Rapid Fire! Late WW2 Germans in 20mm: Jagdpanzer IV/70 (V) Lang .

These models of the Jagdpanzer are very versatile as they can be coupled with Jagdpanthers (as you certainly agree the most beautiful tank-hunter ever!) in Panzer Jäger battalions or used in late war Panzer Brigades. 

Most of these in my collection are Matchbox (1/76th scale). I use 1/72nd figures to approach the rest of the group that is also 1/72nd scale. Camouflages of late war Panzer Jägers used the Hinterhalt camouflage in several patterns. 

Again a different camouflage and a PSC 1/72nd figure trying to trick the eye. 

This one is a Esci model so in 1/72nd scale. You can see also an Altaya model in 1/72nd scale in the family photo. Its the model without the Hinterhalt camouflage in the top left corner. 

Some crew members were painted with gloves and scarves and headphones were scratch built from plastic. Much of the side extra armour was usually torn or taken out by trees and buildings so a mixture of all possibilities is more realistic. 

Next: Late war SP Flak models. 

Rapid Fire! Late WW2 Germans in 20mm: Tiger II in Arnhem and Ardennes

This group of 6 Tiger II represent the two available King Tiger companies from  the S.Pz.Abt.506 against Market Garden operation with the first company detached to Aachen against US ground troops. 

This group is a mixture of Esci and Altaya models. 

The third company was sent to Elst and had big yellow and black numbers in the turret. The second one (red and white numbers) was sent to Oosterbeek to deal with the last pockets of resistance of the British 6th Airborne. 

The closest King Tiger is Altaya and the other one is Esci. There isn't many differences between them as both models are 1/72nd scale even if they have a manufacturing time difference of some 30 years. 

Based on pictures of these months I used foliage as camouflage in this group as it's visible the fear of Jabos the Germans had in this period of the war. 

Apparently the S.Pz.Abt. 506 was accompanied by two Jagdtigers still probaly under tests. This one is a repainted Altaya. 

This other group represents the SS S.Pz.Abt. 501 of Peiper's Kampfgruppe. Combining both 506 and SS 501 I have a total of 11 king Tigers: more than enough for both Arnhem, Peiper's raid and all Eastern front actions but not enough for the largest gathering of King Tigers that happened by coincidence when these two units met for the Ardennes campaign within VI SS Panzer Army. There were around 90 King Tigers (18 in RF! terms so 7 to go) for this offensive and if I can find a few more I'll add them to this collection. 

Both command and 3rd company of the SS S.Pz.Abt. 501 had yellow and blue turret numbers. Another particular nice numbers were the full yellow numbers carried by two tanks of the 2nd company one of them visible in the group's picture. The command tank above is Esci.

653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion had a few Jagdtigers. This model is also Esci. The snow on the base of all Ardennes models is made simply by mixing equal portions of fine sand, white acrylic paint and wood glue applied with an old brush. 

Next: Jagdpanzer IV lang. 

Rapid Fire! Late WW2 Germans in 20mm: Sturmpanzer Abteilung 217

Stu.Pz.Abt. 217 approaches Caen  preparing to split itself in order to support several divisions of the German Army. 

This is a reduced battalion of Brumbär with only two companies. In fact you don't need to field the whole battalion as this type of unit was divided in small groups smaller than companies and placed under the command of much bigger units. Besides, this battalion, the only of its kind in the Normandy campaign, had to disembark its tanks from the train 170 km from the front line rendering many of its vehicles useless. 

These two Brumbär are Esci and have the true camouflage scheme of this unit. 

The other two are Altaya Die-casts. I only repainted the one to the left with Stu.Pz.Abt. 217 camouflage scheme leaving the other one as it came with only the usual stowage, black wash and sand dry brush. 

The command vehicle is one of the Esci models. In spite of these vehicles being SPG's  the crew made of PSC models uses the black uniform of the Panzerwaffe as it should. 

Next: More late German AFV's maybe King Tigers or Jagdpanzer IV lang. 

A Wargaming trip to Bastogne 1944.

A few days ago I managed to visit Bastogne. It's an eternal place for any military history fan and wargamer or model collector. In Bastogne much of the Ardennes German campaign  was at stake as this city was the central point of  seven converging roads. The Germans of the 5th Panzer Army of Hasso Von Manteuffel tried hard to win the city with the 26th Volksgrenadier Division and the Pz Lehr. The 2nd Pz Division, the Führer Gebleit Brigade and the 15th Pz Grenadier Division help the attackers but are not committed fully or are not present the whole time. But the stubborn resistance of the 101st Airborne Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer battalion and two Combat Command of the 9th and 10th Armored Divisions, among others, prevented the German breakthrough. The  German superiority in men and material was almost 2 to 1, but laws of war say it should have been at least 3 to 1 when the enemy is dug in defensive positions so may be the destiny of the battle was sealed from the beginning as well as the whole Ardennes campaign. 

