Lead Pile Status

I've been a tad distracted by significant life events and have not been able to paint up more of my backlog of miniatures for a month or two, but that should change soon.  I have a couple dozen Herero foot from various manufacturers (Perry, Askari, Foundry, Northstar) primed and ready to go, and I'm excited to move on to some of the German field artillery, Landungskorps and Seebataillon (and a few more scenics, including some unusual African wildlife).

On the other hand, I now have my very own copy of Dr. Roy Jones and Eric Alvarado's much anticipated Herero War Scenario and Rules Book and have been trying to restrain myself from reading it cover to cover (in case I wish to play any of these myself without knowing the other side's information).  It is a labor of love and an outstanding contribution both to this hobby and to the history of the period (some of it only available in English translation through Dr. Jones' good efforts). I am also grateful for the kind mention made of this blog more than once within their book.

The Jones/Alvarado book is based on the venerable The Sword and The Flame rules and expansions by Greenfield Hobby, also no longer in print.  Various editions pop up for sale from time to time and as I am unfamiliar with this game system I'm in the market for the 20th edition TSATF rules, or barring that the 1994 3rd edition.  I believe the Herero War rules are playable without an edition of TSATF for reference, but for someone just starting out it may prove very useful to have on hand.

I have no pressing deadline by which I need to finish painting up all the figures required for these scenarios, but I would like to start playing them this year and so I may decide to give priority to completing the orbat for some of the smaller encounters so I can take the rules out for a spin.  That could mean that some figures, like Herero mounted troops (some of which I still need to acquire in appropriate 28mm scale), will be deferred while others (Herero infiltrators and shock troops, German artillery and sailors) move ahead in the queue.

I've decided that I really like the old German colonial line of figures that sadly are no longer produced by the Honorable Lead Boiler Suit Company for my Schutztruppen, and have been adding them piecemeal to my lead pile whenever I am fortunate to find them available secondhand.  Last December I got in an international bidding war on eBay and watched three excellent sets (not especially well painted, each of 6 to 11 figures) slip through my grasp, but I did manage to get in under the wire and purchase 11 of the Schutztruppe figures (all since repainted) for a very steep price.  Yesterday I won three unopened packs with 10 of these same figures for half what they originally sold for ($10.50).  If I get enough of these, I will paint some as Hereros in captured uniforms. 

A few More 28mm Figures Ready to add to the Herero Forces

28mm Brigade Games Haitian (Carribean Empire) Perry Mafeking Firing

28mm Wargames Foundry, various Darkest Africa sets

First Batch of Painted and Based Herero Figures

Mix of figures from Perry, Black Tree, Foundry. North Star, Askari and Empress

This is my first effort at painting up the very large number of figures from numerous manufacturers that I have pulled together for this project.  I'm still getting a feel for both painting and basing, and this includes everything from how to get the eyes right to finding the right mix of colors.  I decided to start with the Hereros, and these are the result.

I decided to paint up examples of each of the figures I am using to represent the Herero during the German-Herero War of 1904.  They range from Empress and Askari, which are closer to 25mm, all the way up to Tiger which approaches 30mm. I am using Vallejo paint and have given them simple bases.  One or two of them were actually cast as boers but make excellent Hereros in European clothing.  I'll describe the process further in subsequent posts, but for now, here they are to enjoy.

Black Tree (from a boer set)

Perry Mafeking and Askari Herero

Tiger, North Star, Brigade Games, Foundry, Black Tree, Redoubt

Tiger, Redoubt, Foundry (some of the largest figures)

North Star Africa! range  Matabele rebels make great Herero!

Brigade Games, Black Tree and Foundry.  The rider and kneeling figure are boer sculpts.

Mustering the Troops: Hereros

There is a very large lead pile now at my house, and four more shipments expected soon to fill up the ranks. I discussed options for Herero figures in a previous post.  Here, then, is the current, unpainted Order of Battle for my Herero forces in either 25mm or 28mm scale:.

                                       Hereros

Askari Miniatures       – 10 Hereros skirmishing

Tiger Miniatures         – 5 Hereros skirmishing

Northstar Miniatures   – 4 Matabele warriors firing rifles
                                 - 8 Matabele Rebels firing muskets
                                 - 8 Matabele Rebels firing rifles
                                 - Native Cattle
                             
Brigade Games           – 8 Shutztruppe askaris in slouch hats

Foundry                    – 7 tribal musketmen in hats and coats
                                 - 8 African villagers

Perry (Mafeking)        - 6 Black armed civilians firing, standing and
                                     standing ready
                                 -6 Black armed civilians (mostly separate weapons)

Redoubt (in transit)      - 1 NNC Kneeling Firing Carbine In Jacket
                                  -1 Mounted Edendale Horse, NNH Contingent,
                                       Boot Holding Carbine
                                  -    Small Native Pony For NNH Figures
                                  -1 Sikali Horse Native On Foot Firing Carbine

Empress Miniatures      -2 Native Horse mounted (head variation)
(in transit)                    -2 Native Horse mounted (head variation
                                   -1 Native Horse horse holder and horses (4)
                                  - 4 Native Horse skirmishing

Total:  62 infantry, 5 mounted / 7 dismounted cavalry, 8 noncombatants, 3 cattle

Comments:  The Foundry tribal musketmen set (DA038) arrived with 7 figures instead of the listed 8.  The Empress native horse sets (ZWB 44, 45, 46 & 47) will stand in nicely either as Herero or Nama cavalry, but will need to have the spears removed from the quivers that are slung across their backs.  I gave the Foundry 3 rider Natal Native Horse set to the Germans to serve as native auxiliaries from the Witbooi Nama.  I will continue to add figures from Askari Miniatures to my Herero forces as they are produced.

