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| French infantry in the trenches. (http://www.151ril.com) |
One of my chum's sons, already an avid wargamer, has expressed an interest in playing a Great War miniatures game, with a particular interest in the French. Or some other options (he likes the underdogs), but since I'm learning and blogging about the great Verdun campaign just now, I seized on his interest as an opportunity to build a French force for Through the Mud and the Blood.
He's OK with either early war or something later. But , although they would look glorious in les pantalon rouges, the early war French would be at best a platoon of 58 corporals and riflemen with a three sergeants and a solitary lieutenant as platoon commander. Not much chance of one of the regiment's two machine-guns, even.
But by 1916, though drabber in the horizon bleu, the platoon becomes much more interesting. A greater range of infantry armaments and more complex tactics to use them effectively created a more diverse platoon organization. Still commanded by l lieutenant and three sergeants, the platoon now consisted of 40 men, including 4 dedicated rifle-grenadiers (with two ammo carriers), 2 automatic-riflemen (with 2 ammo carriers and 2 assistant gunners), and a squad of 8 grenadiers (including throwers, ammo carriers, and assistants).
I also (since this was my delayed tax-refund splurge, and I was buying from Old Glory 25s and thus using my discount from their Army Member programme), got some support elements. The platoon will be able to call on some Hotchkiss HMG support, a 37mm infantry gun, and some trench mortars, if needed. There are some special figures to represent any trench-fighting party they may send out at night to recce the enemy lines to to grab a prisoner or two. And they will have some extraneous chappies hanging about: some spotters for the divisional artillery,
I'll be going through all my old Lardy Specials as well as delving into the M&B forum to see if any ideas crop up that might be useful. But undoubtedly of most value will be all the posts on the excellent Roundwood's World blog about his Verdun Project. I'm also finding the website of the 151e Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne (a living history group) invaluable.
As a starter, I'd like to portray an attack and a counterattack from the fighting over the Bois des Corbeaux (like my mum, I love the corbies) on the left bank of the Meuse, part of the beginning of the second stage of the Verdun campaign in March 1916. But first I need to do some painting!
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| French field kitchen and baggage. (http://151ril.com) |