Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: FreakyFenton on May 25, 2019, 01:12:33 PM
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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!
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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)?
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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.
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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.
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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!
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You're off to a great start!
I love the Mignola avatar too ;)
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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.
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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...
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The first batch is ready! Constructive Criticism is welcome as is feedback! The rest still needs basing done. lol
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And one more!
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Now you've got me tempted to do some 'Devil's Guard' type of unit...
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
Delighted to hear I motivated that with my paintjob! Also the above on my method on varnishing. And the Bigeard cap heads are lovely, a few painted examples of those will follow soon! :D
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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.
I see, so got a little excited to share! Happens to us all some times. lol
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I see, so got a little excited to share! Happens to us all some times. lol
;D Yeah, but it paid off I'd say. lol
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And the last of the lot of 25 finished! ;D
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And the rest of them! ;) And finally room for a new project! lol
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This might be of interest:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Command-DVD-Anthony-Quinn/dp/B000065UHS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+lost+command+dvd&qid=1561571823&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Antony Quinn; 'Lost Command'
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Haha! I have that movie, although inn the german title "Sie fürchten weder Tod noch Teufel" which roughly translates to "They fear neither death nor the devil".
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They look great! Guess it's time to start painting up some Viet-minh or Algerian rebels. lol
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Thank you!
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Hrm, I'm thinking of merging my cold war/modern threads. Might be less spammy.
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Great work. Do some Vietminh ;)
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Great work. Do some Vietminh ;)
Thank you! :o
I might have to, been asked twice now. lol
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Read Windrow's 'The Last Valley' gives a real insight into the combat operations of both sides and the performance of the mish mash of nationalities that made up the French forces. Also makes the important point about the numbers of Vietnamese serving in French units even the Legion, "more Vietnamese than Frenchmen would be killed wearing French uniform" referring to Dien Bin Phu.
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Great job, love the bases as well
:)
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@ Westbury : Thank you! I will do so, first I'll have to see if I can find it on amazon though, but should be easy! ;)
@ AKULA : Thank you, Akula! Hearing that from you makes me especially happy. :D
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Looking good. 8)
Yes you should have some Vietnamese troops for your French army. Huge percentage in the ranks.
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lol Might have to see if my lead defense budget allows.
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That pesky defense budget always gets the way. If only the ministries of housing, water, and power could be persuaded to accept a lower budget. lol
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That pesky defense budget always gets the way. If only the ministries of housing, water, and power could be persuaded to accept a lower budget. lol
lol lol lol