Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: joroas on 23 November 2012, 09:43:02 AM
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I bought all of the CiC and Artizan FFL to use in my Pulp games, but now Warlord just released the French BA army lists, I am thinking that they could be iused as a basis for a WWII force. However, they only make rifles and LMGs, are there any mortars, HMGs or gun crews available anywhere else?
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you could look at
http://www.redoubtenterprises.com/shop/?page=shop/browse&offset=30&category_id=a7529ddb6777d33109374b092fee42f8&keyword=
or
http://www.oldgloryuk.com/disp_items.php?m=11&s=64
you could buy a WW2 french mortar
and use the above and convert some ?
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Thanks for that, but I need WWII era figures in kepi and tunic/shirt rather than a coat.
(http://www.artizandesigns.com/images/sww251.jpg)
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Great War Miniatures make some french with Kepi, and Brigade Games definitely has Artillery Crew with Kepi and Adrian
there is an excellent set by Scarab Miniatures with Adrian Helmet.
French uniform is rather grateful for 1905-1950, not many changes, unless You go for Free French, then it gets complicated.
Depends what image You pursue for the FFL. Kepi was typical for FFL only from 1925 on, but rather rare with the old preWWI model.
Don't fall for the "Beau Geste" romanticized image with neck curtain (havelock) this is the Camaron legend carried through the ages, it rarely appears on contemporary "non staged" photographs.
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What era are you looking for? After the fall of France, the Free French had a mix of kit from the British and Americans, with as much of their original French stuff as they could keep serviceable. So you could take British or American figures, swap out a few heads with kepi or adrian helmets, and Robert's your mother's brother.
Or look at Askari miniatures for their interwar Foreign Legion; they have a 75 with gun crew, Hotchkiss MG and crew & rifle grenadiers
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After the fall of France, the Free French had a mix of kit from the British and Americans, with as much of their original French stuff as they could keep serviceable.
I'd basically agree on that one, however one must keep in mind that above applies only to the Free French Forces, who were technically at war with Vichy France and thus had no access to the French supplies. The Vichy French had basically the same equipment until November 1942 after "Torch" was completed.
People tend to forget the actions against the Vichy French and the frictions between Allies and Free French after Torch.
Also the Free French kept some of their equipment in order to be distinguishable as "French", so one hardly can simply use "pure" US or British figures. Check for online photographs to get a feel.
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Agreed with all above. If you are doing North Africa, in reality the troops would have looked more like British Infantry with an occasional Kepi. I'd check out the Black Tree Design stuff or wait 'til the Perry Desert Rats come out and then do some head swaps. If you want to ignore the history and go for flavor, I would just go withy troops in Adrian helmets for the missing heavy weapons and arty.
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I have a few FFL minis from Artizan that I used for a Mummy game and although I don't know about heavy weapons etc I would recommend some of the Renegade WW1 French as appropriate additions if you need a greater variety in your minis.
(http://renegademiniatures.com/ww1/images/figures/ww1f13.jpg)
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Yep, forgot these, though unfortunately no artillery, MG in capotes
Kepi are OK until around 1925 but the figures fit very well with Artizan, so I am not that peckish
I use them too.
Also to make it full, Artizan "march and die" range have also a few to go with interwar FFL, and even more if one uses the models with topee. But no neck curtains.
And of course the six from the thrilling tales range - excellent
the Askari range would be great too, though personally I am a bit frightened by the bizarre body proportions on the pictures, I never had one of them in my hands.
so what else do we have? I would be grateful for some more ideas too, I am collecting myself
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I have all of the Artizan ones from the WWII and Pulp collections and the Westwind collection.
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Westwind productions?
which range is that?
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Apologies, it was Old Glory, they have the Blue Moon FFL in their Cairo range, not great sculpts, but they fit along the Artizn ones okay.
(http://www.oldgloryuk.com/image/pics/cic0041.jpg)
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great thx
thought I missed something :)
Difficult to get from US
or do You have a source in GB?
have You tried the Wargames Foundry few?
What vehicles do You intend to use?
