the last thing i paint then assuming i haven't picked up the other Askari first.

Thanks for the tip

[Mycenius]

Alternately James - set your adventuring fairly late i.e. Dawn of The Great War (i.e. 1890-1914-ish) and it won't be such a stretch to use the Schutztruppe chaps (perhaps on semi-official expeditions sponsored by the Kaiser?!)...

However as your Moniker is 'Stanley' I guess that's far to late for you - so Schutztruppe are not only incorrect, but generally didn't exist at Stanley's time! However as Plynkes says a semi-fictional or neo-historical version of Africa in the second half of the 19th Century would do the trick!
  

[H.M.Stanley]

Alternately James - set your adventuring fairly late i.e. Dawn of The Great War (i.e. 1890-1914-ish) and it won't be such a stretch to use the Schutztruppe chaps (perhaps on semi-official expeditions sponsored by the Kaiser?!)...

However as your Moniker is 'Stanley' I guess that's far to late for you - so Schutztruppe are not only incorrect, but generally didn't exist at Stanley's time! However as Plynkes says a semi-fictional or neo-historical version of Africa in the second half of the 19th Century would do the trick!
  

Hi. Oh i just happen to be reading about Stanley at the moment ...

That's good enough for me. They'll get painted up and used in that context and in time i'll get more irregular askari to jump back in time a bit

Thanks

[H.M.Stanley]

Or what about ...

Brigade Games' NSA1013/14 - Matabele Rebels Firing Rifles?

http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=2109

NorthStar have these in stock and are on my doorstep. Again they're a little later but better i think than the Schutztruppe.

[H.M.Stanley]

Scratch that - Northstar also stock the Copplestone East African Askari. Result!

Anyone want to buy these Schutztruppe? They're untouched

[Mycenius]

Are they Copplestone James? If so drop me a line off-forum...   

[H.M.Stanley]

Are they Copplestone James? If so drop me a line off-forum...   

PM sent chap

[Remington]

I'm in a similar position as you at the moment. I've bought both copplestone Schutztruppe and East Africa askari. We are playing in a setting somewhere around 1890-1900 and I intend to use both together with some generic and less uniformed foundry Askari. The East Africa Askari will be used as security forces of plantations or german business interests, but I don't see why you couldn't imagine being in that transitional period when the east Africa company is downgraded to mere guards while the khaki uniformed Schutztruppe is established.

[Plynkes]

Dimitri, there is nothing historically wrong with using Schutztruppe and DOAG figures together. The transitional Wissmanntruppe covers a multitude of sins. The Wissmanntruppe were formed to sort out the mess the DOAG had made, when the German government took over the company's affairs. It operated from 1889 to 1891, when it was renamed the Kaiserliche Schutztruppe für deutsch Ost Afrika.


The former DOAG askari were absorbed into this new force as the Swahili Company and kept their old uniforms, while the new Sudanese askari recruited in Egypt were given new khaki uniforms. You also have the option of painting the DOAG figures in either blue or khaki and have them be the 'Zulu' Company (Ngoni really, but everybody referred to Ngoni as Zulus back in the day), who had different uniforms again.


The Sudanese companies initially had their own distinctive fez and pagri type of deal, but the later version of their uniform was the basis of the Schutztruppe outfit. So no reason you can't have units of all these guys in the same army and just call the result "Wissmanntruppe."


Another interesting troop type you could field if you fancy a bit of head-swappery is the "Wali Askari" or village police. Their uniform was the same as the DOAG one, but they wore straw hats. Copplestone DOAG + Foundry Force Publique heads, anyone?


In fact this is my current project (German reinforcements for "Ngoni Dawn II"). I was keeping it under wraps, but the cat is out of the bag now.  

[H.M.Stanley]

I'm in a similar position as you at the moment. I've bought both copplestone Schutztruppe and East Africa askari. We are playing in a setting somewhere around 1890-1900 and I intend to use both together with some generic and less uniformed foundry Askari. The East Africa Askari will be used as security forces of plantations or german business interests, but I don't see why you couldn't imagine being in that transitional period when the east Africa company is downgraded to mere guards while the khaki uniformed Schutztruppe is established.

Hi. I'm trying not to let this project get out of hand  and keep the explorer group to a couple of characters, a unit (or two) of Askari &, say, 3 units of Native Bearers

and then enough Cannibals/Pygmies as required

I'm also buying/building jungle terrain like billy-o

[H.M.Stanley]

Dimitri, there is nothing historically wrong with using Schutztruppe and DOAG figures together. The transitional Wissmanntruppe covers a multitude of sins. The Wissmanntruppe were formed to sort out the mess the DOAG had made, when the German government took over the company's affairs. It operated from 1889 to 1891, when it was renamed the Kaiserliche Schutztruppe für deutsch Ost Afrika.


The former DOAG askari were absorbed into this new force as the Swahili Company and kept their old uniforms, while the new Sudanese askari recruited in Egypt were given new khaki uniforms. You also have the option of painting the DOAG figures in either blue or khaki and have them be the 'Zulu' Company (Ngoni really, but everybody referred to Ngoni as Zulus back in the day), who had different uniforms again.


The Sudanese companies initially had their own distinctive fez and pagri type of deal, but the later version of their uniform was the basis of the Schutztruppe outfit. So no reason you can't have units of all these guys in the same army and just call the result "Wissmanntruppe."


Another interesting troop type you could field if you fancy a bit of head-swappery is the "Wali Askari" or village police. Their uniform was the same as the DOAG one, but they wore straw hats. Copplestone DOAG + Foundry Force Publique heads, anyone?


In fact this is my current project (German reinforcements for "Ngoni Dawn II"). I was keeping it under wraps, but the cat is out of the bag now.  

Excellent!! Thank you

[Remington]

Thanks for the reply, Dylan. I suspected as much after reading some of the pages in this webpage (might be a good resource for you as well, Stanley) but your reply definitely eases any worries I had. The fact that the former DOAG Askari didn't immediately get the new uniforms (if at all) is certainly music to my virtual ears. Glad you've strengthened my decision to mix Zulu with Swahili uniforms in one group as well. Nothing better than a ragtag colourful group.

Very much looking forward to your new conversion results. Sounds intriguing and is definitely something worth pursuing. I've never seen the Belgian Askari upclose but wouldn't it be easier to reform the shirts with some green stuff, instead of doing head-swaps? The MC Hammer trousers wouldn't be too out of place would they?

[Plynkes]

I haven't definitely decided to do Village Police, it was just an idea I was toying with. I've been messing around with Green Stuff quite a bit in the last week, and have come to the conclusion that I'm not really cut out for it. I find it devilishly difficult. I happen to have a pack of Force Publique in straw hats that I have no plans for (unused leftovers from buying the whole deal). As far as I'm concerned, if I don't botch the head removal, I can just do a straight swap, putting the fezzed heads on the Belgians and the straw hats on the Germans. I think for someone of my skills, that's a lot easier than trying to turn the Belgian Zouave-like outfits into those silly German sailor suits. But you're probably right that there isn't much in it (especially for someone who can handle Green Stuff better than I can).

What my force is definitely going to consist of is this:

1 command unit
1 small unit of Ruga-Ruga scouts
1 unit of Swahili Askari (my already-painted DOAG troops)
1 unit of Sudanese Askari
1 unit of Zulu Askari in campaign uniforms
1 unit of Zulu Askari in dress uniforms (I just like the colours)
1 unit of naval landing party

Also maybe some sort of support weapon, haven't decided what yet.


As I said, I may do the village police just for fun, but I think the force will be big enough by then. I guess it never hurts to have more units to choose from, you don't have to field them all in every battle.