The wonderful thing about our North Star 1672 range is that the figures will do for many different nations armies in the period 1665-1680. This is  because it is a time just before uniforms, and the figures are all dressed in the fashions common amongst soldiers throughout Western Europe.  
This of course includes Britain.  The years covered by our range is called the Restoration Period in  Britain as it was the time the monarchy, represented by Charles II,   was restored after the English Civil War.   It was also the genesis of the British Army. Britain, tired of soldiers  and war, had disbanded much of it’s forces after the Civil War and  Oliver Cromwell’s reign. With the return of Charles II to England in  1660, the units still under arms swore allegiance to the King and  became the senior units of the British Army. Some of the infantry regiments:  Coldstream Guards Grenadier Guards Scots Guards 1st Regiment (Royal Scots) 2nd Regiment (The Queen’s) 3rd Regiment (The Buffs) st
Colour.
As for other painting details, the “Congo nappy”  loincloths were normally reddish brown or salmon pink,  but some richer men could wear red, white and black  striped versions. The long Bushongo style kilts worn by  some of the chief figures could be checked in the same  colours, red with a yellow border, or even bright pink  overall. Other kilts would be made of grass, either in its  natural straw colour or, more likely, dyed red or black.  Chiefs could also wear leopard skin aprons as insignia  of rank. Feathers came in a variety of colours, with red,  reddish brown, black, and barred brown and white  especially popular. The Cannibal Chief’s splendid drum  might have been left in its natural reddish brown wood  colour, but would probably have been painted in the  usual palette of red, white and black. These are just a  few ideas for inspiration, and I have to admit that so  little is known of some of the tribes of the region that  there is plenty of room for imagination and creativity.  For more information on the subject see my Foundry  book, “Armies of Central Africa”. 
It also contains a list covering the peoples of the Central African rainforest who were popularly credited with a reputation for cannibalism. In some cases this was certainly justified, though in others rumours of man-eating  were probably exaggerated in A Jungle regal set, featuring the huge King, his fearsome witch and his trusted drum beater. We have also included a pile of skulls, probably the Kings last meal... A Jungle regal set, featuring the huge King, his fearsome witch and his trusted drum beater. We have also included a pile of skulls, probably the Kings last meal... A Jungle regal set, featuring the huge King, his fearsome witch and his trusted drum beater. We have also included a pile of skulls, probably the Kings last meal... A Jungle regal set, featuring the huge King, his fearsome witch and his trusted drum beater. We have also included a pile of skulls, probably the Kings last meal... © North Star Military Figures North Star Magazine home page Previous Page Next Page more Africa articles Click here to order
Bangala: red and white striped warpaint; large oval shields. Soko, Kusu and other north-eastern Congo tribes: rose pink warpaint (yes, honestly!); rectangular or oval shields, painted black or striped black and white. Tetela: tattooed rather than painted; smallish rectangular shields. Ngombe: warpaint lines, scrolls and concentric rings in red, white, yellow and bluish-grey; long oval shields. Mongo: warpaint grey or white, sometimes with stripes of red or black; shields large oval or smaller V- shape. Topoke: warpaint probably rust red; large V-shaped shields, often painted in red, or black and white stripes. Basongo: warpaint yellow, shields probably oval. Basongo: warpaint yellow, and shields probably oval. Lele: red or maroon warpaint. The Lele were archers and did not usually carry shields. If they did, they may have been similar to those of their Bushongo neighbours. Bushongo: red or maroon warpaint. Large oval wicker shields, probably left in their natural pale straw colour.
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