Saturday 12 January 2019

From PaulO'G: DAK Specialist Vehicles (124 points)

Scraping in my second weekly - a grab bag of DAK specialist and support vehicles I have enjoyed researching and collecting.  I am building options for force lists and these help me both in the early years in the desert as well as and expanding into Tunisia and the Operation Torch era.


SdKfz 265 Panzerbefehlswagen - modified from a Pz I Ausf A, this was a Command Tank variant with dedicated radio transmission equipment and operator.  Here it is accompanied by a SdKfz 250 Halftrack, for use as the Luftwaffe Air Liaison Officer to control Air support (this has a tabletop control function in Battlegroup rules)

SdKfz 254 - Produced as an artillery tractor by the Austrian Army between the Wars and prior to Anschluss, it has a  unique and adjustable system of tracks and wheels. The Wehrmacht used it as a Forward Observer vehicle. Its such a cool and distinctive vehicle that I had to have one. This Battlefront model has the options to model with the wheels either engaged or retracted (I have done the latter for resilience)

SdKfz 250/10 - A classic 250 Halftrack, fitted with a 37mm AT gun and frequently utilised as the Recon Platoon Commander's vehicle. In the 41-42 period in the Desert, the 37mm gun is very useful against an array of light armour and Armoured Cars.

Schwimmwagens - who doesn't love the mighty Schwimmwagen? My dream car is not a Ferrari, Porsche or Audi, its a Schwimmwagen! No, the irony of fielding amphibious vehicles in the Sahara Desert is not lost on me.  I promise that if there is an oasis on the table, they will always try to schwimm across it, regardless of the tactical value of such a move. Unless I'm playing Dux of course.

Lorraine Schleppers - converted from captured French Lorraine 37L tanks, this motorised 150mm Artillery gun platform provided highly mobile fire support in the desert in support of the fluid nature of combat in North Afrika.

Marder III (SdKfz 139) - Classic early-mid war German Tank Destroyer made by fusing a Pz39t body and mounting one of the many captured Russian 76mm AT guns.  It is accompanied here by a captured British Truck to act as its ammo hauler across the desert.

StuG III Ausf D - Who doesn't love a StuG? I needed one, though only a very small number served in Afrika, the rest being sunk in their transports en route. Due it their later arrival in theatre, I have presented it as newer and less weatherbeaten #stuglife

SdKfz 11 - Medium halftrack prime mover which saw widespread use throughout the war with over 9000 produced and its chassis was used as the basis for the SdKfz 251 Halftrack. I will be using these to move towed guns which are on the painting desk



Models are predominantly a mix of Battlefront and Forged in Battle, the British Truck is a metal model by Peter Pig and the Marder and SdKfz 250s are by PSC.  In aggregation, this is 13 x 15mm vehicles and 10 crew figures.

Its also my first submission to the alternative What A Tanker challenge
15mm Tanks are real AFVs too - don't be scalist! Don't assume my scale! #notatanker


_________________________________


Paul, what a wonderful retrospective of German Afrika Korps vehicles. The painting is your usual excellent work - crisp yet weatherbeaten, totally believable. I also really enjoyed reading the little snippets of technical/background information you provided (i.e. I had no idea the Germans deployed the Schwimmwagens in North Africa, or that the hybrid SdKfz 254 was originally an Austrian design - very cool).

124 points for your efforts - Well done, Paul!

17 comments:

  1. Great work Paul. I always love DAK vehicles.
    And I support your call to resist “scale-ism”...hilarious.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That 254 is ugly! (But its scale is perfect)

    I like the weathered look! Happy schwimming!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely stuff .l. I have a massive 15mm DAK lead mountain that I acquired - I can let you have a look through and see if there are thing that will be of use on a chat sometime - it’s more stuff than I will ever paint

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great mix of stuff Paul and very nicely done. Gotta love a Schlepper or two!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good to see that the German allied vehicles of the Mighty Italian Desert Army are ready to support the New Roman Empire's conquest over the barbarian colonial forces of Britain and her subject nations!
    We New Romans appreciate your efforts in such careful preparation of your vehicles. You may even get to use them chasing down the broken forces of Dux after my Mighty Italian Army has finished scattering them.

    Great work, hope to see them on the table soon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fantastic Paul! This is sidetracking me into finishing some 8th Army stuff! Really great looking weathering, as always.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looking really nice Paul and enjoy the weathering!

    Christopher

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great looking Africa Korps! Wonderful weathering,a delightful selection of vehicles and interesting potted history them too!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very nice selection, they look great all together

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great selection of the more unusual desert vehicles, top marks

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nice work Paul! Quite a varied selection you've got there!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great painting on these Paul!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nic work on these Paul. Love the basing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the kind words everyone!

    ReplyDelete