Creating 20mm 1940 French Armour Options - Part Four or Quatre

 

Rounding off my take on 3D printing resources for my 20mm Early War French force we get to the armoured (and not so armoured) vehicles.

Again there are some fantastic artists out there who create some amazing models, I have focussed on a French creator called Counlane Models. He started his collection with the Early War French so inevitably I became a fan, my friend also succumbed to his German models as well.

There are also many other greta resources and many free models as well, anyway let's get on with the list:

• AMC Schneider P16 with Junior Leader

• AMR 33 with Junior Leader

• AMR 35 ZT-1 with Junior Leader - A choice of two models, the earlier version and the later one.

• AMR 35 ZT-2 with Junior Leader

• AMR 35 ZT-3 with Junior Leader

• Canon de 47mm portee on Laffly W15 TCC - this is the only model I can find of this portee option. 

• Car with no crew - simple French car here.

• Char B1 bis with Junior Leader

• FCM 36 with Junior Leader

• FT-17/31 37mm with Junior Leader

• FT-17/31 MG with Junior Leader

• Hotchkiss H35 with Junior Leader

• Hotchkiss H39 with Junior Leader

• Laffly SA-34 TCC Canon de 25mm L72 portee with Junior Leader - I wanted a forward facing 25mm portee here and there are no models I could find so I had to combine a couple of files. I started with this free basic flat top Laffly S20, edited it to open up the back and then took the 25mm AT gun and edited the legs of the gun to shorten them to fit in the back of the Laffly. I then added in a couple of crew from the same AT gun. Pretty pleased with the result.

Amended 25mm portee STL

• Lorraine 38L carrier with trailer and driver - fantastic model that has the main carrier and trailer covered and uncovered.

• Lorry with no crew - a common Chain of Command 2 support choice that I have added in to the 1940 choices for two points. There are quite a few choices out there for models that fit the lorry/truck slot and both free and paid for:
• Citroen U23 with french passengers - From Eskice, this a fantastic model with passengers you can add in as well.
• Laffly S20 TL - Lovely model that formed the basis my 25mm portee above but also comes with several different options.
• Renault AHS, AHN & AHR - These trucks are really nice, many models and with removable roofs. Easily resized to 20mm and print really well.

• Panhard 178 AMD with Junior Leader

• Renault AMC 35 with Junior Leader

• Renault Char D1 with Junior Leader

• Renault Char D2 with Junior Leader

• Renault R35 with Junior Leader

R35 from Coulane Models

• Renault R39 or R40 with Junior Leader

• Somua S35 with Junior Leader

As you can see there are a lot of armour options out there, I suppose reflecting the general interest in tanks in the hobby. The challenge can be when resizing these that parts can become very thin so careful supporting is needed and also very careful removing of said supports. I will post pictures of my armour as I paint them.

Creating 20mm 1940 French Support Options - Part Three or Trois

 

G.Garitan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This time I will focus on the non-vehicular support options open to the French in the 1940 Blitzkrieg book. 

This will be the most challenging aspect of sourcing files as the need to find a decent STL to resize to 20mm means that some of the rarer items will be difficult to find. I suppose there is always the option of buying a 20mm fill in from one of the suppliers of published 20mm miniatures that exist.

Again Colonel Muller has most bases covered but there are a few outliers in amongst them. 

Pictures below are from Colonel Muller so all copyright etc due to him.

Support Choices

• 37mm mle M1916 Infantry Gun with five crew and Junior Leader - perfect model with officer and two crew, needs additional two crew though. 

• 60mm Brandt mortar Team with Junior Leader and four crew - although a reserve regiment this does the bill. The officer is superb and comes with four crew so a full complement.

• Canon de 25mm L72 AT gun with five crew and Junior Leader - with officer but only three crew.

• Canon de 47mm L53 AT gun with five crew and Junior Leader - with officer and only four crew and a very nice sandbag emplacement that you can also use on other support options.

• Canon de 75mm M1897 with five gun crew and Junior Leader - again with officer and only three crew but you purchased the upgrade limber this gives you an additional three crew/officers.

• Captured MG34 - this would be an upgrade for the usual FM 24/29 LMG in a squad. There is this option with tripod support or this one without. The issue is replacing the FM 24/29 LMG on a model with the MG34 - which is certainly achievable with some fiddling around in 3D editing software.

• Engineer Demolition/Engineers Mine Clearance/Wire-Cutting Team - this is one of the challenges I found in sourcing appropriate three man squads. There is this single figure from Colonel Muller with an explosive charge but you would still need two more suitable figures to complete the team. I think I will go for using the ammunition carrying and crew figures from amongst the other support options and group them in threes as to fill in as these three teams. I might add dynamite and other tools to the figures or bases to help distinguish them.

• Escouade de Fusiliers Motocycliste - my previous post covers these chaps.

• Forward Observer Team with fixed line telephone and 81mm mortar section - given the new v2 version of Chain of Command and the removal of the need for an onboard FO this is slightly redundant but I include it for completeness and my nerdy need for a full list, plus it is also a great model.

• Francs Tireurs - whilst not strictly needed, being able to put down on to the target JOP a figure to indicate its impact would be nice. Something suitably resistance looking here or here or maybe a French policeman would do then job?

• Fusil Anti-Char Boys Team with two crew - nice choice of a pair advancing or lying prone.

• Medical Orderly - Not a single figure but a first aid post, I think the chap with the saw would make a suitable medical orderly to roam the battlefield.

• Sniper Team - a couple of choices here - either Reserve or Active.

• Two Bouteilles Incendiaires - a great selection of four infantrymen throwing lit bottles.

