Panzer III Roco

I got a few Panzer III tanks that need some work.

Used Roco can be cheaper than the new stuff, I buy it all the time.

These were missing hatches, had damaged guns, and were missing some of the spare road wheels from the fenders.

I have built up a few spare parts and I was able to fix these three tanks.

Extra hatch from the spares bin.

Wespe Artillery

Painting my resin Paul Heiser Models Wespe self propelled guns.

Each battery of six guns gets two ammo carriers.

The primer paint gives a nice even texture to the model and sticks well to the resin.

Models are HO scale.

It was an excellent use of the Panzer II chassis to use it as a self-propelled gun and ammo carrier.

The ammo carrier was almost identical except it had no gun, just more ammo.

The Last of the German Cossacks

Cossack with panzerfaust.  Strelets soldier converted.

Logistics, a good wargame army should have a balance of forces.

HaT guns and Revell limbers and horses.

Note the man in the back with the SMG.

Command group, Ykreol German Commanders with Cossack heads.

Orthodox Christian bishop with command group.

WWII German Cossacks

A unit like this fighting against the Soviet Union would do anything to avoid capture.

They know certain death is the only outcome.

So I give these troops a +1 morale bonus when fighting Soviet forces.

 These troops don't have the firepower of regular German infantry.

But I have given them machine guns and a few anti-tank rocket launchers.

 Troops morale is higher if they can see the flag.

 Flag troops are often easy to knock over, so they get a larger base.

The unit.

Kids and Cows

Cossacks traveled with their families as camp followers.

They provided food, cooking, uniform repair and other support services.

Some repainting and head swaps and these American pioneers become Cossacks.

Women, old men, and boys and girls.

They have yurts that can be taken down and moved easily.

The kids tend the animals.

Cossack Conversions WWII

Cossacks wore a variety of uniforms, including German and traditional dress.

This battalion is small, but comes with infantry, anti-tank guns, command group, engineers and others.

Several clergy and you can see the dog mascot and radio operator.

There is also a small medical detachment.

Many of these troops have had their heads removed and replaced with more appropriate headgear.  There are also a couple dancers and a mandolin player to keep up morale.

Cossacks

In WWII many oppressed peoples in the Soviet Union sided with the Germans against Communism.  These are Orthodox Christian Cossacks.

I took a variety of Cossack figures and others and made these troops.

Some of them are Cossacks by Strelets and others are various WWII figures by Ykreol, Revell and other companies.  Some of these are Imex Pioneers.

Christian clergy as part of the command group in the front row.

They also have anti-tank guns.

Infantry and heavy machine guns.

Two platoons of infantry.

Police Battalion Raid

Now the Police move in.

Even the back exits are covered.

Rifle butts knock in the doors.

Men with wooden batons standby to deliver heavy blows to anyone slow or stubborn.

Plenty of Police for any resistance.

An early morning knock on the door, a terrible sound.

German Police Battalion

Anyone in an occupied nation who was willing to serve the Germans, and do anything, may have found their way into a Police Battalion.

Not the same as front line soldiers.

These men enforced German racial laws...

and hunted for guerillas...

and fought against regular enemy troops only when cornered.

Unsavory business.