King’s African Rifles, 1914–1918

A Lieutenant of the King’s African Rifles (KAR) leads the 1st section of his infantry platoon in a TSATF colonial wargame. The men in the first two ranks are Matchbox Japanese Infantry with havelock cap covers, painted straight from the box, the others have had the Japanese steel helmet carved into a fez. The Lieutenant commanding this section is a Matchbox Japanese officer with a new head taken from an American Civil War infantryman wearing a slouch hat. All of the figures have been speed painted by dipping the khaki-coloured plastic miniatures in polyurethane varnish tinted with ivory black artist oil colours. The pigmented varnish naturally accumulates in the folds of the miniature’s clothes, shading these areas. Only the boots, ammunition pouches, weapons, hands and faces were painted prior to dipping.

The 2nd section of the King’s African Rifles (KAR) infantry platoon pictured above. Three of the kneeling riflemen are Matchbox Japanese infantry with havelock cap covers, the others have had the steel helmet converted into a fez. This section is commanded by the platoon sergeant, a 1:72 scale ESCI British Colonial Infantryman.

A machine gun section of the King’s African Rifles (KAR). The three machine gunners have had the Japanese steel helmet carved into a fez. The Corporal commanding the section is an ESCI 1:72 scale British colonial infantryman. The conversion would be more convincing, if the Japanese Nambu machine gun had been replaced with a Vickers machine gun taken from EMHAR’s British WW1 Artillery.

World War One Miniatures