Motorisation was but a pipe dream for most WWII armies, including Hitler’s, but where the Thais differed was their heavy reliance on bovine forms of transport for the ferrying of supplies. The invasions of Indochina and north-eastern Burma were sustained by long columns of bullock carts and pack oxen; mules on the other hand appeared to have only been used for battalion infantry guns while elephants were a rarity despite their prominence in the logging industry.
The water buffaloes pictured here are from Platoon 20’s Vietnam range and were given succeeding coats of VMC Black, VMC German Grey, and a 2:1 mix of VMC German Grey and VMC London Grey. The intricately sculpted pack loads — one of which features a Vickers machinegun, which thankfully was part of the Thais’ inventory — are also Platoon 20 and can be found in their otherwise horrid Chindits range.
In a moment of absentmindedness I’d glued the horns on backwards and didn’t realise the mistake until the figurines had all been fully basecoated. Clearly I don’t get out into the country much! I may yet call upon the intervention of some acetone if this reminder of human frailty gets too irksome.
The drivers (or whatever the bullock equivalent of muleteers are) are by Elhiem and Early War Miniatures and were painted using my usual triad of VMC US Olive Drab, VGC Caliban Green, and VMC Russian Uniform.
Right then, on to the next set of four-legged beasts: horses!
for a few rounds more 