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Author Topic: FreakyFenton does Indochina  (Read 5323 times)

Offline FreakyFenton

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FreakyFenton does Indochina
« on: May 25, 2019, 12:12:33 PM »
Hey there LAF! I figured I'd document my work on some french paratroopers or alternatively Foreign Legion in Indochina.
 
My guides were the "Men at Arms: The French Indochina War 1946-54", "North Vietnam 1948-52 French Foreign Légionnaire versus Viet Minh Insurgent" both by Martin Windrow and "Ground War Vietnam Vol.1 1945 to 1965" by Jim Mesko.

The figures are Empress, I do however plan to bolster their ranks with some converted paratroopers from Warlord games. Do enjoy, at the moment they're not based and in the midst of painting, feedback is appreciated!
"No human being would stack books like -that-!" -Dr. Peter Venkman

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

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    • Ultravanillasmurf
Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2019, 12:47:16 PM »
Welcome to Vietnam, though about ten years earlier than most (but not all) of us.

Nice work.

So how are you going to base them?

So which paratroopers are you going to use (I have not read  the books you reference, but from my reading the French had a rather mix and match kit)?

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2019, 02:20:26 PM »
Hey Ultravanillasmurf! And thanks!

I bought varying plastic plants (bamboo, shrubs and such) and will also use some flock and old brush bristles to emulate high grass and such. Ground will either be red or khaki/sand-ish brown. So they might tie in with some later GIs from Empress I also have knocking about, for thematic purposes.

They will probably end up as the  1st Foreign Parachute Battalion but will most likely stand in for other units as I painted them in lizard camo in large parts and only now and then turned to olive or the british korea pattern smocks. http://camopedia.org/index.php?title=France . Some reference, in case there's interest.

Unless your question was aimed at the hinted at conversion, I will probably use Warlord Games Plastic Us Airborne and equip them with a mix of weapons from british and american kits as well as varying pouches to emulate earlier troops, whilst also doing some headswaps. The second book by Martin Windrow I mentioned focusses on that in detail, and I can recommend it. That is the Foreign Legionaire versus Viet Minh book.




Offline commissarmoody

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2019, 04:01:07 AM »
Off to a great start. Might I suggest the book, "the French foreign legion in Indochina, 1946-1956" by Guyander. Good photos of FFL, and their equipment.
"Peace" is that brief, glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.

- Anonymous

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2019, 11:48:31 AM »
Off to a great start. Might I suggest the book, "the French foreign legion in Indochina, 1946-1956" by Guyander. Good photos of FFL, and their equipment.

Thanks! I will check it out!

Offline Splod

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2019, 10:49:15 PM »
You're off to a great start!

I love the Mignola avatar too ;)

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2019, 08:32:07 PM »
You're off to a great start!

I love the Mignola avatar too ;)

Thanks! Yeah, Simon Anders is great. Might have to start a build/conversion project on the Hellboy comics.

Offline Splod

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 676
  • Flittering from one project to another
Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2019, 12:23:49 AM »
Thanks! Yeah, Simon Anders is great. Might have to start a build/conversion project on the Hellboy comics.

I've been eying off the new Mantic Boardgame and find myself wondering if it would be possible to paint a figure in a similar manner to Mignola's work...

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2019, 05:06:48 PM »
The first batch is ready! Constructive Criticism is welcome as is feedback! The rest still needs basing done.  lol

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2019, 05:10:13 PM »
And one more!

Offline Ash

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  • Posts: 1943
    • Ashley Straw.com
Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2019, 05:27:52 PM »
Now you've got me tempted to do some 'Devil's Guard' type of unit...

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2019, 05:38:26 PM »
Can understand that, a documentary got me interested in the topic. And a few issues of history magazines. Sadly I haven't found any proper decals to pin onto them, so they'll be without any rank or emblem yet.

Glad to hear it though! And looking forward to pictures of painted figures, Ash!  ;) lol

Cheers,

Fenton

Offline commissarmoody

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2019, 02:40:15 AM »
Only Criticism I have is it looks like you are using a gloss varnish, were as I preferer a Matt. So you don't get that shine affect on the mins.
But that's a personal annoyance of mine, I mean my mins have been primered for a year now with out being painted.  lol

Offline Ash

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  • Posts: 1943
    • Ashley Straw.com
Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2019, 08:00:49 AM »
Must say I do prefer a matt finish as well. My current varnish of choice is the AK Ultra Matt, 'does what it says on the tin' (or dropper bottle...)


...also just ordered a pack of five blokes + the Bigeard cap heads. Going to mix them in with my Congo mercenary types.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2019, 08:03:01 AM by Ash »

Offline FreakyFenton

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Re: FreakyFenton does Indochina
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2019, 02:00:38 PM »
Only Criticism I have is it looks like you are using a gloss varnish, were as I preferer a Matt. So you don't get that shine affect on the mins.
But that's a personal annoyance of mine, I mean my mins have been primered for a year now with out being painted.  lol

Oh, to be fair, I used both. The matt just wasn't cured. Winsor and Newton Matt UV Varnish and before that Winsor and Newton Gloss Varnish.