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Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Grimjack on January 16, 2011, 12:09:43 AM

Title: 1885 French East Africa / General Colonial Troops
Post by: Grimjack on January 16, 2011, 12:09:43 AM

I am interested in adding some, albeit very early, 'what if?' French Colonial forces to my Sudan gaming. Can anyone help me with information, uniforms, weapons and suitable ranges of figures? Think Fashoda but much earlier. For example, Brits have breech-loaders but it is suggested that the French had begun to use repeaters in DIDC - is this the case?

Title: Re: 1885 French East Africa / General Colonial Troops
Post by: answer_is_42 on January 20, 2011, 02:12:47 PM

I assume you're going for 1884-5? What figures are you using for the British (Perry?)?
You can't go wrong with some Senegalese troops; they formed the backbone of the French expeditions in Africa. Indeed, the unit present at Fashoda was a Senegalese company. Their uniform didn’t change much over the period, either. Try Eureka* for these.
For other colonials, Foundry has a number of French in their FPW range, and Dixon miniatures have a nice range of FFl, too.

Eureka Senegalese;
http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_126_139&products_id=1809

*Don’t buy the Eureka French colonial officer, though, it’s an awful figure.

Title: Re: 1885 French East Africa / General Colonial Troops
Post by: Hammers on January 20, 2011, 02:24:04 PM

Quote from: answer_is_42 on January 20, 2011, 02:12:47 PM

I assume you're going for 1884-5? What figures are you using for the British (Perry?)?
You can't go wrong with some Senegalese troops; they formed the backbone of the French expeditions in Africa. Indeed, the unit present at Fashoda was a Senegalese company. Their uniform didn’t change much over the period, either. Try Eureka* for these.
For other colonials, Foundry has a number of French in their FPW range, and Dixon miniatures have a nice range of FFl, too.

Eureka Senegalese;
http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=87_126_139&products_id=1809

*Don’t buy the Eureka French colonial officer, though, it’s an awful figure.

This one from Victoria Lamb is a beauty though. Hi's problem is that he'll have to lug that ebony fetish around wherever he goes.

(http://www.victorialamb.com/wugs/original%20miniatures/frenchcolonial.jpg)

It goes pretty well with these Mike Owen sculpts from Dixon's Dahomey range.

(http://www.dixon-minis.com/images/dahh2.jpg)

Title: Re: 1885 French East Africa / General Colonial Troops
Post by: The Gray Ghost on February 18, 2011, 10:05:49 PM

I use Dixon and Askari's French alongside Castaway's Senegalese