20mm WW2 Volkssturm

Time to work on a platoon for Battlegroup Fall of the Reich, this time the last levy of Volkssturm, ready to defend the cities of the Reich.


The core platoon consists of a 4 man command squad with single panzerfaust, together with three 8 man rifle squads, each with 2 panzerfaust.  There is also a single 3 man MG34 team.  As options, I've included a sniper, 2 man panzerschrek team, 2 man artillery observer team and 3 man MG08 MMG team.  When referring to these figures as men, there are three female figures, several youths and a fair few older men too.


The figures are mainly from the Pegasus Defenders of Berlin box, augmented by a handful of Caesar Afrika Corps figures in caps - some in long trousers painted as regular infantry, and others in shorts painted as SA.  There are also a handful of Escii German infantry, including the panzerschrek figure (at last a use for an early war uniformed figure carrying a late war weapon).  The Escii figures are largely painted as regular infantry in helmets, although one or two are in dress SS uniforms.  The Pegasus figures include a lot of figures in overcoats, which I've shown as a mix of civilian and military types, worn with hats, berets and field caps or occasionally helmets.  Two of the female figures are dressed in Hitler Youth girls uniforms and one as a secretary, armed with a pistol, and wearing a blouse and skirt with a very fetching little matching hat - I suspect given the heavy coats of most of her comrades, she would be very chilly!

The command squad, mainly Pegasus with a Caesar DAK figure on the right.

Escii sniper and panzerschrek firer.

Mainly Pegasus figures.  Note the Escii figure carrying a mine in dress SS uniform and the secretary type in lilac skirt and hat.  Next to her on the left is a girl in Hitler Youth uniform.

More Pegasus figures with an Escii grenadier and a kneeling DAK figure.

The MG34 team.  DAK figures with a kneeling early war Caesar infantryman.

The MG08 team.  Kneeling DAK figure, prone head-swapped Pegasus figure and MG08 and firer from Emhar WW1 German artillery set.  I had to rebuild one of the the MG08 legs using a staple.

Artillery observer team.

Then, not really part of the Volkssturm, but a useful AT asset available to such a battlegroup is a team of Hitler Youth tank hunters.  Six figures with 5 panzerfausts.  The three front right are from the Pegasus set and the central 2 are clearly meant to be boys.  Left front and rear are DAK figures, while the officer type in helmet is an Escii German.  The DAK figures have panzerfausts added from the Sgts Mess German AT weapons accessory pack.

I suppose the ultimate FHQ for a Fall of the Reich battlegroup.  At least it would be a use for this rather sad vignette from the Pegasus set.

Had some fun with these - repurposing a job lot of figures that I've picked up at various show's bring n buys.  The Pegasus figures are really nicely detailed and paint up well.  They are also made of a relatively soft plastic, which means they are great for head swops, and the Sgts Mess accessory packs were useful for adding panzerfausts to get to the required number per rifle section and to convert the Hitler Youth DAK figures as tank hunters.


Thanks for looking.