HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY BONGOLESIA BLOG!!!!

Wow...

Another year has come and gone and the old Bongo Blog keeps on trucking...

Once again I am amazed and so grateful for all of the support that everyone has given in maintaining the interest to it. 

I would especially like to think Rebel Minis for their dedication to the "Bongolesia" setting for their "Modern Havok" rules. A big thumbs up and here's hoping for more shenanigans as many of his figures grace my tables...

Some of you have asked me "How do I do it?"  and the answer is..."I really couldn't do it without you." 

And I am being honest. 

Over the last six years, I've received praise and flak because of this site. I've grown a thick skin, because of some of the mis-aligned arrows that has been sent my way because of it. I've been accused of being a racist, bigot, prejudiced, and "just mean spirited".

But those that know me also know that I am none of those. 

One only has to look at the dark history of many countries in Africa, (even today) and realize that "If Bongolesia was truly like any of those places, it wouldn't have lasted six months on the net, let alone six years"...

Mel Brooks once said "I beat Hitler if I can make him a laughingstock."  I try to do the same thing using Idi Amin as "P'hat Daddee B'wonah". Sure his excellency is a scheming scoundrel and has a dark side. But if I can make him a bit of a buffoon, with constant schemes of richness, and power, destined to fail, then perhaps then in a way we have beat that man. And it is with your help that we win...every time...

And for that...I am grateful.

Thank you everyone for another year at the helm of foolishness and fun....

Sincerely;

Michael T. Murphy

 LONG LIVE THE NATION!!!!  

LONG LIVE THE NATIONAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC OF BONGOLESIA!!!!

From the workbench...What I can field...(mostly)....

So it's been a while dear reader since I have been able to get an idea of what it is that I have. I have been working on an inventory of what I have and need (and alas...want) for a while now...

But to get an idea of what it is that I have pretty much on hand, I decided to do the photo thing.....

I took what I had (mostly), and set them up on the kitchen table....and ran out of room.

I was unable to get a FULL photograph...(one day I keep telling myself...one day...), and so had to get sectional shots.

Please note that this is NOT the "entire collection...

The following items are not included:

1: USMC: 20 odd stands of figures

2: USMC: 4 M1A1's

3: USMC: 5 AAVP7's

4: 5 UH-60's

5: 1 Mi-24

6: 2 Various Misc Helicopters

7: 20 odd stands of Presidential Guard Troops

8: 20 odd more stands of Civilians, Media, Characters, etc.

9: 2 Bongolesian Navy Vessels

10: 1 BRDM2 with AT/5

And so now..without further eloquence....

Here's what I can show you...

 A potpurri of mixed vehicles including an SA-4 system, BTR-152's, troop trucks, technicals, cargo trucks, Chinese fuel oil trucks, a burned out Petroco wreck, and a large piece of "Farm Equipment"...

 Civilian vehicles, including the Presidential Limo, fuel trucks, ice cream trucks, Bongo Cola tanker trucks, school-buses, and other assorted goodies...

 NDF combat equipment, including the PT-76's from "The Fighting Jujus" and the T-34's from "The Golden Lions", along with the Presidential Guard T-62's...

The outnumbered and outgunned UN forces...(More for them to come)...

 A quick view of the figures...close up to follow...

 Fixed wing air support including the Mig-17 from the BAF and the UN Aerial Asset also known as "The Blue Swallow"...

Another shot of the figures...

A close of up the characters and personas and other misc of the Bongolesians...Here you can see his Excellency President-For-Life B'wonah, Vienna Dupree, Santa Klaus, The mysterious one man jungle fighter "Rambone" Sister Mary Hermann-Goering with her nuns, The Reverend Father Doctor John, Kimba the Lion, and a wide assortment of others.

A close up of the BARF troops...those who would overthrow the government of Bongolesia... 

 NDF troops...including motorcycle escorts and support weapons...(Soon to get more reinforcements)...

 The "mix" box...from L to R: US Special Forces, UN Troops, and "The Wild Ducks" mercenary group...

And last but not least...when it's time to finally leave the country...fly out in style with "Air de' Bongo"...(aka "Bongo-Air"), the national airlines of Bongolesia...(actually the only airlines in Bongolesia)...

