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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Modern Bundeswehr


A slower week around here. Starting to get ready for some renovations that will be going on… and shoveling snow… and I’ve been sewing a bit... In between I’ve been plugging away at a few modern Bundeswehr soldiers.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version):


Here’s the lot. I could field them as a dismounted platoon of Panzergrenadiers (mechanized infantry) or an understrength platoon of Fallschirmjagers (Paratroopers) or Gebirgsjagers (mountain troops)…

Unless otherwise mentioned they are all from Eureka Miniatures USA (there are two in the lot from Hasslefree Miniatures)



Zugführergruppe (Platoon HQ)


1st Gruppe (Squad)


2nd Gruppe (Squad)


3rd Gruppe (Squad)


A couple extras I have (mostly with SMGs) I could use as dismounted vehicle crew…


Forward Observer Team


These two are the aforementioned minis from Hasslefree Miniatures. I’m not sure what I’m going to use them as or why I got them. I’m sure it seemed like a good idea at the time….

I still have a few things to finish up for this force. I have three Marder and two Leopard 2 (1/48 scale plastic model kits) to assemble and paint to mechanize the unit (though I’d really need four Marders for a “complete” platoon). I also have a dog team and an automatic grenade launcher to finish up. I wouldn’t mind picking up a Unimog or two – it seems there’s a few die-cast ones out there – the trick is finding one that’s a reasonable scale – and a reasonable price! There a few on ebay at any given moment, but with most die-cast vehicles the stated “scale” isn’t always so accurate and I don’t want to pay $20 for a truck that turns out to be waaaaaay to small (or waaaaaay too big!).

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Probably a Game Report…  

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9 comments:

  1. DeanMMarch 30, 2013 at 9:44 PM

    Really impressive - they are so realistic. Best, Dean

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  2. DHC WargamesMarch 30, 2013 at 11:42 PM

    Looking real good!

    Just one thing... You Gruppen are too small, they should be twelve men strong according to the official TO&E.

    http://dhcwargamesblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/bundeswehr/

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    Replies
    1. timMarch 31, 2013 at 8:21 AM

      Cheers! I've checked out your blog - your stuff is amazing!

      They're definitely small for Jager gruppes. My "gruppes" above would be more like fireteams within Jager squads and thus I'd have a half-strength Jager platoon. But for Panzergrenadiers? I'm pretty sure only 6-7 dismount from a Marder.

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    2. DHC WargamesMarch 31, 2013 at 3:10 PM

      Hi Tim,

      Thanks for the comment about my blog (although I did not want to steal,your thunder for these minis of yours look ace).

      Anyway... You are right, that a Marder only carries 6 dismounts, or,half the Gruppe. The two Marder carrying the whole Gruppe, will always operate physically close to one another. Once the infantry dismounts, the Gruppe will join back up and operate as one unit again.

      This all come from the fact that (with the exception of the special forces which are organised like the british SAS) the smallest tactical element in the German army is the Gruppe. It is only rarely split up. And it does not really make sense to split it up. Unlike most NATO armies there is only one MG per Gruppe, so it needs to stay together to have an appropriate amount of firepower.

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    3. timMarch 31, 2013 at 3:22 PM

      Ah! thanks!

      How is a Panzergrenadier Platoon/Zug organized then? Do they have only two Gruppe split up in four Marders? Where does the platoon command go?

      I planned my force around the list in the Force on Force main rule book which claims the platoon has four Marders. One carries the Zugführergruppe (Platoon HQ) which is supposed to have a platoon leader, a radio operator, a grenadier with a Panzerfaust 3, a grenadier with an MG3, Two soldiers with G-36 (one with a grenade launcher), and a Milan ATGM operator. The remaining three Marders each have a "gruppe" with a Gruppe Leader, a grenadier with a Panzerfaust 3, a grenadier with an MG3, and three soldiers with G-36 (one with a grenade launcher). Is this way off?

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  3. MontyMarch 31, 2013 at 3:37 PM

    Great work Tim, the cam is excellent ;)

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  4. DHC WargamesMarch 31, 2013 at 3:50 PM

    Well, tehcnically it is not too much off. The structure they describe will most likely be the correct one once the Puma is introduced. Plus this is only the paper strength, with most Gruppen being understrength IRL and only between seven and nine men strong. so the information you get these days is pretty confused.

    But technically the Zugführer is in Command of a Gruppe as well. He replaces the Feldwebel usually in command of a Gruppe and the Gefreiter get replaced by a Feldwebel (the Feldwebel is usually the one with the grenade launcher). And he has a radio operator in this Gruppe as well. Also the Milan operator is the Richtschütze (gunner) of the Marder while the Milan is mounted on the IFV. If the dismounted Grenadiere take it along, one of the Gernadiere operates it.

    The Panzerfaust3 is no longer part of the official TO&E although often carried along, especially with the light formations, like Jäger.

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