Wrapping up the Zulus and starting on the British infantry

For the moment, I have wrapped up painting my plastic HaT 20mm Zulu army with the completion of four command bases last week. They are based on 2 x 2-inch squares I cut out from a large sheet of 3mm MDF purchased from the hardware store. For one of these commanders, I converted a figure and used a spare horse so the commander could be mounted. This base will be used as the overall commander.

Zulu command bases

With the Zulu army complete (at least for now) I started painting some of the British infantry this past weekend (it was wet so no gardening). The first decision was what size of the base and number of figures per base?

Testing out base sizes and number of 20mm figures per base.

The Zulu army is based on 4 × 3-inch bases, which is the size I use for most of my armies. Each base has 12 figures, and a unit consists of two bases, giving a total of 24 figures. In the Black Powder rules and its Zulu supplement, which I plan to use for my games, units are classed as either Small or Standard. In my games, a Small unit will be represented by a single base, while a Standard unit will consist of two bases.

For the British, I wanted to give the appearance of the "Thin Red Line." So I kept the base width at 4 inches but reduced the depth from 3 inches to 1.5 inches. This allows eight figures to fit comfortably on each base, giving a Standard unit of two bases a total of 16 figures.

The completed 16 figure unit with 2 bases.

I originally considered making British units around half the size of a Zulu unit, but doing so would have required smaller base widths, not what I wanted. Although each British base only has a third fewer figures than a Zulu base, the shallower formation gives the impression of a much smaller unit and the "Thin Red Line" appearance I was hoping for.

A comparison between the British and Zulu bases.

As with all of my 20mm projects, I have used my usual block-painting approach with a glossy finish. I keep my painting simple, adding just enough detail to create the impression of straps and equipment. These armies are intended for the three-foot rule when on the tabletop rather than any close-up views. I also find that, at this scale, trying to pick out every tiny detail is becoming increasingly tricky with my eyesight.

A tabletop view.

This approach to painting is partly about speed. There are a lot of figures to paint, and I would much rather finish the project and play some games than end up with an incomplete project sitting on the shelf.