That about wraps up the non-vehicular support options, the main issue is crew counts to match Chain of Command requirements and the engineer teams being a bit of a compromise.

More to add to the pile of grey resin shame methinks. Next up will be the armour support choices.

Creating a 20mm 1940 French Dragon Portés Platoon - Part Two or Deux

 

Building upon the basic 1940 French infantry platoon in my previous post, next on the build list is a Dragon Portés/Division Légère Mécanique (DLM or Light Mechanised Division) platoon who could also serve as motorcycle reconnaissance as well.

Again I will be looking towards Colonel Muller as my source for STLs I can resize to 20mm. I am thinking I would like to have the option of having them mounted on motorcycles as well so I will effectively need two platoons - one mounted and one dismounted.

Pictures below are from Colonel Muller so all copyright etc due to him.

Senior Leaders and NCOs

Armed with a pistol, there are a couple of options here:

• French Officer Dragon Portés - A single pistol armed officer.

• Dragons Portés NCO Group 1 - Two armed with pistols and one with SMG.

Junior Leaders, Riflemen and LMGs

The remainder of the platoon are included in files that are a mixture of these roles, I have detailed which is included in what selection.

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 1 - Three rifle armed infantry. 

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 2 - Three rifle armed infantry. 

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 3 - Two rifle armed infantry and one LMG.

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 4 - Three rifle armed infantry. 

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 5 - Two rifle armed infantry and one LMG. 

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 6 - Two rifle armed infantry and one LMG. 

• DLM Dragons Portés Combat Group 7 - Two rifle armed infantry and one LMG.

Adding to this are the mounted options:

• French Sidecar 1 - Motorcycle with sidecar mounted LMG. 

• French Fusiliers motocyclistes - Two mounted rifleman and a third suitable to be a NCO. 

• French Fusiliers motocyclistes 2 - Two mounted rifleman and a third suitable to be a NCO. 

• French Fusiliers motocyclistes 3 - One mounted rifleman, one with SMG and one with pistol that would suffice for a Lieutenant.

Rifle Grenadiers

An ideal selection of one NCO and three V-B grenadiers here.

That rounds out the basic Dragon Portés/DLM platoon which should be fun to paint. Some of them might make excellent French jump off points too.

Creating a 20mm 1940 French Infantry Platoon - Part One or Un

Sébastien Romero, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

3D printer - check, ocean of resin to hand - check, lack of understanding what I was getting in to - check.

The challenge with wanting to 3D print and then field a 1940 French platoon in 20mm for Chain of Command is you have to search for the models that you like and have enough options to cover the extensive support options as well. From my research and trawling of the interweb, I discovered there are two main sources of suitable files - those of Eskice and Colonel Muller - both French nationals which is a nice coincidence. 

After much deliberation I went for Colonel Muller as the primary source of my squad although I will add in some of Eskice's sculpts when they can fill a gap.

All the links below are to Wargaming3D, just through personal choice I use this one (I am not affiliated or any such thing so use your wargaming STL site of choice).

There are a few main types of infantry squads in 1940 Chain of Command, so I am going to focus on sourcing figures that can be used to make up most of the core infantry squads - they all share common types of figures, giving me the flexibility to make up many different types of platoons.

Pictures below are from Colonel Muller so all copyright etc due to him.

Senior Leaders

To start with I want these to be distinguishable from the general infantry so I am looking for either officer with caps or distinctive poses to make them stand out as Lieutenants or Sergeant-Chefs.

They are armed variously across the types of platoons with either a pistol, rifle or SMG.

So looking at Colonel Muller's excellent sculpts there are some great choices for officers;

A suitably relaxed Officer and if you want De Gaulle and Cpt. Rochefort. For a more general selection of officers that would also fit well there are several choices in the French HQ group. There is also a lieutenant and adjutant in this group with some NCOs.

Junior Leaders, NCOs and more Lieutenants

Again, a great selection to choose from with some strong character sculpts that add some fun to the squads.

My favourite sculpt for an Inferior Senior Leader is this chap - he just looks slightly incompetent but has only a pistol and no rifle.

There are several groups of NCO sculpts that Colonel Muller has created: 

• French NCO and Officer - Two officers with pistols, one with SMG and one with rifle.

• French Veteran NCO - One officer with pistol, three with SMG.

• French Reserve NCO with rifles - Four NCOs with rifles.

• Dragons Portés NCO - Two officers with pistols and one with SMG.

• French NCO - Single NCO armed with a choice of rifles.

Rifleman

There are a lot of choices from Colonel Muller to make up the choice of the bulk of your platoon - whether it is front line or reserve regiments. I mix them up as I see fit to give the variety of poses amongst a squad or team.

• French Reserve Infantry combat group 1

• French Reserve Infantry combat group 2

• French Reserve Infantry under fire

• French Reserve Infantry throwing grenades

• French Reserve Infantry at rest

• French Reserve Infantry on alert

• French Reserve Infantry charging with bayonet

• French Regular Infantry combat group 1

• French Regular Infantry on patrol

• French Regular Infantry group scouting

LMG Teams

• French LMG Team

• French LMG Fire Team 1

• French LMG Fire Team 2

• French LMG Fire Team 3

• French LMG on the move

• French LMG with sandbags

Rifle Grenadiers

• French Reserve Infantry VB grenade launcher

These choices give me the core of a Platoon Headquarters, V-B Team and Group de Combat in various squad combinations. 

I will post soon with other French infantry squads and also the support and vehicle options to print that I have found on the interweb.

So off to the 3D printer I go, bottle of resin in hand to start printing like my life depends upon it - bring on the soon-to-be mountain of unpainted grey resin shame...