Author Topic: Can Copplestone DA Watuta Warriors be used for other tribes? (Read 10042 times)

Plynkes · « **Reply #15 on:** February 22, 2012, 06:44:20 PM »

Next some pics from Sultan to sultan: Adventures among the Masai and other Tribes of East Africa by Mrs. May French Sheldon, a rather eccentric American exploratrix who visited the area in the early 1890s. Pretty turbulent times, a wonder she didn't end up with lots of spears sticking out of her. Many of the pictures of Masai stuff in the Foundry book are taken from this book.

Some pics of Chaga sultans (which is how the chiefs styled themselves)...

Mireali, a pro-German sultan. The spikes sticking out of his head are ear-piercings. Young people these days...

And the photo that drawing was based on.

Clearly if you managed to pick up some of the Copplestone limited edition Masai elders you'll have no trouble making a Chaga leader. Hope you did.

Another Chaga sultan. This chap was an ally of Wissmann.

Chaga sultans wore these skull caps as a sort crown, or symbol of office:

Mireali didn't always dress in native fashion though. Here's a description of his outfit when Mrs. French Sheldon first encountered him. It would be a cool conversion to do for a Chaga leader figure...

"Clown?" That's not very polite from a Pennsylvania society lady.

Hippo-hide Rombo shield, front and back. The Rombo were a branch of the Chaga who resisted the headlong charge towards dressing up as Masai, so this gives some idea of what Chaga shields originally looked like. If you fancy scratch-building them you could add some to your force for variety.

Plynkes · « **Reply #16 on:** February 22, 2012, 06:56:52 PM »

Finally, a few pics from those two books that are not Chaga-related, but are interesting enough that I thought I'd post them.

Rather cool picture of a Masai Moran from the Johnston book:

A nice pic of some porters from the French Sheldon book:

How May French Sheldon got around Africa:

Travelling in style. All very well until this happens...

A couple of shots of the lady herself:

In her posh visiting togs.

And in exploring gear.

That's it.

Prof.Witchheimer · « **Reply #17 on:** February 22, 2012, 06:59:18 PM »

Dylan, old boy, that is an amazing show, thnak you

And when we will see your own palanquin conversion?

RJ · « **Reply #18 on:** February 22, 2012, 07:53:17 PM »

Superb pics for inspiration as usual, thankyou!

I did manage to pick up two masai elders. Just finished one as a masai and will keep the 2nd earmarked for Chaga!

Wish i got in to get the chokwe elephant hunter tho...

Hope to get a start on these soon, in the meantime i am picking through my DA lead pile, starting with Masai, Generic Askari and Germans. Pics will be on my blog and possibly here on LAF if im not feeling shy

Thanks again Plynkes.

Plynkes · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2012, 10:52:11 AM »

Quote from: RJ on February 22, 2012, 07:53:17 PM

Pics will be on my blog and possibly here on LAF if im not feeling shy

I hope you will post them here. Your stuff is amazing and we don't see nearly enough of it on the LAF. I'd love to see those Masai etc. I don't always remember to go looking at people's blogs so if you're too shy to post them here at least give us the nod when they're up on the blog, please.

Plynkes · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2012, 04:08:45 PM »

Quote from: Prof.Witchheimer on February 22, 2012, 06:59:18 PM

And when we will see your own palanquin conversion?

Do you know of any porter figures in a pose like this?

... If I can get some figures like that without too much converting I'll go for it.
There's a particular Foundry Darkest Africa lady I've got that would work as Mrs. French Sheldon.

Could even make a little scenario out of it. She was prepared for a fight:

Against some Masai, perhaps...

She didn't have a very high opinion of them, and like Peters considered them bullies who would back down if you stood up to them. She had more than one run-in with them. One Moran in full war gear threatened her and demanded hongo, making a great show waving his spear about and jumping up and down shouting "Wow! Wow! Wow!" (as in the picture above). She grabbed her rifle, shoved it in his face and shouted "Wow! Wow! Wow!" right back at him. Things could have easily gone very badly for her in Masai country.

One last pic. A passport from the sultan of Zanzibar, allowing her passage through his territories. Just thought it was kind of cool...

airbornegrove26 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2012, 05:29:28 PM »

Plynkes,

This seems like and interesting read. Might have to look for a copy.

Prof.Witchheimer · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2012, 08:34:29 PM »

Quote from: Plynkes on February 23, 2012, 04:08:45 PM

Do you know of any porter figures in a pose like this?

No, but I think some of the Foundry African figures (throwing spears) should work slightly converted.

Edit: and thanks for all that nice stuff about the lady, the passport is particularly very cool

Plynkes · « **Reply #23 on:** February 24, 2012, 12:12:53 AM »

I agree. That is probably the most practical solution. I guess I've run out of excuses and had better do it then.

WuZhuiQiu · « **Reply #24 on:** February 24, 2012, 02:56:02 AM »

Quote from: Prof.Witchheimer on February 23, 2012, 08:34:29 PM

No, but I think some of the Foundry African figures (throwing spears) should work slightly converted.

Edit: and thanks for all that nice stuff about the lady, the passport is particularly very cool

I think that they're in a more static pose, but the Foundry Indian Doolie (sp.?) porters may work with African head swaps.

Ssendam · « **Reply #25 on:** February 24, 2012, 12:53:46 PM »

Quote from: Plynkes on February 20, 2012, 05:05:32 PM

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.

I am so glad you posted this picture and information ... I'm about to start painting up some Foundry British Askari and was not happy about them being armed with muskets ... but of course I see the truth now

Plynkes · « **Reply #26 on:** February 24, 2012, 01:24:34 PM »

Yeah, the British askari were at the very end of the queue when it came to getting new stuff. Some had Martinis in the 1890s, but a lot had to put up with 1860s vintage Sniders.

Kingscarbine · « **Reply #27 on:** February 24, 2012, 02:20:09 PM »

Same with Portuguese African troops. They received the old weapons when the Europeans were equipped with new ones.

Plynkes · « **Reply #28 on:** February 24, 2012, 03:39:41 PM »

Those askari with Sniders were two generations of weapon behind British regulars. By 1899 the few askari that still had Sniders found themselves three generations of weapon behind Tommies that had smokeless powder Lee-Enfields.

Plynkes · « **Reply #29 on:** February 24, 2012, 11:04:04 PM »

Quote from: Plynkes on February 23, 2012, 04:08:45 PM

There's a particular Foundry Darkest Africa lady I've got that would work as Mrs. French Sheldon.

I was just on the Foundry site and noticed there's a reason why it would make a good Mrs. French Sheldon.

Ha! And I thought I was being so clever. What an idiot.

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Author Topic: Can Copplestone DA Watuta Warriors be used for other tribes? (Read 10042 times)

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