Finished: 12th SS Panzer IV's

Hi folks,

It feels like these have been work in progress for quite a while, but this week I managed to get the final bits and bobs done! I normally give myself between a week and two weeks to finish a platoon off, but between waiting on decals and health issues (and time sunk into playing the new Battletech PC game) I spent more than 6 weeks on these. 

There are a total of ten 15mm scale Plastic Soldier Company Panzer IV (PzKpfw IV Ausf H) models in this batch, painted to represent tanks from the 1st and 2nd 'zug's' of 7. Kompanie, II./SS-Panzer Regiment 12, 12th SS Panzer Division. As per roughly 8 August 1944. Turret numbers for the two platoons are 715 to 719 and 725 to 729, as per the details in 'Waffen-SS Armour in Normandy - The combat history of SS-Panzer Regiment 12 and SS-Panzerjager Abteilung 12, Normday 1944'. 

I've organised a force to paint, although I recently picked up another pack of 5 of these which will give me a full company once painted. Two resin and metal Battlefront models provide the HQ unit. 

The force is based on the following diary entry:

8th August 1944, II./SS-Panzer Regiment 12:

"0630 hours: departure of the 5.Kompanie (with 5 Panzerkampfwagon IVs), the 7.Kompanie (with 12 Panzerkampfwagon IV's) and the assigned Tigers of the "Wittmann" Abteilung via Grainville and Hautmesnil towards Cintheaux."

Of note is the fact that 8 Tigers set out with them - within 6 hours, 1 had broken down before reaching the combat area and 5 were destroyed by allied forces within a few minutes - including Wittmann's Tiger. Three of these Tigers were likely destroyed by a single Firefly from the Northamptonshire Yeomanry (33rd Armoured Brigade) firing at around 800 meters, with the two others (probably including Wittmann) likely falling to the guns of The Sherbrooke Fusiliers (2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade) firing from a concealed position 450 meters away on the flank. Although tanks from B Squadron, 144 RAC also claimed one Tiger kill firing from the North of the Tigers position, while two other Canadian Fireflies fired from the North West... And at no point in the various versions of Wittmann's demise are the presence of so many Panzer IV's mentioned...

Also of note is the fact that the diary entry mentions no inclusion of Jadgpanzer IV's from SS-Panzerjaeger Abteilung 12, although that units diary entry states it was involved and eyewitness Canadian testimony states that two Jagdpanzers were knocked out on the Caen-Falaise road itself by the Sherbrookes. 

Anyway, some better shots of each Zug:

And some individual shots:

I'm not too pleased with the decals, but there are limited options for turret numbers in these ranges. My Doms Decals are for lower numbered Kompanies and the individual tank numbers don't include any 7's. I had thought about overpainting to make them a bit darker, but my hand painting it not neat enough. I may revisit in the future if I get round to printing my own decals properly!

As usual, I went for a bold edge highlight, which looks a bit odd close up on the camo, but I think the group shots at a bit of a distance show off the effect of this style at a bit of a distance. 

Next up the two HQ tanks (giving me the 12 7. Kompanie tanks) and a couple of Flakpanzer's. Hopefully these will be a bit quicker to finish!

WiP Panzer IV's and some WW2 Wings of Glory

Hi folks,

I'm very aware I've not posted much since the challenge ended, but I am still here and still painting! Just not as quickly.

I've had some issues in the last week or so with shoulder and elbow pain, which I think is related to me leaning on my elbow too much at home and work. I'm trying to be more aware of my posture, but it is effecting how much time I can comfortable sit.

Last week I got my first 5 Panzer IV's glossed, then found I had incorrect decals for them. I've had to source some, but I've found very few sets of decals exist for German 7th Kompanie tanks... The ones I ordered arrived today, but I'll have to chop them up to get the correct number combos.

These Panzers will be from 5th and 7th Kompanie of II./SS-Panzer Regiment 12.

I've 12 Panzer IV's in total to paint, but might pick up another box of 5 just to give me the option of a full Panzer IV Kompanie. As it stands, these tanks will be part of my Kampfgruppe Waldermuller force, which was the 12th SS Kampfgruppe that counter attacked on 8th August, along with Wittmann's Tigers. I've also started working on the Flakpanzer 38T's.

StuG included just to compare how the camo scheme looks... Panzer IV's are glossed and waiting on their decals. 

WiP stuff - tracks and treads done on the Panzer IV's, as well as the stowage. Shells and ammo stuff is to go on some of the artillery units I finished in the last few months. 

PSC 15mm Panzer IV's

Gaming wise, last weekend we had a club gaming weekend, and a few of us spent the day playing the WW2 version of Wings of Glory:

The games were more or less balanced, but we found that randomising the approach vectors of the RAF fighters made the game a bit better - head to head vs cannon armed fighters does not go well!

In the final game, I had the little Hurricane that could...

The Hurricane can take 17 points of damage - the damage counters are drawn randomly, and at the point of being shot down I had 19 - with 11 of them having been draws of 0. The Hurri ended up with a bust rudder for a bit and on fire before I eventually took the final damage counters. I think the Hurri isn't particularity well represented stats wise - it's just a worse Spitfire really. I would have thought it would have had even 1 more hit point or slightly better guns (it was thought to be more durable and a better gun platform than the Spit). 

Fun game, and quick!