The African Lakes Company – Arrive

This project has been going a while and I now have a decent amount of scenery and one army painted so it’s time to get another army started. The next army I wanted to do was the ad-hoc forces of The African Lakes Company specifically those that fought in the Karonga War  againt the Arab slavers under Mlozi.

The “Army” of this trading company seems to have been made up of a number of white men of different backgrounds company employees, South African mercenaries and local settlers and hunters who acted as officers. The most Famous of these was Captain Lugard who went on to have a career carving up bits of Africa for the British Empire. The bulk of the army where native soldiers mostly local Lake Tonga who where formed into five companies apparently armed with one third Snider breech loading rifles, one third muzzle loaded rifles and one third unarmed (which Chris Peers reckons meant they where armed with traditional weapons like spears). A company of Yao tribesmen with muskets from the shire river area. A company of Mambwe warriors from the Lake Tanganyika region who fought in their native style. Large numbers of Nkonde tribal allies fighting with spears where also a present at times.

For the bulk of the native Tonga soldiers and white men I’ve used Foundry Darkest Africa range.  Some of the other native units I’m needing to be a little more creative on. For now though I’ve painted up some of the command elements for the army.

This miniature represents Captain Lugard on sick leave from the Indian army

Next up my take on Frederick Moir African lakes company general manager

A selection of Tonga auxillaries

A scout for use in the Heart of Africa rules. I like to think of him as Djenzi a leader among the Tonga that Lugard describes as a “gigantic savage” and “among the bravest natives I ever met”