Kikuyu Revolt, 1902

My collection is complete!

From a previous post you may recall that I’d taken inspiration from Duncan Macfarlane to put together enough minis for a Sharp Practice game based on a punitive action against the Kikuyu tribe in East Africa. 

The figure painting is finished. This is always a large milestone in any wargames project. 

The Imperial forces ready to protect the Pax Britannica in the Protectorate of East Africa.

The Kikuyu warriors ready to protect their homeland around Mount Kenya. 

The last figures I needed to paint were the Masai auxiliaries accompanying the Imperial forces and more Kikuyu warriors using Foundry Miniatures. 

One of the new groups of Kikuyu warriors. The Kikuyu anake have a very strong resemblance to the Masai moran as the Kikuyu were influenced by their warlike neighbours. So the spearmen are Foundry Masai without headdresses. I’ve painted their hair natural to contrast with the figures I’m using for actual Masai. The Masai covered their hair with a mix of fat and red ochre. And I have painted the hair on the Masai to represent this. The shields are based on actual Kikuyu designs. The archers are from Foundry. Same ones I’d already used with hairstyles resembling the Kikuyu. However strongly the Kikuyu resemble the Masai, only the Kikuyu have bows. 

The second new group of all Foundry Kikuyu warriors. In the background are the groups formed from the vintage Stratagem Miniatures Kikuyu spearmen and Foundry archers. 

Brings me to 5 groups of warriors for the Kikuyu. Even with such a small force, Sharp Practice can be exciting and fun. I have high expectations for the game!

Officers and leaders in Sharp Practice are called Big Men. The Kikuyu have 3 Big Men and a medicine man (or village elder) who can be a 4th Big Man or an objective for the British. Capture the laibon troublemaker!

Returning to the Imperial forces, first we have some figures I’ve had for many years. 

King’s African Rifles. These are Battle Honors Miniatures. They’re part of my WW1 in East Africa collection. The KAR may have worn the blue jersey into WW1. They definitely wore it in 1902. 2 groups of 8. They are regulars under the rules. They have one Big Man officer. 

Police. These were apparently less than useless. So the police are a single group of 10 militia with an officer. I have no idea how the police were dressed (uniformed? Presumably). So I’ve taken some suitable Foundry askari figures from my Darkest Africa collection. These and the KAR painted by good friend and brushmeister Roj Castle. 

The Masai warriors! These are just great minis from Wargames Foundry. I’ve gone for the full war regalia look. Most wear ostrich feather headdresses. There are a smattering of lion mane headdresses… and one bareheaded as I ran out of figures with headdresses!

The majority of each figure was simple to paint. The shields were a true joy to paint. Again the shields are based on actual Masai designs. There are 2 groups of 12 figures with 3 Big Men to lead them. A captain of Masai levies was called a Leguinan.

The 3rd Masai Big Man is accompanied by a musician. It will be easy to make him a better quality than the other two. Visually it’s clear that he’s the different one. 

The booty! The main thing that any punitive raid achieved was to capture large quantities of livestock. 

Ok. Definitely NOT booty. The women of either tribe were NEVER harmed by warriors and would move around freely during times of conflict. Not sure of their game use yet. 

Cattle and (newly painted) goats will definitely be booty that the Imperial forces’ players will want to capture. I’ve painted several boys and even a couple of Masai warriors to herd the livestock. 

It only remains to play the game (in a while as I’ve commissioned Jerry Miller to make me some bamboo forest for the Kikuyu to hide behind). 

All the best

Chris