Building my French Army for Bolt Action

Well, we are just a few months away from the French and Allied book launch by Warlord Games. A few months back during Christmas there was a huge sale at one of the online gaming retailers I shop with and I picked up some French miniatures dirt cheap (less than half price) from the Great Escape Games line. A full box of 24 French (two squads of 12) and a blister with another 4 officers/command made the loot pile. I based them and started some work but put them aside to focus on other projects until the French book comes out.

Now the PDF is a useful guide and I hope the book really expands them to make the French even more interesting to game with!

That said I am organizing up a small shopping list from various retailers as Warlord does not make everything and I want to be ready!

My concept is simple; I wanted to have about a 1k list with a little room to adjust this or that to add some variety to the list but also not breaking the bank!

Headquarters:

My first item is to have an officer and one other with rifles, I will have to convert these as my current figures have only pistols and there are no officer options with SMGs or rifles. All other French figures I could find all have officers with pistols. Unless I opt for them to wear a coat like the rest of the troops which from what I see they wore their officer uniform with pride.

I am also quickly making a Medic to fill the role if I need that “cheap dice”. This was a simple upgrade with some bits I had laying around and using an officer uniform for the medic.

The last HQ is going to be a spotter. I gave him binoculars but that may change if I get the blister with the phone operator and carrier pigeon soldier…while they are WW1 era they should work well enough.

Troops:

I will have about 36 Regular (or inexperienced) with 3 LMGs, 3 pistols and a load of rifles. I also plan to grab a unit of 10 Alpine Chasseurs (1 LMG and 9 rifles) and a 10 main GIA Groupe Franc French Paratroopers (2 LMGs, 4 SMGs, 2 pistols and 2 rifles, I may have to convert the pistols, we will wait and see). There is also a unit of 12 Senegalese Troops that I will add (12 rifles and knifes) as an assault based unit.

Rounding out the rest of the army will be a light mortar (Grenade rifleman), medium Mortar Team, Sniper Team and Anti-Tank Rifle Team.

Artillery and Armor:

For Artillery support I have opted to get the 75mm light howitzer for a cheap dice and some decent unit killing power.

For a tank I struggled hard to figure out what is best. Let’s be frank, the French tanks are not the best in Warlord rules so I have to figure what is best for me within those rules. I was going to use a Char 1B but after finding I could get a 75mm and a lighter tank for the same price (actually saving some points, adding an extra draw dice it didn’t make the call too hard). So, unless things change I will use the Renault R40. It has a small profile, light anti-tank gun (paying for the upgrade), armored all around and is a medium tank despite the light tank status.

I am also using the Panhard APC in place of the AMC SCHNEIDER P16 HALF TRACK. It’s just too damm ugly and I think the Panhard is going to be a better vehicle once the French book hits the shelf. So until then, it will be a “counts as”.

Last thoughts:
I have been hearing some rumor rumbles about the French as the book was perhaps on preview at Historicon! Been hearing bits like grenade rifles, changes to tanks and such...nothing yet about specific rules but apparently the Resistance rules are VERY interesting from what I hear.