Flames of War German Grenadier Company 600 Point Force Pt 1: Company HQ and Rifle Platoons

As night comes down over Normandy, a battered company of Grenadiers make their way toward the front...

I've been working on these guys all summer.  It's taken a long time to finish them.  Painting these 56 infantry figures took a hell of a lot longer than painting my first 600 points of British did, but that was only eight tanks, and this is less than half of the 600 point starter force of Grenadiers that I have planned out.

I'm fairly pleased with them, though.  Here is my company commander.  I wanted the commander model to stand out, so I gave him an Alsatian from the Partisans and Police set.  Also gave him a panzerfaust.

Here's the XO or 1st Sgt. Tried a camo smock on the fellow pointing over the XO's shoulder.  Came out really dark, though.  Will try to go lighter next time.

The army list I'm using is from the Atlantik Wall book.  An anti-tank section is available to this version of the Grenadier Company in the form of a double panzerschreck team or as a puppchen.  They cost the same amount of points.

 The panzerschrecks have twice the number of attacks but half the range of the puppchen.  I thought the puppchen model was fun, so I painted up both options.

Second platoon, led by a tough old Sgt...I made both platoons Panzerfausty for an xtra 10 pts each.

I painted pretty much everything in Reaper paints. I did buy the German infantry paint set from Battlefront, but the colors came out so dark that all my little Grenadiers came out looking like black blobs and I had to start over.

Army so far:

Company HQ:  Commander with Panzerfaust, XO and anti tank section..........................65 points
1st platoon:  2 squads with Command Panzerfaust team.................................................95 points
2nd platoon: same......................................................................................................95 points.
 Total:.................................................................................................................... 255 points

The other half of the force will consist of an anti-tank battery of 3 Pak40's and an assault gun platoon with 3 Stug III G's.  The force is very anti-tanky because their first opponent will most likely be my Grenadier Guards armored company, currently at 900 points.  Hopefully the support choices won't take as long to paint as the infantry have....

"Angriff!!"

80s-style Cthulhu action figures by Warpo toys

These old school-style action figures by Warpo are fantastic by themselves, but they become awesomer still when plugged with an 80s-style toy commercial like this.  Since my friend John showed me this earlier this evening, we've been running around the house singing "KA-TOO-LOO!  KA-TOO-LOO!"  Our wives pretend to be annoyed by the display, but we know they actually love it...

Wait until I buy these for the kid & me and we're all running around the house yelling "Cthulhu!  Cthulhu!"  Yeah!  I dig the old-school vinyl cape on the cultist- just like the cape on the original Tusken Raider and Darth Vader action figures.

Waggh!  The Great Cthulhu figure looks like its almost as big as my five month old son!

The soul-less, saucer-eyed gaze of the Deep One...

Deliciously nostalgic promo poster for the figure line...I simply must have some!  I've told Mrs. Mouse that the boy and me will be needing them for Christmas!  Some future Christmas, anyway.

                                "KA-TOO-LOO!  KA-TOO-LOO!  KA-TOO-LOO!"

Star Wars: Noghri Kill Team

 A team of Darth Vader's crack Noghri commandos probes ahead of an Imperial Army force scouring a remote jungle world in search of a Rebel base said to be hidden there.  Well, if the Rebels are here, the Noghri will find them...and most likely finish them!

 I'm not much interested in any of the post episode six Star Wars stuff.  I've read one Timothy Zahn novel, and though it was heartily recommended by a couple of good friends, I really struggled to get through it.  Just didn't work for me.

I do like the story of the Noghri, though, and the way in which Darth Vader creates a horribe problem for them, then offers them a solution which, of course, involves them swearing complete fealty to himself.  Sounds familiar.  Thus a race not necessarily wicked is ensnared by evil.

The minis are also a lot of fun, (though of course, you only get two poses)...and they offer a chance to add something to your Imperial forces which is in stark contrast to most of what the Imperium has...

...the Noghri being both non humans and close combat specialists, elements which are generally not to be found in Imperial armies.

                                     Those Rebs have got to be around here somewhere!

Anyway, a nice addition to my Imperials.  Should be able to get an actual game going here, soon!