Rapid Fire! France 1940 in 20mm - The 7th infantry battalion for the DI/DIM

 

In the main square of the small village of Lucas Hernandez (clearly close to the Spanish border) a French infantry battalion prepares itself for review. 

This is the 7th battalion of infantry for my DI/DIM and the first made of Pegasus figures. The figures are a delight with two Hotchkiss MMGs in each box and with two/three types of rifles distributed among the figures - the more modern MAS 36 and the older Lebel or Berthiers - and two different positions for the FM 24/29 firers, besides officers and rifle grenade launchers. The only problems are the lack of the 60mm and 81mm mortars, of a radio, but that is typical of many figure sets. More on that later. 

Our masters Colin and Richard order us, their humble servants, to place 3 figures in each MMG. So one kneeling and firing figure was converted as the number 3 with new GreenStuff arms in each gun. 

A few more Pegasus kneeling figures went to crew the MiniGeneral 25mm Hotchkiss AT guns together with a few conversions from the Revell WWI set. 

The mortar issue was solved with a few conversions: the figures got new GreenStuff arms, rifles on the back and some plastic tiny parts in the hands to look like mortar shells. The 60mm mortar is scratchbuilt while the 81mm is a Hat Stokes mortar with a few cuts to look like the Brandt. 

The command group got a radio on the back of the figure that looks more loaded. 

One of the infantry companies. The two last battalions of French Infantry will be mostly like this one and then I can call the DI/DIM done. 

Next: probably a video on the Herman Goring LPD in Sicily 1943.