WW2 French for Chain of Command

I've had World War 2 French in 28mm for about 10 years now.  but about a year ago i decided to start playing Chain of command a little more regularly.  Last February i decided to put on a Big Chain of Command game at Mayday on the first weekend in May.

I decided I wanted to do 2 platoons of infantry and 2 platoons of armour for the game.  I put in a big order to Army Group North Miniatures to complete several platoons for both Germany and France. I also ordered a platoon of  Dragons Portes miniatures from Crusader miniatures/Northstar.  I painted these up as Chasseurs Portes, the infantry component of the Cuirassier heavy tank divisions. some of these infantry units had blue pants instead of the typically drab pants of other french infantry formations. they also give a decent counterpart to German schutzen, being similar formations themselves.

French Chasseurs Portes platoon.

Chasseurs Portes Infantry

 The Chasseurs Portes are really neat formations. they are basically the french version of Panzer Grenadiers.  2 teams of 5, each with a FM 24/29 LMG.   a section leader and a rifle grenadier complete the Section, although the rifle grenadier was often attached to the platoon HQ to form a rifle grenadier section. . The platoon is supported by a 60mm Brandt mortar, a Hotchkiss MMG team, a Canon de 47mm L53 AT gun and a Canon de 25mm L72 AT gun. there is also a 5 man motorcycle section I made with extra figures.

Chasseurs Portes platoon command and Support teams.

Reinforced French Infantry Platoon

French Infantry Squads

French Infantry Platoon command and Support teams

 The regular french Infantry platoon is 3 sections, each with a rifle grenadier and a FM24/29 LMG. As with the Chasseurs Portes the rifle grenadier was often attached to the platoon HQ to form a rifle grenadier section.  The platoon is supported by a 4th infantry section, 60mm Brandt mortar, Hotchkiss MMG, Canon de 25mm L72 AT gun, and a Canon de 75mm M1897.  I also have 2 81mm mortars left over from when I played disposable heroes. 

I often play this platoon as motorized infantry in Chain of Command, as the platoon structure is identical.  They just get a few more support options.

French Armour.

Left to right, Front to back:  MadBob FCM 36, JTFM R-39,
AGNM AMR-35 ZT3, AGNM AMR ZT1/2, AGNM Char B1 Bis
3x AGNM Somua S35s

Left to Right, Front to Back:  AMR-35 ZT1/2, 3x Hotchkiss 39s,
Somua S-35, 3x Panhard 178.  All AGNM

 All the Infantry are Crusader Miniatures.  All but 2 tanks are Army Group North Miniatures. I would love to add a trio of Char D2s but no one makes a model of one, and any of the 3D models i've seen on Shapeways are way too expensive($120 USD??).  the Char D2 was the tank that Charles De Gaulle's unit was equipped with when Germany invaded.  they were replaced by Char B1s later on, but  i would have though someone would have done a model of them. Warlord makes a Char D1 but they weren't even in service with the regular army in 1939. they were pulled out of  mothballs and set to the front lines in the later stages of the Battle of France.

This army is essentially done.  I have 6 AGNM Laffly S-20s(that I 3D Sculpted), but I've yet to paint them up. they will most likely get used as jump off points for my Chasseurs Portes.

Finally, the buildings in the background of all the pictures are Sarissa buildings.  I painted them up quickly for the  Big CoC game I ran.  I still have to weather them properly.