One day I'll show you all...

[Hammers]

...and that day is today, 6 days tardy: my should've-been entry for the LPL WWII special round. A Gebirgsjäger MG34 half squad.

The whole group:




The stationary MG34



The NCO on snowshoes (the snowshoes are a modification of the original mini):




The mobile MG34, (the snowshoes are a modification of the original mini):



The Kettenkraftrad:



The Gebirgsjäger marker:

[Bravo Six]

Nice work hammershield. The whole look is great.

-Todd

[Helen]

Peder, They are lovely Might need to get some tips from you on using white and achieving a good effect!

I love the modifications you have achieved on the figures.

[Hammers]

Certainly, Helen. I think these are supposed to go with the Brigade Finns. Several Gebirgsjäger regiments fought above the polar circle alongside the Finns in the Continuation war. A hopeless front on all accounts. Quoting myself:

The mobile MG34, (the snowshoes are a modification of the original mini):

White is as you know tricky. This time I tried layering, which is to use white paint heavliy dilluted with acrylic dillutant and flow release. I applied it in several thin layers over a field gray basecoat, building up towards a pure white at shoulders, elbows, folds etc. The base coat mustn't be too dark, which I feel mine was, at least slightly.  Three layers sufficed for most part but with a touching up of undilluted white here and there. I can't really say layering worked any better than other techniques I've used. It is difficult to use on a small miniature.

The snow shoes were modelled on the provided acessory kit from Brigade and an Osprey (New Vanguard: Snow shoes of the Wermacht, Vol 9). I mounted the miniature on a 25mm washer, sculpted the snow with GreenStuff and bent a piece of copper wire to shape and pushed it into the GS arround the minis feet. I then sculpted the strings and straps in the GS with an Xacto blade. Dead simple, really. I feel it adds something to the exotism of the troop type.

I like this mini in particular. The green snow goggles makes him look slightly alien; he could be suitable for a Weird War and Pulp setting to.

The Kettenkraftrad:

A Tamaya kit. Very nice model of a über-cool vehicle. I know for certain they were used in Russia and I supposed they were used in the north because of their excellent of road capabilities. A bit fragile for wargaming  but not too bad. The handle bars will eventually break and will have to be replaced with wire.

The Gebirgsjäger marker:

I love markers. Fun to make and cool to look at. The sticks are made of piano wire, the skiis are from Brigade, so are the hatchet and hammer. There are a couple of snowshoes on it to which can't be seen here.

[Arcticman]

Great job!  :love:
Both style, concept and the snow shoes and the marker. Those ski poles gems!  
Thinking of doing some Gebirgsjäger for the Italian front myself.

Cheers

Eric

[Helen]

Hi Peder, Thankyou for the time writing about your painting style for the whire. I'll give it a go.    

Is the trailer skis a conversion too?

Actually, I'm looking at the German Mountain Troops for fighting with my Finns. It seems Tank Battalion 211 had French Tanks and its possible there were some PZIIIs as well in 1944 up in Lapland.

I've some SDKFZ10s and one mounting a 2cm flak, plus some British Morris/Bedfords all from FOA (prior to selling to AGN) which I'm giving to the German Mountain Troops.

Thanks again for your tips.  

[dominic]

Wow! :love:

[Hammers]

Is the trailer skis a conversion too?.

Yes. They are MarkIII SpFzKwFltprKwlgr 9 ski options for the standard Infanterie Kerren. ;-) Seriously: they look completely implausible that tall. I might have to retouch that.

I've some SDKFZ10s and one mounting a 2cm flak, plus some British Morris/Bedfords all from FOA (prior to selling to AGN) which I'm giving to the German Mountain Troops.

Thanks again for your tips.  

I have read that the northern army was somewhat neglected and equiped with whatever was left in the armouries and vehicle parks when the SS and South and Central armies had had their pick.

[Hammers]

Sorry, double post.

[Hammers]

Great job!  :love:
Both style, concept and the snow shoes and the marker. Those ski poles gems!  
Thinking of doing some Gebirgsjäger for the Italian front myself.

Cheers

Eric

Thanks Eric. Maybe we should get together for a game some day.

[xeoran]

Very nice work indeed.

