Black dudes for 28mm gaming

[Guvnor]

I like to have minis for my games, and yet when I look at them I have the genders reasonably balanced, I have male and female people, and I have monsters.
But I have no black people!! Oh goodness I need to check my entitlement, and not only that but how could I run Chult, which is a land populated by black folk, with no black people in my minis box.
Now, I know I can get some minis and paint them with black skin.. and I will. However whilst a lot of black people have straight long hair and Caucasian features, and I could easily do that for Indians, I also feel the need for dreadlocks and afros, and other obviously non white Caucasian folk. [Although I reserve the right to have a white guy with dreads..]
But I can't find any minis. Frankly it's easier to find a cat-person-lizard than it is to simply find a figure that looks like Bob Marley or Trevor McDonald..
I don't want figures in loin clothes and with assegai.. I want a fighter, a cleric, a wizard, a paladin, who are clearly black folk..

HELP!!??

 

[Nellkyn]

I don't think you'll find any in 28mm. Scales below that, I feel, wouldn't be able to portrait different facial features although differing hair styles could be.

 

[nclarke]

There were a load of various different racial figures in the various modern gangsters ranges put out by Foundry but some wargame figures from the Ancients period might do for lightly clad guys - Nubians and North Africans for example used as troops by Romans.

 

[Guvnor]

I don't want lightly dressed auxiliaries, I want properly dressed figures of gravitas

 

[nclarke]

Well the Foundry figures should do it for modern stuff even if you have file off the occasional BFG. Street Violence range
Foundry also do a range of Greek fantasy figures including loads of the Gods in civilian dress. Mythology range
Milriton have the old Grenadier range Miriliton Home page

 

[Farsight]

Phew, its Ok we found some black dudes in the Street Violence range.

I don't think you are going to get much luck with this, so I will suggest making your own:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Custom-RPG-Minis/

 

[Guvnor]

Yes, depressing that we can find gangstas but not heroic knights.. sigh..

 

[nclarke]

Back in the day using Airfix figures, plasticene and banana oil were the things that allowed us to convert our figures into whatever we wanted but lead figures make it much harder.

Might want to consider using paper flats which can be turned out using a graphics program and some effort.

 

[Guvnor]

Nah, needs to be 28mm proper minis to go with my other 28mm proper minis.. I've fired off emails at the major mini manufacturers, let's see what they say!

 

[nclarke]

You best option then is some STL files and a 3-D Printer. You should be able to find someone who could tweak some STL files to give the dreads and other facial characteristics you want and then find someone with a 3-D printer who is prepared to print to order the STL files and mail you the results.

 

[Farsight]

3D printer is a great idea, but will Guvnor be able to bear the fact that under the paint they are plastic? No one will be able to tell looking at them...but you will know.

 

[Guvnor]

3D printer is a great idea, but will Guvnor be able to bear the fact that under the paint they are plastic? No one will be able to tell looking at them...but you will know.

True.
But in the 21st century can't I have some black dudes for D&D from normal mini manufacturers?

 

[nclarke]

The market is so limited that I doubt many of the usual culprits find enough of a pool that sculpting and casting fantasy black dudes makes any commercial sense.

I remember back in the day (c1977) getting a one-off necromancer produced by Bryan Ansell to represent my brother's character in a C&S game. Doubt if I could afford that nowadays.

 

[ragr]

True.
But in the 21st century can't I have some black dudes for D&D from normal mini manufacturers?

Stating the bleeding obvious I may be, but have you enquired with some of them?

Like a lot of companies they might not think they have a demand until they're informed.

 

[Guvnor]

Stating the bleeding obvious I may be, but have you enquired with some of them?

Like a lot of companies they might not think they have a demand until they're informed.

Yup, emailed all the usual UK mfrs.
Got a very nice form response from GW.
Also emailed Bad Squiddo Games who have some great female paladins in their range.

 

[Farsight]

I think he has, I forgot to ask and I know this may seem somewhat heretical; why use figures these days, its not war gamming?

 

[Guvnor]

I do skirmish wargaming.
I play Savage worlds which I believe works better with minis.
I play other games that don't use minis.

 

[ragr]

I play Savage worlds which I believe works with minis.

Fixed.

 

[Guvnor]

Oh and I placed this in "Other Gaming"... not rpgs..

 

[Guvnor]

I am pleased to say that Dark Sword Miniatures have started to release some clearly Afro-centric minis:

HI Tom -

Our first mini per our email string below is now posted up on the Dark Sword site. Tom did a male warrior as well that will be released in the months ahead.

https://www.darkswordminiatures.com/shop/index.php/featured/female-mage-with-staff-1225.html

Enjoy.

Thanks!