Hommes soupe

 

This pair of Mokarex hard plastic figures came from the Paris show in March.  They represent the chaps who did the dangerous but essential work of taking forward soup, bread and wine to front line positions.  I hope they make it!

Shopping from the Paris show

 I mentioned earlier that there had been some retail incidents last weekend - here are some of the highlights. 

I’ll start with my final purchase of the day - a shoe box full of 100+ mostly medieval figures.  Makers are mainly Starlux with a few Clairet, Mokarex and a couple of Elastolin. The (Mokarex) chap above is one of my favourites - clearly a well-balanced individual. 

There are at least three of this fine Starlux pose. 

More aggressive poses. 

On the right, a dismounted knight by Starlux, while the Mokarex figure at left is none other than Ivanhoe. 

As you’d hope from a French maker, the Starlux Gauls are a delight. I wasn’t looking for any but I can’t bear to part with them!  

Of course, where you have Gauls you need some Romans to fight them. The small batch of Starlux was accompanied by the imposing Elastolin eagle bearer. 

The Gauls again. 

More Romans. 

Civilian figures are always handy. This pair from Mokarex - Thiers and Offenbach - have already been nicely painted. The cheapest figures of the day, they owe me only €1 for the two!

I also scored a box of more Mokarex civilian figures - mostly 20th Century celebrities. Here are Maurice Chevalier and Charles Trenet. The box contained many duplicates (triplicates indeed) and will be shared with a couple of friends. 

Victor Hugo and Gambetta (yes I know they’re 19th Century!)

Finally a change from plastic to lead. EDIT 04/04/22. These last chaps are actually French-made aluminium figures by Quiralu.  Which explains why they don’t  ‘sound’ like lead 🤭

This trio of Great War French are in desperate need of a repaint but they’re lovely old figures for a reasonable €5 each. 

So I make that about 160 figures, of which I’ll be keeping around 100 and passing on the rest.  A very successful show!

Multi-part French

 While I was painting the Mokarex Great War French figures I decided I needed a command/communications team.  In my search for suitable figures I dug out this hard plastic set from Tamiya.  Although the figures therein are for the 1940 campaign I decided that aside from a change in colour scheme from horizon blue to khaki the appearance of French troops didn't really change all that much from 1916.

The kits is intended to build as an infantry unit but swapping arms and heads could create more poses.

More on this soon!

Marshal Joffre

 Here’s another pair of my Mokarex hard plastic figures.  Marshal Joffre, still wearing his 1914-era uniform under a greatcoat is accompanied by General Mangin, described by Alistair Horne as Joffre’s “hatchet man.”  He certainly looks pretty unforgiving  

Le lion de Verdun

Some years ago I was fortunate enough to pick up a set of WW1 French generals.  While not clearly branded as Mokarex they are very much the same style and clearly by the same maker. Here is the first to be completed - General Petain - all ready to lead the defence of Verdun. 

Mokarex Great War French

 I’ve mentioned this slightly odd range of hard plastic figures before: LINK

While I was sorting out some WW1 French figures recently it occurred to me that I should deal with a few of the apparently random selection of Mokarex soldiers I’ve had kicking around.  I used the same blue as for my existing later war Armies in Plastic units:  LINK

A suitably grizzled looking chap trudging towards the front line.  He’s bound to be popular with my pipe smoking readers. 

A lines of communication guard, clearly feeling the cold judging by his scarf and mittens. His place on the equipment issuing priority list is evident from his wearing wooden clogs rather than boots!

A well turned-out squaddie in 1916 rig. Very smart. 

This chap’s ‘Crapouillot’ 58mm mortar was badly damaged so,I rebuilt it with some plastic tube.  

He looks a dangerous man!

Mokarex 2e Empire figures

 

Some of these were completed just too late to see action in the recent Paris game.  These chaps are hard plastic figures originally given away with Mokarex coffee in France and featured historic French personalities and soldiers.  They seem quite rare in the UK - I picked up a few a shows here but most came from a toy soldier show in Paris a few years ago.  I really like them.

Above - The Emperor Louis-Napoleon in this original gold plastic and daubed by me.

Marshall MacMahon.  Ideally he'd have been present for the game as he was the C in C of the Versailles troops.

Cuirassiers and a trumpeter.  These indicate one of the drawbacks of elderly hard plastic - broken swords!

Guards and musicians.

General Faidherbe.