A little pat on the back

Thought I might publish a couple of photos to celebrate, for me, an excellent weekends work. (A little pat on the back). Apart from normal household chores, watching all three six nations games, and falling asleep during "633 Squadron", I feel I have done well with the above group of miniatures. They will form a major part of the German Infantry Regiments 2nd Battalion plus part of the HQ Recce/Engineer platoons.

The group being painted contains 3 command figures for the Battalion HQ, 5 figure for each of the three rifle companies, three figures for each of the two HMG stands and four figures starting the Recce/Engineer platoons. I'm waiting for the LMG figures and the engineer figures which should be with me in the next few days.

Just incase anyone does fall on this blog by mistake, I've also added a close up of one figure against a GB Pound coin to highlight the miniatures size.

These are 15mm figurines that are approximately 15mm high from the top of the base to the eye level of the miniature. The majority of the miniatures in this group are from Peter Pig range mostly late war with a few early war thrown in, along with a few Skytex (Command Decision) and I think there is at least one QRF figure. These have been boxed away waiting to be painted for so long I cannot remember for certain.

They still need a few more blobs of paint but I should be a be to put a little more on before close of play this evening. So it should not be too long before the whole regiment is finished.

To top it all this weekend Wednesday beat The Blades 2:1 at Bramall Lane, completing an historic derby double over them for for the first time in one season since 1914. Oh happy days.

Wellington Command stand

To get the ball rolling with my collection of 15mm Napoleonic figures thought I'd publish a shot of one of my British command stands that is depicting Wellington receiving a note. The stand is made up of figures from different manufactures including AB, Essex and Battle Honors.

When I get a moment I'll publish a few more pictures of my collection Napoleonic figures.

Flakpanzer Sdfkz 38(t)

This Flakpanzer Sdkfz 38(t) is the AA support vehicle for the Panzer Regiment 22 HQ.

German Fallshirmjager Division

Still trying to get a grip on my collection of figures so continuing sorting though painted and unpainted lead.

As is typically me (I hope only up to up to this point) I started to build a Fallshirmjager Division a couple of years ago but only completed one infantry battalion plus support company, an engineer company and an AA platoon. Still need to paint the second infantry battalion. This Division will still have to be completed at a later date as the generic Wehrmacht Infantry Division will have to be my first priority. But it may take priority over the 21st Panzer Division as again I have most of the lead in stock ready to paint.

Just to put my thoughts at this down in writing as to how I see this Division being completed at this moment in time. This follows the new Rapid Fire infantry regiment composition....but I am open to persuasion if this is not historically correct for 1944 -45

Regimental HQ
- From figures in stock and use the kubelwagen from my existing Wehrmacht battalion its command vehicle - Require a Radio truck see below

Engineer Company
Completed (many have enough figures to add a second engineer company).

1st Battalion
The existing battalion is finished - apart from I will move the Panzershrecke team from the battalion HQ to the anti-tank company and replace it with two infantry figures. Also possibly replace the existing 50mm mortar team in one company with one panzerfaust figure and one infantry figure but this is not a necessity.

2nd Battalion
Using existing lead to be painted to a similar configuration as the first battalion.

The support companies.
Gun company
105mm recoilless rifle - Completed
20mm AA - Completed
Anti-Tank Company
8 figures, (4 x panzerschecke teams) - Required 2 more teams
50mm PaK 38 - Completed

