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

[Remington]

Nice little list. I am guessing the campaign uniform is the Khaki one mentioned in germancolonialuniforms.co.uk? Does it have the same sailor-ish cut as the blue one or the Swahili one? And are you intending to do head swaps for the Sudanese fellows to get the turban look, or will they be, as you've mentioned, the normal Copplestone Schutztruppe?

I've often thought of using some Foundry Ruga-Ruga for my Germans, but somehow I don't like their clothes much... Looking forward to be convinced by your chaps.

[Plynkes]

I want to do the early turban-and-fez version of the Sudanese uniform. But I probably won't use the Copplestone fellows as a base. Their neck-flaps make mucking around with their heads problematic. I have the seed of a plan forming in my mind, I'll keep you posted once it becomes more concrete. If it comes to nothing then Plan B is to use Copplestone Schutztruppe straight out of the box to depict the later version of the uniform.


The Zulu Company khaki uniform is similar enough in my eyes that a paint conversion can suffice. It still had some of the sailor trappings of the other uniforms.


It's easy to miss in this pic, but it does have something similar to the sailor 'bib' thing over the shoulders, with red trim. Not an exact match to the Copplestone DOAG troops, but near enough for me.

One thing mentioned by comentators is that the Wissmanntruppe did not always present a particularly impressive parade ground spectacle, and not everybody had full uniform, or indeed any at all. Some are described as wearing robes, cloth skirts and what-have-you. They could be a ragged bunch so I reckon that can be used as an excuse if our figures fail to match colour plates exactly. 


I'll probably use three of these guys as my scout unit. I don't feel like painting more Ruga-Ruga right now:

[Remington]

Lovely stuff and quite a motivation boost! And now I am considering painting my DOAG in all three variations in one just for fun. You are right... The khaki uniform looks quite similar. While I will continue using the Copplestone fellas (lazy!:D), I am looking forward to your version of the Sudanese! Thanks, Dylan. Looking forward to more.

[Gluteus Maximus]

It's easy to miss in this pic, but it does have something similar to the sailor 'bib' thing over the shoulders, with red trim. Not an exact match to the Copplestone DOAG troops, but near enough for me.

Short of doing lots of fiddly green-stuff work I don't think you could get a closer match with currently available figures.

Should look good on the table!

[H.M.Stanley]

Hi. I'm reading Chris Peers' Death in the Dark Continent rules and an Explorer Group (if used as Charles Stokes - 1891/1895) can indeed have German Allies incl Wissmanntruppe askaris and Schutztruppe askaris.

I've only really used the S&F rules so far but may give DitDC a whirl too. And read up on Stokes.

Cheers

[Plynkes]

Charles Stokes is a very interesting character. Quite the epitome of "going native." He went out to East Africa as a missionary worker and promptly married a Nyamwezi woman, which got him sacked from his missionary job (he also acquired a couple of Baganda concubines as gifts from the king of Buganda). He adopted native (Arab) costume and become something of a caravan mogul, trading all over the shop, while at the same time holding down a commissioner's post for the German administration. He prospered in the murky world of East African Arab trade, trading in ivory and also running guns.

His undoing came when he organised a massive ivory/gun running expedition to the Congo (Congo ivory into German East, guns into the Congo). God forbid that anyone try to break King Leopold's monopoly on squeezing the Congolese dry. The Force Publique caught him and hanged him, causing an international incident with both the British (he was an Irishman) and the Germans (who he worked for). Eventually the Belgians paid compensation for his death (though to the British and German governments rather than his family).

Furthermore it is said that he may have been one of the inspirations for Conrad's Heart of Darkness, particularly the character of Kurtz. I wouldn't exactly call him an explorer (more a rogue trader), but he's a great character to include in your game as the head of a trading expedition into the unknown.

[H.M.Stanley]

My Partner looked over my shoulder as i was replying earlier and handed me her copy of The Heart of Darkness. Bless her

I think Stanley was also thought as [prime?] source material for the Kurtz character

I mentioned Explorer earlier, but any Muzungo type operation for any of the Colonial powers is fine 

S&F* or Death in the Dark Continent. Any thoughts gentlemen?

* i use S&F for NWF but haven't used Peers' rules yet

[Plynkes]

I think Stanley was also thought as [prime?] source material for the Kurtz character

And I think there are still other candidates too.

I'm afraid that while I own a copy of TSATF, I have never played it, and I have no experience of Death in the Dark Continent either, only Chris Peers' skirmish rules In the Heart of Africa, which I have rather enjoyed on occasion.

[H.M.Stanley]

Triumph and Tragedy?

[Gluteus Maximus]

And I think there are still other candidates too.

I'm afraid that while I own a copy of TSATF, I have never played it, and I have no experience of Death in the Dark Continent either, only Chris Peers' skirmish rules In the Heart of Africa, which I have rather enjoyed on occasion.

They are in a similar vein to In the Heart of Africa, but letting you play larger scale games. I think if you liked these rules you should also like Death in the Dark Continent. I like TSATF, but I think I prefer DIADC for larger-than-skirmish scale games. It works very well for Brigade-level Sudan games, for example.

[H.M.Stanley]

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) ...

I've just spotted this as i've been checking in on a mobile for the last few days.

Thanks Remington

[Remington]

No problem, Stanley. It's a really helpful webpage.

T&T is a rule set I can highly recommend. While our group has decided to make some minor tweaks here and there, I was perfectly happy with playing them as they are. They can provide easy going, fun and fast games, provided you can live with unexpected things happening here and there.

[H.M.Stanley]

I want to do the early turban-and-fez version of the Sudanese uniform. But I probably won't use the Copplestone fellows as a base. Their neck-flaps make mucking around with their heads problematic. I have the seed of a plan forming in my mind, I'll keep you posted once it becomes more concrete. If it comes to nothing then Plan B is to use Copplestone Schutztruppe straight out of the box to depict the later version of the uniform.


The Zulu Company khaki uniform is similar enough in my eyes that a paint conversion can suffice. It still had some of the sailor trappings of the other uniforms.


It's easy to miss in this pic, but it does have something similar to the sailor 'bib' thing over the shoulders, with red trim. Not an exact match to the Copplestone DOAG troops, but near enough for me.

One thing mentioned by comentators is that the Wissmanntruppe did not always present a particularly impressive parade ground spectacle, and not everybody had full uniform, or indeed any at all. Some are described as wearing robes, cloth skirts and what-have-you. They could be a ragged bunch so I reckon that can be used as an excuse if our figures fail to match colour plates exactly. 


I'll probably use three of these guys as my scout unit. I don't feel like painting more Ruga-Ruga right now:

Hi Plynkes [or anyone else who can answer]

I'm a gnats away from painting these now. I'm still torn on how to paint the DOAG but leaning towards the "Zulu" Company, as Askari in khaki cannot be a bad thing generally/versatile.

Could you just clarify about their "bib" please with the red trim? What colour would this be assuming i'm going khaki uniform.

Many thanks

James

[Plynkes]

The 'bib' is the same colour as the rest of the uniform, so blue on the blue uniforms, and khaki on the khaki ones. Unlike on the Copplestone figures it actually forms itself into a collar at the front, but it is close enough that I shall use the figures unchanged. I don't suppose it would be that hard to alter if someone had a mind to make them absolutely correct.

As for the piping itself it would seem that it was either in Imperial German black/white/red like on the DOAG 'sailor's collars' or just red. Having done a few DOAG troops I know which is easier to paint. 

[H.M.Stanley]

I'm obliged to you Sir.

So, Red piping only on the bibs eh? [grin]