Even so the Bulge affair was much not as one sided as we learned a few decades ago. Recent researches showed that Luftwaffe's Bodenplatte operation effectively managed to paralyze much of the allied aviation and when Patton's 3rd army arrived from the south it suffered enormous casualties. Patton even said in its diary, January 45, that  'the war still could be lost'. If it was not for the Russians anticipating its Vistula offensive in 15 days on US urgent request the German tank force would have at least inflicted plenty more casualties on the allies. The terrain of that part of Ardennes is almost perfect tank ground, with planes, rolling hills and plenty of places for ambushes and in the open the superior German tanks could have prevailed. 

                                         

While arriving to Bastogne from the south you understand that the Germans had some initial advantage as the city lies in a valley well at the range of artillery placed in a higher gradient. Seven days later this advantage was gone as this south entrance would also be the entry point of Patton's 3rd army relief force. 

In this picture you can see a Sherman M4A3 tank in the main square of Bastogne. It's the famous Barracuda destroyed by a 75mm shell from a PzIV on the side and a shot from a Panzerfaust on the rear that left scars that can still be seen. One of the crew members died and the other four were captured. 

Here the Duckbills (extended end connectors) on Sherman tracks can be seen to advantage. They were used in snowy or muddy ground and served to increase the traction and stability of the vehicle. Its a detail we often forget to model in late Shermans who operated in winter 1944. 

Not much of the city was left intact but in this picture the medieval Porte des Treves can still be seen relatively untouched. For a model of the city it is an important building as its one of the oldest in Bastogne. 

These were some of the positions of the of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Far in the picture at Mont, looking south east, elements of both the Pz Lehr and 26 VGD made several attempts to conquer the city.  

There are nowadays seven turrets of Sherman tanks in Bastogne. They stand were the German attacks were stopped. This picture was taken close to the previous one and this T23 76mm gun turret points to Longvilly/Neffe which is the approximate the same direction of the Bastogne War Museum.

This turret is also a memorial to CC B of the 10th AD and contains a short story of the events participated by the unit and its division into 'Teams'. 

This other turret points to Marvie and to Pz Lehr positions and stands in the Rue de La Chapelle. The road nearby is the Chaussée D'Arlon (nowadays N30). 

The thick mantlet of the 76mm gun. Attention at the inclination of the mantlet which many times is not correct on our 20mm models. 

The tough side port of the turret. Visible are also the layers of armour of the T23 turret. 

Close to the Bastogne War Museum you have this view to the North in the direction of Foy/Noville and 2nd Pz Div. lines. The US side was defended by elements of the 502nd and 506th PIR.

Inside the Bastogne War Museum you are greeted by Blockbuster, a 105mm support Sherman. 

Not so lucky was Absentee, completely ripped apart by AP shells. The idea of the side (or front) US stars was really a bad idea!

A nicely preserved Willys Jeep. 

Another well preserved Browning 1917 HMG used by the 101st Airborne. 

The black uniform of the Panzer units. I think this one belonged to a reconnaissance unit as it has some yellow piping. Damn reflexive glass!!

Volksgrenadier camouflaged uniform. The individual weapon is the Sturmgewehr 44 a weapon that the Germans used massively in this campaign providing some infantry companies with extraordinary firepower. 

The German M44 peas camo jacket associated with the SS but eventually used by the Heer's infantry in later stages of the war. This model holds the MG42 LMG. 

A German Radio operator. Note that the antenna folds at different angles.

A Sturmgeschütz crew member with its distinctive light grey uniform. 

A German Fallschirmjäger and an US infantry or paratrooper clad in winter dress. 

The 50mm German mortar. Not easy to make as a 20mm model ...

The Panzerschreck RPzB54 impresses by its lenght, the height of a man. Note the dark green ammunition. 

Transport boxes of Panzerfaust (small). 

The MG42 in its tripod acting as HMG and the company mortar of 8cm. 

The Fallschimjäger FG-42. 

The famous Hetzer used in great numbers for the first time in this campaign. Each Volksgrenadier division had a company of them and they were also allocated to other Anti-tank units.  This one is not a WW2 built as its a purchase from the Swiss army that bought them from the Czechs who continued its production after the war. 

