LATE WAR GERMAN INFANTRY PAINTING GUIDE and GERMAN GUARDS

This was a spur of the moment project I did, this long weekend, I woke up in the  morning with a crazy idea that I needed to build some guards for my Germans even thought I was already working away on my US Marines. 

I had been working on my US Marines for a while and sometimes, its good to work on another project in between, to get the inspirational juices going again.

I raided my left over parts bin and selected four Warlord games plastic German torsos and proceeded converting their body parts into a guard like posture.

These troopers will be utilised for specific Chain of Command scenarios, such as the ones found in the TooFatLardies specials.  

I also included a painting guide for Late war German Infantry.

Completed conversions figures ready for priming. 

Both of these figures had their right arms sliced in a couple of area to reposition them grasping the rifle and the base of the right figure was trimmed at the base connection to the shoulder and Green stuff putty added. Rifle straps were added with Milliput.

Back view of the figures show how the right legs with sliced and repositioned with the help of some Green stuff putty.

These two figures had some adjustments to the area which connects the arm to the shoulder and again Green stuff putty used to remodel the shoulder area.

The right figure also had his right legs sliced and repositioned.

Primed Black

Painted figure with flock added to the bases, forgot to paint the white stripes on collars of the first two figures, which have been added.

I had no gas mask canisters into my parts bin so the figures are without them.

Changing of the guards at a road check station.

LATE WAR GERMAN INFANTRY PAINTING GUIDE

The painting sequence I use for the German infantry is as follows:

• Black prime 
• paint the figures' base
• paint  flesh parts with flesh base colour and apply wash to flesh parts
• paint the uniform completely 
• using Black Grey or black primer to go over any areas that you may have covered while painting the uniform
• paint the base coat for the Helmet, Gatters, boots, Bread bag, gas mask canister, water bottle etc and then coat with the wash and move onto  finishing painting each item.  
• finish off the flesh parts.
• optional to use VMC Flat Earth with a small dry brush to very lightly dry brush areas that would normally rub against the ground if the figure was in a prone position, elbows, knees. 
• once all the painting is finished coat the model with a gloss enamel varnish 
• apply a  couple of coats of Matt varnish
• apply flock to the figures' base.

Just a note this is a rough guide I used to paint my figures but you may want to alter the ratios as you see fit as you can note from the above image the German uniform varied in colour.

HELMET

Base: VMC German Dark Green 979

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: Dry Brush: VMC German Dark Green 1:1 VMC Iraqui Sand

2nd Highlight: Dry Brush: add a bit more VMC Iraqui Sand 

Details: 

Top of the helmet add tiny wear spots with VMC Black Grey,  

Around the sharp rim of the helmet add tiny amount of gunmetal to simulate wear.

UNIFORM

Base: VMC German FieldGrey 830

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC German FieldGrey 830 avoiding cresses 

2nd Highlight: VMC Green Grey 

3rd Highlight: continue by adding  a touch of VMC Iraqui Sand to the Green Grey

Optional highlight: very light drybrushing with VMC Earth targeting the knees, elbows, edges of uniform near the waist , can also some top portions of the uniform to give the uniform a slight brown tinge.

GATTERS 

Base: VMC Khaki 

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Khaki avoiding cresses 

2nd Highlight: VMC Khaki  1:1 VMC Iraqui Sand

BOOTS

Base: VMC Mahogany Brown 1:1 VMC Beige Brown 

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Mahogany Brown 1:1 VMC Beige Brown avoiding cresses 

2nd Highlight: VMC Mahogany Brown ,VMC Beige Brown, VMC Iraqui Sand, 1:1:1

BREAD BAG

Base: VMC Green Ochre

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight:  VMC Green Ochre avoiding cresses

2nd Highlight: VMC Green Ochre 1:1 VMC Iraqui Sand

3rd Highlight: add a bit more VMC Iraqui Sand to the above mix

WATER BOTTLE

Base: VMC Beige Brown 

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC Beige Brown

2nd Highlight: VMC Beige Brown 1:1 VMC Iraqui Sand

3rd Highlight: add a bit more VMC Iraqui Sand to the above mix

GASMASK/ DRINKING CUP/ MESS TIN

Base: VMC German Dark Green 979 

Wash: Agrax Earthshade

1st Highlight: VMC German Dark Green 979

2nd Highlight: VMC German Dark Green 979  1:1 VMC Iraqui Sand

3rd Highlight:  add random spots of  VMC Gun Metal to simulate wear 

WEBBING 

Base: VMC Black Primer

1st Highlight: VMC Black Grey  with a touch of VMC Iraqui Sand

2nd Highlight: VMC Black Grey  with a touch of VMC Iraqui Sand

3rd Highlight:  add a bit more VMC Iraqui Sand to the above mix

Cheers John 

SCRATCH BUILT 15cm sIG 33

Took advantage of the very hot weather here in Sydney last weekend as an excuse to stay indoors,not venture into the sun and work on a number of  wargaming projects, this being one of them, a Scratch Built 15cm sIG33. 

