Panzergrenadiers! Weekend General's Bolt Action Germans, Part 1

Here is the 'first platoon' of my mid/late war Panzergrenadier force for Warlord games. They're predominantly from the Perry Miniatures' DAK box. I have to say these were a good value. They were reasonably easy to assemble, there are a lot of options, and you get a lot of troops from one box. The only real problem I had with them was that the helmets/field caps sit really high on their heads, but if you cut down the top of their noggin the headgear fits fine. If you look closely you'll see which models were made before I learned this trick.
My force, which totals about 2,000 points, consists of Perry Miniatures and Wargames Factory for the most part plus a few Warlord Games figures thrown in. I've been inspired by the 21st Panzer Division because they fought in several theaters. Since I used Perry's DAK box to start with I've decided these figures will be the veterans that've fought through several theaters of battle. This, in my mind, explains the older kit they're wearing. The Wargames Factory models will be the regular infantry.

This first post will cover the command section of the platoon. The leutnant is as good a place as any to start so here we go...



The officer looks like he is waving the men forward, luger pistol at the ready, while the attendant is ducking and covering from some unseen explosion or shot.

Here are some other pics.




This is the radio operator from the box, whom I plan to use as an artillery observer.


Next up are a few pics of my medic. The model is by Warlord, which a little chopping to reposition hands and such made for a cool look. I really like the way this guy turned out... it's like he's kneeling down to give a drink of water to a fellow soldier before going to work on the wounds. Since our games are based on the Western Front, he's not armed. ;)






That does it for the command section. Next up we'll look at the boots on the ground... the infantry!

Here's the first infantry squad of this platoon. I actually painted these guys after the Wargames Factory models and I think I got into a "just get it done" sort of mindset. Not my best work, but they're painted. One other thing that REALLY gets my goat is the models that look 'frosted' in some pics. When I went to do the matte varnish it was particularly hot and humid outside so I think that's why they ended up that way. Other models I did a few weeks later in more mild weather turned out just fine. Since these guys belong to a motorized platoon I've decided it's... ummm... road dust. Yeah. They're coated in dust from the road after having raced into position to blunt an Allied attack. Since they're veterans I made a concerted effort to stick with MG34's where possible as well as avoiding late war arms like STG44's and the like.





For those of you thinking "But good sir, you've used models with the older knee-high canvas boots. Weren't these phased out by 1943?" Well yes, snarky ready with an eye towards accuracy you're correct! What you don't know is that the chaps pictured here with the black knee-highs are of course participating in field trials of a knee-high leather boot, ordered by the Genaralquartiermeister at OKH. Many of the 'grenadiers have gladly got rid of theirs in favor of the more common ankle boots.



I really like the LMG gunner in this squad... sort of like he's just running up to a wall to lay down some cover fire.

Next up I'll regale you with the first platoon support units. As soon as my friend told me he was playing a US force, and I was going to run with the Germans I knew I wanted as many MG34 and MG42 teams as I could get. Their look is so iconic, and hearing that bbbrrrrraaaaapppp sound in all the movies and documentaries just stuck with me. So, I'll start with first platoon's MMG team!





The perry miniatures come with, I think, 20mm round bases. Too small for regular gaming bases but GREAT for weapons teams. I base the weapon on a 60mm base, and then each team member individually for easy removal of casualties. The actual MMG is a rather hastily constructed affair, much inspired by the engineering adventures of a Warlord Forum dweller by the name of Rich H. While I'm nowhere NEAR his level of ability the end result works for me. The MMG itself is a spare from a friend's Warlord infantry sprue, plus some styrene rods. The ammo box comes from the Wargames Factory sprues. All in all, a good look... you know, despite that accursed frosting effect.

Next up, my light mortar. I had a few spare prone fellows and after my regular opponent used light mortars, and their move'n'fire ability to good effect I decided I'd have one as a cheap option.





Now, after initially reading the rule book I thought that mortars might not really be a good investment, points-wise, because they're so hard to score a hit with. However, being the history nerd that I am, I have read and heard in numerous books and documentaries about how the mortar caused a rather large number of casualties so I figured I might as well take one. Thus, here is my medium mortar team.



The figures are Perry, while the mortar itself is from some futuristic game by Wargames Factory. I scored the bits off of eBay and while they're not at all historically accurate, they were excessively affordable and the average American player of Bolt Action probably won't notice. I really like the guy with his fist in the air as if to signal the next shot.



Alright, next up is the ATR Team. Sure, by the time of our games set in 1944, this thing won't be destroying any tanks it does work well against my opponent's really annoying MMG Jeeps and as a high powered poor man's sniper against his accursed veteran infantry. Plus, we occasionally dabble in Italy, when they were maybe still used on occasion? Shhh. Leave me my dreams! Really, I just had a few spare prone figures and I really like the look of the weapon.



Now, last up I believe, is the Flak 38. This was a no-brainer for me. The scene in Saving Private Ryan where the SS soldaten blast the paratroopers off the Tiger with the 20mm cannon was mindblowing to me. Also, since my friend plays a US force, I face a lot of really annoying air strikes so a little AA capability can't hurt! The gun itself is from Company B and I have to say it went together really well. About two days after I assembled it, another fellow on the forum told me about a plastic kit he'd found and I sadly really like that one a LOT better. Oh well. I'm not going to throw away $20 so here it is.





The kettenkrad is by Perry, from their DAK line. I went with this versus Warlord's simply because I wanted it to fit the look of the rest of the platoon. The crew are also Perry DAK and yes, just for the heck of it, I did the one guy with the canvas boots. I decided he has really big feet and the only boots the Quartermaster could find were these.

Well... I think that does it for my first platoon models. That's probably a good thing with all the pics already in this post.

Next post will look at the second platoon!

Thanks for looking. Game on!!