The word "Sahel" refers to the grasslands just south of the Sahara desert and north of the forests and jungles of coastal and Central Africa. The word Sahel comes from the Arabic word for 'coast' since the desert acts in many ways as an ocean. The Sahara serves as a massive area where permanent habitation seems unthinkable and one must pass through it to reach the rich settlements which reside on the other side. These rich settlements served as major trade hubs just like seaside cities.
We all know about Mansa Musa and the immense riches that he had from this trans Sahara trade but there were far more rulers and kingdoms than just his.
Ghana, Mali, and Gao-Songhai are all great empires which are often overlooked for being a little too far south of the often traversed Mediterranean. These peoples have a unique aesthetic while also having a familiar enough way of waging war that they could be used in most fantasy and many historical systems.
Known for spectacular looking quilted cataphracts and plenty of infantry to go with it. These kingdoms were also an integral part of the medieval Islamic world, meaning that their troops can be used as levys and mercenaries for a number of more traditional muslim armies.
These soldiers would make a great set which could go in the Rennaisance series of models since Gao-Songhai was established in the late fifteenth century, or they could go in the Blood Oaths range under the more recognizable name of Mali
Either way, this region of the world is severly underserved as far as miniatures go and there would certainly be something of a market to tap. Most african sets take place long after the technology gap with europeans became far too noticable for more balanced wargaming, such as during the Anglo-Zulu wars. A set or two like this would fill a niche and look great while doing it #voxatlantic
