15mm Late War Germans based for Battlegroup

I've put together a German armoured recce platoon from the Wacht am Rhein book, to form the core of a mobile armoured division battlegroup.  Vehicles are, from left to right, an optional support Sdkfz 251/1 transport for a tripod mounted MG34 or MG42, an Sdkfz 250/1 transport for a bipod mounted MG34 or 42, an Sdkfz 250/10 command vehicle with 37mm AT gun, an optional Sdkfz 250/9 20mm armoured car and finally another Sdkfz 250/1 transport for a bipod mounted MG34 or 42.  Dismounts in front are, again left to right, an optional tripod mounted MG34 team, two 4-man bipod mounted MG34 teams, a two man command team and optional 2-man Panzershreck team, an optional support PAK40 AT gun and two more 4-man bipod mounted MG34 teams.

I still need two Sdkfz 250/1s to mount two of the MG34 teams and I'll use an Opel Blitz Maultier as a tow for the optional PAK 40.  Other support options include an Sdkfz 250/7 with 81mm mortar, an Sdkfz 250/8 Stummel 75mm infantry gun and, as an alternative command vehicle, an Sdkfz 250/11 with Panzerbuche.

This platoon organisation has a lot of firepower.  Dismounts provide 4 MG34 teams with another 4 MG34s available from the vehicles themselves and the command half track mounts a 37mm AT gun.  Then support options I'm most likely to include are an MG34 in sustained fire mode, the PAK 40 AT gun, 20mm autocanon on the A/C and a Panzershreck team.  I might even indulge the command team with some off board mortars as they can spot for them too.  On the downside, the teams are small and they are likely to be quite brittle, needing some back up from other infantry and armour.

Sdkfz 250s are Plastic Soldier, 251 and PAK 40 are Peter Pig, infantry is a mix of Battlefront and Peter Pig.

The armoured recce infantry platoon provides the core of the battlegroup.  To this, I've added a Gepanzert infantry platoon in Sdkfz 251/1s.  In the photo below, the rear row shows, left to right, an optional Sdkfz 251/9 Stummel with 75mm infantry gun, an optional Sdkfz 251/1 transport for a tripod mounted MG34, an optional PAK 40 with Sdkfz 251/1 tow (I might replace this with a Maultier), and a quad 20mm AA gun with Sdkfz 11 tow.  The middle row comprises three Sdkfz 251/1s, which provide transport for three 5-man rifle squads and three 3-man bipod MG34 teams.  In front is a command Sdkfz 251/10 with 37mm AT gun, a 6-man command team and an optional 2-man Panzershreck team.  Sdkfz 251s and PAK 40 are all by Peter Pig, the AA gun and Sdkfz 11 are by Battlefront.  Figures are a mix of Battlefront and Peter Pig.

One of the Sdkfz 251/1s with dismounts, a 5-man rifle squad and 3-man MG34 team.

The Sdkfz 251/9 Stummel and Sdkfz 251/1 with tripod mounted MG34.

PAK 40 with Sdkfz 251/1 tow.

The quad 20mm AA gun with Sdkfz 11 tow.

Command Sdkfz 251/10 with 6-man command team and 2-man Panzershreck team.

As an option to give the battlegroup some real strength, here is a Panther platoon.  These are from  Plastic Soldier Company and are excellent models, although the long barrels are a little brittle - I notice the command vehicle has a broken barrel already.

And finally, for now, some additional firepower in the form of a battery of Stug IIIs.  These can provide some less expensive (compared with the Panthers) teeth for the battlegroup in smaller games or some additional firepower in larger games.  Models are, I think, all Battlefront.

So, in addition to the missing vehicles for the recce platoon, I plan to create a lorried Panzergrenadier platoon mounted in Opel Blitz trucks and a Panzer IV platoon.  I'll also add some heavy mobile AT guns in the form of some Jagdpanthers and at least one Jagdpanzer IV.  Some Volksgrenadier infantry are also on the cards.  Most of the infantry will come from cannibalising some of my Flames of War infantry, as we are playing this a lot less at the club these days.  I've also just invested in a better airbrush, so hope to get some vehicles painted up using it shortly.

Thanks for looking.