French colonial forces

[Bryanbowdell]

wow
these turned out great!

the senegalese was a perry plastic too?
and the guy with the loincloth, is he a dahomean?

Thanks.

The guy in a loincloth is a Perry Sudanese/Mahdist.

The Senegalese is a plastic Zoauve body, plastic mahdist head and napoleonic arms (with the cuffs removed).

[former user]

the empress colonials work quite well for french 

though I'd try the interim bleu mecanicien uniform or Tonkin whites, they look more specific.
In dark blue it would have been double breasted

[Bryanbowdell]

though I'd try the interim bleu mecanicien uniform

Is this the light blue?  Would artillery crews have worn dark blue double breatsed tunics?

[former user]

the light blue, yes
a forum search will give You some painted Dixon, but blueer than the one You used for the turcos - a bit stronger than sky blue
here it is  (kind regards to @Answer_is_42)

it was actually denim blue, like jeans, but bleached out

colonial/naval artillery would have worn the double breasted dark blue paletot, yes
probably not in northern/western Africa.
The problem with the colonial uniforms is that they were very regional

[Bryanbowdell]

I only have a couple of the British to convert, mainly to man artillery and "stiffen up" the natives!!  When did the light blue uniforms begin to be used?

[former user]

oh, hell
no option to look it up now, some time before 1900, but only Madagascar and far east.

I thought they look so characteristic and cool, and since You are not that authentic anyway....

oh, and since we are at it: the spatterdash/gaiter combination (white over leather) of the Zouaves is characteristic for the 2nd empire, and would have been pretty outdated after 1872, gaiters would have been black leather, or cloth, white for regulation or any colour of recycled garment, tan, blue or even red

As with the British and other armies, there were a lot of experiments in the end of the century...
with artillery I would wait until the Perry ACW plastic artillery comes out, they should be pretty generic
at least I hope 

[Bryanbowdell]

I am looking forward to the Perry artillery, some Napoleon cannon will be cool (if not overkill).

The ooverall look of the force is what I concentrate on, just trying  to resist using true metropolitan  troops I do like dragoons ;-)

I do appreciate all the help u have given me, ta

[former user]

pleasure
we should do a sticky french colonial thread 

the artillery - carriage and limber haven't changed much and are almost the same for french and US until around 1900 (AFAIK! please correct who knows better), so only the weapons need to be changed

You wouldn't be able to use dragoons in Africa...
You better check for Meharistes 

[Arthur]

I only have a couple of the British to convert, mainly to man artillery and "stiffen up" the natives!!  When did the light blue uniforms begin to be used?

The M1895 blue uniform was first issued to naval troops in 1896 to replace the M1886 collarless paletot. It was also issued to the FFL and was last worn in 1901 during the China expedition, being discontinued shortly afterwards. It was a dull shade of grey-blue rather than bright light blue by the way - all the more so as the dye used was prone to fading, which often resulted in an unkempt and sloppy appearance on campaign.  

[Bryanbowdell]

A sticky thread would be good.

I do fine the French army fascinating, and looks great on the tabletop, I may expand into the Franco Prussian war!

[former user]

merci Arthur

for the sake of authenticity You will have to decide 
@Brianbowdell
1871 is the watermark for french uniforms (even if for the uninitiated it is difficult to see)
before is the operetta style of the 2nd empire, after is the more sober style of the 3rd republic and the emergence of the more practical colonial uniforms.
there is no both 

[Bryanbowdell]

I will probably go with the third republic as the 1870s-80's is my main area of interest overall.

Would any standards be a simple tri-colour?
 Would any metropolitan line infantry have served in Africa?

I may eventually get round to a few grits as well, for a fictional clash of empires!

[Patrice]

There was not many French colonial activities in the 1870s, as France was recovering from the FPW and still wondering what to do next.

I dont' think (unless proven wrong?) there was metropolitan line in Africa.

For standards there was regimental colours, which would be somewhat decorated. But it's possible that small detachments could carry simple and unformal tricolours, to show to the natives.

[former user]

metropolitan units outside of france during the 3rd republic - marsouins (volonteers) and zouaves, chasseurs d'Afrique -
otherwise constitutionally impossible

[Patrice]

I'd not call these metropolitan. Not in the strict sense. The modern French army still makes a strong traditional difference between "colo" (marsouins and bigors) and "metro".