Cannon Fodder Miniatures

28mm Mahdists

reviewed by Brad Smith

PO BOX 36604 Winnellie, 0821 N.T. Australia
Ph.: (08) 8916283 Email : gregoryblake@bigpond.com

I have recently enjoyed a lively correspondence via e-mail with the chief cook, bottle-washer and self-confessed psychotic genius behind Cannon Fodder Miniatures, Greg Blake. The soul of generosity, Greg has sent down a comprehensive selection of his figures from the Top End for me to drool over and review.

After reviewing Townsville's Castaway Arts figures in the previous issue, I am pleased to report yet another 'home-grown' figure manufacturer of the highest standard.

RANGE : Based on CFM's latest catalogue (dated March '99) their current 28mm figure range includes: MAHDISTS consisting of Hadendowah fanatics (8 variants) and Arabs (9 variants). The latter include an 'enslaved' Egyptian gun crew with Mahdist overseer.

The figures are armed with a variety of weapons including swords, throwing sticks and rifles.

EGYPTIAN ARMY (1877-85) of which there are 8 different infantry figures of both Arab and African types including officers and a standard bearer/bugler. Also available is a 4 man gun crew, each figure in a different pose.

To complete the set is the mounted personality figure of the one-armed Maj Gen. Loring (ex-CSA).

CAPE WARS there is a range of six different native figures described as Xhosa (but could equally be Hottentot or Khoi - I've painted up two as Hottentots (see detail on back page of this issue). Most are naked or nearly so save a blanket over the shoulder etc, and are particularly well sculpted.

JUNGLE DRUMS are a range of tribal Africans with a variety of headdress that your average Stanley or Livingston would be likely to encounter. Two have severed heads in hand to give that authentic air of ferocity!

WEAPONS PACKS are produced to provide a wide variety of weapons to fit the empty hands of a number of the figures. They are well caste and come in packs of six including Remington rifles, flintlock muskets, swords, primitive spears and knoberries. Future additions will include a variety of shields, Assegais and even a Kentucky 'Long Rifle'!

In addition to these ranges Greg has just started a Vietnam War series in 20mm with the first figure hot off the production line being a Main Force VC with AK47 and bush hat. CFM have plans to produce further diverse ranges such as the greatly neglected Australian Colonial era (Aboriginal warriors, police etc,), more from the Cape Wars era, ACW infantry, Garabaldini, Neopolitans, Papal troops (Italian Wars of Unification) as well as more 20mm Vietnam War figures.

QUALITY : The quality of the figures is universally good with some, the Cape Wars and Arab Mahdists in particular being very good indeed. The casting is clean with very little flash if any and a minimum of preparation required to paint and base.

DESIGN: With the Mahdist figures there is a nice range of poses - the Hadendowah in particular being well animated action poses just right for that head-long charge at the guns! The anatomy is well proportioned and very realistic for the 28mm scale - the figures are generally neither too thin (AKA Revell) or too chunky (as in the 'Foundry' style). The faces have a nice degree of detail and each is quite individual - again the Arab Mahdists and Cape Wars Xhosa stand out as particularly fine figures and boy are those Xhosa well equipped! (If you find this intimidating a little quick work with the file will fix it!) The open hands of the figures make it possible to arm them with a variety of weapons - bending the fingers over slightly will securely seat them.

If I have any criticism it is a minor one in that I think some of the ranges, particularly the Cape Wars for instance, should be greatly expanded to include all the main protagonists. I have it on good authority from Greg himself that this will happen as soon as he works out a way to clone himself and thus spread the workload! See photos of CW 1 & 4, A1, 4 & 5 on the back cover this issue) Two more of CFM's great figures: Arab Mahdist with rifle & Cape Wars Hottentot warrior - see the back of the cover for these and more in glorious colour!

COST/AVAILABILITY: CFM state that one their aims is to enable gamers to be able "to amass large armies without breaking the bank when doing so..." and with their figure pricing of $1.50 each for all 28mm figures and $1.00 each for the 20mm they are certainly competitively priced. The real advantage with ordering from CFM is that this pricing includes all surface postage anywhere in Australia. Given the frequently exorbitent cost of postage nowadays this is a real benefit to wargamers - particularly with bulk orders.

Overall this is another excellent little range of figures and well worth the money - Kriegspieler looks forward to showing its readers more of the same as more of the planned additions to the CFM range are released.

Additional figures from this range are pictured on the back cover of this issue.

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