“The Beach Defence Infantry Of The Fortress Divisions Laid Millions Of Mines…”

“…And dug fortifications along hundreds of miles of coastline.”

These four plastic 15mm miniatures are sold by “Battlefront Miniatures” and can be found inside the company’s “Hit The Beach” starter set for “Flames Of War”. The figures consist of a non-commissioned officer (NCO), a machine-gunner, his loader and a rifleman. Together the quartet form one of six MG34 and K98 Rifle teams required for my German Panzergrenadier Platoon.

The models are supposed to be placed inside the specially-spaced inserts found on a medium-sized base, but I initially super-glued mine onto wooden strips for ease of painting. All four figures were then primed in “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII, shaded using “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and enthusiastically dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - An NCO, Loader and Machine-gunner

Having also applied some “Citadel” Abaddon Black to the soldiers’ boots, ammo pouches, braces and the odd pair of goggles, I pigmented the soldiers’ other pouches, rifles, straps using some “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, and later washed them with a mixture of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade and “The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. In addition, the Panzergrenadier’s rifle tops and water flask stoppers were ‘picked out’ using a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

The Germans’ formidable Maschinengewehr 42, or “Hitler’s Buzzsaw” was painted using both “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna and Gunmetal. These areas were subsequently shaded in “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade” and Nuln Oil respectively. The formidable firearm’s ammunition feeds were also treated to a lick of “Vallejo” Gunmetal, but were then splashed with both “Citadel” Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade to give an oily look.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - An NCO, Loader and Machine-gunner

Lastly, I applied a base coat of “Vallejo” Heavy Brown to the machine-gunner’s camouflaged helmet covering, and followed this up by sporadically splodging it in Luftwaffe Camouflage Green and Heavy Sienna. The helmet was later washed with “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade, and then highlighted back up with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy Brown, of Luftwaffe Camouflage Green and Heavy Sienna.

I’ve actually got another five of these medium-sized bases to populate before next Friday, when the plan is to test the entire Panzergrenadier Platoon out, along with its Company HQ, in a low points level test game of “Flames Of War”. As a result I have been patiently gluing the remaining twenty figures to wooden sticks, and giving them all some frenzied undercoats of “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII…