20% off RRPFrench Army starter army
France · 1 kits
36× Multi-pose plastic infantry · 1× Plastic Char B1 bis medium tank · 1× Metal HQ · 1× Metal medium mortar team · 1× Metal MMG team · 1× Metal 25mm anti-tank gun
Bolt Action France Paint Scheme
A full Bolt Action France paint scheme, generated and ready to test: the armour ramp from basecoat to edge highlight plus metals, skin, lenses and basing — every colour matched to real paints from Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter and 35+ more ranges, with live prices. Use it as a planner, tweak any colour, or take it into the full generator.
Start this scheme
The boxes we can price for this faction, cheapest first, and the paint sets that cover most of the recipe below.
20% off RRP
20% off RRPHold the Line! - French Starter Army
France
42× French plastic infantry, buildable as regular infantry, fortress troops, chasseurs à pied, engineers or colonial troops · 1× Heavy Weapons Platoon: light and medium mortar teams and medium machine guns (built from the plastic infantry) · 2× Light howitzers ('French 75s')
Vallejo Model Air - Basic Box Set
71 paints
£191.99
£239.99-20%
+59
from £191.99· compare 2 shops· priced 3 Jul
Covers 10 of 13 colours in this scheme
AK Interactive Signature Set - WWII German Uniforms by Calvin Tan (AK11759)
18 paints
£44.55
£49.50-10%
+6
£44.55at Loaded Dice· priced 2 SepCovers 7 of 13 colours in this scheme
Vallejo Model Air - Military Colours & Airbrush Set
29 paints
£191.99
£239.99-20%
+17
from £191.99· compare 2 shops· priced 3 JulCovers 7 of 13 colours in this scheme
Vallejo Model Air - WWII British Aircraft RAF/FAA Set
16 paints
£38.39
£47.99-20%
+4
from £38.39· compare 2 shops· priced 3 Jul
Covers 6 of 13 colours in this scheme
Vallejo Model Color - American Colonial Set
16 paints
£38.39
£47.99-20%
+4
from £38.39· compare 2 shops· priced 3 JulCovers 6 of 13 colours in this scheme
+40
£186.73at Loaded Dice· priced 2 SepCovers 6 of 13 colours in this scheme
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Base coat
Shade
Layer
Highlight
Edge highlight
Additional details
Trim
Weapons
Leather
Skin
Lenses
Basing
Brown leather kit
Khaki trousers & greatcoat
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
★ Our pick for base coat
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Smoked Blue
Green Stuff World
Very Close
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
★ Our pick for shade
Close
Close
Dusty Blue Dip
Green Stuff World
Close
Similar
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
★ Our pick for layer
Close
Close
Artic Blue
Scale75
Close
Close
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
Blue Horror
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
★ Our pick for highlight
Very Close
Wolven Grey
Green Stuff World
Very Close
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
Discontinued
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Close
Details & accent colours
Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Trim and bare plate. Basecoat steel, wash dark, then edge bright silver.
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Heavy Metal
Scale75
Close
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Similar
Close
Black Metal
Scale75
Similar
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Exact Match
Very Close
Very Close
Beasty Brown
Vallejo
Very Close
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
★ Our pick for skin & flesh
Very Close
Very Close
Elf Skin Tone
Vallejo
Very Close
Resurrection Flesh
Scale75
Very Close
Caucasian Skintone
Kimera Kolors
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Eyes & lenses
Lenses, eyes and energy. A bright spot colour that pops against the armour - dot it on and add a white glint.
Discontinued
Vomit Brown
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Very Close
Sun-bleached Bone
Green Stuff World
Exact MatchDiscontinued
Very Close
Very Close
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
Discontinued
Graveyard Earth
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Gobi Brown
Scale75
Exact Match
German Splinter Brown Light
Foundry
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Very Close
Dark Beige
Green Stuff World
Brown leather kit
French webbing is leather where everyone else’s is canvas - warm brown belts, pouches and bootstraps against the bleu horizon, and that is the whole 1940 look.
★ Our pick for brown leather kit
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
Khaki trousers & greatcoat
Trousers and the rolled greatcoat run khaki-beige under the blue-grey tunic and Adrian helmet. The two-tone dates the figure to 1940 better than any badge.
Very Close
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Buy It as a Box
Paint sets that cover this recipe - a set is usually cheaper than buying pots one by one.
Vallejo Model Air - Basic Box Set
71 paints
£191.99
£239.99-20%
+59
from £191.99· compare 2 shops· priced 3 JulCovers 10 of 13 paints in this scheme (77%) — base coat, layer, highlight, metal — trim and more.
Or cover 92% of the recipe with 2 boxes (£494.75 total):
Vallejo Model Air - Basic Box Set
71 paints
£191.99
£239.99-20%
+59
from £191.99· compare 2 shops· priced 3 Jul
Speedpaint Complete Set 2.0
90 paints
£302.76
£336.40-10%
+78
from £302.76· compare 4 shops· priced 3 JulYour paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
13 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
13 paintsfree UK delivery over £20
- Viking Grey£2.80
- BS Medium Sea Grey£2.36
- Blue Horror£2.34
- Grey Knights Steel£4.04
- Bestigor Flesh£2.34
- Flat Earth£2.36
- not stocked: Intermediate Blue, Gorgon Hide, Iron Wolf, Owlbear Brown, Vomit Brown, Graveyard Earth, US Khaki
postage per seller
- Intermediate BlueModel Workshop£2.66
- Viking GreyMerlin's Miniatures£3.50
- BS Medium Sea GreyModel Workshop£2.66
- Grey Knights SteelModel Workshop£2.54
- Flat EarthModel Workshop£2.66
- not stocked: Blue Horror, Gorgon Hide, Iron Wolf, Owlbear Brown, Bestigor Flesh, Vomit Brown, Graveyard Earth, US Khaki
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
Add 5 to Amazon basket- Intermediate Bluesee price
- BS Medium Sea Greysee price
- Blue Horrorsee price
- Grey Knights Steelsee price
- Bestigor Fleshsee price
- not stocked: Viking Grey, Gorgon Hide, Iron Wolf, Owlbear Brown, Vomit Brown, Graveyard Earth, Flat Earth, US Khaki
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Intermediate Blue
Vallejo
£2.66at Model Workshop · eBay· priced 28 AugBS Medium Sea Grey
Vallejo
£2.36at Wayland Games· priced 28 AugBlue Horror
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
£2.34at Wayland Games· priced 28 AugGorgon Hide
Army Painter
No price tracked yetIron Wolf
Army Painter
No price tracked yetOwlbear Brown
Army Painter
No price tracked yetBestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
£2.34at Wayland Games· priced 28 AugVomit Brown
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
No price tracked yetGraveyard Earth
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
No price tracked yetFlat Earth
Vallejo
£2.36at Wayland Games· priced 28 AugUS Khaki
Vallejo
No price tracked yet
Recommended Box Set
French Army starter army
Buy at Wayland Games Affiliate links — how we make money What's inside this box
The fastest way to start a France army — a boxed force to paint with this scheme.
36× Multi-pose plastic infantry · 1× Plastic Char B1 bis medium tank · 1× Metal HQ · 1× Metal medium mortar team · 1× Metal MMG team · 1× Metal 25mm anti-tank gun
Best price
£83.20Wayland Games
in stock · priced 4 Sep · free UK delivery over £20
Buy at Wayland Gamesexcl. delivery
Every France kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
More Bolt Action schemes
Is Bolt Action France a big job? See how every faction rates for difficulty — model size, detail and what the scheme demands — or work out what an army costs per point.