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Old Glory UK carries the range under Blue Moon 28mm
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THX
can anyone tell whatever happened to these?
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/HelenBachaus/BGFFLComd.jpg)
(http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/HelenBachaus/BGFFLTroops.jpg)
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There is a single pack hidden away somewhere in the Darkest Africa range at Foundry:
http://wargamesfoundry.com/historical_ranges/single_packs/darkest_africa/french/french_foreign_legion_ffl001/
(http://wargamesfoundry.com/_images/thumbs/FFL001_1258124499_380x250.png?prodid=37479)
The Askari miniatures are not the prettiest sculpts out there, but unless you want to do your own conversions or sculpting, they are perfectly serviceable, and do provide the support weapons you crave.
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Thanks for that, I hadn't seen them before. I was hoping to avoid anything except FFL as these projects have a habit of expanding very quickly...... :'(
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You tell me 8)
so, any vehicles to go with them?
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Vehicles? You don't ask for much, do you?
For vehicles you'll have to be more specific. French tanks are available for WWI and (early) WWII, and by extension for the interwar period. Later in WWII, the French mostly used American tanks. Armoured cars (which the Foreign Legion were more likely to use, especially interwar) are trickier to find. So what (or at least where and when) are you thinking about?
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I don't know
I was simply curious how others solve the problem
it would be Lafflys for the compagnies portees and other armoured cars for the cavary, but I don't know about available models
no tanks for FFL
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I picked up a tiny Renault Tank from PMC, that'll do......
I would have liked a HMG and mortar to give them some firepower......
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There are lots of French tanks out there, but not so much for armoured cars or transports. Checking the usual suspects, Company B has a Schneider halftrack (not used by the Legion as far as I know, but the Chasseurs d'Afrique used them). Warlord Games also has a Schneider halftrack. AGNM has a Panhard 178, but this was not used in Africa (war started before any were shipped there). Tamiya has a 1/48 scale Citroën 11CV car for puttering around in.
Of course, if you allow your legionaires to be equipped by their allies, then many more possibilities open up (like using universal carriers, like at Bir Hakeim) or allow them to have support from the Chasseurs d'Afrique or other French armoured units.
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I would have liked a HMG and mortar to give them some firepower......
in case You want to stay with Kepis there is the artillery crew from BG, both artillery pieces are OK since the FFl started to form artillery units before the war, and the crew should also work for mortars - as an Infantry formation the FFL should be able to field mortars. Can't say if the crew could be used for a heavy MG, but there is a seated and a kneeling figure there.
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Although the crews are not in kepis, I bought the Crusader French HMG's and mortars. They make both 60mm and 81mm mortars, as well as 25mm AT Guns.
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The Crusader stuff looks nice, but they are all wearing that wretched greatcoat...... :-[
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lol
Yes, that's what always sets me off too.
look here, scarab miniatures
(http://scarabminiatures.com/images/FR014.jpg)
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You could combine those Scarab chappies with these heads if you want to keep the white kepi look:
http://www.grippingbeast.com/product.php?ItemID=2656
(http://www.grippingbeast.com/sizeimage.php?size=320&image=photos/kepi.jpg)
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hmm
thx, good source
it appears the HMG team is in tunic
(http://www.grippingbeast.com/photos/frn05.jpg)
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Will get a pack of those tomorrow....
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could You be so kind please as to make a group shot for comparison?
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They look good and a paint job will match them in, sadly, there was only Saga on sale, went to buy them from GB online, but £2.50 postage for a £6.60 pack was too much. I will pick a pack up from WMMS in March and paint and post them up. Still looking for a mortar and crew.
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You can have these without the 75mm
(http://www.brigadegames.com/assets/images/BrigadeGames/BG-WIWF31_lg.jpg)
the 81mm Mortar was used or copied by almost every Army, You shouldn't have problems finding that solo, alternatively there is the
60mm Mountain gun that was used in north Africa, if I am not mistaken
(http://www.brigadegames.com/assets/images/brigadegames/bg-wiwf32_1_sm.jpg)