Fallschirmjäger WIP

I have been super busy since getting back from France last week, the archaeological survey project which I set up on the Barnsley Pals training camp begins a week on Monday, plus I am giving a paper at a conference on Saturday and teaching a workshop the following Saturday! So I have been at the computer drawing and writing and generally getting a massive headache.

With all this going on, my gaming activities have taken a back step at the moment. However, before I went to France, I dug out my old collection of Peter Pig's Fallschirmjäger, some figures I have had for over twenty years. They were originally based for a skirmish game and bore no relation to the OOBs of Rapid Fire! With this in mind, I ordered a few new packs of PP's Fallschirmjäger which had arrived by the time I returned home. I noted that they had been redesigned in the time since I had originally bought mine and the new ones looked like excellent sculpts. I organised them into Rapid Fire! units and based them and this is the point they are at right now, with still a lot to do!

As there was little information on OOBs for the Fallschirmjäger, I asked on TMP for advice and was given the following lists, by Dom of Dom's Decals:

HQ – CO + 3 men, Panzerschreck.

3 Rifle Coys – 10 men each.

Support Coy – 15 men, 2x 81mm mortar, 75mm IG, 2 MMGs.

I chucked in a Panzerfaust to each of the companies to add to the AT value of each unit and actually found I had ordered enough figures for two battalions (minus the support company). The second battalion will be completed in time.

Further to this, as it has been twenty plus years since I even painted a single Para smock, I did a bit of research online and found the following Vallejo colours recommended for the Stumpfmuster 43 smock pattern: German Camo Beige (821) as the base coat, highlighted by Iraqui Sand (819), with German Dark Green (896) and Flat Brown (984) as the disruptive pattern. I painted three of my old minis as a tester, the two on the outside were inkwashed with dark oak varnish, the chap in the middle with black writing ink. Of the three I think he came out the best as the other two looked a little muddy, I am of the opinion these days that the varnish wash may work well with 28mm figures, but obscures 15mm minis too much, unless the clothing is light in colour.