From JamesM: A mixed batch of 15mm Battlefront Grilles (32 points)

Hi folks,

A second entry this week, but a similar theme. I present four Battlefront resin and metal 15mm vehicles, in the form of two '15cm Schweres Infanteriegeschütz 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf. H' (Grille Ausf. H) self propelled infantry guns, and two '15cm Schweres Infanteriegeschütz 33/1 auf Selbstfahrlafette 38(t) (Sf) Ausf. M' (Grille Ausf. K) self propelled infantry guns. Catchy names! Hence they most often go by the name Grille (Cricket). 

These are basically two versions of the same concept, using the same base Czech Panzer 38(t) tank chassis and 15 cm sIG 33 infantry gun. 

Grille H

Grille K

I ended up with both versions due to happenstance and lack of clarity in sources. Someone gave me a single Grille K model, and so I bought another to be able to field a pair. Then Battlefront brought out the newer version of the Grille H, and the old v3 Flames of War books puts this version in Normandy. My own research seems to show that 12th SS Panzer may have had both, with some Grille K's being delivered as the campaign went on. Either way, I figured they were cool little models and I would find a use for them. 

I treated these in a similar way to my half-tracks, using the same paint colours. For camo patterns I go with the whole 'Schmidt has been told to paint the camo on, but he's meeting his French girlfriend in two hours and only has a mop' method. I keep camo patterning within platoons the same, but each platoon has a different style. The camo is then dulled down with a stipple of the base camo colour. 

Hull numbers have been added to the superstructure sides (514-515 and 524-525), along with German crosses, divisional markings to the front and rear hull numbers on the Grille H. Decals are a mix of Skytrex and Dom's Decals. I also weather down the markings a bit, just to make them a little less fresh looking. 

These vehicles would be from the 5th Company of III battalion, 26 SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment, 12th SS Panzer Division. 

I added foliage in keeping with the other models in this project, but also as one of the models was dropped and damage caused to the fighting compartment walls. Some hasty repairs resulted, and the damaged area covered with some foliage!

Some Tamiya weathering product has been applied, but other than that I've gone light on weathering. I may go back and add some soot to the gun barrels!

I do have gun crew for these models, and they will be painted and added post challenge. For now the models are table ready!

These four 15mm vehicles clock in at 32 points. 

I've heard it said that the baddest gangstas all sport a Grille!  Wonderful looking kit here James, love the basing, weathering and quick camo job which might actually be quite effective.    Having spent long (happy) hours researching RN naval camo, I know that what's on hand tends me the most frequently applied coloration and whatever they feel like they feel like that still fits in general guideline the most common pattern.

I had a chuckle over the comments on  your "due to happenstance and lack of clarity in sources"  excuse.  I'll have to borrow that for some of my over completeness purchases, like trying to build every Allied destroyer that served in the Med in WW2.

From JamesM: 15mm Battlefront German half-tracks (24 points)

Hi folks,

Following up on my flame-thrower vehicles a couple of weeks ago are a trio of Battlefront resin and metal 15mm Sd.Kfz. 251/1D half-tracks. These vehicles will be the tractors for some Pak40 guns.  

These vehicles form part of the 4th (heavy weapons) Company, III battalion, 26 SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment, 12th SS Panzer Division. Painted as part of my project to represent those units involved in the fighting south of Caen in early August 1944, but really representative of this unit from the battles immediately post D-Day. 

Decal wise, I've used Skytrex hull numbers (423 to 425) alongside Doms Decals rear numbers and side crosses. Doms Decals also provided the registration plates and divisional sign. 

In keeping with my other half-tracks, I've also added some light foliage using seafoam sprigs and leaf style flock. I tend to go quite light with this stuff, as too much care really detract from the model (and it's fragile on a gaming piece). I gave the finished models a light dusting to the lower hull of Tamiya weathering product. 

At least one of these models was a bit of a rescue job, and is a little rough. However, you can only tell by looking closely, and it will (hopefully) pass the 'looks ok from 1 meter away' rule. 

Crew, internal stowage and towed guns will be added at a later point, my aim was really to get the models table ready before revisiting in the future. 

Total for this entry would be three 15mm vehicles @ 8pts each = 24pts. 

I am really enjoying your Normandy vehicles here James.  Can't do 1944 Germans with out some form of halftracks and these ones look great.  Very nice nice basing on them.

From DougM: 12 HJ Panzer Division [Death Star] (325 points)

 Finally got off the mark, with a Platoon for Chain of Command. The bulk of the figures are from Offensive Miniatures, which are very nice figures, nicely proportioned, and the best compliment I can pay them is that they remind me of upscaled AB figures. I had to mix in some Warlord for the artillery pieces, but it isn’t too obvious (I hope).

 

This is the shot with them all in – a full platoon (Zug), plus supports, and with additional light machine guns to allow 2 LMG per Squad (Gruppe) 64 figures in 28mm including 12 prone and 2 crew served weapons. Three of the crew were done before the challenge – so won’t count I’m afraid.

Obviously, these would be ‘Of Questionable Design’ as constructing an entire Panzer Division around a transferred cadre with youths aged 18 (all recruits were supposed to be born in 1926), would seem to be a strange way to do things.

As for selecting such a 'questionable' force, I have resisted till now, but if I do want to play battles in Normandy, or Arnhem, then I pretty much have to have some of the bad guys in the dotty suits. And those suits nearly drove me dotty. I looked up every painting guide online, and then mixed and matched till I found a mechanism I liked, and that didn’t involve shading and highlighting every dot.

So here are the ‘glamour’ shots. 

 Gruppe 1. Supported by a tripod mounted MG42 with 5 crew.

 Gruppe 2 supported by a Pak 40 Anti-Tank Gun with 5 crew and a Leader

Gruppe 3 supported by a Le IG 18 75mm with 5 crew and a leader.

 Additional Support options such as an observer, Panzerschreck teams, a flamethrower team and spare leaders

A single close up of the MG42 team. The camouflage isn't strictly accurate, but it fools the eye in this scale.

So a first entry for this, my first year in the challenge. Without any special pleading for the spots on the figures and in front of my eyes..  I score this as:

 49 x 28 mm figs at 5 = 245

12 x prone 28mm figs at 2.5 = 30

2 Crew served weapons at 10 = 20

Outer Ring Planet bonus  = 20

A Total of 315 I believe, and I am on my way… I probably should have been more aggressive with my target. Now where to next?

 From DaveD

Kaboom! the first points bombe of the day - and its enough to drive you dotty . Cracking job on these and I feel I need to acknowledge the madness that it will induce - so lets call it 325.