To complete the above I need 3 packs of figures from the Peter Pig range 8.
1 pack 183 (German Para MG34 Tripod) to complete the heavy company
1 pack 50 (German Para MG42) to add the LW extra fire power to each infantry company
1 pack 185 (German Para Tank Hunters [need to ask for the pack to be made up of 5 panzerfaust figures + 1 figure carrying a panzershrecke + 1 complete panzershrecke team])
The above tank hunter pack will, when combined with figures in stock, give me a panzerfaust figure for each company, (replacing the 50mm mortar team in one existing company), plus an 8 figure anti-tank company by removing the panzershrecke team from the existing battalion HQ and allow me to add a panzerfaust figure to the existing engineer company.
ALSO
A Radio vehicle for the regimental HQ either - FOW GE-490 Opel Kfz 68 Radio Truck or Skytex CD16A Opel Blitz Radio / Office (Peter Pig do a Granit Ambulance command vehicle (pack number 83) that might fit the bill but no photo on web site so not sure what it looks like).
Plus
I have enough Fallshirmjager gun crew in stock to crew a PAK 40 so that I could have an option to uprate the existing PAK 38. BUT at the moment I will pass on this.....adds a little extra to the gane by using the PAK 38.

German Infantry Regimental HQ

Well that was easy....!!

I was using these as command for the Panzer Regiment, with a view to repainting them in a camouflage scheme. Using them as Regimental HQ for a generic Infantry Battalion means I could get away with leaving them as they are.

Job done.

German Infantry Division (overview of what's required)

Like the 21st list I'm going to use this blog as a note pad for this Division. I've added notes in green to help me keep track of whats required. This is a "work in progress" blog and will be updated as I complete units.

After looking though my existing collection of German WWII and working out what I need to complete the 21st Panzer Kampfgruppe I realise that I am closer to completing a generic German Infantry Division, as outlined in the Rapid Fire version two rule set. Also it looks like I have most items in stock so to focus on this force would deplete the mountain of unpainted lead a little and be achievable in a relatively short space of time. This may well be my first objective for 2009...to complete this Kampfgruppe while I sell lead to create cash flow to purchase missing pieces for the 21st.

German Infantry Division Kampfgruppe - Normandy 1944

Regimental HQ
6 figures, staff car, radio truck
Completed

Recce and Engineer platoon
10 figures (5 being engineers), panzerfaust
- Completed

1st Infantry Battalion
HQ
CO + 5 figures, (1 being a medic)
- Completed
1st Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
- Completed
2nd Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
- Completed
3rd Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
Completed
4th (Heavy) Company
9 figures, 2 x HMG, 81mm Mortar
- Completed

2nd Infantry Battalion
HQ
CO + 5 figures, (1 being a medic)
- Completed
5th Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
- Completed
6th Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
- Completed
7th Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
- Completed
8th (Heavy) Company
9 figures, 2 x HMG, 81mm Mortar
- Completed

Support Companies
13th (Gun) Company
3 figures, 150mm infantry gun, Medium truck prime mover
- Completed
3 figures, 75mm infantry gun, Light truck prime mover
- In stock to paint (Battle Honors 4023 Opel Blitz truck) - Completed gun
14th (Anti-Tank) Company
8 figures, 4 x Panzershrecke
- Completed
3 figures, 75mm (PaK 40) anti-tank gun, Medium truck prime mover
- Completed

Divisional Troops
Two Battalions from the Divisional Artillery Regiment
HQ
3 figures, radio truck
- Completed

1st Battalion
10 gunners, 2 x 105 howitzer, 2 x horse drawn limber,
2 figure OP team, light c
- Completed
2nd Battalion
10 gunners, 2 x 105 howitzer, 2 x horse drawn limber,
2 figure OP team, light car
- Completed

Anti-Tank Company
2 x StuG III (75mm)
- Completed

One battalion may have an additional 120mm mortar
3 figures, 120mm mortar, light truck prime mover
- Completed

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to anyone that might be interested in this little blog. I hope 2009 will bring success with your wargaming interests as I am hoping it will with mine.

Resolution:
I have always been doing "a bit of this and a bit of that" and never actually finishing anything. Over the last 10 years this has caused my wargaming collection to developed "arms and legs". I am going to make 2009 the year I lighten the load of unpainted lead and take time to focus on projects one at a time and see each project though to completion. This will take some discipline but should lighten that depressing feeling of all the unpainted lead and unfinished projects give me.

"Don't let the little buggers grind you down"