French Army

"Ils ne passeront pas!"

- Poilus, battlecry at Verdun. The Poilus were the frontline soldiers of the French military during WWI. Wearing distinctive sky-blue tunics and red pantaloons in the early stages of the war, they fought hard from 1914 through to 1918.

Unlike the English Army, the Poilus was based around Universal Conscription. Each year, a class of men turning 21 would be inducted for three years of army service, and after such service would be put into the reserves, where every time they reached a certain age, the commitment would grow less and less. The mobilization plan put heavy emphasis on the use of the extensive French rail system to muster troops to their respective fronts; holding the right to activate the reserves and re-conscript people who'd already done their service... which after a variety of setbacks on the Western front from 1914-1917... they inevitably did

Battle vs. Frontovik (by Deathblade 100)
The Trenches, 1918

Poilus: x15

Frontovik: x15

Fifteen Poilus patrol a stretch of occupied trenches, their horizon blue uniforms standing out in the middle of the mud. Many of them cleaned or reloaded their Lebel M1886 rifles, while several maintained their Chauchat LMGs. In the distance, fifteen Frontovik soldiers watched the French line from their own trenches. The Russian officer unholstered his Nagant revolver and gave the signal to attack. Twelve of the Frontovik rose up, bayonets fixed to their Mosins. The whistle blew, and the Russians charged towards the French. As the Russians got within range, the French machine gunners opened fire; the rapid fire from the Hotchkiss M1914 dropping two of the Russians.

One of the Russians threw a M1914 Lantern Grenade into the machine gun nest; the blast killing one and injuring another. As the Russians entered the French defence, two of the Russians were caught by Lebel and Chauchat fire. A Russian machine gunner opened fire with his Madsen, fatally wounding two of the Poilus. Several of the Russian soldiers opened fire with their Mosins, killing a further two French soldiers. A French soldier drew a French Nail and repeated stabbed one of the Frontovik. The Russian officer gave the order to fall back. As the Russians withdrew, a shot from an RSC-1917 rifle caught one in the back.

The French Poilus prepared themselves for the counterattack. A whistle is blown, and the Poilus clamber over the parapet into No Man's Land. Several F1 Grenades are thrown at the Russian trench, killing one and wounding several. As the French approached the line, a PM-M1910 opens fire, cutting several of the Poilus to pieces. One of Russians lunged forward impaling a Poilus with his Mosin bayonet. The French officer fired his revolver into the trench, killing one of the Frontovik. A Chauchat opens fire, killing two Frontovik.

A Fedorov Avtomat opens fire, catching one of the Poilus in the hail of 6.5 Arisaka bullets. The cracks of Mosins and Lebels fill the air as both sides struggle over the Russian trench. As Poilus keep advancing, a Russian Madsen gunner opens fire, killing three more of the French army. A thrust from a French Nail cuts down another Russian. The Russian officer opens fire with his Nagant, killing one of the Frenchmen and injuring another. The French Chauchat gunner continues to fire his machine gun until it malfunctioned. Picking up a Lebel, the French machine gunner fires several shots, killing two more Russians before a burst of Madsen fire cut the Poilus down.

The remaining Russians yelled "S Nami Bog!" in victory.

Expert's Opinion
Despite the Poilus' better equipment for trench warfare, the Frenchmen were simply overwhelmed by the Imperial Russian firepower. The slow firing rate and low capacity of the Hotchkiss M1914 and Chauchat M1915 were out matched by the faster firing Madsen and PM-M1910 machine guns. What cost the French the win was their slow reloading Lebel rifles and the low capacities of the machine guns and RSC-1917 semi-automaticc rifle compared to their Russian equivalents.

To see the original battle, weapons and votes, click here.