This ex-Swiss Hetzer (called G-13 by them ) has the Hinterhalt camouflage used extensively in the Ardennes campaign. 

Detail of the rough seam on the Hetzer welded armour. Germans were famous for the quality of the finishing of their armour plates but remember that this one  is a copy. There are at least two more Hetzers at Bastogne, one in the Rue de la Roche and another at the Bastogne Barracks under restauration. 

Yes, we should paint our model tracks rust iron... 

A late war Kübelwagen with the new 1,131cc engine. 

The country side around Bastogne is made mainly of rolling hills permitting the close proximity between US and German lines in the week of 20 to 27 December 1944. This picture was taken from US lines looking at Marvie direction and to Pz Lehr Div. lines. The defenders were probably elements of the 326th Glider Infantry regiment.

Next: More German armour for the late war period. 

Daimyo set of Rules in 20mm - Japan's Sengoku period/Sekigahara 1600: Otani Yoshitsugu clan

Otani Yoshitsugu was a very famous general of the period and a close friend to Ishida Mitsunari. He tryed to convince Ishida on not going to war against Tokugawa Ieyasu but as a true and loyal friend he fought at Sekigahara were his tactical skills were showed once again. He had a small army as his son was in charge of a much bigger one. Otani Yoshitsugu was also suffering from leprosy and his health was deteriorating forcing him to be transported in a palanquin. At the end of the battle he committed seppuku  and instructed that his head would be cut off and buried. Even today it couldn't be found.

The palanquin were Otani seats is made of plastic card. The Otani figure is the Zvezda General of the Samurai Army Headquarters. The head was worked with putty in order to make the white headdress that covered his sickness. The seated Ashigaru are conversions from the same box with new heads. All other figures are a mixture of Zvezda and RedBox as usual.

Next: Sturm-Panzer Abteilung 217 for Normandy 1944. 

Rapid Fire! Late WW2 Germans in 20mm: 88mm KwK43 SPG's.

As I told you before the idea of having all Mortain units was to have the ability to wargame any of the big campaigns in the West and even in the East. Before the Mortain series of posts I already had showed  a number of full units that had the Goodwood operation as background like the 21st PD, the 16th LFD, the Tiger Tank Abt.503, or the British 7th AD, a Sherman based Division or a Churchill Tank Brigade. Having the 21st PD in particular, which had over 100 Pz IV (20 + in RF! terms) allows you to have enough Pz IV to distribute along the Germans divisions at Mortain (21st PD was not at Mortain) or any group of divisions for many other campaigns of late WW2. 

But Normandy is not over with Goodwood and Mortain. And if you want to be able to play all late war possible scenarios you need a few more things. Today I'll show you my German units for other sectors of the Normandy front and a few for late 1944. 

The s.Pz.Jag.Abt. 654 was equipped with one of the most deadly SPG's of WW2, the Jagdpanther, and became famous both in the Eastern and Western fronts. In the latter its first action was against British Churchills in Normandy which could do little against the terrifying 88mm KwK 43. The battalion never acted as a full force so I'm representing it with two companies of 2 models each with a Befehlspanzer Panther as the command vehicle of the unit. 

The models are a mixture of Esci (L) and repainted Altaya (R). Both are 1/72nd scale and the only visible small difference between the two brands is the length of the main gun that is slightly longer in the Esci version. 

Another interesting characteristic of this unit is the German AFV cross painted at the front. I'm not sure if it was used in Normandy but it shows up in pictures of this battalion later in the war. 

The Befehlspanzer Panther is an Hasegawa model with a new scratch built star antenna. 

These two Nashorn are Britannia. The Nashorn was the first solution the Germans used to place the 88mm Kwk 43 in the chassis of a tank. Used at Kursk for the first time it was built up to the end of the war due to its success as a Tank-killer.  This SPG was not used in Normandy but Italy, Eastern Front and Western Front closer to Germany's border are all possible scenarios for these models. 

Just based and crewed and slightly weathered this Altaya Nashorn is ready for Winter war against both T-34 and Sherman or even against late Pershing tanks like the one destroyed at close range in March 1945 close to Cologne...

The gun barrel of the Britannia model is much shorter and thicker than the one from Altaya. The Britannia model is typical of the brand with a model that captures the main characteristics of the real thing and then uses sturdy details almost indestructibles on the table. On the other hand the Altaya version is all about accuracy and elegance. 

Next: a return to Sekigahara 1600 before more late Panzers.