Proxies questions (WW2 and post WW2 colonial)

[sundaygeneral]

Hi,

As I explained in another topic, I'm planning to go 10mm skirmish (from squad to reinforced platoon level). They will be side projects of my main french modern (2010+)  setup in 20mm (now I know that it would have been possible in 10mm, but it's too late, I invested a lot in this scale).


The 4 "universes" I plan to do in 10mm are :

indochina (easy since an official range exists in pendraken store)
Algeria Independence war
Portuguese african colonial wars (especially Angola)
WW2 eastern front (early war and late war).

Concerning WW2, for germans and russian it will be easy, but I would also liked to make a early war polish army (infantry, mounted and dismounted cavalry, 10th mechanised/black legion)


For Algeria, I was thinking using the french from Indochina, but I don't know what I could use for algerians ?

For Angola, I think I'd could use (with a bit of conversion) the falkland range with SLR rifle (to use as G3 rifles portuguese) ? Any other ideas ? For africans I have no clue, maybe converting some vietnam soldiers  ?


I'm not against a bit of conversion or sculpt work, as I already did it on my ratmen army  :

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,9887.0.html



thank you for your help.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

The Algerian War is horrible, read 'A Savage War of Peace'.
The French Indo-China and post WWII figures would do nicely.
As to Algerians: It's mostly local insurgents fighting each other and occasionally taking a pop at the French. Algeria was heavily influenced by French fashion and culture, most photos of the locals are in shirts and trousers in this period. Ridles and Mortars were in ready supply. But most other weaponry was few and far between.
As many bare headed or floppy hatted locals (VC maybe) with a mix of Indo-Chinese and American (as captured arms were in the majority). WWI Arab foot for colour and Arabic/Tureg flavour, but don't over do that aspect.
Assault rifles/AK47 only make an apperance late in the war when the Algerians made some contact with China and The CCCP.
Have fun
Will

[sundaygeneral]

thank you for the help. For Algeria, I believe I will also pick some vehicles from other ranges, like the AML90 (converted in 60 version), or land rovers.

For africans (Angola war), I believe I saw some african riflemen in WW1 pendraken range. Mixed with some VC/ak47 riflemen from post war range, and a bit of conversions, I should be able to create decent forces.



For portuguese, I also saw that Pendraken range had some SLR riflemen  (in falklands range for example), wich in 10mm small scale (with a correct paint job) should represent decent G3 assault rifles too. I will have to add the typical caps and hear cuts/beards. I will have to see what I could add for elite or specialists (I should find some german MG42). The most difficult part will be finding some vehicles like minimog or alouette III.




Concerning Poles, for cavalry I would have to find figures with these typical helmets and caps. For now I didn't find any good minis.

For Black Legion (10th motorised brigade) I will have to find figures wearing leather long coats and helmets. Their gear (coats and helmets) seems very similar to german (not sure it's an historically accurate statement), so maybe I should take a look there.



edit : I think I found a good candidate for dismounted polish cavalry in helmets :

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,3442.msg29758.html#msg29758


With just a minor rifle tweak, it should be almost perfect.

[sundaygeneral]

Hi,

Is there pictures of Indochina figures somewhere, including the references of them ?

I'm currently making my shopping list, but I don't know how are the figures, and the references names (at least some of them) are not easy to understand.

many thanks

edit : I found some :
http://www.tinytintroops.co.uk/Galleries/10mm/10mmModern/pages/page11.htm

But not the complete range...

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello SG

For Poles you could have a look at the WW1 ranges, there is a French cavalryman F12 Cavalry helmet lance and there is a small range of Polish troops in czapka http://www.pendraken.co.uk/World-War-I-c17/Polish-sc115/. Can't find any pictures of them yet. You could also press-gang some of the WW1 Serbians as well:-



Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

[sundaygeneral]

Thanks

I finally made the choice of 15mm for my WW2 project, it was easier for the minis choices. I'm currently thinking of my colonial projects, hoping I will be able to make it in 10mm,  but finding correct pictures is not always easy, especially when you're searching for "proxies" options.

[sundaygeneral]

BUMP

Is there some pictures of SLR vietnam australians somewhere, please ? I didn't find any.

I'm also interested by troops with double peaked cap (or simple cap, but not the baseball style). I'm currently searching for possible proxies for portuguese colonial wars : the major features are the double peaked caps, light uniform, and HK G3 rifles (at this scale any SLR or fn fal will do the trick). 

For now, the falklands range and vietnam australian range seems the best because of the SLR and FALs. But maybe you have other ideas, of light/summer uniform troops with caps, where I could modify the weapons ?

I'm not against sculpting new details. I already did it in this scale (see my ratmen for example).


thanks for the help.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello SG

I'm also interested by troops with double peaked cap (or simple cap, but not the baseball style). I'm currently searching for possible proxies for portuguese colonial wars : the major features are the double peaked caps, light uniform, and HK G3 rifles (at this scale any SLR or fn fal will do the trick). 

Have you thought about WW1 Austrians? The cap is not too far different from the Portuguese cap in general shape:-



Nice page here about Portuguese uniforms:-

http://s343.photobucket.com/user/PedroPato/media/soldados%20portugueses/ultramar2.png.html



Other options are the cap wearing Afrika Korp figures (standing figure in Austrian pic).

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan