Grossdeutschland (and their Soviet opponents) Summer 1942

[Bill Slavin]

Very nice, clean painting and model building! Personally I like seeing vehicles a bit more scruffed up, but your work is beautifully done. And I appreciate the background information you provide as well. Thanks for sharing these.

[MikeRC97]

Continuing with Summer 1943, here are the latest additions to my German force - SdKfz 251 armored personnel carriers.



Prior to 1943, the Grossdeutschland infantry regiments did not have any armored personnel carriers (the Grossdeutschland photo history shows a few SdKfz 251s in 1942 but the vehicle markings indicate that they belonged to the Division HQ). In June 1943 Infantry Division (mot.) Grossdeutschland was re-designated Panzergrenadier Division Grossdeutschland and the first battalion of the first regiment was re-equipped with schuetzenpanzerwagens.



The SdKfz 251s are for a Battlegroup Kursk armored panzer grenadier platoon. Below is the platoon command squad with a SdKfz 251/10 transport. This variant was equipped with a 3.7 cm PaK36 to provide support fire for the platoon.



Here are the three panzer grenadier squads / MG teams with their transports. The armored personnel carriers are the SdKfz 251 model C kit by Dragon.



First squad / MG team.



Second squad / MG team.



Third squad / MG team.



I painted a fourth SdKfz 251/1 which will be used as a tow for the Pak40 in my previous post (a platoon support option) or as a transport for an armored assault pioneer squad as seen below.



The final addition for now is a SdKfz 251/2 mortar carrier which is a platoon support option for the armored panzer grenadier platoon.



The Dragon model has interior details which aren't really visible when the model is fully assembled but which I painted anyway.



The Dragon kit includes decals with the Grossdeutschland divisional insignia and panzer grenadier tactical symbols. Also included in the kit are individual number decals for making license plates. When I attempted to create the 7-digit license plate on one of the models it was a nightmare trying to get the numbers to line up correctly, the tiny waterslide decals just slid around all over the place. As each vehicle requires a license plate for the front and the back, I decided to just leave them off and spare myself the aggravation.



When weathering these models I applied dried mud using pigments and mud splashes using a loaded paintbrush to flick mud on to the hull of the vehicles. In the opening days of the Kursk offensive there were thunderstorms that created muddy terrain in some parts of the battlefield.





Based on replies to my previous post I decided to go back and add some mud and dirt to the Kübelwagens in that post. I always appreciate any feedback/comments posted on my threads, there's always room for improvement.





Now that I have my panzergrenadiers, I just need some panzers for 1943. Those are coming but first I have some work to do on my Soviet infantry for Battlegroup Kursk.

[Peter]

Great work Mike! You have been busy again!

[MikeRC97]

In my last post I mentioned that I needed to work on my Soviet infantry for Battlegroup Kursk. A Russian Rifle Platoon in Battlegroup Kursk is four infantry squads, so I mixed in eight additional Zvezda figures to my existing Rapid Fire Soviet Rifle Battalion. Here is the full-strength platoon with Command Squad.



Here is a close up of a couple of the new figures, the figure on the left is a conversion.



The figure below is from the Zvezda big box set 8077 Soviet Infantry Platoon Kursk 1943. The figures in this set are sculpted wearing the 1943 version of the Soviet gymnastiorka (or gymnastyorka) smock but as I use these figures for 1942 as well, I just paint breast pockets and an open collar so that it looks like the 1935 gymnastiorka.



For indirect fire support I wanted an on-table Mortar Battery of 2 x 82mm mortars. I only painted one mortar for my Rapid Fire Soviet Rifle Battalion so I painted a second mortar for Battlegroup Kursk.



Also from the Artillery Support section is a Forward Observer Team. The figure on the right is not new, it was taken from the ZiS-3 gun team seen earlier in this thread. I liked this figure as a FO as he is armed with a PPsH submachine gun.

