Help: Chinese and French Artillery - Tonkin (Sino French) Wars 15mm

[cmikucki]

Hi all -

I'm finishing up my first wave of troops for the Sino-French wars in 15mm.  I've been working through articles on the conflict trying to identify the best guns to use for the Chinese and Black Flags.  I've painted gunners - using primarily Old Glory excess Boxer Rebellion figures.  I have Krupp Guns and Muzzle Loaders for them, but wondered if anyone knew of any better alternatives?

For my Black Flags infantry units I've used Frontier and Old Glory Boxers, Imperial Chinese, and a handful of Cellmate Miniatures.  I've completed 22 units of Black Flags infantry so far, and am working on the French Tonkinese figures now.  I've already got Turcos, FFL, and some Annamite Militia figures done as well.  I don't believe the French have any cavalry, nor much on the Black Flags/ Chinese side either.   

Anyone else tackle this in 15mm?

I'll post some photos later after I get these based/ flocked.

I'm planning on using Battles for Empire II which I recently picked up, or alternatively Fields of Honor as a fallback.



Thanks
Chris

[FifteensAway]

Wish I could help with the specifics of your request.  Unfortunately not.  Am fascinated by your doing this in 15 mm, however.  Makes it much more doable than other than a skirmish game.  Skirmish games are what they are but I've never found them particularly satisfying.  I know, that makes me an odd man out, especially here at LAF.  What the heck, I'm used to being Odd! 

Most curious to know what figures you are using for the French Foreign Legion.  Maybe Old Glory's boxer See Battalion?  They are the closest figures I can think of with an approximately correct helmet.   Please to enlighten. 

Good luck on your search for more information for your artillery.

[cmikucki]

Thanks for your post.  I've been able to play both sides of the colonial scale game for some years.  I have a very large, often untouched colonial collection for skirmish/ TSATF type games.  Valuable now because I have two younger sons, and the visual appeal and fun/ fast play works. 

For 'serious' games, for conventions and researched colonial battles though, I tend to prefer 15mm operational level battles.  I've been collecting and painting more than playing, but have serious 15mm collections for Sikh Wars, Indian Mutiny, Zulu War, Sudan, Boxer Rebellion, FFL, and now working on this.  I like integrating gunboats and naval landings into games, and the Tonkin Wars seems to be a natural for this. 

My one challenge has been to find good sources of detailed information - no Osprey Campaign book, no online painting guide etc.  I'm reading through Black Flags in Vietnam, but really interested in tracking down the details.  Not speaking/ reading French is a severe disadvantage in researching this period!  I have found the Wikipedia to be exceptionally good for closing this gap, but nothing on artillery for the Chinese/ Tonkinese side. 

For FFL, I have two generations of figures - first the battalions arrived in Saharan garb - white kepis with neck covers, blue overcoats etc.  I pulled two units from the desert for these.   This is also the source of some of my artillery crew so far.
Windrow's book clarifies that these were discarded after the first year etc.  For the French colonial helmets in 15mm I  use my Frontier Boxer Rebellion French Marines - with the flat helmet cover.  I have two units with red trousers, blue tunics and white helmet covers.  I have two more on the table for dark blue trousers and coats - I plan one with khaki helmet covers and one with dark blue. 


I have Turcos, and Sailors and Marines already, and fortunately was able to find two bags of Annamites and Tonkinese from Frontier to supplement the French with Tirallieurs.

Anyway thanks!

[Tegom]

Hello
Here are some views of the French during the Tonkin campaign

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/French_soldiers_in_the_Tonkin_circa_1890.jpg
http://img.over-blog.com/600x420/2/30/34/50/Culture/Guerre-Franco-Chinoise-halte-francaise-Lang-Son.jpg
http://img.over-blog.com/600x420/2/30/34/50/Culture/Guerre-Franco-Chinoise-tirailleurs-tonkinois.jpg
http://img.over-blog.com/600x420/2/30/34/50/Culture/Guerre-Franco-Chinoise-le-general-Briere-de-Lisle.jpg
http://img.over-blog.com/600x420/2/30/34/50/Culture/Guerre-Franco-Chinoise-le-general-Millot.jpg
http://belleindochine.free.fr/images/GastonDonnet/101Legionnaires.jpg
Regards

[marco55]

A little late  but.
https://nafzigercollection.com/product/little-war-french-campaign-black-flag-pirates-upper-tonkin-january-may-1896/
https://nafzigercollection.com/product/history-of-th-french-intervention-in-tonkin-1872-1874/
https://nafzigercollection.com/product/the-french-conquest-of-vietnam-1861/
https://nafzigercollection.com/product/the-tonkin-campaign-of-1884/
https://www.amazon.com/Sino-French-Naval-War-1884-1885-Maritime/dp/836142153X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38E187POP4LX8&keywords=sino-french+naval+war&qid=1643469718&s=books&sprefix=sino-french+naval+war%2Cstripbooks%2C196&sr=1-1
Mark

[BillK]

Sounds like a neat project Chris.
Look forward to seeing some pics.