I'm going to hand you straight over to Chris "Naps" Thorne who has kindly penned this post and hopefully quite a few more...
BERLIN POTSDAMER PLATZ
30th APRIL 1945
A BOLT ACTION KAMPFGRUPPE
So before we start on the fun stuff I would just like to say a huge thanks
to Da Gobbo for allowing me to document this new project of mine.
Hopefully it will turn out a worthy addition to the Grotto. A true gentleman
and a scholar is Da Gobbo.
I first picked up a copy of the Bolt Action rules when it was released. I
hated them. But after a couple of games I changed my opinion of them
and for a couple of years I've been toying with the idea of getting
something painted.
I have a fascination and interest with the last year of the war and in
particular the final horrific months on the eastern front. So I decided I
would paint up a late war German formation but I didn't want to do
something generic. I wanted to do some research, have a variety and
mix of units and get this is accurate as possible.
Last year I read a book on Swedish volunteers in the Waffen-SS serving
in the 11th SS Panzer-Grenadier Division "Nordland". Nordland ended
the war fighting in the ruins of Berlin along with various other formations.
With a bit more research I found a date and a location where I could
pinpoint a variety of units operating in close proximity of each other.
So this Bolt Action platoon (I will call it a Kampfgruppe) is taken from the
reinforced Platoon army list and it will represent the units desperately
fighting in the vicinity of the Potsdamer Platz and Reichs Chancellory on
the 29th and 30th April 1945. It will include elements of Nordland, Panzer
Division Muncheberg, Kriegsmarine, Volkssturm and Hitler Youth. In
game terms I think it will come in about 2500 points.
What I hope to do is paint a unit/vehicle, describe its history, personalities
(briefly as this a gaming blog) and combine with some real photos for
comparison. Hopefully it will be something slightly different and of
interest and I would love to hear people's thoughts and feedback. So
that's enough from me for now. I have a large box of minis to sort out,
four types of camouflage clothing to work out how to paint.....catch you
soon and happy gaming!!!!!
thanks Chris, lots more to come on this project I'm sure and I for one am really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.
hope you enjoy
dGG
