Can Copplestone DA Watuta Warriors be used for other tribes?

[RJ]

Hi all,

Question is in the title. Any ideas? I was wondering if there were any other tribes that could make use of these minis:



I really like them but don't fancy painting an Ngoni force after all the zulus ive worked on.

perhaps with a change of shield and weaponry?

Hopefully someone can help 

[Plynkes]

Yes, I've got some I've earmarked to be Chaga (who lived on the slopes of Kilimanjaro). Not a  perfect match, but give them a Masai shield and some face paint, paint the headdress black and white and pretend it is monkey fur (maybe give some of them greenstuff fur cloaks); mix them in with some musketeers and maybe the DA masked warriors, add a few copying Masai fashion* to taste, and bingo! You have somebody to fight your Germans.

But I'm doing that, and you're not allowed to copy. 


They are lovely figures, some of my favourite figures to paint ever. I was painting some this weekend (these ones will be Tuta, though).



*By the end of the century they all looked like knock-off Masai, but their original look was different. Everybody copied the bloody Masai.

[RJ]

Plynkes to the rescue!

Thankyou so much for the info, i will be painting some chaga then
Quick question, what sort of shield designs did the chaga have? Would it b similar to masai?

And i have already used your blog for alot of infomation so i feel no shame at copying your work

Thanks again!

[Plynkes]

Yes, early on a bit similar, becoming more and more masai-like as time went on.

This drawing gives you some idea:

As you see, not a perfect match for our Tuta, but with a bit of imagination...

For war they painted their bodies with red ochre, and their faces were painted with white designs such as the "My mates drew glasses on me while I was asleep" look sported by the chap above.

Can't see the shield design on this one, unfortunately:


This one ain't much better:


And finally, the endemic East African Masai-copycat trend reaches its zenith (showing how you could mix Masai figures in if you want):


The original caption for that photo is Dschaggakrieger mit Speer, Schwert, Schild und Keule (Chagga warrior with spear, sword, shield and club)

Though he really isn't convincing as a Masai, is he? He totally lacks the languid grace, air of contempt, and general "I don't give a shit" bellicosity of the true Masai. In fact he looks like he'd run off crying if you shouted "Boo!" at him.



Upon receiving their invitation to join the German Empire, the Chaga R.S.V.P.ed a polite "No thanks" and so the Germans set upon them. They provide for an interesting alternative to your average spear-using band, as many of them were armed with guns. They dug lines of hidden rifle pits and trenches in the banana groves that grew in the Kilimanjaro foothills which they used to ambush the advancing Germans with gunfire, and the Germans were forced to assault them one after another. Finally their fortified stronghold was attacked, but it was a nightmare maze of confusing streets that helped the defenders considerably. I think I'm right in saying that several German assaults failed before they were finally brought to heel.

So you will probably need to field quite a few musketeers if you want to make a war game army of them. They were also said to wear hideous masks, which is why I thought the Foundry masked figures could be used too. Unfortunately, other than the fact that they were "hideous", and faced both forwards and back, we have no real description of them.

[Kingscarbine]

Those Chagga resemble these guys. I think there must be an ethnic or cultural relation: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=37913.0

Does anyone have the Foundry East Africa book to check out?

[airbornegrove26]

Very Interesting Plynkes.  You should do a series of the tribes of Africa on here.  RJ  I am using mine for a Ndwandwe force to fight my Zulu's.  The reasoning behind that is they can double as Zulu's for bigger games.  This Masai copycat has me intrigued though.  I have always thought a force of wicker shields would be cool as well.  Whatever you decide good luck and would love to see pic's from both you and Plynkes.

[Plynkes]

Turns out many of them were armed with breech-loaders (generally Sniders) rather than muskets, making them even more formidable. The Chaga chief Mandara in addition to loads of Sniders apparently even had cannon (all bought from the Arabs).

Those Chagga resemble these guys. I think there must be an ethnic or cultural relation: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=37913.0

Does anyone have the Foundry East Africa book to check out?