Well that's it pretty much for now...more to be coming...as projects are getting finished on my workbench...next up..some more vehicles, troops and scenery!!!!

Comments are appreciated...

HAPPY BONGOLESIAN NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!

NATION CELEBRATES NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY !!!!

President attends parade...

First Lady shows up...

Music, Dancing, Army Stuff, Bikinis, and Happy Citizens show the world that Bongolesia IS "The Place To Be!"

(Sudekia):  The nation is in throes of national pride this day as all citizens marked the day of National Independence!

  All around the country and in certain areas of the world Bongolesian's and their friends celebrated the day in history when their beloved nation was created with the last of the European Colonial Powers handing over power and leaving by tramp steamer back to Europe or wherever they came from.

  "It doesn't matter if it was Sudekia, Port Tuziak, Lonnieville, or one of the many small villages throughout the land. It's part of who we are...It's national pride." said a local citizen as he was rummaging through a trash pile.

PARADE IN SUDEKIA:

  The highlight crown jewel is always the massive celebratory parade in Sudekia, and this year was no different. The talent, culture, enthusiasm, of the citizens were on display as they performed and citizens and foreign tourists were encouraged to tip heavily and often....

 

The National Band of Bongolesia provided the patriotic and toe-tapping tunes during the parade. One of the favorite songs of the people was a citizens participation song where the band would play a few bars and then the people would sing the beloved chorus  "E I E I O !!!"  

Attending the parade was the beloved national leader of our nation...His Excellency, President-For-Life P'hat Daddy B'wonah. Showing his patriotic pride, he salutes the national flag.

Her Excellency, The First Lady for Life, Moolah B'wonah cut short her emergency diplomatic mission to Paris and the French Riviera to attend the parade and meet with orphan children in Bongolesia.

Bongolesian NDF officer marches in the parade. A decorated hero, this soldier shows his stuff and what he's made of. He is a role model for all good patriotic young men!

Bongolesian National Defense Force Tanks of 2nd Bongolesian "The Golden Lions" roll past on parade to the delight of the citizens. Not a track was thrown or an engine blown!

Col. Lok N' Lode of The Bongolesian Presidential Guards discusses the true meaning of being "Bongolesian" and expresses his honor at serving his Excellency and making sure that he gets plenty of action...

Presidential Guard Troops (The Famed "Raspberry Berets") march in the parade....

More troops marching to the delight of the citizens. 

Just seeing if you are still paying attention....

While overhead, military helicopters make an impressive sight in operational flight....

Citizens were excited at seeing the tanks rumble down the street and no one was caught under their tracks this time...a joyous occasion for all...

B'wonah University Cheerleaders strut their stuff at the parade...showing what they got...

BIKINI PARADE!!!!

  In a surprise first time appearance, many young Bongolesian ladies took to the streets in the parade and marched wearing matching bright bikinis. "It's a hot season and the sun is shining, and we want to show everyone our goods!" said a young lady as she strutted by.

  The addition was a visually pleasing surprise to many of the men in the audience. Some of the gentlemen even shouted out encouragement and a few of them held up money to show their support for the ladies on parade.

"WHOOMP! THERE IT IS!" one man yelled loudly, showing that he was obviously pleased with the show.

Strutting their stuff! Bongolesian ladies march in the parade in bikinis...

More Bongolesian lovelies...and a few of the European tourists and visitors and aide workers that were "encouraged" to participate in the eye pleasing event....

The locals continue to celebrate their joyous nation....truly this is a country that has it good! Many people are missing a good party!!!

AND DON"T FORGET!!!!

This week and this week only!

HONEST ABDUL IS HAVING A 20% off all Russian and Chinese Imported Farm Tools....

Come get what it is you need to handle your problem. Let "Honest Abdul" help...

Honest Abdul..."The Shoppers Friend"....

Workbench update!

Workbench update...

So I am going to take a little sidetrack off of the current issues and storylines going on in our beloved third world African hell-hole and update y'all on some of the projects that I have going on right now.

In a recent question that I had asked on my Facebook page as to "What would you like to see on the Bongolesia blog?", some folks actually came out and said "miniatures of course!"...

