An Africana/Southlands Old World army

I recently saw a post here speculating on the look of an Africana/Southlands type of army in the Old World and thought I would offer up my own force created from a variety of readily available sources, some old metals but mostly 3d STLs. As there is no GW version to date there can be no copyright issues here and it might be useful for anyone thinking of building such a force'to know where to find them. I am associated in no way with any of them.

I have always been keen on an Africana/ Southlands style army and am lucky enough to have worked and visited Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt when I was younger. When Wargames Foundry released their 'Darkest Africa' range sculpted by Mark Copplestone I bought literally everything even though I had no good rules to use the minis with! Thus they lay in boxes for years until I developed my own set of Historical Fantasy rules. However on there own the Darkest Africa minis lacked the fantastical elements and this is where 3d printing has stepped in to fill the gap. As a result much of the rank and file are metals and the mythical resin prints of STLs. As an aside I also use a number of these minis as a Southlands Frostgrave crew in the Batreps elsewhere on this blog.

Warchiefs

This Wargames Foundry chap represents the 'Command and Control' Warchief sat on his stool much like a Samurai general. He comes with hangers on if you wanted a more dioramic base. On the other hand you could go with a more Dynamic commander such as this The printing goes ever on (TPGEO) STL.

Wizards & Shamans

These are classic Wargames foundry, although I think the guy on the left might be a conversion as it definitely looks like his hand has been drilled but its so long ago I genuinely cant remember. Consulting the website now I see there is an actual packet of Witch Doctors https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/darkest-africa-african-tribal-warriors/products/da062-witchdoctors I use the one on the right as a main Wizard and the left hand guy as a lesser Shaman.

Wargames Foundry have a wide range of troop Types of different qualities and from different regions. Obviously Zulu types will spring to most peoples minds and I use these guys as proxy Zulu types but in all honesty there are loads of standard wargames companies who make Zulus in plastic if you really want Zulus including Perry miniatures and Warlord games. Clearly my proxies are not Zulus but at a distance the shields will pass muster!

'Zulus'

More to my taste are the Masai and the Darkest africa Masai are some of the best metal figures ever made. They come as young or veterans with both sets excellent. These are the veterans with lots of Ostrich feathers. Given that Masai man armed with a spear had to kill a lion singlehanded to be accepted as a man I imagine the Old World has few terrors for them.

Masai

Pygmies are another of my favourites from Wargames Foundry with sneakiness and poison arrows built in they translate well to the Old World as sort of Human Skinks. Many people do not realise Pygmies are a real population in central Africa but are under terrible stress from War and other 21st century depravations. Here is a Pygmy hunter.

Pygmy Infantry

If you are looking for Heavy Infantry then the West African Benin miniatures by Wargames Atlantic are great STLs though I wish Wargames Atlantic did the Stls as combined miniatures rather than as multipart. Benin and much of West Africa have long histories largely unknown to Europeans who only came to the area for Slaves and stayed to steal the gold.

West African Heavy Infantry

'Tribal' Infantry come in all sorts of designs, mine are essentially central Africal with wicker shields and some body painting. They are generic in every way and could represent the skirmish style warriors or the more discplined groups keen to close for hand to hand.

'Tribal' warriors

Similary the 'Tribal' archers are completely nondescript and while not fighting en masse like Elven archers or English Longbowmen can move through terrain unhindered.

I have a leader for these guys who is exactly the same Wargames Foundry type figure but has a big dog attached to the base!

For a more organised missile force you can easily include Arab type crossbowmen from the North of Africa or the East Coast and I have these by Reconquer miniatures. These Stls are intended for the Reconquista in Spain but easily sub in to an Africana/Southlands army.

Arab Crossbowmen

East African mercenaries called Baluchis were also often used and I have a number of the Sword and Shield types rather than the musket ones by Wargames Foundry such as this fine looking chap. originally from India apparently but becoming generational mercenaries along the Swahili coast they make high quality Sword and Buckler men.

