More French armour for 1940

 

My collection of French tanks for 1940 has expanded to include a SOMUA S35 and a Hotchkiss H35, from AGNM, originally mastered by Tony Ashcroft of NZWM.

The early war French tanks are my favourites, not based on their actual performance but for their art-deco aesthetics.  It helps that they have more interesting camouflage than the plain grey of the Wehrmacht or the two-tone green/brown tones of the BEF.  Of the French tanks, the S35 is the most interesting of the lot.  Its main drawback is the one-man turret, which overloads the tank commander with too many responsibilities.  The TC needs to load, aim and fire the tank's 47mm gun, as well as maintain situational awareness, locate and identify enemies and direct the driver.  However, in comparison with its rivals from other nations, the S35 had a powerful anti-tank gun (for 1940, at least), good armour thickness, and was reasonably fast at 40km/h.

The Hotchkiss H35 was very similar to the Renault R35.  Both had the same turret and 37mm gun, and the H35 was only marginally different in armour and speed - as in, way too slow, at 28 km/h it was barely faster than the 20 km/h of the R35.  Like the R35, the H35 comes across as an updated Renault FT-17.  

Here are a couple of comparison shots of the H35 and R35 - size difference is minimal, but I am pleased to have both represented in my collection.

I have one more R35 in my collection, a Waffenkammer model painted by Doug to represent the Italian R35s that counterattacked the American Operation Husky landings on Sicily in 1943.

All four French tanks together.

I also finished up a couple of Warlord Games snipers in ghillie suits.  Nominally British snipers, I'm sure they could stand in for snipers from other nationalities as needed.