Bolt Action: Panther Ausf A Plastic Box Set (ordered)

Back in March of this year, Warlord Games and Italeri announced a partnership to have Italarei bring more plastic vehicles and terrain pieces to the wargaming world and further enhance the Bolt Action range.

The first two vehicles they were going to release are the United States M4 Sherman and the German Panther Ausf A.  Well in August the Panther was officially released.

The Panther was the best all-round German tank of the war and although conceived as a medium tank, at 45 tons and with frontal armour over 100mm thick, it could easily be rated more highly.
The Panther’s thick, sloping front armour was copied from the Russian T-34 but the main gun was a weapon that far excelled anything the Russians possessed, the high velocity KwK 42 L70, which was capable of penetrating any Allied tank in service when it was first introduced.
This is the second variant of the Panther – bizarrely the Panther’s marks don’t run alphabetically, instead running D, A and then G. Built from mid 1943 onwards, it saw action on both Eastern and Western fronts, serving with distinction.  Changes on the original Panther Ausf D include a redesigned hull machine gun and a commanders cupola.

Seeing how I am just getting back into Bolt Action from a short hiatus, I thought adding a new German tank would be a great start.  I was really considering adding the Tiger 1 (after watching FURY), but seeing how Warlord Games will probably be releasing more and more plastic kits, I opted to go ahead and order the new Panther Ausf A.

I happen to come across a new retailer with an online presence the other day, www.boltaction.us with all of their models being 10% off and free shipping on all orders over $25.00.  I placed my order late yesterday afternoon and received an email today that my order has shipped.  So far so good with this retailer.  More than likely my order will come in sometime next week and I will then start on the assembly.

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Bolt Action: Germany 'MG42 Medium Machine Gun Team'

It has been a little while since I last painted a model for Bolt Action (about 10 days), which if you can tell from my posts this year, that is a long time.  With having three fully painted armies now for Bolt Action, the painting has slowed and the gaming has increased.  At the end of next month (May), my son will be getting a influx of models for his Unites States army, so June will be a busy month.  Plus later in June maybe July, I will be starting the British Airborne army.  So right now I am enjoying the gaming and slowly adding a few models here and there.

So to most likely close out the month of April for painting, this past weekend I completed a 'MG42 Medium Machine Gun Team' for the German army.

Germany: MG42 Medium Machine Gun Team

Germany: MG42 Medium Machine Gun Team

Germany: MG42 Medium Machine Gun Team

Painting Points: 3

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Heer Veteran Grenadier Assault Rifles x10'

I was finally able to get a few models done this week after the vehicles.  The Assault Rifles for the German army are now all completed as well as the army for now.  We will slowly add more units for the Germans and expand them.

Since all I had left in regards to my German infantry were the models laying down, I decided to use all I had left for the Assault Rifles.  The Assault Rifle can only be used in 'Late War', so these guys will probably be played only half the time.

Germany: Heer Veteran Grenadier Assault Rifles

Germany: Heer Veteran Grenadier Assault Rifles

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Sd.Kfz 251/1 Ausf C (Hanomag)'

"Few vehicles are as instantly identifiable as the Sd.Kfz 251, or Hanomag as it was also know.  Combining speed, protection and firepower, it ensured the infantry would break through to take and hold enemy positions.  Its cross-country performance was much better than any truck and enabled infantry to stay with the leading Panzers for mutual support."

To finish off the 'big guns and vehicles' this week, up next we have the 'Sd.Kfz 251/1 Ausf C (Hanomag) transport vehicle for our German army.  This transport for the most part was painted at the same time as my StuG III, except with the gunmen being finished last night.

With this model, I am all caught up with what I have assembled.  So it will probably be a few days before I display another finished product while I assemble more models.  More than likely I will be working on my 10 Veterans with Assault Rifles.

Germany: Sd.Kfz 251/1 Ausf C (Hanomag)

Germany: Sd.Kfz 251/1 Ausf C (Hanomag)

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'StuG III Ausf G'

Continuing this week's theme of 'big guns and vehicles', up next we have a German StuG III Ausf G Tank.  The basecoat and camo were done this past Saturday with the airbrush out, then we finished up the tank last night.  After the basecoat/camo were done, the camo scheme looked really nice.  I was contemplating about giving the entire tank a 'wash' (since it looked so good), but the tank at the time looked like it just came off the assembly line.  So I elected to do the wash and dirty up the tank a bit, it is a battlefield and not an "Auto Show".

Germany: StuG III Ausf G

Germany: StuG III Ausf G

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Forward Observation Officer - Spotter'

At the same time I was painting my Early War and Late War Officers, I also decided to paint my Forward Observation Officer (FOO).

This is not the 'official' FOO model that Warlord Games has to offer, but just a model I slightly converted to be played as one.  Once I do get the real model, more than likely this model will then be demoted to a Spotter for some of the Gun Teams.

Germany: Forward Observation Officer-Spotter

Germany: Forward Observation Officer-Spotter

Painting Points: 1

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Early War - Late War Officers'

While my oldest son is away in Chicago at AdeptiCon playing with our miniatures, I am at home slaving away painting our miniatures.

Until I assemble the remaining 10 Assault Rifles for the Germany army, all I had left to paint in regards to infantry was an Early War and a Late War Officer / Soldier along with an Forward Observation Officer.

I decided to model the Early War Officer / Soldier with a SMG, and the Late War Officer / Soldier with an Assault Rifle.  Technically I could always interchange them as needed.

