Congo Questions and ideas/Inspiration Thread.

[Kommando_J]

Being a (now postgrad) history student focussing on colonial history I can't help but be bitten by the Congo bug but have a few questions before I make my big purchase from Foundry;

1. I'm interested in the white men list so ask what are the troop options and how many of each troop type can you have maximum?

2. Are the foundry paints any good? I need paints from African skin so recommendations for light/arab and much darker skin tones would be appreciated.

3. I've heard that Mr Copplestones stuff suffers somewhat from scale creep, how does his DA and later copplestone castings stuff compare? I'm mainly eyeing the german officers I might add.

4. Any recommendations for Egyptian looking officers/officials?

Ideas/inspiration to come in next post.

[Michi]

3. I've heard that Mr Copplestones stuff suffers somewhat from scale creep, how does his DA and later copplestone castings stuff compare? I'm mainly eyeing the german officers I might add.

4. Any recommendations for Egyptian looking officers/officials?

3. They go well with Brigade, Foundry, WestWind, Statuesque, Artizan and Pulp Figures just to name a few.

4. WestWind Chaos in Cairo

[Kommando_J]

Next up ideas for various characters which I may convert(feel free to pinch any ideas) resurrecting an idea inspired by the renegade askari pack I though it would be interesting to switch things around in terms of clothing/equipment/weapons for new takes on old archetypes.

1. A mad British hunter convinced of the superiority of the English longbow instead of a long arm, dressed in a modern take on archers clothing with puttees and leather slip on shoes to aid in silently stalking prey.

Accompanying him possibly, a wizened African hunter armed with a rifle covered in fetishes and carvings he wears a loincloth and is covered in webbing and pouches holding ammunition, trinkets charms and more.

2, An Arab slaver with a large elephant gun cur down so he uses it as a giant sawed-off shotgun for stopping whole charges of enemy tribesmen(based off a true account of arabs buying expensive hunting weapons for their craftsmanship and then filing down the rifling so they could take scrap metal as ammo), should be easy enough to convert.

3. A bizarre tribe that discover a ship-wrecked trader and his cargo of fine mens suits, the chief and elders of the tribe have now taken to wearing them convinced of the suits magical properties by the trader, they are keen to trade with Europeans and seek to model themselves on how hey see the European gentleman as being dressed.

 I was basing these guys n the Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes (The Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People) a bizarre trend sweeping through the congo now were men wear brightly coloured and finely tailored suits as a social statement, I was thinking of foundy old west with head swaps.

4. A mad Spanish explorer in a partial suit of conquistador armour belonging to an ancestor, he believes himself to be a reincarnation(due to a combination of heat, thirst, disease and lack of sleep) of this early explorer destined to find a city of gold, he is convinced this city lies somewhere in Africa and is determined to get it, he is armoured like a conquistador his helmet and brest[late/greaves warding off many arrows and darts, he wields  a rapier and a pair of long barreled pistols, he is accompanied by various fanatics and ne'er do wells the most favored of whom are formed into an elite bodyguard in various parts of conquistador armour taken from the noblemans estate.

Also accompanying him are a small band of monks seeking to found a monastery in Africa for their obscure(and possibly heretical) order.

Foundry has all covered, i'm thinking a cross between Don Quixote and Aguirre.

Thoughts?

[Sir Rodney Ffing]

Kommando - I am a long-term user of Vallejo paints but have started the process of converting to Foundry's three paint system.  In my view, yes they are good, with consistent pigment and strong coverage, with none of the watery effect you can get with some Vallejo paints no matter how long you shake them. 

I started with Near Eastern flesh for non-Africanised Zanzibaris, and then added the European skin tone and both the African and Dark African sets as well.  Previously, I tended to use a dark brown Vallejo base as shade and then mix in a red-brown with it for the main colour when painting Africans.  Sooooooo much easier to be able to take it straight from the pot.  My only reservation is that the C shade (the lightest highlight one) of the African set seems too light.  However, the problem is probably down to my use of it and skill level, as it is only supposed to be used on the tips of noses etc and I'm sure a more able painter would do better than me.

I am about to add Dusky Flesh too for more variety; hopefully that will work for Indian Baluchis.  And, after years of WW2 gaming, I am well stocked with greys, greens and browns but am rather limited on reds and blues.  So, I have decided to add a set of each (French Blue and Madder Red) to give me greater choice and shades from the same palette. Not the cheapest paints by any means, but I am persuaded they are better than what i had been using before.  (Still plenty of Vallejo to use up though!)

[Kommando_J]

I'm thinking of making the leap to foundry paints although they are quite expensive.

On another note  i found these two pics on the web ad thought they might make good fodder for conversions, the first could easily be replicated by taking a DA Belgian officer and shaving off the emblem on the helmet.

The first is an officer aspirant of the Tropues Marines, the second is either an officer or official, both are French.