Congo!

It's not often I will post twice on this blog within a week but the last two weeks have been astonishingly productive as far as my painting is concerned. After completing my Romans/Britons (shown here in the previous post) I moved swiftly on to the second half of the figures I have amassed for Congo. For some reason I don't think I posted on this blog about the first half - no idea why - but too late now to correct that omission. 

This second batch are figures from North Star (comprising a box of Forest Tribes figures and another box of White Men) and Foundry (mostly Zanzibaris). While I bought North Star's box sets, I chose to buy separate packs from Foundry for the Zanzibaris, as that seemed to make the best selection of different figure options for the troops types I didn't already own. With these, I can now field all four factions and all of the different troop types available, including multiple units of the same type for several options - notably Zanzibaris and Young Warriors. There are one or two things I still lack - a Flag Bearer, for example, but I'm not planning on buying more figures for this game any time soon!

All figures have been based on 25mm repair washers so that I can store them in Really Useful Boxes lined with self-adhesive magnetic sheet, which is conveniently sold to exactly the right size for this by Magnetic Bases. 

White men

These lovely figures from North Star add some variety to the various explorer types. I'm not sure what the chap withut any trousers is up to but I assume either he's been woken up suddenly or it's a particularly hot day to go hunting.

Soldiers

One of the reasons it made sense to buy the box set was that I'm never going to need more than four soldiers, and these chaps look great. I trimmed off their bayonets (my personal preference).

Bearers

Another four bearers are going to be useful when I field White Men against Zanzibaris. These North Star figures are a little less bulky than the Foundry ones but are lovely castings.

Trained Askaris

It's become clear when playing the game that it is difficult to distinguish between Askaris and Trained Askaris if they aren't clearly different. Adding eight Foundry Askaris and painting them in bright uniforms is the answer. These chaps could also be used as Bodyguards in the African Kingdoms faction. As with the soldiers, I trimmed their bayonets off before painting.

Cannibals

One of the reasons to buy the North Star Forest Tribes box is that there are five of these chaps, and excellent figures they are. The weapons are scratch-built using short lengths of brass rod and a ball of Milliput. Yes, the mace heads are a little oversize, and therefore a bit cartoony, but I like them that way.

Sacred Warriors

Six of the figures in the North Star box have ceremonial masks and in my opinion that makes them perfect for use as Sacred Warriors. I chose to give them Foundry shields so that they will better match the units to which they are assigned. I bought several packs of separate shields from Foundry and then settled on only using two main types - lozenge-shaped shields which I take to be covered in cow hide, and the large oval wicker shields which I have previously used for Young Warriors, Married Warriors and Fanatics. The designs I painted on them are unique for each of the Sacred Warriors.

Chief and Witchdoctor

The fat chief and his crouching witch-doctor are very nice figures that were a pleasure to paint.

Scouts

A second unit of scouts is always going to be useful.

Bundiukis

I'm not clear what distinguishes Bundukis from Ruga-Ruga, but another unit of natives with muskets is always going to be handy.

Hunters

Four very actively-posed archers. 

Young Warriors

More Young Warriors

And more Young Warriors

Three more units of Young Warriors will be very handy. I actually didn't quite have enough to make three units, so two figures are are extras constructed from a small sprue of Warlord Zulus that came free with a copy of Wargames Illustrated. You can spot them by their incredubly buff torsos and slightly contorted poses.

Zanzibari Characters

These fellows are supposed to be (left to right) the Merchant, Slaver, Emir and Brute, though they can doubtlessly double up as others as required.  The whip the Slaver is using is made from a piece of wire (guitar string). Using some green stuff I've tried to give the Brute an eye patch to make him look particularly sinister.

Baluchi Swordsmen

Lovely, lovely figures. These Zanzibari swordsmen look like they really mean it.

Baluchi Jezail Musketmen

Four men with extremely large weapons. Having bought packs of loose Zanzibaris there are actually a couple of other figures with oversize muskets as well; I chose the longest ones for use in this unit.

Three units of Zanzibaris

And another two

Five units, each of five Zanzibaris, meant that there were no left over figures at all, though on reflection I'm not quite sure how that happened. These are the mainstay of any Zanzibari force, and I'm very pleased with the way they have turned out.  

Totems

I'm not a fan of the totems in the Foundry Congo Accessories pack. These alternatives are cocktail sticks topped with 28mm skulls from Black Cat Miniatures, and I think look very acceptable.

Huts

Oh yes and I made some huts too!

Tarzan and friends

And finally, no self-respecting fictional African jungle would be complete without the Lord of the Apes and his family. I suspect I'll be using the Jane figure in 7TV2 Pulp games as well, and possibly the angry chimp as well.