French soldiers

[DracoPaladore 0]

Was wondering if any mod teams have released a pack of French Soldiers during the Indochina war or close?

[-HC-Para 0]

For late 40's or early 50's use the i44 pack. French troops, especially 48-52 used American WWII surplus equipment, to the point where it was still stamped "US Army".

I use the i44 weapons in many of my early Nam missions. I never released any of the missions as people would complain bitterly about the need to download i44 as a required addon.

The BAR is just cool anyways :P

Para

[itim_tuko 0]

Im missing real looking French Foreign Soldiers too and also the Vehicles and Fotresses they used to build in Indochine.

[Imshi-Yallah 0]

By 1951-2 the Metropolitan french forces had standardised on french weapons.

I'd love to see an Indochina mod

[Sgt. Stryker 0]

yeah itd be cool to play as NVA in the campaign too.

[HAWKmast3r 0]

Perhaps we'll do some french soldiers because we'll have to do (and already have done) some of the french weapons for the VC too. I would say the possibility that we make some french soldiers of their indochine war is high.

It could be realy cool to start the campaign or what ever with the battle of 'Dien Bien Phu' where the vietnamese had won.

[DracoPaladore 0]

Para @ May 11 2004,07:57)]For late 40's or early 50's use the i44 pack. French troops, especially 48-52 used American WWII surplus equipment, to the point where it was still stamped "US Army".

I use the i44 weapons in many of my early Nam missions. I never released any of the missions as people would complain bitterly about the need to download i44 as a required addon.

The BAR is just cool anyways :P

Para

Actually, the french did some changes. They made their own version of the helmet, and the similarities was mainly just in uniform. But then, it was still different. As well, officers wore those neat hats.

For weapons, they used the MAS 49/36, the MAT 49, the AA 53 GPMG, MAS Model 38 SMG,and finally the Model 24/29 MG.

I guess, though, that you could always use replacements using I44. Such as the Kar for MAS, the Grease gun for 49, Bar for 53, STG44/MP40 for the SMG, and...well..I have no idea for the MG.

[pzvg 0]

Starting with Dien Bien Phu, would make a rather short Campaign, as that was the last death agony of French alliance forces in Indochina.

Considering OFP's liking of small unit actions, I'd go with Groupment De Mobile's, <GDM100 is the French guys getting wiped out in the opening of "we were Soldiers> not all of them suffered as badly as that, and they had some success's.

By the time of Dien Bien Phu, the French were on the ropes so to speak, besides, that battle was a long drawn out siege action ending in a mass overrun, not something I'd like to play out personally

[ThePara 0]

I think they also wore their own camouflage patterns too didn't they? I think the Para's did anyway. They also borrowed from the US camo patterns worn in the Pacific.

[DracoPaladore 0]

I think they also wore their own camouflage patterns too didn't they? I think the Para's did anyway. They also borrowed from the US camo patterns worn in the Pacific.

US WWII camoflauge

I've been reading, and it looks like France was actually doing good.

Dien Bien Phu was failed not just because of the French failed command and organisation, but because Giap realised what they were doing. The French wanted to bring the Vietminh out into a large scale and open battle to draw them. And draw them it did. But Giap choose to surround Dien Bien Phu and ordered his men to dig a trench that encircled the French troops. From the outer trench, other trenches and tunnels were dug inwards towards the centre. The Vietminh were now able to move in close on the French troops defending Dien Bien Phu.

Giap apparantly had a very tough time at the beginning because the French were well trained and equipped, more than his. But with an opening in China after a battle, he now had a pocket where he could relocate wounded and train soldiers. He had also a large amount of weapons given to Vietnamese by the Soviets when the Japanese invaded Vietnam.

The French had a really good hold on the South.

[spad 64]

great idea, but the elite force like para, legion, marine' troop had several camo scheme with hat or helmet,it will be hard to find the different camo.

[DracoPaladore 0]

I actually tried to model last night, trying to make a MAS 49. But it just became so hard. Going to try again with another program than Oxygen. The BIS tutorial seems to have some older version or something like that.

[pzvg 0]

Most of the para and legion forces wore "lizard" camo, it's a very distinctive pattern.

If you think the French had a solid hold anywhere, I think you should read Bernard Fall's "street without joy"

[DracoPaladore 0]

If you think the French had a solid hold anywhere, I think you should read Bernard Fall's "street without joy"

Well, my information is just based on one internet site. So I don't expect mine to be very well written.

[DracoPaladore 0]

Well, I've been messing with Oxygen and I've actually been able to make a MAS rifle. I think its going rather well

Looks crappy and the bolt is on both sides of the rife due to bad photo source and texturing skills, but I might actually make something out of this.