The French Army in the early 20th century - wargaming resources

[Etranger]

@ etranger :
in 1939-1940, a lot of the french artillery was still horse drawn ( even the 25mm AT gun ), so the 75 , 105 and 155 mm guns can be found with tyres for the "RATT" ( motorized artillery regiment ) and wooden wheels for the other regiments .

the rule was :
motorized artillery regiments for the motorized infantry division ...

but some infantry division had motorized artillery regiments.

Nothing is easy  

And Lord only knows what the horsed cavalry (Spahi etc) brigades were using with their artillery support!

[Etranger]

I'm sure I've seen photos of 'motorised units' in transition, where they have loaded the wooden-wheeled gun onto the truck portee-style, presumably until such time as new carriages were available....

Also sometimes done even with 'modernised guns' (usually, but not always the 25mm ATG) which were allegedly too weakly constructed for high speed towing.

A nice selection of French kit in these newsreels

[former user]

only AT 25mm guns , at bataillon level and at regiment level
no other artillery type

well, I read they continued to use th 65mm M as an infantry gun after it got replaced

[Etranger]

Another newsreel showing the wide variety of French equipment.

[lou passejaire]

And Lord only knows what the horsed cavalry (Spahi etc) brigades were using with their artillery support!

the cavalry units used horse drawn 25 mm guns 
but at the division level, it was motorized artillery ,

the light cavalry division was :

- 1 cavalry brigade of 2 cavalry regiments
- 1 light motorized brigade of 1 armoured cars regiment and 1 motorized infantry

so the whole division level artillery was motorized

[lou passejaire]

well, I read they continued to use th 65mm M as an infantry gun after it got replaced

a small number of the 65mm mountain gun were in service in the second line reserve regiments of the alpines divisions .

[former user]

I read this:
"The French Army kept the Mle 1906 on strength as an infantry gun in the French colonies and although replaced as a mountain gun by the 75mm Mle 1919 Schneider it remained in service until WW2.", so I guess something like batallion level support

[lou passejaire]

65mm guns were in service in french indochina



4th Colonial Artillery Regiment , around Saigon, between 1939 and 1941 ...

2 batteries of 65mm M were in service in indochina

may be some in madagascar ... and that's quite all .

[former user]

wow!  probably won't game the french-thai war, but good to know

and many more in other countries, including gemany....

[lou passejaire]

added the citroen traction , a die cast model 1/55 who is a cheap one ... you can find it it most toys shops

[former user]

I am totally unable to identify this vehicle
it is a still from a clip that identifies it with a campaign in Tafilalet in 1933

[Etranger]

Looks like this chap 1928 AUTOMITRAILLEUSE SAURER-CAT on Chars -Francais, confusingly in the 1902-1915 section.... http://www.chars-francais.net/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=685&Itemid=36
 
From the French caption, Used in  Morocco, this armored car is perhaps  improvised on a Saurer truck chassis .
20 copies were made to escort convoys to the W.C.C. (Compagnie Africaine de Transport).
Armament: 1 machine gun 8mm

More here if your Russian is any good! http://www.aviarmor.net/tww2/armored_cars/france/saurer_cat.htm

[former user]

THX a lot

[lou passejaire]

coming soon from Warlord :



and more ? :

These soon-to-be-released colonial infantry figures are just a selection of the new reinforcements the French are going to receive over the coming weeks…

[Arlequín]

I admit being surprised that they actually look like quite a decent set of figures, all things considered: http://www.warlordgames.com/showcase-senegalese-tirailleurs/

Who knows, some Dragons-portes might also be in the works?