Cheap Animals for The Men Who Would be Kings in Africa

I've been wanting to get some wild animals for my Colonial Africa games, partly for dress setting but mainly to chase players around in some of my scenario games.

In Wilko the other day I saw they had a tray of assorted animals of various kinds, including a few African ones. Digging through the box I found a hippo, rhino and elephant, all of which looked as if they might do for 28mm (I didn't have a 28mm figure in my pocket so that I could double check, very silly of me I know!) but at less that £2.50 a pop I thought it worth a gamble.

Once I got them home I realised that the elephant was OK for a large bull, but the others were a little over size. Not that I was really that bothered. I'm playing "Pulp" Colonial Africa, not historically accurate Africa, where all the natives are fierce and the wild beasts are dangerous and very big.

They are just cheap plastic, but with a wash and a bit of dry brushing, they turn out acceptably enough. I've already had the rhino on the table, when it trampled a bunch of askari!

                                                          The Hippo - as it comes

                                                      The Elephant - ready for use

                                                         And in a gaming setting.

                                                       The Rhino - It's behind you!

                                              The Hippo again - still in need of sorting out

I hope the Hippo isn't feeling left out, but I'm not sure whether to base it in water or out, so I haven't done anything with it yet.