NEW - Eureka Miniatures 28mm 'pre contact' Maori figures pics

[Happy Wanderer]

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Call it 200 of each type of each group of figures....

...so we need 400 more sales on each type....start stirring the pot gents...let's see what we can do to get it over the line...maybe a post on TMP would help...

Happy Wanderer

[sjwalker51]

I know I'm going to regret this but...

Ok, I'm up for it, and as it'll be a completely new project (no Empress in the lead pile yet) I guess I'm going to need lots of Maoris?

More interested in 'colonial' than pre-contact, but I'll commit to c.100-120 assorted Maoris, c.24-30 Rangers and the same number of Kupapa, once I've worked out what the hell they are!

Better get those books you've been nagging me to buy!

Simon

[Happy Wanderer]

Hey Simon,

Well done that man.

There's another 100 Maoris so we are pretty much a third to half way....very roughly. So if we get 600 of both types then that creates about 6, perhaps 8, variants. If we get 800 figures of each type then we can get about 8-10 variants...I believe the math is something like that but numbers may shift a bit. If you add in head variants then more variation from the same figure is created. Anyway the more people the better!!


Can we find some more people to commit so I can get Eureka Minis to look into this further, then we can get some research on what's best to get done and some images, etc.

As this is my thread I'm happy to hijack it or should we start a new research thread on 1860s Maoris and Forest Rangers??

What say you chaps??

 

PS... Kupapa - in essence, they are Crown allied Maori - their involvement is a little complicated but if you want to listen to the author of a recent comprehensive book on the Kupapa who gave a talk on his book I suggest you do so as it is a rather comprehensive discussion and very enlightening...great to paint by  

http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/files/sound/hg-talks/ron-crosby.mp3

Book is here. I haven't got it, but it looks pretty good..(I have Crosby's Musket Wars book and it is superb). If anyone has Kupapa it'd be great to see a review.

http://www.roncrosby.co.nz/

[Goliad]

Wow - just a few days ago I sent a question to Empress to ask whether they had plans to expand their range to include Maori with western clothes and facial hair, and Forest Rangers/militia including some wearing rapaki/bush kilt! Very excited to see this pop up here. I would commit to:

40 x Rangers/militia
50 x Maori

Where/how do I sign up?

[Goliad]

Actually - add for me another Maori x 20 as Kupapa.

[Happy Wanderer]

Good  timing Goliad...

The other point worth mentioning is that Forest Rangers also do as militia...no problem. So you get quite a bit of use out of those figure types....with head swaps, even more so...as they can do duty as Maori as well!!

Here is a very interesting read on Von Tempsky and the Rāpaki.

http://www.projectfreerange.com/the-rapaki-a-hybrid-couture/

Note the uniforms of the armed constabulary wearing the Rāpaki...shawl...with slouch hat which would bean easy head swap to make some late war Maori out of...

By the way, what did Empress say??

[Happy Wanderer]

Forest Rangers.

For those unfamiliar with them, here is the blurb from Stowers' book on the Rangers...a mandatory buy on the topic....





Von Tempsky and the Forest Rangers
History of the Forest Rangers during the New Zealand Wars.

“The legendary Forest Rangers were an irregular corps that fought during the New Zealand Wars. Raised initially for scouting duties with the British Imperial forces prior to the invasion of the Waikato, the Forest Rangers soon proved themselves adept at bushfighting against North Island Maori resisting the dubious land-grabbing policies of the Colonial Government.

“Never more than 100 strong, and superbly led by the indomitable soldier-settler William Jackson and the Prussian adventurer Gustav von Tempsky, the Forest Rangers took the fight to Maori in their own bush environment.

“Armed with breech-loading carbines, fighting knifes and revolvers, the men were well equipped and skilled in close-quarter fighting. Amongst their ranks were ex-British soldiers, disaffected seamen, out-of-luck gold miners and gentlemen adventurers, all eager for action and the ‘Queen’s shilling’. An added incentive was the promise of confiscated Maori land.

“Romanticised by Colonial writers of the day but considered ill disciplined by British officers, the Forest Rangers were much feared by Maori. Their campaigning in the Waikato, Taranaki and East Coast wars was both arduous and ruthless, as they searched for and engaged Maori.

