The Fall of Berlin: Volkssturm Units

Wow! Well, I'm back with some more completed units for my Adepticon Doubles army and a story. You see, I didn't plan on painting these up this soon, as I actually took on a commission just after New Year's. However, as I was right in the middle of cutting to do a headswap on the NSDAP officer pictured below, I slipped with the Xacto and cut the knuckle on my left hand! Thankfully, the blade was brand new and extremely sharp, so the cut was clean and actually took several minutes to start bleeding. However, it was long (about 1.5") and quite deep (I could see bone!) so my amazing wife immediately drove me to urgent care where I spent several hours getting looked at, stitched up, and given a tetanus shot.

Now, this is the first time I've ever had a cut needing medical attention in 25-odd years of modeling and it was because I wasn't practicing shop safety. So, let this be a lesson - always cut on a cutting matt and always use the minimum amount of cutting force necessary.

So, being bandaged up, I focused on some light painting work and this is the result. As with the last Fall of Berlin post, I won't be detailing every single technique and specific paint I used here because there are just so many. However, if you are interested or want to know how I painting something specifically, please feel free to leave a comment and ask and I will do my best to remember.

First off are the the Feldgendarmes. They were standard German uniforms with the deep green lapels and shoulder bands of the Gendarmerie. These are Warlord miniatures and will likely be intermixed with my Volkssturm in infantry squads.

                            

Next up are the Last Levy "officers" - an Stg44-wielding Priest (Footsore VBCW conversion), a Luftwaffe Officer (Great Escape Games), and a NSDAP "Officer" (Footsore VBCW conversion). The Priest is very much an anachronism - the clergy was excluded from Volk conscription - but I felt it was oddly appropriate to have a "man of the cloth" defending Deutschland from the godless Communists. The NSDAP officer is a Footsore BUF officer, with Footsore Anglican League headswap (this is where I cut myself!), and his Bergmann SMG converted to a VG-1 SMG. And if you enlarge the pic and look very closely, you can see the title of the book he's holding (painted to resemble a "first edition")...

Next off are two Hitler Youth (both Warlord Last Levy). I'm usually loathe to use child soldiers, even in a game, but I had them and they are VERY nice miniatures. Not to get too political but, as I grow older, I tend to not worry so much about controversial issues and I feel that, if we are to get a fuller understanding of history, that it doesn't help to whitewash or ignore the truly vile parts of warfare. If anything, these pieces should stand testament to the truly desperate and deplorable actions of the failing Third Reich.

This Volkssturm medic has been sitting in my bitz box for probably 8-10 years. Astute readers will see that it's actually a GW 40K mini. I swapped the head for a Great Escape winter German and gave him a pistol from the Reaper 20th Century Weapons pack. He wears German uniform pants and a Pea Dot camouflage smock.

Next up is the Volkssturm Tank Hunter team. The Bund Deutsche Mädel (Warlord Last Levy) is wearing a captured stock uniform consisting of Norwegian M40 helmet and WW1-era French overcoat. The Panzerschrek-armed Volk (Great Escape Games with Footsore headswap) wears a French Adrian helmet, Heer overcoat, and Spring Palmenmuster camo smock.

The Volkssturm MMG Team consists of three gunners (all Footsore VBCW) armed with an old MG08 MG mounted on a homemade tripod.

Volkssturm Squad One consists of 12 figures (a mix of Warlord & Footsore) all wearing a mix of civilian dress, uniforms, and camouflage dress. Both tan helmets are, again, captured stock of Norwegian M40. The dark gray helmet with white crest is painted to resemble an M34 fire dept. helmet. One Hitlerjugend is wearing rather baggy Spring Oak Leaf camo pants, while the firebomber is wearing Liebermuster pants, and the last Hitlerjugend is wearing a complete Spring Rauchtarnmuster suit. They are armed with a mix of K98 and foreign captured rifles. The NCO is wearing a full Liebermuster camo suit, a repainted Luftschutz helmet, and carries an an Italian Beretta M38.

Volkssturm Squad Two consists of 12 figures (a mix of Warlord & Footsore) all wearing a mix of civilian dress and uniforms. I wanted to try to stay away from camouflage in this group. They are armed with a mix of K98 and foreign captured rifles.