Baluchi Mercenaries

Moving to the more esoteric the Warrior Women of Dahomey (Agojie) are too good to be left out and Wargames Atlantic have the STLs you need to make a unit of fanatic light infantry sort of like Dark Elf witches in my world.

Warrior Women

Agojie

Even more esoteric are these West African Goblins which I use as Tikloshe Goblins. These are by Erramir Orlans and available off MyMiniFactory. In my game they can be an easy summons by a mage but could easily be used as a Pygmy proxy.

Erramir Orlans also does an Orc West African Infantry version which are also cool but I do not own any unfortunately. I do however have his West African Orcs on Buffalo Heavy Cavalry which will be a heavy Knight equivalent in any army.

West African Orc Cavalry

When the original Darkest Africa range came out I contacted Mark Copplestone to ask if he was ever going to make any of the Quilted African Cavalry and he said he was - but that never happened as I suspect I was probably the only market! However I do now own such quilted Mali cavalry thanks to Wargames Atlantic but unfortunately none yet printed.

Mali Quilted Cavalry

If you want heavier then there is only one place to go and that is to Titan forge who have created some brilliant Wakaturu range. I only have the Rhino rider stl pictured here but the warriors and multitusked Elephant are a must in ant Southlands/African army. Two of these guys thundering in on a flank are going to be fun!

Rhino Riders

Half Trolls from far Hadar are also available as an Stl by TPGEO who have three versions in their small African range. They also do some camel riders and guys with blowpipes but I have printed neither yet. I have added a picture from their website below the Half Trolls.

Half Trolls

I do have some camelry which can be used which is why I have not printed these. They are again from the Reconquer range and are very North African looking. Obviously they would be played to scare opposition horses who do not like them I believe.

Camelry

I do have an Elephant which I use but I could not show it here as it is actually a children's toy! However any of the many wargames ranges with punic elephants or Indian elephants could be used. The Titan forge mammoth is also cool but not an elephant as such.

Gorillas are an obvious inclusion in a Southlands army and mine is by Miguel Zavala and is a free stl from his enormous range. I also have a Kongomata which is a sort of Mythical African Pteranadon and used for objective grabbing or crashing into enemy artillery to stop them from firing. It can also pick up a small figure and drop it so moving it involuntarily elsewhere.

Gorilla

Kongomato (Human for Scale}

Other Africana animals in my army are Lions who are effective skirmish ambushers and Hyenas who get a bonus when they attack wounded enemy. Vultures also get this scavenger rule but are more effective just as objective grabbers The Lions are by Duncan Shadow on MyMiniFactory, The Hyena by Blue Giant studios also on MMF and the vulture I think may again be Zavala

Lions

Hyena pack

Vulture

In some parts of Africa there are stories of Vampiric creatures called Adze. I have no specific Adze stl but had this one which is good enough by...genuinely cant remeber but tbh any winged ghoul type would do the job!

African Vampire Adze

Obviously an African / Southlands army has to have giant snakes, as well as normal snake swarms, and there are no shortage of Stls for this. Mine is not an stl though. Instead it is from the Mythic Battles Pantheon game which has many fantastic multi use minis from Greek mythology. The Snake swarm is by Raven twim miniatures.

Giant Snake

That concludes my collection of Africana / Southlands minis that are available and I attach here a list of manufacturers. There are obviously opportunities to include more Araby type units and even some Portueguese allies with the odd cannon should you wish.

Wargames Foundry Darkest Africa

Copplestone castings - additional metal ngoni, Azande Shilluk and Somalis

Wargames Atlantic digital stls

Duncan Shadow stls MMf

Erramir Orlans on MMf- cracking West African Orcs and Goblins

Miguel Zavala on MMF - think of an animal - its there and free

The printing goes ever on stls - small release but cool with huts

Titan forge stls - pity there wasnt more!

Blue Giant Studios - collection of animals

Perry miniatures & Warlord games - Zulus in plastic

https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/pages/darkest-africa