For some time I have had a Problem...my Greek WW1/1920's Byzantia Evzones need Chauchat gunners, and no-one makes the figure. However, I then found out that Gripping Beast's New moon range does headless Chauchat gunners, so all that remained was to find Evzone heads (I had none spare to hack off existing troops).
Enter the Perry's American Civil War Zouave Officer set, which I picked up second hand for my 1848 project. It has lots of heads, and it seemed one Zouave tasselled cap looked a lot like the Greek Pharaon cap - well, near enough - so, on they went (picture above). Bit of filing to talke away the puttees and presto - believable Evzone chauchat gunners.
Next are rifle grenadiers....
Interestingly, although the Chauchat had a poor reliability reputation in the mud of the Western front, it was found to be pretty useful in the dryer regions the Greeks operated in.
(The Perry officer set truly is the Gift That Keeps on Giving - it has provided officers, standard bearers and drummers for my balkan/turkic style 1848 army units (as well as the other "straight" bodies being converted to artillerymen with tassled caps - will put some up at Xmas when I finish them)
Those look to be an effective conversion!
ReplyDeleteThought of filing their coats down to make the Greek fustinella too...for about a half second :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, more time and thought than I'd have given it!
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