“Resourceful in both combat and bushcraft, the Forest Rangers were considered the elite of the colonial units and in later years many an old soldier made spurious claims of having served alongside the dashing von Tempsky. However, their aggressive waging of war against Maori in actions such as the Battle of Orakau and the sacking of Rangiaowhia still generates unease and controversy today.” (Hugh Keane)

236 pages plus cover. Richly illustrated. Numerous maps.

[Arteis]

Might I suggest if we go down this route, we consult with someone with expertise on the uniforms and equipment. I'm thinking of someone like Bruce Cairns here in NZ for the colonial militia/Forest Rangers - he's a reenactor and historian mainly, but he also has some experience of wargaming too.

[Happy Wanderer]

Excellent suggestion Roly,

But before that we will need the numbers to get it over the line. Eureka won't be 'sponsoring' this, we'll need to get the numbers I described above. If so then the detail of uniform detail and possible multi use of the figures can be worked on...

Cheers

Happy Wanderer

[monk2002uk]

Brings back happy memories of reading Errol Braithwaite's trilogy, which I still own: 'The Evil Day', 'The Flying Fish', and 'The Needle's Eye'. Good luck with the project.

Robert

[Happy Wanderer]

..finished up the last of the Eureka Maori (excluding one figure)...they look the part me thinks  

They paint up quite quickly actually and have lots of variation for sure..

[Goliad]

By the way, what did Empress say??

I have not had an answer yet. This initiative seems more promising!

[Happy Wanderer]

"I have not had an answer yet. This initiative seems more promising!"

Funny thing with these things is that often mini manufacturers drive the market...Perry, Empress and Warlord being classic examples. Who would've thought the Carlist war would sell..yet look at the Perry range adn numerous armies built. I'm guessing if Empress added about 4-5 packs for the 2nd/3rd Maori War to cover the above figures we are talking about then they'd sell more early Maori figures as well and pretty much open up the entire period..and cover it to. Perry's could do the same...look at the up take on the Cape Wars...no one was talking Cape Wars before...now there is a burgeoning range and people buying them saying I must have, I must have...

It's very hard for individuals to push prospective sculpting lines toward a manufacturer IMO rather than have the manufacturer influence the market and have buyers follow and develop an interest.

So we will push as hard as we can to get as many figure sale commitments as we can to reduce as much risk as possible to the manufacturer and hopefully they take the plunge and produce the figures in the knowledge that eventually they get it back in sales over the ensuing life of the figure range.

After all, the Eureka pre contact Maoris are much less attractive for sale I would've thought compared to the more well documented 2nd/3rd Maori War yet there are 17 figures in the range...that's pretty much all that are need to do the entire 2nd/3rd Maori War which is the biggest conflict of the entire colonial conflict in New Zealand...so that is Eureka driving the market and hoping to get money back for its investment...

I hope we can get there as I can't see an y manufacturers any time soon just deciding to do it....like I said, 10-12 people is all we'd really need...

Maybe an email to Empress to direct them to this thread would be worthwhile 

[werekake]

Oh alright, put me down for 50 of the maori. Even though I don't really have an interest in 2nd/3rd wars, I guess I could use them for westernised maori hanging out around the settlements/whaling boats.

Lovely paintjobs, btw, Rolf. I like the taneko patterns you've done on the collars etc - shows real dedication. That dude near the back, who has the 'spear' stuck through his hand - that's a bullroarer/pureruhoa. The other end goes in his hand, so he's kinda holding onto the string as he swings it around. Looks great as a spear, though - I reckon just leave it like that.



As for Nic and his decisions on ranges, I think he likes to do what interests him - eg Tupi, Maori, Hawaiians, the Bosch-like demons etc. Get him interested/excited in Maori wars, and the rangers/kupapa, and I reckon you'd have a good chance of getting him enthused to make them. I think it's the same with the Perry's and a lot of manufacturers - they're more likely to do ranges that keeps them interested in sculpting or casting the figures.  ...I dunno this for sure, of course - I'm no manufacturer of wargaming figures. 

[Arteis]

The Perry twins have spent a lot of time in New Zealand, and are very aware of the colonial New Zealand Wars.