"Forces for Modern Africa Part 2 - Peter Pig French" Topic

All,

Part two of my 15mm troops for Modern Africa leads us to some Peter Pig Modern French, which I've painted up as Legion Etrangere. I bought four packs of eight figs: one of officers, one of Squad Automatic Weapons (SAWs), one of riflemen in helmets, and one of riflemen in berets. My force here is 16 troops; I split the overall force down the middle in order to do one in temperate camo and one for the desert (which is not painted yet, still need to get to that).

Here's the whole force: 16 troops, which break down to four guys from each pack. Four SAWs in 16 troops sounds a bit high, but I'll get over it. Such is life ordering packs of eight ;)

You see that I've thrown these guys into camouflage utilities; regretfully I admit I am not happy with my cammie uniforms, but I'm too lazy/busy to go back and re-do them. I used three colors: a light green, a dark green, and a reddish brown. It's not that it looks bad, it just doesn't look right for the French cammie uniform.

Two other things: I put helmet covers on about half of the helmeted troops, and, for the first time, I tried using different skin tones. The African Gov't troops in the last post were dark skinned, but for the French I decided to use three different tones: a bright color for Caucasians, a medium color suitable (I hope) for various Middle Eastern/North African/Asian/Hispanic, and a dark tone for African, all mixed in the same unit. Nothing ground breaking, but I think it looks good and is pretty cool for representing the Legion.

To see the rest of the pics, please check the blog at:
link

Anyway, that's my French Foreign Legion troops for temperate climates, two more sets of figures for Modern Africa to go. Looks like this is another painting weekend; I received my 20mm terrain for Spec Ops in the Balkans, but I haven't received the rest of my troops yet; I don't mean to complain, they're not late, I'm just saying I haven't gotten them yet and they need to be painted and based. Probably get another game in with my older son though ;)

V/R,
Jack

very nice Jack. There is a head swap pack if you want to convert some appropriate heavy weapons. The figures are based on 1982 uniforms and kit, I don't know what heavy weapons they might have had but probably 50cals and mortars are candidates. Have you considered any head swaps Jack?

martin

Cool…lovely figures these!

Jack the figures look great but the bases are too fuzzy and lush for the region in which you have them operating. I imagine with wear the static grass will fall away to make it a little less plush, but now it looks like those troops should be limited to wet temperate regions and Middle Eastern fairways! If you were playing the great Alfalfa wars of Kentucky then these bases would be more appropriate then they are to the Middle East.
Looking forward to whatever you have got planned for these and the other mini's you have posted and keep up the outstanding work. Excellent stuff!
Cheers and good gaming.
Rod Robertson.

Kyote – Thanks, and get those US troops ready for IFAT!

Martin – I appreciate the kind words, and hadn't thought about the head swaps. I'll keep them in mind, but for this force I think I'm good, just using them for skirmish games.

Jim – Thanks man!

Rod – Brother, I'm not following you. These guys are for Modern Africa, not Modern Middle East. I have 16 more French guys that I'll be painting and basing for the desert, in desert colors. But it's good to know I can use these for the Great Alfalfa Wars ;)

V/R,
Jack

Wow, Your figs came out a lot better than mine.

The basing just depends where in Africa. My Imagi-nations are set in a more arid area inspired largely by areas in and around Kenya. Lots more yellow, dusty there. Some places are much green.

Just Jack:
Ooops, I was tired when I wrote that. It seems I am running on less than one synapse! Then, as long as they are operating in the lush parts of equatorial Africa, they are totally appropriately based and I'm an idiot.
Sorry dude, I'm going to get some sleep now.
Rod (Idiot-boy) Robertson.

Got a load of these WIP too, with transport, for FLL intervention games.

sabresquadron.com

Four SAWs in 16 troops sounds a bit high, but I'll get over it. Such is life ordering packs of eight ;)

I don't think so. That's one SAW in each four man team which is spot on for most western militaries.

(grabs his Force on Force book)

Oh, well crud. Apparently the French are pretty weird. They use a 7 man squad split into two teams:

300m team (3 men) with 3 FAMAS, two of whom are carrying AT-4s.

400m team (3 men) with a 249 and LGI (FAMAS with a grenade launcher). The team leader has a FAMAS too.

Toss in a sergeant with a FAMAS and you have a squad.

This whole set-up makes me think British with a gun group and a rifle group.

So with 8 SAWS you have the beginnings of 8 squads!

Transport complete:

More VAB and ERC90S are on the new Facebook page:

link

sabresquadron.com