It costs 7 support points, AP value of 8, HE value of 13 and it also decreases Cover level by 1 Level, a useful gun to deal with armour or enemy troops bunching up together.😏 

The gun in action.

The scratch build starts with cutting off a piece of an old paint brush handle seen in red and threading a plastic tubing around it this is the barrel of the gun, I also used some scrap MDF for the carriage frame as can by seen top left. 

The wheels are carved from left over Perry miniature bases  and I used lots of plastic odds and ends to build the rest of the gun. 

Its not a reproduction but I am happy it will pass as a
15cm siG 33.

Gun primed with black undercoat.

Its mounted on a thin sheet of metal contoured around the gun.

I used Vallejo model colour Middlestone for the base of the gun and highlighted with further coats by adding VMC Iquai sand.  

The spade is a left over from another kit.

Back at CANCON 2018 I constructed a Brecourt Manor gaming table, the need for leFH 18/40 10.5cm howitzers, saw me purchase one  from Warlord games to use as a basis to  scratch build 3  more (as it would be costly buying 4 guns, which would only to be used on once ).

As I did not use the crew figures,I left them on the unpainted pile of lead but with the construction of the siG 33 I retrieved them and painted and flocked them ready to man the siG33.

The gun actually needs one Junior Leader and a crew of five, so I will make up the extra crew needed from another crew served gun in my Late war support.

CHEERS JOHN 

CONCRETE BUNKER , FLAK EMPLACEMENT ,TOBRUK "MG position" , TRENCH SYSTEM and GERMAN INFANTRY in FOXHOLES.

These  items have been sitting on my computer for a while finally  found some time to post them.

TOBRUK

Completed Tobruk

For the project you will need 2 metal washers,scissors,superglue, 2 x evergreen stryrene sheet, not pictured hobby hand drill and 4 x tiny earth magnets.

Cut the Evergreen stryene sheets into irregular shapes,superglue the metal washers in place and prime with a black primer.

Paint with Vallejo game colour Stonewall Grey and highlighted as the  Concrete Bunker. 

Conversion work on 2 Warlord game plastic Germans. 

Used Milliput putty to fill in any gaps.

Add flock to the Tobruk, paint the figures and using your hobby hand drill prep holes in the base of the Tobruk and the underside base of each figure.

Place a small amount of superglue in the holes and position the magnets (make sure to check the polarity before gluing them in position).

Touch up with  paint on over the magnet in  base of the Tobruk. 

CONCRETE BUNKER 

I used 3mm MDF to construct the Bunker, building up piece by piece and gluing each individually to make up the bunker. 

 

The roof was made from a 9mm MDF filed down around the edges and used coarse sand paper to roughen up the MDF.

Completed construction with roof in place - just a note if I was to make another Concrete Bunker I think I would just make it out of  Dense Steryne foam.

Primed Black.

Vallejo Game colour Stonewall Grey to wet brush over the whole surface.

Next step continue to wet brush the whole surface with Vallejo Model colour Off white. 

Add  some colorization to the bunker with VMC offwhite, Green Orche, Black Grey,Olive Grey and  Vallejo Game colour Carne Marron Tan 

Add PVA glue to the surface that will be flocked and sprinkle on flock. 

I have used Woodland scenic Earth blend, dark green and whatever I had at hand at the time.

The door at the rear of the Concrete bunker was painted with VMC Black Grey and highlighted, I also added some VMC calvarly brown.  

Interior.

Pak 40 in action.

FLAK EMPLACEMENT

Completed Flak emplacement.

Starting the process.

I used MDF, 3mm for the base and 9mm for the edges.

Once put together I filed the MDF to roughen the surface.

I followed the same painting steps as per Concrete Bunker.

Painted and ready for the application of flock.

As these items where constructed for a 2 day gaming event The day before the event I forgot to order a flak gun, so I whipped this up in 20 mins using bits and pieces of plastic sprue, Every green stryene sheets and a drill bit.

Slapped on some paint and washed it with Agrax earthshade.
The construction of the Flax it not going to win any prizes in a modelling contest but it did the job for the event.

TRENCH SYSTEM 

Germans rushing thru the trenches to engage the enemy.

Using dense strenye Foam cut sketch in the trench, use difference sizes of files to shape the trench.

I use a large modified cardboard box to contain the mess from filing the foam.

Cheap hobby sticks trimmed and glued around the boundary of the trench.

Painted the trench VMC Earth and highlighted and flocked applied.

Concrete Bunker, Flak emplacement and trench system on the gaming table.GERMAN TROOPS IN FOXHOLES

German section in foxholes

Members of the Rifle team.

LMG team

Panzerfaust 

Junior Leader

Each individual figure has a tiny earth magnet on the underside of the figure which adhesives to the metal floor of the foxholes.
Clink on  "How to make foxholes" if you are interested to see  how I made them.

Section out of their foxholes.

Cheers John