Some Vichy French, and some Yeomanry Cavalry to fight them in Syria!

I agree that we've got to be a bit more realistic. My boiled down list would be BEF, Dutch infantry, Greeks and, self indulgent, French motorcycle troops as they look so distinctive - no need to include the motorcycles.

Graham, I like your suggestion of the French troops, I think they may be referred to as "Motorised troops" with the tank crew helmet with leather buffer at front. Very distinctive, I have an original example (without badge from WW2)… and stylish if I may say so! The heads could also be good for conversion for say Polish tank crew who also used variations of the helmet up to and including the 1939 campaign.

As mentioned before, in recent years the 1940 Battle of France/Westfeldzug became one of my WWII focus areas again. Reading here & other hobby-forums clearly indicates increasing interest & demand for this specific theatre.
Like many 1/72 manufacturers, Strelets arranges most of its output into subdivisions of self-contained ranges with clever combinations of coherent subjects.
Just as impressively proven with their current WWII ranges (North African/Mediterranean and Pacific/Far East), I'm optimistic that Strelets holds sufficient capacity to accomplish this (& potentially other) WWII theatres in the long run.

So, not only for the further stimulation of my newfound devotee, again a very short compilation of theatre-relevant suggestions.

Fall Gelb/Battle of France 1940
- Dutch infantry with support weapons
- French infantry with support weapons
- French light/medium artillery, AA & AT crews
- French mounted/dismounted motorised Dragoons
- Fallschirmjäger with support weapons (early war)
- Kradschützen, mounted/dismounted, distinctive gear & poses ("summer" dress, early war)
- German Pioniere overcoming obstacles & in combat (summer dress, early war & plenty of bridge work to do)
- Belgian infantry & Chasseurs Ardennais
- French Chasseurs Alpins

Campagna del Nordafrica/North African campaign 1940-43
- Italian regular infantry & Bersaglieri rifle squads & support weapons
- Italian light/medium artillery, AT & AA crews
- Afrika Korps light/medium artillery, AT & AA crews
- Commonwealth/British artillery, AT & AA crews
- Italian, DAK & Commonwealth/British Engineers overcoming obstacles & in combat
- French Colonial Troops (Tirailleurs, Goumiers, Spahis)

2nd Sino-Japanese War/Pacific/Far East 1937-45
- Dutch KNIL infantry
- Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces
- Chinese infantry & support weapons in summer/winter gear (different factions & uniforms)
- Japanese, Chinese & Commonwealth supply/mule trains
- Japanese & Chinese mounted/dismounted cavalry summer/winter
- Commonwealth infantry & support weapons (more distinctively looking Indian troops e.g.)

:wink: :laughing:


Seriously, I'm certainly not the only one keenly interested to read what suggestions other enthusiasts have to contribute? :slightly_smiling_face:

Dear Peter the Great (as a devotee of the Russian monarch and owner of a Russian GNW army I have always wished to write that!!!),

Your lists are comprehensive, impressive, and very long indeed. If I were at Strelets I would have much food for thought here.

A morsel from my meagre brain: I completely agree with your suggestions re: AA/AT gun crews. These are always useful and so rarely modelled in 1/72 plastic, although this position has become a little better in recent years.

Ditto, vehicle crews and soldiers in transit, lorry/half track passengers etc. These would, in my view, be especially useful for the 1940 'Blitzkrieg' and the western Desert (1940/43).

Kradschutzen?: I have already offered my view.

I will now humbly return to my serfdom....

I am sure the good people at Strelets will be quite interested to see what we have been discussing and suggesting for future possible sets. Compared to the "old days" where manufacturers probably did not take into account what was in demand other than "the usual suspects" eg basic German WW2 figures and the odd token opposition troops. Although at times some subjects can be a little "overdone" thinking of the range of both 1/72 and 1/35 scale German WW2 as examples... almost done to death and I sometimes wonder if there will be a set of German infantrymen brushing their teeth and combing their hair, as there has been so many variations on a theme over many years! ... and no I don't think there is a need for such a set !

So here's to Strelets approach of producing not just interesting sets, with fabulous animation but variations on the subject matter - look at the range of Allied troops made so far, New Zealand, Sth African, Indian, French Foreign Legion, 8th Army, Early American and looks like the LRDG coming soon (I can't wait...) then the range of Japanese subjects recently. So let's hope Strelets have lots of ideas from us (without too much pressure of course) to keep them busy and in business for many years to come.