Several years ago, Eureka Miniatures had a line of Polynesian (Hawaiian) figures. I have been kicking myself for years for not ordering them, because they went out of production. Recently a new line came into production, and I ordered two sets of them. (I also ordered four canoes [which are still out of production], but that is for another post.) Having returned from ten days on the road and a lot of long days for work recently, I decide that I would knock these out.
We returned from a recent vacation in Hawaii, and I was in the mood. I REALLY like these figures. My plan is to run a small skirmish game involving angry Hawaiian’s and Captain Cooke’s men during his second landing on Hawaii, when he was killed. As can be send in the picture (above), my plan is to use my Old Glory French and Indian War British for Captain Cooke’s troops.
They are very nice figures, with nearly no filing needed. I like the way they turned out. Being predominantly skin, after base spraying them brown and hitting them with Agrax Earthshade, they were nearly complete. I just had to paint in the details.
I know the popular myth is that the natives were happy and peaceful until Europeans arrived — whether we are talking about North America, Hawaii, or South America. The truth is that these were violent cultures at war with each other for dominance. (I highly recommend Mayflower, if you haven’t read it, and the truth about King Philip’s War.) On the plane to Hawaii, my wife read some stories to me about ancient Hawaii, and the violence and barbarity is amazing. The infighting didn’t really stop until, armed with European-provided muskets and gunpowder, King Kamehameha, conquered the islands under threat of extermination for those who didn’t pledge allegiance to him. So, I think it is also fair to have a skirmish game in which Polynesians are fighting each other.
I don’t know when they will get on the table, but they are painted, boxed, and ready for action.
