"Repair and Refurbish: WW2 German Army" Topic

As I have mentioned before, I acquired my collection in bits and pieces. Some I bought and painted, much I acquired from silent auctions, flea markets and horse trades. So naturally my :army" is more of a hodge podge of unrelated parts. Time to fix that. Since they are in every game and therefore get the most use I'm starting with my German army. Now that I've settled on my Flames of Awesomesauce rules (home brew variant of Flames of War) I know how to base and organize my troops. So rather than do a new thread each time I tackle another unit I'll just keep updating this one over the coming months.

I just finished a new tank company of Panzer IVs (pics tomorrow) and have decided to do a company of mechanized infantry. Besides the infantry themselves, I'll need 4 half tracks for each platoon, plus 2 for the HQ, I'll also need one anti-tank stand and a handful of motorcycles. I don't have any motorcyles (just ordered some) so for now I'll work on a couple Kettenrads as a proxy. Here is what I'm starting with:

Here is a close up of the vehicles. Not GHQ half tracks and just a simple spray job at the moment. So I'm going to gussy them up and finish off the basing. Eventually I'll replace these models with better (and the correct vehicle) from GHQ.

Are those 'tracks from CinC? They look good to me…

No idea. They were a flea market find IIRC.

Made a little progress today. I got all my infantry sorted and based. I also added the unit ID markers to the stands and the tracks as well. I use "seed beads" to mark each stand. Platoons get 1,2 or 3 beads to denote which platoon they belong to. Squad leader gets a white bead to the left. Company command gets two white beads (one on either side). I use special colors to denote certain weapons….HMGs are red, flamethrowers are marked with an orange bead and so on. Here is a shot of the company waiting for touch up and flock:

Here is a close up the infantry showing the unit ID beads:

The stands are 1/2 Flames of War scale so 25 x 16mm. "Small" stands are slightly oversized at 15x15mm. I base all my vehicles for storage/transport as well as to have a place for the ID bead markers. All bases are Wargames Accessories (some are custom sizes). I sell the bases at ScaleCreep,com Get in touch if you need some….

I keep toying with doing this type project, then my son asks, "Do you really need to do WWII in 3 scales?"

Yet another good reason to keep coming here. Like you have ended up in either another theater or period of WW II due to friends dumping some figures on me or a flea market or even Ebay find too good to pass on. It is really enjoyable watching this come together. Funny how quickly the hodge podge starts to fill out.

Thanks!

Not nuts about the beads idea. Sure it'll work, but too distracting from the minis.

Another option is to paint dots on the base rear edge.

I hate "markers" on my games and do my best to keep them to a minimum. I'm currently making flocked marekrs to replace the usual FoW ones (pinned, dug in etc). I tried the dots – no help because 90% of the time you can't see them. And on these bases there is no "edge" to paint. The steel is maybe 1mm thick (probably less). So you have to pick the mini up to ID it anyway. I find that, once flocked etc. the beads are worth the distraction. Given the size of my games – 2-4 companies per side with 6-8 players (when I can get them) the dots really help – especially with set up / clean up / storage.

Just an observation. To be fair these arent finished yet. Once the bases are flocked I don't think the contrast will be quite as stark. Can't wait to see them. Again, thanks for sharing.

Last night I finished up my next batch of Germans. This was the first unit that required painting and touch up. The infantry just needed touch up on helmets and a few raised areas, so only took a few minutes. I decided the tracks needed a full paint job. I added green camo and then did what I thought was a very light brown wash. It darkened the yellow much more than I anticipated. Next time I'll wash, then drybrush, then do camo. I also painted some detail and added decals. I'm not sure the two swastikas are "historical" but they do help the command troops stand out. I tried to do the crosses for teh tracks but the decals I think were old and just fell apart.

Here is what I started with as far as the halftracks go:

And here they are finished:

Here are the troops drying after a few coats of varnish. Make sure the grill is turned off before you try this at home kids!

The work so far: one newly organized tank company and one newly sorted mechanized infantry platoon:

Close up of the armor:

Glamour shot of just the infantry:

Up next: two more tank companies. Panzer IVs in front, Panthers in back. Note that one of the Panther platoons is a 1/300 manufacturer. The size difference might bother some, but not me…

No picture today. Last night I glued all the tanks to new bases and started on the Panther company. Ouch.

The Panthers were given heavy coats of spray paint, with turrets heavily glued in place. I know I could try and strip them but frankly I'd rather just buy new. So for now I have given them all a coat of Coat d'Arms Dark Sand, followed by a thin brown wash to bring out the detail.

The plan is to dry brush them then add camo and do detailing. But these have moved to the "to be replaced" list.

As for the company of Panzer IVs, I have the HQ and one platoon to paint and try and match the camo on the others. So today I will search for a tan color that matches (or is close enough) the tan on the two nice looking platoons. Then detailing and basing….

I am impressed by the look so far.

But … um … not 100% sure, due to the distances in the pic, but about that the pic you describe as:

Panzer IVs in front, Panthers in back.

I'll say maybe 95% sure there are no Pz IVs in that pic. Those are Pz IIIs, my friend.

Easiest visual recognition cue at this distance is that the hull and the turret of the Pz III did not overhang the upper run of the tracks. The Pz IV had a larger turret ring. The hull structure and the turret ring extended over the upper run of the tracks.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

Ugh. Yes, Panzer IIIs. I had the IVs on the brain having just finished up a company in similar camo.

I always count the road wheels….