Well of course...and then I realized that it has been a while since I have posted any new shots of what I am working on.

So dear reader, without much further ado, and eloquence, here's a "behind the scenese look" at what I've been painting and building...

First off...civilians...

I don't have very many stands of civilians, so that was one of my priorities, to get more of them painted. I needed mobs/looters/local refugees, etc...all sorts of non-combatants to make scenarios more interesting.

So here's a few stands in the "almost finished" stages. Most of them will have three figures on them, while the one stand figures is a "character/personality" figure. In this case, the fellow on the left in the white shoes, is going to be "somebody"...not sure who yet, but I've got some ideas...



(Civilians to add frolic and mayhem and all sorts of chaos to games...along with some looters cheerfully helping themselves to the local consumer electronics...)



 Next up after this is a little firepower....for the "Boys In Green"...

NDF troops have recently stared undergoing a transition of sorts. Better training, weapons that work, and more weapons, as well as "loyalty" classes and "political education" to help "round them out to be better soldiers"...One of the more recent purchases was this little baby....

It's a BRDM2 with the AT-5 ATGM system mounted on it, and a great new national camo paint job. Five shots of anti-tank killing goodness, good gas mileage, easy to drive...this little baby will add some "umph" to the NDF's arsenal...



(Tank killing goodness...)

But now see, the ground forces cannot have ALL of the fun...

Here we have the latest addition to the Bongolesian Naval Forces. This is the Bongolesian Coastal Patrol Vessel "Moesha"... Purchased from the former Soviet Union and refitted and uparmed, this little diamond of the waters features a 4 inch deck gun for that long range high powered expression of naval power, as well as 3 .50 caliber machine guns.  The Moesha is part of the recent upgrade to Bongolesian coastal forces and is part of the "Sistahs" class naval patrol vessels. Three other vessels are planned to be added. These will be the Patrol Boats "Lakeesha and Tawana" and the Support Vessel "Sha-nay-nay"....



(IN THE NA-VY!!!!....The "Moesha" ready for action!)



Now in Bongolesia there are usually deals to be made and broken...contracts to be signed and people looking for an "angle"...This includes many of the foreign "investors". Here we have an arms dealer...(He hasn't been officially named yet, but that is coming), along with some of his flunkies holding boxes and crates of "farm tools and plumbing supplies"... All I need to do is add the groundwork, seal, and they are done...

 

(He's ready to do business with you....cash only please...)



Next up is some of the many projects I've in various stages of....

Up first is my UN stuff....intrepid readers will remember the recent assumption of command of General KinderSchlager of the UN Forces. He's requested additional equipment and it's on it's way...3 more M113's and some trucks and troops...perhaps some mortars also...(The Recoilless is for something else....)

(Soon to be keeping the peace in Bongolesia...additional UN equipment...)

 Ever have "one of those things that you paint on and paint on and never seem to finish"?

I had two of those...

The first was my Bongolesian Police Station...which I did finish last year...

And the second is this.....

 It's a WWII Normandy scenic from Peter Pig...I'm just not sure how I want to finish it...it's one of those "things" that I fiddle around with when I have no clue what to do next....it's in a perpetual state of "being worked on...Any ideas?

And whats a battle area without ruins?

It too, is a work in progress...i'd like to be able to use this one ruins set though for multi-genre....(I'm thinking ACW as well as modern Africa, so I have to be "generic" on it...)

Naturally we have to have walls...this is one of the many resin wall sets that I have. Mostly finished....just need to be sealed and it should be good to go...I'm kind of happy with the final finish on it....

A series of wheeled vehicles, (from L to R), PP Wombats, Soviet GAZ jeeps and BF Russian Jeeps/Cars... The Wombats will be part of "something"...(not sure what yet...perhaps a scientific expedition), the GAZ jeeps will probably be Presidential Guard, and the BF Jeeps will be equipped with HMG's and become part of either the NDF Recon Elements, or set up as part of the National Police Force... 



A couple of years ago, I ran a scenario called "Big Bird Down"...which was essentially having to do with a crashed reconnaissance satellite and the objective was to recove it's data cores...I needed a satellite crash site, so I had to build one...and here it is....You can see the halfway hidden satellite and the big black impact hole it made...but WHAT is that mysterious "green stuff" that is leaking...oozing(?), from it????

