Finishing units (10th Panzer project)

HQ element for Kradschutzen-Battalion 10

Sdkfz223 & Kublewagon (seen earlier) plus command squad made up of Raventhorpe and Britannia figures 

Support Kompanie Kradschultzen-Battalion 10

Horch field car (pictured earlier) as a tow for a Britannia 75mm IG, with a mixed crew (Airfix, Raventhorpe & PSC)

IV Abteilung, Panzer Artillery Regiment 90 (formally Heersflak-Abt. 302)

Venerable Airfix Sdkfz7 and a Britannia `88 and DAK crew (pictured earlier)

Command element for 1st battalion, 7th Panzer Regiment

I`ve had a very productive week, and have finally got around to painting up the first of the Panzers.

MMS Panzer IIIH with a SHQ commander

Classic Matchbox, Panzer IIIL and Panzer II

 The whole element together

Sdkfz223

Sdkfz 223 for Kradschutzen-battalion 10

SHQ kit with a plastic (Esci?) commander

Kradschutzen-Battalion 10

The recce battalion of 10th Panzer was Kradschutzen-Battalion 10. 2nd Kompanie was motorcycles, I`ve decided to field just two platoons.

I found I was some M/C combinations short, so bought a couple of SHQ models with DAK crews

 I then rummaged through drawers and boxes and dug out any old, broken or badly painted ones (various plastic kits) and repaired and re-painted them in a standard scheme.

Two platoons finished using figures previously painted.

Completing Panzerjager Abteilung 90

Completing Panzerjager Abteilung 90

Pak40 with tow and crew (2. Kompanie had 9 of these)
Re-painted Matchbox Sdkfz7 & Pak40 with a Britannia crew

Sdkfz10/4 (originally 3./Fla. 55; now 3. Kompanie Panzerjager Abteilung 90) they had 8 single and 2 quad SP 20mm AA

Altered and converted Di-cast Sdkfz10, mixed crew (AB, SHQ & Airfix), S&S trailer

10th Panzer Division - the plan

Now we play our games using a time-served version of Charles Grant's wonderful "Battle" rules.

As I`ve stated earlier over the years I modified Mr Grant's orbats to create a more historical look and feel:

A rifle platoon has 10-12 figures

3 platoons + a small HQ (3-6 figures) = company

3 companies + a support weapons coy + HQ company = a battalion

This is a surprisingly flexible system, allowing us to play 1 : 1 skirmish and platoon/company level games with the same figures.

Now we`re playing (or would be if there was time) games set during the Tunisian Campaign and a major Axis element was 10th PD. Obviously I don`t need to build the entire thing, but will need to organise a Kampfgruppe or two.

Now the major elements I want to create are -

I Bataillon, Panzer Regiment 7
Kradschutzen-Bataillon 10
II Bataillon Panzergrenadier Regiment 69
Panzerjager Abteilung 90
Panzer Pioneer Bataillon 49

I/Panzer Regiment 7
This will have -
HQ coy ( Panzer III L, Panzer III command tank, Panzer II, Sdkfz 252 w/trailer)

Plus various platoons of  Pz. III & Pz. IV

I have enough Panzer IIIs and IVs to allow me some flexibility and field several platoons on tabletop.

Schweer Panzer Abteilung 501 was folded into Panzer Regiment 7 eventually, I`ve decided on just a composite unit -
1 x Tiger I
1 x Panzer IIIN (with short 75mm) 

Kradschutzen Bataillon 10
Now this will be a composite unit -
HQ Sdkfz223 radio car, kublewagon & staff
A/C unit with - 2 x sdkfz222, 1 x Sdkfz232
Motorcycle unit with - 2 infantry platoons with M/C combinations
Armoured unit with - 1 x infantry platoon in Sdkfz250 halftracks
Support unit - Pak38 + tow, IG18 + tow, Pioneer plt with truck

II Battalion, 69PG
Composite unit -
HQ with - Sdkfz250/3, Kubelwagon
PG company with - 3 x Sdkfz 251, 1 x Sdkfz 251/10, 1 x Sdkfz 251/2 mitt Wurfrahmen rocket launcher 

Panzerjager Abteilung 90
Composite batterie -
1 x Pak40 + tow, 1 x Marder III (76.2r), Sdkfz10/4 (SP 20mm)

Panzer Pioneer Bataillon 49
1 x pioneer platoon & Sdkfz 251/7

Herres-Flak Abteilung 302
Composite batterie -
1 x `88 + tow, 2 x 20mm

Odds`n sods Germans

Spent a week or so sorting through various drawers, trays and boxes and came up with a selection of odd Germans and Handschar left over from batches. To clear the decks I spent a while head-swopping and doing minor conversions. The result is nearly two platoons to add to my 10th Panzer project and a few additional Volksgrenadiers too.

Descriptions L-R

3 - Combat Miniatures Handschar with Raventhorpe heads, the NCO is also Combat Miniatures but from one of their tank rider packs

AB Figures tank rider, Italeri plastic MG34

 

Combat Miniature Handschar (Raventhorpe head), SHQ, Britannia tanker (Raventhorpe head) & Elheim

 

 2 - Elheim, SHQ, Britannia

2 more Handschar, Elheim

Elheim MMG team in smock and field cap

Elheim SS in early smock