Some Work in Progress.

Just a few pics of some current bits on the workbench...

The Hon. John Hector Neville Winstanley, with loyal guide Kitengi and party. (bases need work)

A unit of Askari under Sergeant Olembe.

Various natives, explorers, Askari and Zanzibar slavers.

Another shot (with more Askari) with new bases awaiting painting.

Finally, some more undercoated Askari.

Rorke Drift Drawing

An article from the Mail Online showing some simply stunning pictures from the Anglo Zulu war, would love to own some but doubt my budget would strech. Hopefully someone will have them all published on line or in book form after they are purchased.

Rorkes Drift 1879

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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,