Oh dear...

And now dear reader....an appeal.....

Over the last couple of years, I have been working on the Bongolesian Presidential Palace...(aka "The Pink Palace"),

During this course of time, I started building one, and didn't like the way it looked....

Here's the old one....



The old "Pink Palace" has towers and a removable second floor...But I was unhappy with the size and the window layout...

So I decided I wanted something that looked a little more "regal"...

So I built the "NEW Pink Palace"....



I added columns for the building, centered the windows and added a nice round balcony...I've got doors to add, and a new roof section...

But I am still not sure if I am happy with it...I'd like to fine four small plastic lions to put on top of each column, (gold of course)...of if not that, perhaps, one larger lion on the top front center of the building...

However, I am just "not sure" if I like the newer one...I like certain aspects of the old one AND certain aspects of the new one...so dear reader, please take a look at each and tell me which one do you think would be a good residence for a "President-For-Life" ?....

And above all of the Bongolesian madness, the ever lovely Linda Blair watches....

NEWSFLASH!!!!

NEWSFLASH!!!!  - BREAKING NEWS!!!!

EXPLOSIONS ROCK BONGOLESIA CAPITAL OF SUDEKIA!!!

POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT  B'WONAH'S OLDEST SON?

MILITARY ON ALERT!

CURRENT MEDIA BLACKOUT!

ALAN ALDA DISCUSSES THE CURRENT SITUATION IN BONGOLESIA!

As reported by ENN: (EuroNews Network), "All the news, delivered with a European flair, by a Eurobabe...

DATELINE: (SUDEKIA-BY WAY OF INTERNATIONAL WIRE SERVICES):

Massive multiple explosions erupted within the Bongolesian Capital City of Sudekia this morning as flames poured high into the early morning sky, filling everything around it with a bright orange glow.

Unknown person(s) / Group(s), are rumored to have launched a spirited attack upon government officials and offices within the city, as well as rumors of an attempted assassination attempt upon Ubu B'wonah, the oldest son of His Execellency, President-For-Life P'hat Daddee B'wonah.

One of the numerous explosions that have rocked the Capital City of Sudekia; sending flames and smoke into the air as the citizens scurry for safety...



Ubu B'wonah; Oldest son of His Excellency, President-For-Life P'hat Daddee B'wonah, possibly has been assassinated in this mornings chaotic violence....

The situation is chaotic and fluid within the nation as ALL media (television, radio, internet, and phone) connections have been shut down and there is practically a total media blackout on reporting the current situation on the ground within the capitol city.

Sources from within the country say there is multiple shootings and weapons fire heard within the city, and that Presidential Guard vehicles, National Security and Police equipment, as well as National Defense Force units are operating in full force on the streets of the city.

Some residents are reporting numerous bodies in the streets, and burning buildings as well as the sounds of combat within the city.



Bongolesian Military Forces are reportedly moving throughout the city and are being deployed around installations.



 Currently Bongolesian Television is showing the national flag, and playing the national anthem repeatedly, while Radio Bongolesia and Radio Joe are doing the same.

Information is sporadic, but there are numerous rumors of an attempted coup or attack, or something against His Excellency, President-For-Life P'hat Daddee B'wonah, and other government officials.

There are also rumors made of threats against the American Film Icon and Acting Legend Alan Alda, who has been heavily involved in the international scene for Bongolesia.  It has been confirmed however that Mr. Alda is safe and secure in Hollywood, California, USA, and has expressed his concern over what is happening in Bongolesia.

"It's America's fault. I just know it. I bet a dollar against a triple latte that somehow or another Bush is involved!" Mr. Alda was reported to have said.



Cinema Legend and International Man-On-The-Scene, Alan Alda gives a quick statement about the current situation in Bongolesia...



We here at EuroNews Network (All the news brought to you with a European flair, by a Eurobabe!), will keep working on this story as it unfolds...

And now, back to our regulary scheduled program: "Highlights of Great European Cat Shows of the 1970's" with your host, David Hasselhoff...