Start of the Ark

First few animals that I have managed to paint (last month), I have around 40 to paint which will take a while (years) but still missing some Antelop and Zebra. All figures by Foundry.

Mahdist, Dervish and Army Painter.

I recently multi based 6 Dervish to see how effective the army painter is with them.

Basically undercoated white. Base colours only. Army painter strong tone followed by one level of highlighting. Considerably faster than my normal method and not too much difference.

Undercoat applied

Base coats applied very quickly. Missed out my usual first stage brown.

Army painter applied, Shiny.

Finished units with highlighted flesh and cloth. 1 level of highlighting instead of the usual two.

A traditionally painted dervish adds to the unit.

Close up of both army painter and traditional Dervish

Terrain.

Wargames Illustrated has a number of excellent terrain photos on its web site (We Come For Your Cattle).

There is also a copy of their old In Darkest Africa rules available there which includes a painting guide.

Amazing stuff from We Come For Your Cattle (picture from Wargames Illustrated)

I have previously been thinking about representing long grass as shown in the photo's but have not yet placed an order on ebay.

The question is do I change from my dark brown highlighted basing or move onto a lighter tone as represented in the photographs. Doubt I will rebase but....

Rorke's Drift Anniversary.

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, the famous battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879, and continued into the following day, 23 January.

Just over 150 British and colonial troops successfully defended the garrison against an intense assault by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. The massive, but piecemeal,^[Zulu attacks on Rorke's Drift came very close to defeating the tiny garrison but were ultimately repelled. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours.

Witchdoctor and first Masai.

Making very slow progress at the moment as work and other projects draw me away (Currently trying to finish off some Perrys ACW).

First off a Coppletone witchdoctor bought four or five years ago from Caliver near Southend on the spur of the moment.

Followed by my first 5 Masai, 3 painted a few years back plus the two I have manged since December,

Belgian explorer and some African slaves.

I have been busy mainly basing up figures rather than painting but I have finished this Belgium Officer from Wargames Foundry. The white is my usual method of minature paints pale flesh (an off white), a wash of raw umbra with two levels of pale flesh then white highlighting,

Additonally here are a few Eureka Miniatures african slaves painted some time ago, and who probably need a better mat varnish.

Painted at a whim, a Parhoom station Dr Jekyl (in a brown suit) and a foundry Victorian.

Scarlet Sash - Audio Book Review.

I listen to a lot of audio books rented from the Essex library (at £2 for 3 weeks) when I am travelling (being in the car at least 7.5hr/week just to get into and out of work). The latest, Scarlet Sash by Gary Douglas Kilworth is set against the backdrop of the early stages of the 1879 Anglo Zulu war including narrative of Isanlwana, and Rorkes drift. The plot revolves around a military policeman investigating two separate incidence, a theft of a watch and a locked room suicide/murder. As this is an audio book it is important to point out that the narrative is well read with various voices used to differentiate the characters, such as Boers, native Africans and of course the main characters an English Ensign and a Welsh Corporal.

However the story is a little more disjointed with a lot of what feels like off topic filler happening, additionally the main character is rather uninspiring which in some respects helps emphasise the backdrop but he is certainly no Richard Sharpe.

Overall I have enjoyed this and would not hesitate to get further audio books from the same author (he has written a series of books set in the backdrop of the Crimean war) although I am not certain that this is the type of book that I would like to read rather than listen to.