Belgian uniform question...

[Christian]

I have a couple of Brigade Belgian WW1 Carabiniers, like so:
http://www.brigademodels.co.uk/GreatWar28/items/GW28-1133.html

How early can these be used? Or, what kind of story do I have to make up to make one of them viable?

Cheers!

[Plynkes]

They never fought in Africa, unfortunately. The kind of story you would need to make up would simply be the Belgian government sending Belgian army units to its colony (something it didn't do). Remember that Belgium didn't have a colony to send them to until 1908. That Carabinier uniform was worn at least as far back as the turn of the century (I have no info before then, but it probably goes further back), but the MG 08 didn't exist before 1908 and I'm not altogether sure when the Belgian army adopted it (I suppose you could just pretend it is a British Maxim).


One needs to consider that if they had been sent to Africa they would almost certainly have been given tropical uniforms too. Greatcoats are great in Ostend in November, in the Congo, not so great.  

[Tomsche]

Though it`s in flemish, this MIGHT be of use (has a forum as well, just leave out the whole wiki part at the end of the url)

http://www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.nl/wiki/index.php/Hoofdpagina

[Christian]

That was answered succinctly and superbly. Thank you, gentlemen!

*chucks WW1 Belgian out the window* 

[FifteensAway]

Whose with me for mucking about outside Christians window?    See what else he didn't like that might be lying about? 

[Red Orc]

Just tell him that anything you like is 'the wrong period, no they didn't use those helmets then and that strap is all wrong' and you should be able to get anything you fancy! 

Christain; maybe make a story where the Molvanians are attacking Graustark in 1920, that should be OK I would think.

[mjkerner]

Ummmm, where are the spokes on those dog cart wheels???

[Christian]

Ummmm, where are the spokes on those dog cart wheels???

I threw them out already! Silly buggers...

Okay, here's another curly one. How plausible is it to use Colonial Brits (let's say the Empress Zulu War range) as Belgians? What would I need to modify? The first thing that occurs to me is the sleeve decorations. If not rank and file, what about the officers? They seem the easiest to convert.

I realise this question is very broad, as they would have had tropical or other variations. What sort of details should I look out for? (I'll browse through the images I can find but any help would be appreciated!)

[Plynkes]

The Belgians (and Force Publique) did not use Martini-Henrys. The single-shot black powder Albini-Braendlin was the standard FP rifle. This gun was replaced by the Mauser, but even during WWI most askari still had to make do with their ancient and obsolete Albinis.

Unfortunately the Martini-Henry looks nothing like either a Mauser or an Albini. That would be a sticking point for me, but it is one of those "your mileage may vary" problems that you have to decide for yourself. Everyone has their own personal concept of what is "near enough."

[Plynkes]

Before they had Albinis it seems they had Sniders. Still nothing like a Martini, though. 

[Christian]

That's a good point, and something that I wouldn't have picked up. Thanks for that!

[area23]

Foundry does colonial Belgians. And pretty nice figs too.
Not sure where to get them though, apart from the Foundry site.
But I always wondered: could Foundry Belgians be used as colonial Dutch??