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Ok maybe they weren't being honest. I've actually lost the webpage now, that's what I get for looking at 50 pages at a time and not bookmarking them

From memory they said, yes, the smocks were dated, but only with the year and there were several in production at once and they weren't distributed in a very ordered fashion. So you might be able to know what smocks were in use at a given time, but what would actually be in use in a given location is much harder and more random. So I think there were a few 1942 and 1943 versions that could potentially be used.

Zeltbahn and helmet covers (from memory) weren't even dated.

But anywho... I think I've finished a StuG. I'm always looking for comments and criticisms so have at it!

I feel like I might have over weathered it, I WAS planning on adding some mud around the tracks and bottom of the vehicle and then airbrush some dust, heavier at the bottom and lighter near the top of the vehicle... but I got to this stage and felt I had already over done it so stopped





Given it's a 15mm scale model, I'm pretty happy with it, I definitely over did the paint scratching, I should have just done some scratching around the front of the vehicle and on the schurzen, but for some crazy reason I though I'd use it to emphasize the edges and sort of went too far. It looks like it's just driven through a brick building, scratching up all the paint

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

The downside to having such stark contrast between the dunkelgelb and the green is that the details of the model get swallowed up by the camo scheme. I think that's why I disliked it at first, but I'll weather one up and see how it comes out.

That's kind of the point of the camo but depending on how you choose to weather it, the details under the green can still easily pop.


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And now that I've read up to the last post - it looks fantastic! And it'll look amazing on the table. I wouldn't worry about having "overdone the scratches" - these aren't showroom-pristine Space Marine tanks, and it looks great to me.

The German army had Splinter-pattern Zeltbahns from the very start of the war. Helmet covers started being issued relatively early as well, although I don't know the year off the top of my head.

German infantry at Kursk would very likely have Zeltbahns and some would have helmet covers.

Are you trying to model a specific unit at Kursk?

Those StuGs look great, by the way! I wouldn't change a thing.

That StuG looks very nice. I have reservations about the extent of the chipping though. I've noticed that it's common add chipping effects to 15mm vehicles, when in fact it would be rare for such large areas of paint to be removed. I realise that there's a convention of exaggerating certain details on 15mm models, but any chipping would effectively be invisible when looking at a vehicle that's reduced to that scale (it's often overdone even on 1:35 scale models, as are rusting effects). Big P carries it off because it's quite subtle. It's worth remembering that the average AFV didn't survive long enough to reach the level of rusting and dilapidation that is often depicted on models, and which you might see on (say) heavy excavation equipment in real life.

For the infantry, one reference I can suggest is Osprey's "The German Army 1939-45(4) Eastern Front 1943-54". Basically, the summer field uniform included a 'reed green' tunic, so a greenish tone would be more appropriate for infantry taking part in Operation Zitadelle. Lace-up ankle boots and canvas anklets (known as "retreat gaiters") had started to replace jackboots by this time, and the field cap was common. The first camo smocks, overtrousers and helmet covers saw Wehrmacht service in early 1942. They were in the light/dark green-brown-khaki splinter scheme used for the 'Zeltbahn 31' shelter-quarter that had been in use since before the war, and troops also wore this as a poncho. This would be the type of camo uniform you'd see on Zitadelle-era soldiers.

Good advice from the tail gunner. As he says Heer camo came in around 42 (Zeltbahns earlier of course) with helmet covers reaching troops first. For Kursk, you dont see many in smocks outside SS units, and there is still the split between long and short boots. Most troops of the Heer seem to be in basic tunic and trousers, resplendent in Field Grey. For that buy the Vallejo/PSC German Infantry paintset... good set of colours for WW2 Germans, its the ones I use and I picked them for the set. Also have a look at the Vallejo Panzer Aces range, some great colours there for uniform work.

One thing about chipping, and it of course depends on your style - are you going for a more 'cartoony' or 'realistic' look - but in reality troops would also perform regular maintenance of their vehicle.

Vehicle crews were expected to keep their vehicle in a state of good repair, it could of course mean the difference between life and death... and also an easier time when the Sargent Major came calling...

Lately the style in modelling tends towards over emphasis of wear and tear, and I do think sometimes we over do it...

That said, it depends on your painting style and look you want of course. I try for a realistic look at both 15mm and 20mm but its not to everyones taste.

I like the camo on the Stug, looks good. Chipping is a little exaggerated for my tastes (and only a little and could well tone down with further weathering) but I think you have done a cracking job so far.

Cool, thanks for the advice on painting the infantry. I'm reasonably new to WW2 stuff so it helps (loved WW2 aircraft since I was a kid, but am new to the tanks/infantry side of things). I'm slowly starting to figure it out. I'm the sort of person who, in 12 months time when I know more, will be annoyed that I didn't spend more time trying to get it closer to historically accurate or at least historically feasible.

With the StuG I was originally wasn't trying to go too cartoonish, I just overdid the paint chipping and the weathering turned out a little rustier than I was planning (mainly because airbrushed burnt umber looks a lot more orange than I thought it would).

My original plan was that the schurzen were going to be quite heavily beaten and weathered as I figured tank crews didn't care for them quite as well as they would the rest of the vehicle, and the rest of the vehicle in not-too-bad condition, but I got a bit carried away

Though to be fair from more than 8" away the paint chipping isn't all that noticeable, it's only when you zoom in with a camera that it really stands out. But on future vehicles I'll tone down the chipping a bit and my airbrush weathering will be a bit less orange.


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 Azazelx wrote:

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

The downside to having such stark contrast between the dunkelgelb and the green is that the details of the model get swallowed up by the camo scheme. I think that's why I disliked it at first, but I'll weather one up and see how it comes out.

That's kind of the point of the camo but depending on how you choose to weather it, the details under the green can still easily pop.

I think part of the problem was I spent quite a while doing the Dunkelgelb... I had something that would have looked quite good as a single colour vehicle, then I sprayed the camo and the camo just dominated everything