From GregB: Mme Clergue, Franc-Tireur, In Lady Sarah's Balloon (45 Points)

Mme. Clergue and her first recruit prepare to resist the Prussian invaders...

Time to make some more progress on my Challenge Island journey.  Having relaxed at Mudry's Mesa for a few days, I contemplated the next stop on the Path of the New Shiny.  That next stop was either Rousell's Sandhill or Douglas' Shallows. After a careful consideration, I realized I would rather pull out my fingernails than attempt either destination.  And so, I summon the Balloon of Lady Sarah.  As a figure, I submit Mme. Clergue - budding commander of a Franc-Tireur formation for my Franco-Prussian War collection. These are 28mm figures from the Wargames Foundry 28mm FPW collection.

Things go pear-shaped for the French in 1870...

The Franco-Prussian war went very badly, very quickly for the Imperial Government of Napoleon III.  Moltke and the gang had them in the bag at Sedan, and surely assumed some smooth negotiating and tough concessions would make for a lovely fall.  But that was not to be...the French Republic rose from the ashes of Napoleon III's abdication.  It had almost no army to speak of, but the French spirit was not to be easily quenched, and the Republican forces fought on.

Some sort of volley-gun-style pistol...should be epic.

The Prussians found themselves needing to occupy and secure considerable chunks of French territory as they pursued a siege of Paris and fought to crush the Republican French armies.  This task was made harder by the Franc-Tireurs, guerilla fighters who harassed Prussian troops along their lines of supply and joined in at the margins in some of the engagements in the later phases of the war. Foreshadowing the time of the Maquis, the Franc-Tireurs battled to make sure the Prussians paid as high a price as possible, and made the final defeat of France in 1871 a lot tougher.

As is so often the case in these situations, many a Franc-Tireur met a grim and summary fate, either in action, or caught in security sweeps. The reprisals visited on these resistance fighters were often expanded to local communities by weary, angry and scared occupying troops.

My Franco-Prussian War collection is, for now, very focused on the initial "Imperial Phase" of the war, but for skirmishing purposes I want to get from Franc-Tireurs organized.  While of course many of these bands were led by men, the women of France played a critical role in these efforts too, and I wanted my band to be led by one.  Thus I present Mme Clergue...she is on a hex-shaped base used in our skirmish games to denote senior officers. Standing with an innocent basket (loaded with baguettes and spare ammunition), she will be coordinating the efforts of the resistance in her local district, ready to show the Prussians that France is not vanquished yet...

We also have one early recruit, who looks to be sporting some kind of volley pistol(?) - should be entertaining. Watch for this band to grow as this edition of the Challenge goes forward.

Sparkling wine is a favourite! This is Paul Mas Cremant de Limoux, from St. Hilaire. So, so, so good...

For refreshments on this lovely balloon trip I thought French wine would be appropriate (actually, French wine is always appropriate, but I digress).  Tonight we are enjoying a bottle of blanquette, a sparkling wine from Limoux.  I love the sparkling wine, of course, and enjoy pointing out the local claim that the monks in Limoux (actually, in St. Hilaire) claim to have discovered sparkling wine before the folks in Champagne came up with it...hmm...all I know for certain is that both are amazing!

Updated map showing travel to Piper's Peak and the Path of Imagination.

And so, I ask Lady Sarah for transport to Piper's Peak! Following our safe arrival, stay tuned for more, and thanks for looking!

For points, I have two 28mm figures, a ride on Lady Sarah's Balloon, and a bonus for some delicious sparkling wine - I hope that gets me 45 points, but of course will defer to the minions :)

Love the figures and the history lesson is excellent. I know very little about the FPW apart from the French lost and were a bit hopeless.

Martin