French Foreign Legion

France began to colonize Algeria and other parts of North Africa in the mid 1800's and Algeria remained a colony until the 1950's.

Many of the indiginous peoples did not really want to be colonized so naturally they resisted French enlightenment.

The Tauregs are an Arab culture and waged war with the Legion until finally subdued.

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The figures were either purchased or assembled and or modified from kits and then hand painted.

The vehicles were either purchased assembled or assembled from model kits.

The buildings also were either assembled from models or fabricated from lego's, cardboard, leather, mastic and grout.

All the elements are made to look weathered or dirty and no attempt was made to paint eyes, beards or other minute details that tend to made military miniatures look like mannequins or toys.

The backgrounds were added with photoshop. If you notice also the same props and sets accommodate many diffent views.

I hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I do making them and maybe get a little look at historical context along the way!

Click on any of the photos to bring you to more of similar genre.

..the point men are counter attacked...

A dawn attack by Tauregs. Dramatic lighting effects add to the drama. This used an alternate set to depict a small engagement deep in the Sahara.

adding a variety of backgrounds to get the desired look.

an early morning encounter between a lone Legion Camel Corps soldier and a "friendly" Arab.

...and here our intrepid Legionaire picks up an unlikely companion for a long trek across the desert..

Above and right were work in progress shots...

this legionaire guards the supply camels.

Beau Geste - 1939 - Paramout Pictures based on the novel by Percival Christopher Wren.
Ray Miland - Gary Cooper and Robert Preston.

A bird's eye view into the fort... the three soldiers awaiting orders were originally buglers, modified to be standing at order arms.

close up shots are in every set (just like the movies).. here a Taureg takes aim...

The large inside tower is made mostly from Lego's and mastic stucco!.. the bugler was the first figure I did.