Thursday, 23 January 2025

Scraping the barrel.

 More oddments finished yesterday. These really are the arse end of the French resin pimple for the time being. Of course I am sure that other stuff will surface when I dig deeper……

A stretcher bearer team hurry to the aid station, their casualty overcome by the attentions of the subject of the next picture.

I am sorry miss but nude sunbathing during a German invasion is not a recommended activity so we ask you to move on.

Anozeur invasion by ze Bosche. Phut! Zut alors. This time our army is better armed and better prepared.

This is an old and imho very silly FT17 tank of WW1 vintage converted into an armoured command vehicle. I’ve made this one an armoured FOO for the RAAT artillery regiment attached to the 3DLM. I doubt it’ll ever keep up.

There we are for now. I might be going to the club this evening. Fingers crossed. I might even run a game next week.

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Life Need Not be a Train Wreck. Let the train take the strain 1940 France

When I was in India the start of the year I ordered this rather lovely 3d printed train wreck in 1/72 scale. More or less finished it today as a bit of a displacement activity to avoid more pressing jobs.




I’ve also done about five feet of track to go with it. Not a bad job though I say so myself.

Friday, 17 January 2025

More French for 1940

 I don’t seem to be able to shake my enthusiasm for painting 1940 French. Here are the latest off the painting desk.

A 75mm artillery battery, horse drawn of course, for my N African troops in the shape of the 1st Moroccan Division 


An obsolete but rather splendid little P-28 armoured car. 


Two more Char B1 bis, inspired by the last photo on this post of an actual paint scheme. It looks pretty good and to be honest wasn’t too difficult to do. I’m pleased with them both.



This is what the two tanks above were based upon.


I reckon the French are pretty much done. I’ve still got a few vignettes to finish ( oh and one battalion of N African infantry) but then they’re done (?) . A battalion of Hotchkiss tanks are finished but not adorned with their decals.

THEN, we might even see a game next weekend subject to all the usual caveats. 




Sunday, 5 January 2025

French Army 1940 on Parade.

 I thought I would organise a parade of my French 1940 troops, primarily so I would be able to see where any gaps were in the orders of battle of the formations I had chosen to produce for the tabletop; this exercise would then allow me to move on whatever French remained unpainted and unwanted to another home. Everything is organised more of less for Rapid Fire.

HQ of 3DLM (Division Legere Mechanique)

I wanted a random N African or Senegalese unit. These are the support company for the first battalion. I need (?) to finish the second battalion and some horse drawn artillery.

Tirailleur battalion.

A host of refugees.


The rump of two battalions of Dragon Portees. With a squadron of motorcycles, two of motorised infantry, attached AMR light tanks and assorted AT guns and mortars these should be quite tough.

Two squadrons of AMR light tanks for the Dragon Portee battalions.

Somua and H39 for the 1st and 2nd Cuirassiers. 

Divisional Reconnaissance Group 

I should field the group with either the Schneider P16 or the Panhard AMD 178

The whole lot on parade 

This was actually quite a useful exercise as I’ve been able to give potential new homes to lots of metal and resin from the box of doom. I’ll be able to field another N African battalion, a battalion of Chasseurs Portee and ultimately an armoured brigade with Char B tanks, all of which are some way through being completed already. 

I will have far too much but at least there will be a good selection to chose from for any future games.