The Shongodtha Patrol

At the base of the Skeevooza Massif live the Shongodtha Shongod tribe. In the past these poor souls have been traditional prey for the Othari slaving expeditions that come south from the deserts or west from the coast of Afri.

All of that is about to change.

No one knows where he came from or even his real name. Those who have heard him speak and lived to tell of it say his words hint at a Guinalean origin. The most prevalent rumour is that he was the soul survivor of a shipwreck on the treacherous Carrot Coast. One day he simply marched into the Shongodtha Shongod village, with his batman, Sergeant Friday and just...took charge.

Bwana Lucky, as he styles himself, reorganized the tribal levy along Uropean Lines  

 and named his small army The Shongodtha Patrol.

The patrol consists of two battalions of infantry and one regiment of cavalry. 

It is often the case that the light companies are detached and sent out as scouts under the command of Sergeant Friday.

The grenadier companies are kept with their parent battalion unless some particularly important  task calls for their combination into a small battalion of their own.

Bwana Lucky can be found leading any part of the patrol, as often as not in the thick of battle. It is said that he carries powerful talismans that prevent his suffering any wound by enemy hands.

In the time since Bwana Lucky has come on the scene, many tales of desperate jungle ambuscades and daring savannah raids tell of the doom of many an Othari slaver.

There are even tales of  the growing wealth of the Shongodtha Shongod. 

Such tales may be their undoing.

 Notes: It all started with a  much appreciated offer of help. As 2012 was winding down I was casting about for mounted Halfling figures to use in Black Powder Fantasy battles and skirmishes. Elton Waters find fellow and splendid sculptor that he is, offered to craft two x ten figure units based on the Alternative Armies mounted halfling codes.

The result of his labors may be seen by right clicking here.

To my delight Elton had included a 21st figure; a halfling in ragged trousers wearing an African mask, holding aloft a bone fetish. I was informed that this unfortunate had been inducted into the Royal Navy and shipwrecked in Afri.

On first sight I knew just which figures to us as his tribe. Kallistra make a series of pygmies similar to those offered by Games Workshop as opponents for their  Snotlings back in the day.

With my glacial painting speed it only took until now to get the tribe table ready. It's not so much my speed, this lot only took about a week to paint with extra time before for priming and after for basing, rather its the large time lapses between my summoning of the energy and will to actually paint that slows things down considerably.

In any event, I do hope you enjoy the figures and look forward to seeing them in action in the future.

As always, thanks for stopping by!