The French Foreign Legion, that mysterious and legendary military force; known for its harsh discipline, toughness in combat, and ability to succeed against the odds. Today, the Legion is considered one of the world's elite fighting forces, but its origins were much more humble.
The Legion was founded in 1831, a time of political chaos in France. The country was then in the midst of a civil war, and the government was looking for a way to empty Paris of potential troublemakers.
The solution was to create a military force that was open to foreigners, but closed to French citizens. This way, the government could send the troublemakers off to fight in Algeria, Northern Africa, where they would physically be out of sight and out of mind.
It was not a smooth start for the Legion. If anything, its first recruits were mostly criminals and misfits, and the unit had a reputation for ill-discipline and unreliability. However, the officers of the Legion quickly realized that they needed to crack down on discipline if the unit was going to be successful. They introduced a tough set of measures, including flogging and hard labor.
Over time, the Legion's reputation improved. The unit fought bravely in Algeria, and its members earned a reputation for courage and fighting spirit. The Legion also saw action in other conflicts, including the Crimean War and the Mexican-American War.
Today, the French Foreign Legion is still one of the most elite fighting forces in the world. It is a symbol of adventure and self-sacrifice, and it continues to attract men and women from all over the world who are looking for a challenge.
Project references:
Sideshow Collectibles' French Foreign Legionaire from their Bayonets & Barbed Wire Series, represents the style of uniform found on Legionaires serving in the 2nd Regiment Legion Etrangere on the Algerian / Moroccan frontier, circa 1903. It's a good set for immediately realising a figure from this regiment as it has a slew of uniforms, weapons and various assorted accoutrements. These include: Historically accurate and authentic FFL blue outfit including double-breasted overcoat, white linen trousers, molded boots, molded kepi with white fabric havelock, blue waist sash, leather belt, buckle and leather Y-straps. The accessories and weapons include a Lebel rifle, Epee bayonette & frog, 3 molded ammo pouches, haversack, 2-liter water bottle, mess tin and shelter half.
Upgrading works included switching the original Sideshow body with a DID Slim-type body, and replacing all the thin leather straps of the haversack as the suede-like originals were quite delicate and easily snapped when tugged. Rio Rondo buckles subsituted the smaller Sideshow buckles; these were painted black and drybrushed with steel paint. Additional fabric bundles were folded and glued to size; these were strapped to the top of the haversack and beneath the shelter-half. The steel coloured metal plate was customised using the sawn-off otop of a plastic container, apoxy putty base and Rio Rondo handles. Chervons and Service stripes were made from medical plaster, painted red and cut to size. These were additionally secured with glue to the sleeves.
The Legion regulations permitted the buttons of the overcoat to be unbutton, exposing the shirt collar. I cannibalised a DID DAK shirt by cutting it up into a dickie, painted white. The dickie was then positioned and glued around the neck of the headsculpt. Using the entire shirt would have created bulk to the figure.
The final stage was weathering and creating sweat on the face. For the dust effects, I used North Africa Dust Pigment powder by AK Interactive, applied with an artist fan brush. Cheaper alternative would be to use chalk pastels and grind the bits into powder. Tamiya Weathering Masters Mud and Sand pigment were used to dirty up the satchel. A technique I use is to dampen the areas to be dirtied, then the pigment is carefully applied with a brushtip loaded with water. Of course I would always run a test before applying the pigment. Here's a tip: always start with a diluted shade of colour, then blend and build it up with more layers. Don't rush it! Similarly I applied the same technique for the boots, then apply a light coat of matt varnish to seal the powder. This was repeated twice for the final effect that you see in the photographs.
My technique for creating sweat on a headsculpt was to paint Liquitex Slo-Dri Blending Medium mixed with a bit of water on areas of the flesh, taking care to blend off the edges with another brush tip moistened with clean water. When dried, the medium gives a slightly glossy sheen to the flesh. After letting the medium dry overnight, I then created droplets of sweat on the skin with AK Puddles. This is best applied full strength with a fine tip brush on areas where you would find pespiration - the sides of the head, nose, cheeks and Cupid's Bow. Cupid's Bow... what's that? Well, the Cupid's bow is the area of your upper lip beneath your nose (That's what Google called it!). Again, take your time doing this, it's always best to run a test first on a discarded old headsculpt. And remember... don't sweat it!