From LeeH - French Foreign Legion 75 mm field gun & crew (12 Points)

I couldn’t resist giving my French Foreign Legionnaires some artillery support so here is an 1897 Pattern 75mm Field Gun. This Quick-firing gun was designed to deliver time-fused shrapnel shells to enemy formations. This gun continued in service for many years, was used extensively in WWI (over 4000 were in service at this time) and was even used as the main armament of the French Saint-Chamond Tank in 1918. 

The recoil mechanism used a hydro-pneumatic system which meant the gun did not move when fired. This meant the crew didn’t have to re-aim between shots, greatly speeding up its rate of fire. Up until 1915 there were two types of ammunition, A time-delayed HE Round and the aforementioned time-fused shrapnel shell.

In 1903 a battery of 75’s was used against the Oasis city at Zenaga and within a few short hours had destroyed more than 150 buildings. The seven Ksars of the city meekly presented themselves to General Fernand O’Connor to ‘negotiate’ but they had little option but to comply with the French in the face of such firepower. 

Other than some casualty figures I think this is the last of my Foreign Legion miniatures for the time being. I’m working on some Berber Camels and then I’m more or less done with this project….I say that advisedly of course because no project is ever ‘done’ but I will have completed everything on my original plan and some extras that wormed their way into the plan as it went on. I'm looking forward to getting everything out for the wrap-up shot because I think I've got a respectable amount done this year. 

Points Scoring:
1x15mm Artillery Piece & 4 Crew = 12 Points

That's a great artillery group, Lee!

Tamsin