Tuesday 3 May 2016

"Usuthu! Usuthu!"


Regular readers of this most humble weblogs may recall that as part of the ‘VI Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge’, I foolishly threw down a gauntlet to Martin Cooke, of ‘28mm Heroes’ fame to paint as many Zulus as possible over the winter months.  I detailed the preparation in an earlier post, 'Cetshwayo Challenge’, along with the first of my brave warriors, but sadly I just couldn’t catch Martin.  
Thanks to the very charitable handicap system we had employed I managed to make it interesting, but ultimately I fell short by five miniatures.  Martin has now received his painted Induna and I have gone away and licked my virtual wounds, but the project didn’t end there.  
Having based the miniatures individually* I needed to paint up some movement trays for ease in getting them around the battlefield.  With another quality product from ‘Warbases’ in hand, I set to work with my trusty Dremel and just smoothed the leading edge of each tray to make it appear less like a step.  The application of some Vallejo Red Oxide texture paste and a couple of stone and the effect was complete.
*Mostly due to not having a clue as to what rules I am going to use with them.
 Having painted the movement trays to match the miniatures, I am now in a position to show off the fruits of my labours.  I had hoped to add some battlefield clutter to the bases and had identified all manner of extras including shields, assegai even a discarded British infantryman’s helmet, but when it came to applying them, there just wasn’t as much space as I had thought so I will need to rethink that idea for another time.
 So although a runner up on this occasion just being part of the 'Cetshwayo Challenge’ gave me the much needed impetus to complete the original box of thirty two miniatures painted to represent the Indluyengwe (Leopard’s Den) Regiment that fought at Rorke’s Drift.**  So once again, thank you to Martin for being such a good sport throughout the challenge and hearty congratulations on being such a well deserved winner.
** Black shields and a white spot in the lower half.

77 comments:

  1. Very nice painting, the detailing is brilliant, & those bases are great too.

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    1. Thank you very much, the sculpts are really good and give plenty of options for variation too.

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  2. Terrific stuff Michael. Both the minis and trays are bsolutely outstanding - as one would expect from the Artizan Admiral Sir Awdry :-)

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    1. Artizan Admiral Sir Awdry, steady on there Simon, but when you say it out loud it does have a certain ring to it. :D

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  3. Glad to help. Those look really great. Love the bases, the dremel is a touch. Must do more of those little touches. I appear to be amassing quite a lot of cavalry at the moment, if that's any help for next winter

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    1. I was thinking of adding some of your tall grass to the bases, but maybe next time. As for cavalry, my least favourite thing to paint, but always enjoy seeing them when finished - now I did have a box of ECW cuirassiers somewhere, but I don't think I could cope with more than a dozen.

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    2. To be honest I'll paint pretty much anything. Plenty of time for inspiration. Off to plan a viking hall now

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  4. Lovely painting! Its all the little touches that make them shine!

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    1. Thank you Monty, I was certainly glad to get them done.

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  5. They look fantastic together on their bases!

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    1. Thank you Brian, it was certainly a relief to get them finished.

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  6. Cracking stuff - ready for kukuanaland.

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    1. Absolutely, now where is Allan when you need him?

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  7. They are beautiful! Great work!

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  8. "Zulus, sir. Fahsands of 'em!" Enough to spoil one's tiffin, anyway, eh what?

    Lovely work, sir!

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    1. Thank you kind Sir and now to find a suitable tiffin recipe!

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  9. They all look great on the new bases.

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    1. Thank you Rod, I am still undecided if they would have looked better mounted together, say four to a base.

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  10. Spending looking chaps; makes me want to break into a chorus of Men of Haarlech. I do like the movement trays as well.

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    1. Thank you my good man, certainly wanted to place those gleaming spear points to the fore.

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  11. Bless you and the figures are cracking Michael!

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  12. Very nice looking models!

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  13. I admire anyone who can paint Zulus and make them look interesting. Top work mate top work.

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    1. Thank you Clint, I think all the wonderful ornaments made that a little easier, I might struggle with the Married Zulu pack.

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  14. Wonderfull painted zulu's! And the chief looks impressive!
    I also like how you did the skintone. Not to dark! Love it!

    Greetings
    Peter

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    1. Thank you Peter, I used a Reaper MSP triad, Dark Skin, which seemed to work well with a couple of little touches to add to the variation.

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  15. Very impressive end result - magnificent miniatures! Greetings!

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    1. Thank you so much, that is very kind of you.

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  16. Excellent group!
    Always liked your color choices for painting Africans.

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    1. Thank you Nimrod, the colours this time were a Reaper MSP triad, which certainly made life easier.

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  17. Hola Amigo
    Buena esas minis,y esa pintura
    Bien echo esas peanas
    un saludo

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    1. Thank you J.D. I was pleased how the bases tied the unit together.

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    1. Thank you Rodger, that is very kind of you to say so.

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  19. Marvelous, just marvelous!!

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  20. The figures and bases are totally top notch. You have no reason to feel bad, though as for these sorts of contests, sometimes you win, sometimes Zulus.

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    1. Thank you Michael and superb punning Sir!

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  21. Beautiful work as always, Micheal.

    Cheers Roger.

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  22. Excellent work as always Michael...which reminds me, I have a Rorke's drift set that needs painting... seeing as your well on your way & all 8D

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    1. Thank you Terry, one day I'll have a Rorke's Drift set - just need somewhere to put it.

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  23. Always good to see thousands more Zulus. I based mine the same way using sabot bases. Crazy but it works. I have gone to using a tiny blob of blu-tac to keep the minis in their places though.

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    1. Great tip about the blu-tac, I was thinking about magnets at some point, but not sure I'll ever get around to it. Love your site too, just spent a good while have a nose round.

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  24. Excellent figures, Michael!
    I'm looking forward to seeing them attacking Rorke's Drift then.

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  25. Great stuff - they look terrific!

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  26. Great work Michael! Your way of painting dark skintones really looks very nice. It's something I've been finding extremely tricky to get right.

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  27. Fabulous work Michael. It was wonderful seeing both you and Martin clash spears this past Challenge.

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  28. Fabulous work Michael. It was wonderful seeing both you and Martin clash spears this past Challenge.

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  29. His skirt has the colour scheme of certain maize/corn varieties. Excellent choice!

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