[Arcticman]

Sounds like a plan Peder.  
What rules do you play?
I have Crossfire and have ordered USSR from BAM
I have only painted 10 WWII minis  in 28mm ever, the ones on show this week.  ::

On the other hand I have some on order, US paras and late Germans so I awill be able to field a platoon or two of each in a coupple of weeks.

BTW, what make are those lovely Gerbirgsjäger?

Cheers

Eric

[xeoran]

BTW, what make are those lovely Gerbirgsjäger?

Cheers

Eric

Brigade Games USA. Sculpted by the talented Richard Ansell.

[Arcticman]

Great! Thanks!

Where can I find Brigade Games in Europe? '

Last time I ordered from outside the EU i was forced to pay 75% extra in taxes and extra postal duties so I tend not to do that now.

Cheers

Eric

[Helen]

Hi Peder, Here is a story to matchup with your beautiful Gebirgsjäger and for your Finns.

My thanks to Jarkko from the Axis forum in providing an interesting account of the last Finnish Tank Battle:

The last tank battle of Finnish Army in World War 2 happened 5th of October 1944 on road leading north from Tornio. Finnish troops that had landed to Tornio 1st of October had captured Tornio after short battles. 1./I/PsPr (1st Tank Company of 1st Battalion of Armoured Brigade) without its 2nd Platoon has been sent as their reinforcement. This tank unit had been shipped to harbour of Röyttä (outside Tornio) 3rd of October.

German troops in Tornio area were included SS-Recon Battalion 6, 2nd Battalion of Grenadier Regiment 379, 2nd Battalion of Gebirgsjäger Battalion 206, Jaeger Battalion 3, Machinegun Battalions 13 & 14 (parts of Machinegun Ski Brigade Finnland), company of Tank Battalion 211 and three artillery battalions (Artillery Battalion 520, Artillery Battalion 424 and 3rd Artillery Battalion of SS-Artillery Regiment 6). Tank Battalion 211 was equipped with captured French Tanks (Somua & Hotchkiss).

At the time Finnish troops in Tornio area included troops from 50th, 53rd and 11th Infantry Regiments and the tank company mentioned above.

German plan was to pull their troops from Kemi (southeast from Tornio) towards north by using roads going through Tornio area. These troops were Battle Detachment Krentzer, which included 2nd Battalion/Gebirgsjäger Regiment 206, 2nd Battalion/Grenadier Regiment 379, SS-Recon Battalion 6 and Artillery Battalions 424 and 520.

To assist this the Germans attacked also from the north with Combat Detachment Steet. It contained two battalions of Machinegun Ski Brigade Finnland (Machinegun Battalions 13 & 14) and Jaeger Battalion 3. These three battalions started their attack with support of their artillery battalion (3rd Battalion/SS-Artillery Regiment 6) and tank company of Tank Battalion 211 against Finnish Infantry Regiment 53 in 06:30 5th of October 1944.

Around 15:00 that day T-26 commanded by Alikersantti Pentti Isokangas found itself in battle with light German tank. After short excange of fire (1. shot fired by German tank - missed, 2. shot fired by Finnish tank - hit but bounced. 3rd shot fired by German tank - missed, 4th shot fired by Finnish tank - hit) Panssarimies Paavo Halttunen operation 45-mm tank gun of T-26 hit the German tank, which caugh on fire. While type of the German tank destroyed in this battle has not been verified for certain, it was likely Panzer II.

5th of October went really poorly for Finnish troops. Troops of Infantry Regiment 53 retreated with lot of its men running in panic. The unit succeeded barely stopping German advance in river-line. The next situation changed. First Infantry Battalion 53 stopped German attack and then outflanking maneuver of Infantry Regiment 50 reached its target and attacked Battle Detachment Steet from behind. This outflanking attack closed Machinegun Ski Brigade Finnland and Jaeger Battalion 3 to motti. Eventually these German troops succeeded breaking out, but not before both sides had suffered serious casualties. Neither side gained clear victory in these battles. Majority of the German troops succeeded slipping off, but not without suffering serious losses.

German losses:
- dead: about 500
- wounded: not known
- POW 337

Finnish losses:
- dead: 189
- wounded: about 1,000