Warlord Games has released a brand new set of plastic French Infantry to face the German Blitzkrieg! Let’s take a look.
For Bolt Action players who like to wargame the early years of World War 2, Warlord Games has a brand new set of plastic French Infantry on the way. I have always been a fan of goofy uniforms, and out of France’s long and storied history of goofy uniforms, these guys really take the cake for me. They looks like 19th Century firefighters that were handed a rifle, told the Germans were invading and it was their job to go stand in the path of a tank. I love it!
So What’s on the sprue? As you can see in the main image at the top of this article, A LOT! First of all, there are six unique bodies, which is on the low end of standard, but the options are really what make this set great. There are haversacks, holstered pistols, saws, spades, and billhooks to adorn the belts of your soldiers. For weapons there are two types of rifle, the Mle1907/15 Berthier of WW1 and the newer MAS 36 that was beginning to take its place. There is the FM 24/29 ‘Châtellerault’ light machine gun and the VB Launcher rifle grenade.
And all of that is the generic equipment for the soldiers. Thanks to a plethora of head, helmet and hat options (yes, hats, in WW2), This set can be used to make four different unit types. First, there is the ubiquitous ‘Adrian’ helmet, suitable for just about any French unit, including a few extra without heads that can be used for extra modeling projects. There are berets, perfect for ‘Fortress Infantry’ or garrison units. But not only the inexperienced soldiers were given cloth head coverings, as there are bonnets de police for the elite light infantry regiments of the Chasseurs! Lastly, there are a set of tall hats worn by a wide variety of French colonial troops, including the North African troops that were stationed in Metropolitan France at the time of the Blitzkrieg.
But perhaps the best addition to the sprue is the arm holding a lit cigarette. I can already picture my colonel, standing stoically in his officer’s kepi saying “La Guerre…” *takes a drag* “c’est l’enfer!”
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