The figure using the field telephone is from Zvezda set 6147 Soviet 120mm Mortar with Crew.



Next up - Reconnaissance Support Units. I’ve been looking forward to painting these figures as this is my first-time painting Soviet “amoeba” camouflage. First is a sniper from Zvezda set 6193 Soviet Sniper Team.



The next unit is a Jeep Reconnaissance Team. The figures are from Zvezda set 6137 Soviet Reconnaissance Team. The figure holding the binoculars can also be used as a spotter for the sniper.
The figure in the middle is operating a field radio, these were rare in Soviet forces, field telephones being much more common.



The Jeep Reconnaissance Team unit entry includes a generic “Jeep” transport – the Russian Equipment section of Battlegroup Kursk includes a Gaz 67B Jeep and a Lend-lease Willys Jeep (both have the same profile). I used S-Model kit 720046 Willys MB Jeep with Trailer for the team transport.



This is the third S-Model kit I have built, and in each case, small thin parts break when removed from the sprue (in this case it was the shovel that goes on the side of the jeep above the axe). I like these S-Model kits, they have nice details without having too many parts, but I’m not a fan of their brittle plastic.

The only Soviet insignia I added to the model is a red star with hammer and sickle on both sides of the vehicle. These waterslide decals came from the Dragon T-34 kits I built previously.



The S-Model jeep kit comes with two models, I painted a second jeep as a transport for the Forward Observer Team. The Jeep Reconnaissance Team is not an option for a Russian Rifle Division so in that battlegroup the first jeep will be used as a transport for the battlegroup HQ.



Speaking of the Russian Rifle Division battlegroup HQ, I previously painted a 3-man Forward HQ, but I can now substitute that unit with a NKVD Officer (also a 3-man unit) using the newly painted figure below from Zvezda set 6132 Soviet Headquarters. For a few more points you get the ‘Fight Damn You!’ special rule which increases the battlegroup’s Battle Rating by D6.



Here is a picture of my first complete 500-point battlegroup for Battlegroup Kursk using the Russian Rifle Division army list. The force includes a Forward HQ or NKVD Officer, a Rifle Platoon with four support options (Maxim Machine Gun team, Anti-Tank Rifle team, Anti-Tank Gun and Infantry Gun). The tank unit (pictured earlier in this thread) is a T-34 Platoon. Artillery units are the Mortar Battery from this post and an off-table battery of 2 x 122mm howitzers with the Forward Observer Team from this post. From the Specialist Support list, I have included the ZiS-3 in the Heavy Anti-Tank Gun role. With the remaining points I can include a sniper with a spotter and/or pre-registered target points for my artillery.



At this point I have all the German and Soviet infantry for the Kursk battlegroups, I still have tanks to paint for both sides, so more to come.

[Bessiere]

Nice work. Kursk is one of my favorite battles to study. It was a feasible plan turned impossible by Hitlers delays to get the new panthers to the front. Like the battle of the Bulge it would be a forlorn hope before it began. It was a testament to the fighting skill and spirit of the Wehrmacht they were able to penetrate as far as they did.
Cheers,
Bessiere

[Minuteman]

Nice work. Kursk is one of my favorite battles to study. It was a feasible plan turned impossible by Hitlers delays to get the new panthers to the front. Like the battle of the Bulge it would be a forlorn hope before it began. It was a testament to the fighting skill and spirit of the Wehrmacht they were able to penetrate as far as they did.
Cheers,
Bessiere

I agree with Bessiere, your rifle Soviet rifle platoon looks great here. Fine work!

The meticulous organisation of this unit will only stand up for a short time once battle commences of course. The realities of warfare in a battle as intense as Kursk virtually guarantee whole units being wiped out in a short period of time, the need to form ad hoc 'battlegroups' from the remnants of platoons, companies and battalions, etc.

As Bessiere observes, it is remarkable that the Germans managed to get as far as they did against the extensive and determined Russian defences in the battle itself.

[Peter]

Wow! Well done!