(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These chaps are actually plastic figures from Wargames Factory. I did their foreign service pattern helmets in a couple different shades. I was reading that at the time they were still issued white but in South Africa, during the Zulu war, troops would often dye them with tea or mud or whatever to make them slightly less bright.
Now, those that know me well are likely wondering; “why on Earth are you painting these, tim, I thought you HATED plastics…?” I do. I picked these up when they first came out as they were the first of the multipart plastic historical miniatures that were from a period/army I was actually interested in.
I was… underwhelmed by them. Even as plastics go, they’re not so hot. Pain in the butt to put together, oddly shaped…
Anyway, they sat in a box half assembled for a couple years until a couple weeks ago when the interest in colonial things was rekindled by the release of the Space 1889: Red Sands, which ultimately lead to a renewed interest in the Zulu war of 1879 and I started buying figures for that… I picked them out of the box, and one afternoon, when I apparently had nothing better to do, finished assembling them. The still suck… but I primed them and while I’m painting up all my other Zulus and British I’m going to knock off a few here and there and get them all done. There’s only 20…
Now if I hate them so much why would I bother painting them…!? Well… They’re easy enough to paint…. and I’m having fun with the era and the red coats and stuff… and I figure they’ll be easier to trade away if they’re all finished – rather than a half-assembled mess. That’s right in a couple weeks, or maybe months these lads (and the rest) will be available for trade… stay tuned…
I also happened to finish up this Natal native… He’s from The Foundry .
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Perhaps a game report, then... Zulus, sir, uh… at least a couple of them…?
Lovely paintwork as usual! I know they're not the best figs out there but I think you have to judge them on their merits. If nothing else they are very cheap for something that can be assembled a number of ways for variety of pose, equipment, etc. At least the helmets are correct unlike the BTD ones which have some sort of massive ribs on them. Available for trade huh? Hmmmm.....
ReplyDeleteCheers, Millsy.
Oh I know, as I said, that's why I picked them up in the first place - I thought they might be a cheap way to build up an army I'd always thought about doing. But even compared to other 28mm hard plastics that are out there... GW... Warlord.. Perry... I don't know... I'm just not as impressed with them.
ReplyDeleteCheap...? I think they cost me $20CAD for 20 guys... I can get Old Glory for about $30CAD for 30 guys - arguably Old Glory aren't always the best figures either... but at least they don't blow over if someone belches loudly!
I should mention that I'm not really going to make any deals for these until they're all done... That way I don't have to rush or feel like it's something I HAVE to get done... that just takes ALL the fun out of stuff in no time... and local folks that I don't to mail stuff to will take precedence...
cheerio!
Nice job Tim! Getting lingering stuff painted up always makes me feel better about my life!
ReplyDeleteOh, if you only knew how much stuff I have "lingering"...
ReplyDeleteI could not buy toys for five years and work on "lingering" projects and not run out of stuff to paint...
I probably SHOULD do that...
>> I could not buy toys for five years and work on "lingering" projects and not run out of stuff to paint...
ReplyDeleteJeez, where's the fun in that? I struggle to go 5 days sometimes. :-)