Orange River and Waterkloof Ranges.

28mm figures for the 1840's & 1850's

Basotho Shields

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The Basotho had acquired great quantities of firearms by 1852. These were usually either Brown Bess trade muskets or, more typically, the heavier calibre 'roer', (as the boere called them), a more antiquated Dutch made flintlock typically dating from the mid-to late 1700s. These they used as a primary weapon, whilst continuing to carry their traditional weapons, namely throwing assegais, winged shields and clubs or battle axes. Everything but the shield comes as part of the casting. All of the figures that have a quiver of assegais come supplied with a loose shield. Not all warriors carried a shield, so it's up to you who gets one and who doesn't. They will superglue into place neatly, as illustrated below, if you position them in the recess hard against the quiver, to one side or the other as makes best sense to you. The shields were made of stiffened cowhide, so that there was nothing much to prevent the wings warping. Thus the extremities can legitimately be bent around round a bit, where that helps to get a firmer grip in the superglue. But take it easy: when you set about bending little metal castings there is always a limit beyond which it is not safe to go! Unlike the Zulu, the Basotho did not use shield colours in a regimented fashion, so you would want a random mixture of colours in your wargames units. For inspiration as to colours and patterns of cowhide try googling 'Nguni cows'.