Most "Pulpy" forces

[Ironworker]

I'm looking to put together some between the wars era "pulpy" forces to serve as mooks and such.  I'm trying to think of what kind of forces to put together.  What I had in mind was to build a few platoon sized forces of about 30-40 or so men with a few light vehicles and support weapons.  I figure forces of that sized would be big enough for most pulp action and I could expand on them as I see fit.  I'm planning on running my Sky Pirates Campaign from the end of WWI through the end of WWII though it will progress slowly.  I may take up to a year per decade or more.  

My first three force projects are going to be:

German Freikorps

French Foreign Legion

United States Marines

I already have a start on the Freikorps and the Marines.  I was wondering what you guys thought would be other good groups to have in similar numbers for the end of WWI through the 20s?

[PeteMurray]

White and Red Russians and Chinese Warlords.

[Aaron]

Pete's suggestions are good as always. I'd throw in some bananna republic or Hatian rebels for the marines to tackle.

[Malamute]

Some British or perhaps Indian or Ghurkas?

[Plynkes]

The Leopard Men of the Rufiji! A secret pan-African society of assassins that dishes out deadly justice to those who oppress Africans (including demobbed ex-KAR and Schutztruppen, plus various tribal types such as Cannibals, Ngoni and Masai).

[Ironworker]

I've definately got both Back of Beyond and Banna Wars stuff in mind in addition to some African adventures.  Some tropical brits are definately a must.  

I also plan on some secret societies.  The Sky Pirates themselves are being funded by a secret society although a more benevolant one.

[Will Bailie]

Mounties!!!

http://www.hlbs.co.uk/type.php?id=77

[Hammers]

Mounties!!!

http://www.hlbs.co.uk/type.php?id=77

Wow! How did I miss these? Are they new?

[Will Bailie]

Brand spanking new mounties from HLBS - figures inspired by the movie Death Hunt.  Mine are winging their way to me as I type this (assuming they can negotiate their way through the mysteries of Canada Post and the Canada Revenue Service).

HLBS also has some new Shackleton style Polar Explorers in the Great White North section.

[Will Bailie]

To get back on topic:

Criminal gangs are an excellent choice for villains/opposition forces.  Gangs can include stereotypical prohibition era gangsters, Chinese triads or wild west desperados.  I know that desperados seem to be more of a wild west style villain, but Roy Rogers seem to take on quite a few of them in the 1920s and 1930s!

[Hammers]

HLBS also has some new Shackleton style Polar Explorers in the Great White North section.

I noticed! They will be perfect will go perfectly with my Arctic Investigators.

[fastolfrus]

Generic naval landing parties. Or perhaps 15-20 generic figures with 10 RN, 10 USN, 10 Kriegsmarine, 10 French or Russian (the 10 to include an officer or 2, perhaps even a standard). That way you could have a bit more of a versatile force - fair enough it takes 60 figures, but it gives you the possibility of fielding 4 specific groups of 30.

[Lowtardog]

Brand spanking new mounties from HLBS - figures inspired by the movie Death Hunt.  Mine are winging their way to me as I type this (assuming they can negotiate their way through the mysteries of Canada Post and the Canada Revenue Service).

HLBS also has some new Shackleton style Polar Explorers in the Great White North section.

Awesome figures and a great film :love:

[jizbrand]

What I've chosen to do is a small force for each area of the world my characters might adventure in.  The usual force consists of two 5-man rifle squads, a 4-man cavalry squad, a light machinegun and crew, a light field gun and crew, and an officer.  So far, I've accumulated US Marines, British in tropical gear, French Foreign Legion, Germans with Bergmann SMGs, Bolsheviks, Turks, Chinese, and Japanese.  And, of course, Pulp Figures' She-Wolves.  I just ordered some Italians and should have those in hand in another week.

So far, all of them have managed to figure in one scenario or another.

Forgot to mention it, but I also keep a 5-man squad of Ghurkhas, Sikhs, and Askaris to augment the other forces as required.

[TadPortly]

I assume you are looking for forces that could appear "globally" rather than locally.  If so, in addition to the above you could consider:

Spanish Foreign Legion; Czechoslovak Legions; and the Imperial Japanese Army.