Okay, just a quick update. The Panzer IIIs have been painted gray and are awaiting camo and detailing. Here are the Panthers after a base coat, brown ink wash and dry brush. You can see some half tracks getting the same treatment….I'll probably finish the camo and detailing on these tonight, and the Panzer IVs tomorrow.

Just another quick update on the Panther company. The base camo is done, just need to finish the details, the deals and then the basing. Which reminds me I need to order decals! They look a little rough but are certainly good enough for the gaming table. If they really bug me I'll replace them with new models. But to be honest, I don't use a lot of the big cats in my games. Doing a few 250s at the same time. Colors used are all Coat d'Arms: base coat Dark Sand, drybrush Bone, cam with Camouflage Green and Red Brown. Tracks are Panzer Grey highlighted with Vallejo Natural steel.

Close up of the Panther colors:

Look good to me. Tires on halftracks need painting (tracks too?), but otherwise certainly good enough for gaming purposes, unless you're planning to enter a painting contest.

Yup, no detailing started n the 250s. Tires, tracks, interiors all need to be done and the MGs need to be installed…

Just some more pictures. Finished up the company of Panthers and Panzer IIIs. Also a platoon of Firefly tanks.

Up next on the painting table. Another Panzer company and two sections of the dreaded 88s!

Work in progress….

I've been away from the painting table for most of the week, but tonight I finished off a few items. Pictures are crap, I'll post better tomorrow when there's some daylight….

Another Panzer company (Panthers and PzIvs):

Tank hunter platoon:

Mobile Flak 38 guns:

The deadly 88s:

Life blood of any army: the logistics tail….

Next up, another Panzer company. The "before" picture – I'll post the "after" well, after!

Nice!

I admit that 6mm looks better in terms of figure scale/ground scale comparison, but I like the 15mm figures better. If I really got bored I could re-write the range bands to a linear 1"=25m or something similar.

@ Larry R; Yes, you do! I do. 15mm for fun with friends. 20mm for preference. 28mm for Skirmish level. Different armies in all of them; but I like to do Italians!

Great stuff. (Just a note but your panthers and pzIVs are actually tigers and IV's. ;) )

I haven't had any time at the painting table this week. But this afternoon while my wife took a nap I finally got the basecoat on the new Panzer company. These were badly spray painted and I'm not going to bother stripping them. Just much too work. If I ever can't stand them any more I'll just buy new models. Anyway, here's a quick snap of the tanks:

@ B.A.L.M.

Yeah, just tired. I fixed it a few other places….

I don't think the Germans ever mixed Pz IIIs and Pz IVs in the same company -- unless maybe when losses had been so bad as to reduce a regiment to the size of a company.

Well, according to both Flames of War and Battlegroup Kursk they did. And that's good enough for me!

Hard to argue with expert sources like that!

Looks to me, in your last photo, that you have enough Pz IVs there for a company, if you use 4-panzer platoons, which the Germans often did late in the war. Then you have enough Pz IIIs for a scout platoon.

Well, that was no fun. Just finished doing the camo on this company of Panzers. The camo did not turn out quite as I;d hoped, but as these are pretty much dogs, and bound to be future trade bait, I'm going to roll with them. Tomorrow I'll do the touch up – tow cables, treads and such. Then basing and dull coat.

@DonLowry That's the plan. My opponents will just have to overlook the fact that I'm also using them for the 2 HQ tanks as well. If I were more of a purist I'd go with PzIVs for the HQ and buy more tanks, but part of the goal here is to squeeze out as many units as I can with a minimum of new lead.

Camo looks fine to me.

Well, they're all done but the basing. Finished up the details (exhaust, road wheels, tracks) today and got my unit ID beads in place. So it's just sand, drybrush and flock. Should be done tomorrow and I'll be sure to post pics.

It's my only full 4 platoon company. Three of Panzer IVs and a platoon of Panzer IIIs. The two HQ tanks are PzIVs but earlier models – the platoons all have Ausf H. Not realistic I'm sure – the best tanks would be in the HQ right? But when you only have two PzIVs without schurzen, you make do!

I'll post pics tomorrow when they're done!

Another Panzer company in the books:

HQ Platooon:

1st Platoon:

2nd Platoon:

3rd Platoon:

Detail of the bead system I use to ID unit, platoon commander etc.

Great looking stuff! The green squiggle camo lines look very good. Did you do something special to soften the edges?

Overall and excellent looking company of panzers. I'd surely love to see 'em with the crosshairs of my T-34 site sitting right on the center of the shurzen plate …

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

Brilliant stuff, makes me ashamed I've only based mine. Keep it up.

I did what I call a "wet wash" with the green. Basically I dip the brush in a little water, then in the paint, then apply. It thins the paint giving it a little transparency so it softens the overall effect.

Up next: crews for my 88s. the collections I bought had no infantry and no crews. I guess "Old School" micro armor didn't care about the foot sloggers!

I haven't had much time at the painting table lately, but yesterday I got to work on a few things, including basing up some more German guns. They'll get finished tonight…

Ready for the table.

Once again this has been and is fun to follow! Thanks for keeping the thread current and going.

Okay up next for my #WinterWarmer is a batch of this and that for my WW2 German army. Some limbered guns for the deployed guns I just finished; a couple recce platoons of armored cars; a new section of Pak38s.

Sorry for the crappy photos, I was too lazy to get out my light box today…..

Here are a few more odds and ends for my German army.

A little more work in progress…

link