(Army Painters) French Foreign Legion 1910-50; reboot 2014

[former user]

and a quick description:

1906 uniforme coloniale, could be a bit lighter for my taste (must be the winter weight  ), with uncovered kepi, not unusual, even after the Great War.

bretelles, ammo pouches and boots plus occasional gaiters are in blackened leather.
The soldiers even have bayonet frogs under the musette bag.

the NCO carries the as de carreau - although the figure clearly has officer rank cuffs, I could not imagine a capitaine carrying a rucksack....

with these Monsieur Owen simply excelled, very crisp and beautiful sculpts, a pity I can't paint them better.

the officers are often variations, as can be seen on the example below


and I have to exercise to get fair skin better...

[Dr Mathias]

Those uniforms are growing on me, I like the pics 'in action'.

[former user]

THX

Yes, the uniform is very different from the classical Hollywood FL. And apart from the red kepis, they could be just as well marsouins.
Swap the garance for navy blue and You are done. Unfortunately, the coloured collar patches are as off-limits for me as eyes are... maybe next year.

since I am noticing an improvement in my painting, I hope to get somewhere by the end of the army......
I will try to redo the lighter skinned faces, at the moment this is the biggest flaw I perceive. That is why they aren't sealed yet and a bit shiny.

[Mason]

Those uniforms are growing on me, I like the pics 'in action'.

I really like those 'moody' pics too.
 

the officers are often variations, as can be seen on the example below

I had not noticed that before.
Well spotted!
You have also given me an idea with your observation...

[former user]

I really like those 'moody' pics too.

well, maybe I am more talented on the "selling" side of painted miniatures, but that won't get me a painted army  
but I am already planning for the group shot end of the year, we'll see then

[Mason]

well, maybe I am more talented on the "selling" side of painted miniatures, but that won't get me a painted army   
but I am already planning for the group shot end of the year, we'll see then

Well, those pics certainly 'sold' them to me.
 

Looking forward to the 'moody' group shot!
 

[janner]

Coming along nicely 

[former user]

THX very much gentlemen

so, here we go with the next month - after framing the Great War, this month a time jump to the late twenties, the Interwar period.

The wartime kepi has been finally succeeded by the M 25 and the tunic collar has now a button down shape and a loose cut that allows the shirt and tie  (not worn on campaign) to be seen. Not in this case however, since the long scarf of the nomad tribes, the cheche, worn prewar by the compagnies sahariennes has jumped over to the rest of the legion and will continue until it is regulation for the whole french army in 1939.
The wartime surplus has been used up as well as all the surplus cloth of many shades, so it is now the khaki moutarde only in two weights, and general Rollet has succeeded in making the covered kepi the symbol of the legion - though it is not yet the Kepi Blanc.

[Mason]

I am enjoying following this process, Eymard.
Not only an iconic army to track as it comes to fruition, but a really interesting history lesson too.
Please keep it coming.
 

[former user]

Merci

what I lack in practical skills I try to balance out with theory 

BTW, interesting useless fact is that the FL still likes to stick the tunic into their pants around 1930, but probably only for walking out - seen on two figures here.
Whereas the weapons - the 8mm Lebel has already started to be replaced by the Berthier rifle. Apparently 8 round tube magazine looses against 3 round Mannlicher clip. Interesting development this thing - designed as a short carbine it was used to bolster the numbers in WW1 and therefore lengthened to rifle size and later the clip was enlarged for 5 rounds. This is always visible as the metal part that sticks out under the one part stock beneath the receiver. Colonial troops received them mainly - ever seen these in model? me neither. Strange enough the FL demanded to be rearmed after 1920 with a shortened (3 round) Lebel carbine.
Strange world.... so now we have 4 (actually a few more) different sidearms when pop! in 1924 the authorities realize that the conical 8mm Lebel is unsuited for automatic fire and they need the 7.5 mm round for the new Chatellerault LMG. Which is initially too close to the Mauser 7,92 mm with disastrous consequences and had to be shortened etc.
So by 1925, we have a new LMG that closely resembles the BAR and over 4 different sidearms now being rechambered for the 7.5 mm round, all in different stages of being introduced and phased out - where has the french rifle supremacy of the 19th C gone?
astonishingly not into development hell, since they managed to turn out the excellent MAS 36, however the responsible army department was probably too busy with the other armoury and forget to order enough of them for WWII. Anyway, this topic is for a later unit...

[former user]

and now it's getting messy...
while I started to paint next months' unit, this activity gets into tough competition with my favourite hobby activity: vehicle building

because November unit is going to be a motorized one, I have to build two vehicles too so that I can paint them next month together with the crews (well, the part of it I have already) ...
alternatively, I could finish two armored cars I already started, with no crew...
how many is a vehicle unit anyway?
or simply skip the vehicles (and do them for a later month) and paint an infantry unit for november too
the latter alternative has a point since I don't have all the necessary vehicle crews yet...

Otherwise I have two interwar biplanes half finished, but these lack the pilots too, so no point in doing them either

tricky decision...
suggestions anyone?

[Thargor]

Go with building the vehicles and painting the infantry...that way we get to see lots more lovely paintjobs and you get your vehicles prepped too. 

[Mason]

I gotta agree.
Think of the rest of us who are following this thread.

We want more....of everything!
 

[former user]

since You two have gathered now 

right now I am leaning towards the solution of keeping up the painting pace with infantry units (which You will hopefully subsist with the foreign foundries soon ), finish the vehicles step by step and paint them when they are ready.
Unless someone has a better idea.

things haven't got better with me reasessing the Lizardmen army I have prepared years ago.... 

[Dr Mathias]

Biplanes