If watching The 317th Platoon doesn’t get you intrigued about the Indochina War, I don’t know what will. While there’s certainly scope for major battles, the setting strikes me as one for small-unit actions. A handful of troops trying to make it to safety, a small fort holding out against a Viet Minh attack, French commandos turning the tables on the enemy and waging their own guerilla war. Black-clad partisans, French Foreign Legion, American WWII tanks, North African colonial troops – plenty of variety for painting even in a small engagement.
Eureka Miniatures make a great line of 15mm Indochina War figures. My only quibble is the Viet Minh are depicted as mostly regulars. I would have liked a few sets of partisan and local forces types – no gear, just a weapon and civilian clothes.
That aside, the figures are excellent. The detail takes washes very well which is how I plan to build up a good number on both sides for a skirmish game. Here’s the first batch – French colonial infantry getting ambushed outside a village.
Rat Rampant 