Germany: Early War Officer & Soldier

Germany: Early War Officer & Soldier

Germany: Late War Officer & Soldier

Germany: Late War Officer & Soldier

Painting Points: 4

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Heer Grenadier Assault Rifles x6'

Well April is here and it was time to get in some painting for the month.  As I mentioned in my previous posts about my 'Heer Infantry Squads' 1, 2, 3, I was planning on adding some assault rifles to those squads so they can be played as 'Heer Grenadier Squads' for Late War battles.

When I ordered the assault rifles from Warlord, I also added another German Infantry sprue.  As I was assembling the additional models, I noticed that the sprue was for Late War Germans, that was OK with me since these guys were going to be used for Late War anyways.  Once I started the painting the models, something did not look right.  They are actually slight larger than the Early War models.  You can notice in the legs, they look 'chunkier', I guess the Germans ate well in the Late War.

In the picture below, the front 3 models are from the Late War sprue, and the back 3 are still my Early War models.  I think next time I need to expand on this army, I will stick to the Early War models.

Germany: Heer Grenadier Assault Rifles

Germany: Heer Grenadier Assault Rifles

I have 10 additional assault rifles I need to model for my Veteran squads, but I have a Soviet ZiS-3 that is calling my name to be painted.  So we'll see what is next (most likely the ZiS-3).  If I do not get to the ZiS-3 by this weekend, then the German tank will be next.  I like to do my vehicles on the weekends when I have time to setup the airbrush.

Painting Points: 6

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Heer Veteran Infantry Squads 1 & 2'

Since there was not much on TV to my liking last night, I was able to get both 5 man 'Heer Veteran Infantry Squads' completed from start to finish.

As I mentioned with the three 'Heer Infantry Squads' I painted this week, these two Veteran Squads will each receive an addition 5 men with assault rifles so they can be use in 'Late War'.  I just need to find the time this weekend to assemble all the assault rifles.  My new ZiS-3 for my Soviet army also came in yesterday, so the weekend may see that model being assembled.

I still have an 'Early War' Officer/Soldier that I can paint for the Germans along with a FOO/Spotter model.  Then the Stug III will get painted (most likely next weekend).

Germany: Heer Veteran Infantry Squad 01

Germany: Heer Veteran Infantry Squad 02

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Heer Infantry Squad 3'

The third 'Heer Infantry Squad' of three are now completed for my German army.  Up next I will be working on my two 5-men Veteran Sqauds, I am hoping to have them completed by Saturday (if not then on Saturday).

Good news for my 'Late War' models, my assault rifles finally came in yesterday from Warlord.  I had originally thought that I ordered 10 assault rifles, it turns out that I actually ordered 20 (better for the Germans).  So now my plan with these are, I will be assembling 2 each for my 'Heer Infantry Squads' so they will then become 'Heer Grenadier Squads' for 'Late War'.  Then I will assemble 10 additional men so I can add 5 each to my 'Veteran Squads'.  Well that still leaves me with 4, I will then make a 'Late War' Officer and Soldier with assault rifles.  This way I can have an 'Early War' and 'Late War' Officers.

It looks to be a pretty busy Spring, I have some more Soviet models coming in, then in late May my son will also be getting some more US models for his army.  Plus wrapping up the Germans.

So my next project after the Germans will more than likely be a Summer project.

Germany: Heer Infantry Squad 03

Germany: Heer Infantry Squad 03

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Heer Infantry Squad 2'

I was able to start/finish the second of third 'Heer Infantry Squads' for my German army last night.  Just like the first squad, these are modeled for 'Early War' (with ability to add assault rifles for 'Late War'.

The plan is to start on squad three tonight with the hopes of finishing them on Thursday night (real work tomorrow night will delay me a day).

Then on Friday night I would like to start on the two 5-men Veteran Squads.  We'll see how much actually gets done.... TV time always gets in the way.

Germany: Heer Infantry Squad 02

Germany: Heer Infantry Squad 02

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Heer Infantry Squad 1'

Yesterday I was able to get started on the first of three 'Heer Infantry Squads' for our Bolt Action German army.  I decided to model our German army for 'Early War', then as needed for 'Late War', I will swap out some riflemen with assault rifles.

I'll be starting with 3 Heer Infantry Squads with 10 men, and 2 Heer Veteran Infantry Squads with 5 men each.  Then as mentioned above, I'll be modeling 10 men with assault rifles that I can add as needed to above squads.

One thing that I am starting to do with the German army is to paint the eyes on all the infantry models.  Usually I paint the eyes on the NCO's (and let it be for the others), but since with the Germans I am going back and adding white to the collars after I do my 'wash', I figure it is only a few more seconds to also do the eyes.

Germany: Heer Infantry Squad 01

Germany: Heer Infantry Squad 01

Painting Points: 10

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Bolt Action: Germany 'Sniper Team & Flamethrower Team'

It was finally time to start on the German army for my son and I.  This is going to be an army they will share so we can do more Axis vs Allies battles.

I usually like to separate my posts for each units, but since I painted these models all together (like I did with the US), I just decided to combine them into one post.

Before painting these models I was contemplating on how I wanted to paint the uniforms.  Seeing how I was going to be using these models/army for Early and Late War, I was having a tough decision deciding.  After Googleing different paint schemes/colors, I decided to go with the 'German Fieldgrey' (Vallejo Model Color) for the tunic and trousers, and 'German Grey' for the helmets.  At first when I painted the Fieldgrey, I did not care for the color too much (looked too green to me), but now that the models are completed, it's coming around to me.

Germany: Sniper Team

Germany: Sniper Team

Germany: Flamethrower Team

Germany: Flamethrower Team

Painting Points: 4

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