Force Publique very near to completion

[H.M.Stanley]

Same goes if you are ever in Thessaloniki mate. Next up is my british naval landing force but after that I am tackling some Congo cannibals! So you will be able to field your favorite side!

If only you'd said a couple of years back when i was over there 

[Kingscarbine]

This thread is going to be a meeting point for Greeks, since I am also from Athens!

Do you guys still have money to buy figures?

[Fanis]

Do you guys still have money to buy figures?

Kingscarbine,
I have no idea if you are being intentionally provocative or if you are just expressing honest curiosity and thus being inadvertently crass. Nor do I care to examine which the case is. Suffice it to say, (and please accept this as the feather light and well intentioned rebuke it is) that this forum is not the place for either. Applying a filter to our thoughts from brain to keyboard, especially on the Net where the other person cannot tell your intentions with ease, is rather a necessity wouldn't you say?

[Kingscarbine]

Fanis,

It's honest curiosity. From the news we see the situation is presented as very grim for the average citizen. I see were you're getting at  but I was quite stunned to read that you were from Greece.  On my part of the woods I'm finding increasingly more difficult to have money to spend on my hobby and had to make the difficult decision to sell part of my figures.  You're right, one should be more careful of what to write, and how, on the Net as things tend to get inadvertently nasty.

[Fanis]

No worries mate

I get what you are saying but kindly forgive me for not wanting to enter into a discussion of my country's current economic woes on an online forum, much less a wargaming one where I come to relax and have fun with other folk who share my malady for toy soldiers! 

[H.M.Stanley]

Erm, back to almost on topic gentlmen, 

Stanley's Congo expedition(s) on behalf of Leopold II. Would he have carried the Congo Free State flag or something else?

I was interested Fanis that you deliberately chose the Belgium Flag for your Force Publique . It does look rather good as a contrast, if i may say so

James

[Fanis]

Ooh good question!

In this book (With Stanley in the Congo)
http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-books.php?author=douglas&book=congo&story=_front
and in particular in chapter "In Harness" there is a section which reads as follows:
"While the boats were being made fast the sound of firing was heard, and Stanley was informed that the chiefs, having tired of waiting, had resumed the war. He promptly visited Mangombo, who said he had no desire to fight; and then sent Dualla to learn Mpika's views on the subject. He also, it seemed, was willing to make peace; so Dualla was sent out, with the Association flag as a safe conduct, to make known to the hostile forces in the field that Bula Matari had come, and was ready to hold the peace palaver."

The Association flag is of course the Congo Free state flag; just another name for it.

Mind you I have no way of knowing how accurate the info contained in this book is.

---

There is also indication that the Stairs expedition to Katanga did go in under the Congo Free state flag.

---

Generally speaking I think it's reasonable to assume Stanley did indeed carry the flag in question when in the service of King Leopold but I haven't found any definitive reference to that effect.

I am sure the more knowledgeable folk on the forum will know.

[Plynkes]

According to Chris Peers, the flag was that of King Pedro of Kongo. He had requested a flag from the Dutch consul at Banana Point that he could fly to show that the Europeans recognised his position. The Dutch consul came up with a politically neutral design that wouldn't upset all the various powers that were trying to claim bits of the region at the time (i.e. it was deliberately designed to not look like any European nation's existing flag).

It is said that Stanley saw this flag on his second Congo trip, it reminded him of the old Confederate 'Bonnie Blue Flag' and he came over all sentimental and nostalgic (he had been a Confederate solider - and a Union one, too), and so he nicked it. It was later made the official flag of the Association and of the Free state.

That's Chris Peers' take, anyhow. It's a cool story, if nothing else.



I don't think the Belgian flag would have been flown by Stanley, the Association and Free State were not officially connected to Belgium at all, until the formation of the Belgian Congo in 1908. However, I have seen a painting of Baron Dhanis where in the background his FP askari are carrying both the Free State Flag and the Belgian tricolour, so I would say it is fine for FP. I have seen a photo from the 1930s where the FP are still flying the Free State flag, twenty years after it ceased to exist. So I think you are safe with either or both for FP.

[inkydave]

Any excuse, (however flimsy), to show 1 of my fave pics.

[Fanis]

Many thanks for the additional background info Plynkes! that was most interesting!

Inkydave I saved your pic to my favorites folder mate! Top stuff!

[H.M.Stanley]

Lads I am proud to present you with a COMPLETED!!! project!  

My Belgian Force Publique force for Darkest Africa. The force is based on the "In the Heart of Africa" ruleset army lists by Chris Peers. It works out to more than the max points but I like to have some choice. I may add a cannon in the future just for kicks and further variety. Another thought includes increasing the native musketeers given that the majority of Dhanis' troops in the war with the Arabs for eg. were indeed native allies. A Scout may also be added. But it's playable as it is and really that's enough to qualify it as finished.

I felt the need to raise this again as i can't wait to get stuck into the FP project.

Fanis - i can now see what you've done with the Whitemen and the FP units/auxilleries

Well done chap

James

[Galloping Major]

Got to admit, I really fancied painting this sort of a force for Darkest Africa myself, I've had all the figures for ages, but I've had to relegate to the lead pile for now - too busy with sculpting and painting my own stuff. Seeing all these superb pics makes me feel like digging them out, not yet though. Meanwhile, I won't be parting with them.

Great work chaps 

Lance

www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

[Marine0846]

Great to see everything painted.
Very well done.
Hope you have lots of enjoyment playing with them.
On a side note maybe a poll on Darkest African armies.
Any bets who comes out first?

[H.M.Stanley]

Poll: Explorers for me  but you have to have some dasterdly types with cannibal allies

[Fanis]

Cheers lads!