I will share the German Colonial figures in my army in a subsequent post.

Options in 25mm / 28mm scale to Represent Herero Forces in 1904

The Herero forces in 1904 took the field in an assortment of European clothing and were well armed with modern weapons.  They were able to deliver a rapid rate of fire, even though at the outset about about half their fighters had rifles and the rest carried knobkerries.  Their commanders made use of mounted messengers and some of the troops were mounted, although most of the engagements were fought on foot.

Finding figures in 25mm or 28 mm scale that are appropriate to represent Herero fighters can be very challenging.  Two manufacturers offer Herero figures (Tiger and Askari), and I have ordered one set from each for my table.  Several others offer African figures in elements of European dress armed with firearms that work nicely as well, but there are very few mounted troops available and some of these will require modification to be reasonably authentic representations.

Tiger Miniatures has a Colonial German Range distributed in the United States by Richard Brooks at Recreational Conflict.  Richard is great to deal with and is aware of other manufacturers to suggest to build up both German and Herero forces for this period.  I'll discuss the German figures in a subsequent post, but as for the Hereros, there are three sets available.  I chose GC-20 Herero/Hottentot, a set of five 28mm white metal figures, because none of them would require further modification to convert those wearing an inauthentic fez to the more appropriate wide brimmed hat.  They have pangas for sidearms and their heads are a tad large, but they have character and should paint up well.

   Askari Miniatures has an expanding range of German Colonials and their Herero opponents in

Askari Hereros HE-1

Southwest Africa.  These are 28mm scale and are among the most faithfully recreated figures available for this period.  There is only one Herero set currently available and it was just released.  It consists of ten figures in five poses, all wearing wide brimmed hats and all carrying captured German weapons and accoutrements.  They are delightful figures, some of which fight barefooted, and I will eagerly acquire more of them in this range if they become available.

An intriguing option to stand in for Herero fighters is available from NorthStar Military Figures in the Africa range. Northstar has a number of four figure sets in 28mm  scale depicting Matabele warriors armed with muskets or rifles, some in European articles of dress,  representing the conflict with the British South Africa Company in the 1890s.  I chose to use both sets of Matabele Rebels (NSA 1013 and NSA1014) as well as NSA 1012 (Matebele Warriors Firing Rifles).  One of the figures wears a head ring that requires removal or modification to a brimmed hat to be accurate for the Herero, but otherwise they are well sculpted and a nice fit for Herero fighters.  The NorthStar range also offers many excellent sculpts of southern African wildlife and native cattle to dress up your table.

Even more unusual are two sets made by Perry miniatures on commission for a diorama depicting the

Perry Minatures Mafeking Range MF-5

Siege of Mafeking during the 2nd Boer War that have now been made available to the public.  These 28mm figures come in sets of six and two of them represent armed black civilians carrying or firing rifles.  Two figures in the set of walking figures are in shirtsleeves and braces and wear caps that will paint up nicely as captured Schutztruppe corduroy field caps.

Brigade Games Great War in Africa range offer 28mm figures as  BGWIAG08- Schutztruppe Askaris in Shapeless Slouch Hats who while not appropriate for use in the German forces in SWA make excellent Hereros in captured uniforms.  These 8 figures in four poses are wearing puttees rather than boots but are otherwise appropriate for Herero War use.

Foundry Miniatures Darkest Africa Range, sculpted by the Perry brothers, has only one set that will work for Hereros infantry with firearms and European clothing (eight 28mm figures DA038 - Tribal

Foundry Darkest Africa DA038

Musketmen in Hats and Coats), but I also picked up DA027 - Women and Children to represent noncombatants and a set of 3 mounted Native Horsemen in European clothing from the Foundry Zulu Wars range (DA 15/6).  These latter figures will require conversion to remove the throwing spears from the quivers they carry over their shoulders, but are among the very few options available for African horsemen in the late 19th or early 20th century who can stand in for mounted Hereros or Namas. 

Another source that I am considering using that would require the same conversion are the Native Horse figures (mounted and dismounted) offered by Empress miniatures in their Anglo-Zulu War range. Beautifully sculpted in 28mm, they include a number of troops that would be suitable without the spears over their shoulders (ZWB42-48), including a horse holder with four mounts.  I did pick up a dismounted and mounted figure and horse from Redoubt Enterprises representing the Edendale Mission troop of Native Horse from the Zulu Wars that did not have the throwing assegais in the quiver.  If these prove to be good sculpts I may order more.

With these manufactures and figures as sources, there are sufficient miniatures available to put a credible force of Herero in the field representing these fighters largely as they appeared in 1904.  I would like to see other figures offered, perhaps from Askari, that include Hereros armed with knobkerries and Nama fighters in their white cloth covered hats, as well as a few more noncombatant Herero in traditional dress.  By and large, though, with some weakness in their mounted arm, the Hereros that await my table should make an excellent showing.



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