Finished: 15mm German Brummbärs

Hi folks,

Getting back to my German armour painting efforts with the completion of 2 Brummbärs. These have been on my desk since before I went on holidays in June. Hot weather, lack of motivation and work on my LCT really delayed completion of models that were almost finished.

I had planned to have all my planned German armour done by July, but I'm not into August with 5 Panther A's, 3 StuGs, a radio truck and some Kubelwagons still to do. The radio truck I will complete this week, but I think the other vehicles are going back to the storage depot for now. I've hit a wall with regards to painting German tank camo for now (which is scary given the number of half tracks I have to paint...). i figure it is better to get something else on the table rather than have more delays due to my lack of motivation with these models just now. Back to painting plain green for a bit I suspect, or maybe some Necromunda models. I've also ACW limbers to finish off...

Anyway, these two vehicles represent part of Sturmpanzer Abt 217, who were assigned in August 1944 to support the 89. Infanterie Division and who were therefore involved in Operation Totalize as the Canadian, Polish and British units moved through the area south of Caen. As a result, this unit lost several of it's Assault Guns to direct tank fire as it's positions were overrun.

There are not a lot of pictures out on the internet of these vehicles in Normandy, so I've just done my best to make them fit in with the rest of my collection. I decided that the side skirts made them look odd, and the pictures I found of destroyed examples showed no sign of the side skirts being in use, so I modelled them without. I've gone for some light foliage cover, but other than that the two vehicles are pretty plain.

One of those vehicles that's so ugly it's kind of cute...

Also of note is the fact that one of these vehicles came to me via Lee a while ago, and this is me just getting round to fitting it into my force - it does take a while, but I do get there!

In FoW, these Assault Guns can only fire directly and with a short range. However, my reading of their role and placement with the 89. Infanterie Division was to provide indirect fire support, which I understand the guns were capable of. As such, I think in my games I'll be letting these use the same stats as for the 15cm Infantry Guns in an indirect fire/bombardment role. Shout up if there is a particular reason you think this is wrong!