Thursday, January 5, 2012

Wargames Factory Zulus - almost there.

A shot of the work in progress, showing my Wargames Factory Zulu warriors. They're now glued in pairs onto thick plastic card bases using ordinary polystyrene cement. All that remains is to apply the groundwork. 


On the whole, I like these figures. They were relatively easy to assemble, take paint well, and the variety of poses is good. I've varnished them with Klear/Future, which gives them a glossy shine. Since certain African tribes had/have the practice of oiling their skins to protect them from drying out in fierce heat, I intend to leave the figures glossy for the most part, applying matt varnish to the hair and loincloths.

The group of four to the right of the shot are musketmen, some of the optional poses available in the pack. I added a straw hat to one, and an animal pelt jerkin to another. The whole I've painted up in a semi-Westernized style, so they can act as native tribesmen, tribal levy, mercenary askari, or wangwana. 

One of these days, I'll get around to making a model something like this...


It's a vehicle made entirely of wood, constructed around an early petrol engine by the two gentlemen seated within, sometime in the early 1900's. Although I don't like to speculate how comfortable it was, rattling over the veldt and kops with those wagon wheels and no suspension, hats off to the fellows for their enterprise!
* * *
On to the fate of Private Hare. Colonel Trollope has decided circumstances are such that a full Court Martial is unwarranted. After giving the matter due consideration, he has ordered Pvt. Hare to be subject to a month of kitchen patrol, followed by a transfer elsewhere as his punishment for fleeing from the enemy.

Hare has been a soldier of good conduct to date, and the Colonel is disposed to be lenient.

2 comments:

Bluebear Jeff said...

What? No "Danny Deever moment?


-- Jeff

A J said...

I think not, Jeff. Pvt. Hare was treated leniently due to the extenuating circumstances behind his running from the action. Had " 'e shot a comrade sleepin' " there'd be no hesitation in ordering a Court Martial.

 

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