Quote from: LondonPete51 on 04 November 2014, 02:00:31 PM
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Some forums (or is the plural 'forae', 'forai'!!!!) look intriguing but once you've registered it becomes clear that it's hardly used at all; last post was before the early Roman Empire that you happen to be researching!!!

1 FORVM, many FORA. But if you want to use Latin forms, watch out; there are many caltrops for the unwary to tread on.

....AND I PROBABLY WOULD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peter

Welcome, Pete 

Hi Pete and welcome to the Forum. Late C19th is one of my favourite periods. People have mentioned a lot of the reading material that I have, but I would also recommend Douglas Fermer's two volume history - Sedan and France At Bay, published by Pen and Sword. Also Bruce Weigle's 1870 rules have a huge amount of info about the war (more than half the book), and recently Wyre Forest Wargamers published a downloadable set of rules for playing FPW as a Fire and Fury game. Also recently published, and available from Caliver Books, is Bloody Big Battles, with the featured scenarios in the rulebook all being FPW [There is a scenario book as well, but it does not feature any FPW scenarios. However there are three free scenarios on the BBB Yahoo Group site all from the Republican phase of the war]. Finally They Died for Glory rules features a number of Imperial phase scenarios which are smaller than the BBB ones, ie Froeschwiller is split into a number of engagements, rather than being fought as a single large battle. Les Gens Braves is also a nice little set of rules for fighting at battalion level. Both are also available from Caliver books.

As for paints I generally use Miniature Paints Royal blue for both French and Prussians, but give French greatcoats a drybrush of blue-grey before adding details. Don't forget that most French officers wore the fashionable black uniform jacket rather than blue. I also finish of my figures with a coat of magic wash - see Fat Wally's website for details - it works a treat:

 

Welcome Pete,


I will not mention WSS as one or two of the other forum members have been waiting for me to paint my WSS British since Tom Baker was Dr Who - well thats what they will claim. 


Cheers

Orcs
   

Nice looking infantry, DP. 

Quote from: Hertsblue on 28 November 2014, 09:28:02 AM
Nice looking infantry, DP. 

Seconded !
Cheers - Phil

I'd repeat what Hertsblue said re reading material - The Franco-Prussian War by Michael Howard is reckoned the definitive work. Quintin Barry's The Franco-Prussian War 1870-71 is a readable acount. Volume 1 covers the Sedan Campaign. David Ascoli's A Day of Battle covers the seminal Battle of Mars-la-Tour in detail. Two Osprey titles are useful; The Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871 by Stephen Badsey, which is a potted history of the war, and Gravelotte-St. Privat 1870 by Philipp Elliot-Wright, an account of the destruction of the French forces under Bazaine.
 
I'd also recommend Wawro's book The Franco German War, as with all his stuff it should be taken cum grano salis however there is plenty of good stuff in it. The CWS do some good booklets, also Colonel Henderson's books on Spichern and Woerth (available from Helion, have a look at the whole Helion catalogue online, very comprehensive) - oh and lovely figures DP (waiting for my Fernando boys to arrive any day now, Christmas come early!)

Have dug out and am in the process of basing my old, but still serviceable, 6mm FPW for BBB. The tens will now be doing service in the smaller actions of the FPW and APW probably using the Polemos rules.