"15mm French Infantry Circa 1975-1980, pre-FAMAS issue?" Topic

Is there a source for late 1970s 15mm French infantry with MAS-49 rifles?

Thanks,
irishserb

Could you use Eureka's Indo China French? You might have to do some work on the rifles but they should pass.

The bad news is that for late 70s European-theatre French infantry, there is nothing as the MAS-49/56 and MAT-49 are needed.Eureka's figures will provide the MAT-49 armed figures but the baggy uniforms are very 1950s looking when you would want a far more tailored look for the 1960s onwards. Converting the rifles to MAS-49/56 won't be much fun either.

If, however, you are looking to field a late 70s African-theatre French force you are in luck as you can actually use some Peter Pig figures if you are willing to portray one of the units (para, legion, naval commandos) that were equipped with the SIG-Manurhin SG-540 from 1978.

This was a licence-built SIG assault rifle acquired as a stop gap because of delays with the development of the FAMAS and as a solution to the fact that French troops were outgunned by just about every militiaman with an AK.

8e RPIMA in Central African Republic (1979)

8e RPIMA in the Lebanon (1978/79)

8e RPIMA in Castres (1980)

What were they armed with at Kolwezi?

Irish, you getting the French involved in the Mugabia/Uwanda emergency?

During the battle of Kolwezi, according to memoirs of Legionnaire Karl Peters of 2*REP, they were going around with MAT49 SMGs, MAS-semiautomatic rifles and AA-52 LMG/GPMG plus they also had FR-F1 as a DMR/Sniper, but Im quite condifent that there was a mention about DMR with the scoped MAS-rifle in his book too.

Cool. Thanks Maahis!

Yes, Kolwezi (where several Legionnaires used captured AKs and FAL) and the FINUL deployment were the eye openers that led to the SG-540 buy.

Would anyone's 15mm minis with FNs or G3s pass muster for proxy SIGs?

Duck

Peter Pig's AK-47 regulars with G3/SLR should do it but some creative thinking will be needed for the AA-52 LMG which is quite distinctive and very anemic looking compared to a MG-3 or a MAG-58.

Thanks, I greatly appreciate the info and photos. I was looking to do French for hypothetical Cold War gone hot in late 1970-s Europe.

Regarding Mugabia and Uwanda, I aready have French intervention forces circa 1985, but they are equipped with FAMAS by that time. The "fate tables" just haven't directed the game to an intervention yet.