Dunno about that, Masai fashions spread like a virus across East Africa. Lots of unrelated peoples went in for it. Nothing in the book links the Chaga with anyone in Mozambique. Almost everything in those Chaga pictures are an attempt at copying Masai style. The spears, the cloaks, the shield. Even the headdresses are probably trying to recreate the Masai lion mane busby but on the cheap with monkey fur.

[RJ]

Thanks again Plynkes for the amazing photos, very inspirational.

Im going to attempt a few test minis and see how i go. not sure which minis to go with to represent the breech loaders as the  "generic" Foundry tribal warriors with firearms have muskets. Also, they wouldn't have the same head dress as the Watuta sculpts. So creative thinking required... The red and white body paint will give some interesting painting opportunities!

For the shields, i was thinking of going with a bit of artistic licence in order to differentiate from my Masai. Mainly with the colours really and keeping the patterns similar to Masai. Perhaps an orangey brown? Obviously using the Foundry Masai shields. Would it be appropriate to use the Foundry Masai spears also or would the thinner spears or even wire spears be better?

I understand its mainly people own choice with these aesthetics but its nice to hear what people think 

[Plynkes]

...not sure which minis to go with to represent the breech loaders as the  "generic" Foundry tribal warriors with firearms have muskets.

RJ, this is what a Snider looks like (which is what they were mostly armed with):



To give it its proper name of Snider-Enfield, the British Army's first breech-loader was nothing more than the old Enfield rifled musket converted with a new breech-loading mechanism. They still looked just like muskets (in 28mm anyway), so no need to worry about your tribal musketeers. You can use them without having to convert their guns.

That still leaves them looking rather generic. You could of course keep them generic so you can use them with other armies, "Chaga them up" with warpaint, or even add greenstuff headdresses to them. Just depends how far you want to go. Another option is to put separately bought muskets into the hands of your Watuta and add some firearm accoutrements like gourds or powder horns (I've done similar things to make Ruga-Ruga from tribesmen and to make WWI Masai in the past - I can find the links if you want to see them).

[Plynkes]

Would it be appropriate to use the Foundry Masai spears also or would the thinner spears or even wire spears be better?

At the time of their war with the Germans they were using the same kind of spears as the Masai - sometimes referrred to as "shovel-bladed." So you could use the Foundry ones. A lot of folks don't like them for being oversized, though. The blades are fine, but everything else is rather over-scaled (I'm too lazy to let it bother me, though).

The chap in the bottom photo is from later, and he has the newer, thinner and longer Masai style that first appeared at some point in the 1890s and had pretty much taken over among the Masai after a couple of decades of the 20th Century (surprise, surprise, copy the Masai again, why don't you?).

[Plynkes]

 I have always thought a force of wicker shields would be cool as well.

Quite a few of the Congo peoples wore similar feather headdresses, so there is no reason not to run with that idea if you want.

[carlos marighela]

Well if you are really good with green stuff, you could do the 'tribes' of Mangueira, Vila Isabel, Porto da Pedra etc etc...

[carlos marighela]

I think this is an example of the 'monkey fur' cape Plynkes is referring to. Still popular to this very day.

[Dr. Kevin Moon III esq.]

Great info Plynkes, always nice to read something new like that.

[Plynkes]

Dug out some more Chaga pictures for you.

The first bunch are from another book by our old pal from British Central Africa, Harry Johnston. This time his book The Kilima-Njaro Expedition. A record of scientific exploration in eastern equatorial Africa and a general description of the natural history, languages, and commerce of the Kilima-Njaro region. Catchy title, eh?

Again, half the book is made up of his endless observations on every damn thing in the region. 

First, and most importantly, another Chaga warrior picture...



Or Wa-Caga, as he likes to call them. I think this pic is the one they based the drawing in the Chris Peers Foundry book on, with a few bits and bobs added.


Chaga dwelling, in case you want to build a village.


Storehouse.


Entrance to a defensive boma.


Chaga smith at work.