Saka Light Cavalry

Saka Light Cavalry

Wednesday 21 January 2015

Zulu Storm

You know how some projects end up being a stone round your neck? well regular readers will know this is how the 6mm Baccus Zulu's have been my bogeyman. Recently I painted up three Regiments of them and found them far less of a chore than I had convinced myself they were, indeed they could be counted as a fair bit of fun.

I resolved that I would get all the outstanding Zulu's before the end of February and thus I decided to do them all in one big bunch (except the rifle armed figures). In the end it turned out to be the best decision I could come up with as they painted up fairly quickly and were not the chore I expected them to become.

The laces on the shields gave me the usual fits and I really wish I had the control to get them to be two nice neat columns of four but even by the end I was not managing to get this down. I painted up the following regiments, Frost, Mongrels, Starters From The Umgoni River, The Howling, Forceful, Black Mamba and Savage. Though not in the order that they are presented here. 

The names are on the bottoms of the lolly sticks ready for Matt to take them off and base up. I am hoping to get a photo of the finished army at some point as the mass effect must be rather nice. I will not be looking to paint up any more any time soon, the figures paint up rather easily but those laces, help!

Matt I believe will start badgering his opponent to get on with his figures so they can get a game, after all he has had plenty of time to get them painted. I really did take far too long to get them finished and at all times Matt was a true Gent and very patient, hopefully he won't have to wait too long before he gets them on the table.

Colonial just does not interest me so I won't be drawn into getting my own figures for any of the related armies or scales. I can see the attraction for others but I just can't get myself worked up over it.

Since finishing these I have also painted up the rifle armed Zulu's so I can call this project finished and with it I feel quite free and able to do whatever I like. I still have some ECW in 15mm to do for Matt but these will wait till after March and then will be quick to appear on the table and that will leave me with no figures to do for anyone though I will have to look at doing some 15mm for Steve another mate, I think they will be Thracian's if he is still up for them. Kind of interesting as that is what I have on my desk at the moment for my own army, over sixty of them! But already I have lots of other figures sitting in the wings waiting for their turn at bat. This will include plenty of 6mm Napoleonic's but plenty of other subjects and scales to, happy days.

20 comments:

  1. Looking at all those I suspect I feel a bit like the English soldiers must have at Isandlwana, that's a bloody lot of Zulus.

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    1. LOL, well if you can't get mass effect with 6mm you can't get it anywhere

      Ian

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  2. They look spendid - what a gigantic task...!

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    1. Cheers, the size of the task sometimes made it harder than it was

      Ian

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  3. Zulus Bloody thousands of them, sorry I could not resist. They looks very nice Ian and I cant believe that they are only 6mil

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    1. You should see Clint's 10mm Zulu's they are divine

      Ian

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  4. Replies
    1. I really want to see them all based up :-)

      Ian

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  5. That's an impressive tide of warriors!

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    Replies
    1. Would look even better if Matt paints up the same amount again LOL

      Ian

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  6. I like this project and your brushwork on these 6s is excellent! Interesting that Baccus mounts Zulus in ranks vs files.

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    1. I think the idea is that you cut them off and rather than rank them you scatter effect them.

      The Macedonian poke come in a mix of rank and file if you go for the angled pike like the ones I did.

      Ian

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  7. Wow that is impressive, especially in 6mm.

    I'll be interested to see your naps as I fancy doing a couple of 6mm nap armies myself at some point.

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    1. You don't have to go back far on my blog to find the French and Prussian's. I will be doing twenty two battalions of British and Portuguese in the near future as well as yet more French so you won't have to wait to long

      Ian

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  8. They look great sir! I reeeeally want 6mm Zulus now haha!

    Funny, my ACW 6mm armies have been my stone here for the last year. Put a regiment of confederates on paint sticks the other day and started em, and they're a lot easier than I expected.

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    1. I have painted up a load of 6mm Union and find them really quick to paint. I did one army of Confederates and they were a bit harder and more time consuming but still fun. Enjoy them

      Ian

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  9. A very, very impressive storm!

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    1. When it's raining Zulu's your in trouble

      Ian

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  10. Replies
    1. Thanks Roger.

      Now back to the Thracian's.

      Ian

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