20mm WW2 French

Ah the French… What to do… What to do…

I have a smattering of French Armour – none of which would belong in nits with each other – as far as I can tell. I don’t really want to buy a pile more to make an armoured regiment or anything… I have no infantry to speak of and no one, as yet, is making any cheap plastic French WW2 figures… I guess I could do what John did with his 15mm French – Buy some late war WW1 French and just call them “WW2 French” – the only problem is that nit-pickers would point out that the rifles were quite different – the one being used in WW1 was considerably longer, I think. Not that I game with any nit-pickers.

Of course I do need someone for my Alpini and Early War Germans to fight… maybe when I get around to doing THEM I’ll worry about acquiring come more French.

Here’s what I’ve got:

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


On the left are a pair of Hat Industrie
Armourfast Ft-17s. Nice models. I think I ranted about how much I like the quick assembly model tanks earlier today so I won’t natter on about it again…. Too much…

In the center is a Rafm model I can never remember if it’s a Renault R-35 or a Hotchis H-39…. I think it’s the Renault…

Finally a pair of Somua S-35 from Heller. I seem to recall it was reasonably quick to assemble except for the wretched soft plastic track (oooooh how I hate those!). Track aside, I guess if I could find a pile of these for a reasonable price I might put together an armoured battalion of them… someday… maybe…

THE PLAN

There isn’t one really. Just dreams of what I might do when I’m retired.

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Do you really want to know? Is anyone actually reading this far…? Or any of this at all? Why am I doing this again…? Oh yeah…

Actually THIS is a good reason why I’m doing this – the French – had I a clear and concise plan when I purchased those French tanks, well, I might not have purchased them! Maybe the FT-17s will see use with my 28mm Back of Beyond stuff (yes, I know it’s a touch on the small side… whatever..) I could use the Somua as captured tanks employed by the Germans – I seem to recall 21 Panzer Division was initially equipped with Somua tanks when it was reconstituted in France after the downfall in North Africa… maybe they still had a few kicking around in June of ’44…?