From SylvainR: Tray 4 - D.A.K Weapon company, Pioneer Company, Scouts and a few company AT weapons (117 points)

 

Tray number 4 is an addition to the D.A.K in my ongoing WW2 desert project. I would like to make a few comments before presenting the models. For the battalion weapon company, I chose to code the bases with yellow, while the pioneers (as well as any engineering vehicles) will use orange and any recce units will use purple. If I have to introduce WW2 military organizations to newbies, I hope this kind of color coding will make things easier to understand. I hope it will make gaming faster by facilitating the identification of a certain type of unit, let's say recce, by their color. Anyway, gaming with the minis themselves will be the best test.

Also, while platoons are identified with 1, 2, 3 or more dots, elements "attached" to a company (but not to a specific platoon) are identified with a short line (a long line indicating the company HQ), while independent units, like scouts or forward observers, are identified with a dot on each corner (see examples in the tray, above).

 

 

 First, we have 3x sections of anti-tank rifles and Püppchens for each of the attack companies of the battalion. Usually, one ATR is attached to each platoon, but grouping them on a single base will give me more flexibility to adapt my armies to different rules systems.

 

Here is a close up on the weapons. Since there are few figures on the base, the terrain seems almost empty.

 

Next, we have the battalion's weapon company, as if the Panzer Grenadier companies already did not have enough firepower on their own! There is a MG section, a mortar section and an anti-tank section with a choice of either 3x PaK 38 (50mm) or 3x PaK 40 (75mm).

First, here is the command base with a vehicle I did not paint. I painted only the figures and the base. Note the cute little figurine with a range finder.

I thought it would be interesting to compare three different German MG34 on tripods. From left to right: Heroics & Ros, GHQ (heavy weapon pack), GHQ (MG "clump" for Squad Leader). Some may recall that GHQ produced infantry models to be used with the famous Avalon Hill board game, but I don't know how popular this option has been. The "clump" is a little annoying to paint. Personally, despite the nice details on the second model, I prefer the chunky figures of Heroics & Ros.

 

Here is a group of 6x 81mm mortars.

And a close up on one base.

 

 

 

A section of 3x PaK 38 (50mm) with a close up on one base. The guns are from CinC, and it requires nerves of steel to set these tiny things on their base. The guns and the folding legs were bent and unbent numerous times.

 

A section of 3x PaK 40 (75mm) with a close up on one base. The highlighted model is from CinC, while the two others are from GHQ. The GHQ model were cast with a metal base, which I blended with the mdf base I ordered from Warbase.

 

 

 

Next is the pioneer company. The group photo clearly shows the bi-color pattern I worked on which, I hope, will help distinguish the opposing warring parties on the table. The close up shows, at the front of one base, a model with a metal detector and, at the front of the other base, a figure with a flame thrower.

The last group in made up of 6 scouts or observers, depending on the rules system. Each base has a radio, a junior officer and two other soldiers. The purple coding indicates that the are "recce" and the dots on the corners means that these elements are independent.

For the points:

The vehicles were already painted, so should not be counted.

=>  Company AT weapons (total of 10.5 points)

- 15 figures (7.5 points)

- 3 weapons (3 points)

=> Weapon Company (total of 52 points)

- 64 figures (32 points)

- 20 weapons (20 points)

=> Pioneers Company (total of 42.5 points)

- 85 figures (42.5 points)

=> Scouts (total of 12 points)

- 24 figures (12 points)

Grand total of 117 points.

Thank you for reading!

Bravo mon vieux, ceux-ci sont magnifiques!

Really loving these vignettes you're creating here, especially the tire tracks behind the staff car.  And your comment that the terrain seems empty fits the Western Desert very well. 

 I do not envy you for assembling 6mm gun carriages, my eyes are far too old for that nonsense.  The side by side comparison on figures was useful. The H&R sculpts may be old (I have some from the 80s) but IIRC are far superior to GHQ's infantry (which I have mistaken for walls or anti-tank barriers on occasion).

I concur on the points and will not credit you for the vehicles paint bye your buddy this time.