Battle of Kowel April 1944

Readers may appreciate this short film from "Die Deutsche Wochenshau"

The city of Kowel was encircled by the Red Army in March 1944.  In mid-April a combined Army and Waffen SS counter-attack, led by Oberstleutnant Hoffmann, broke the Soviet perimeter and enabled the garrison to withdraw complete with most of their equipment.

In this newsreel there are lot of interesting vehicle and infantry shots that display well the weathered and worn "look" for which I am aiming.

Making plans

Planning: Ukraine, Summer 1941

When it comes to the modelling/wargaming side of this project, where to start is a big question.

I have amassed a fairly large collection of World War Two figures and vehicles over the past decade.  Having recently sold all my 15mm items I am left with 20 and 28mm from which to chose.  Due to a number of reasons (not least the commonality of "scale" with my ImagiNation terrain) I think I will most probably opt for the latter.

As the thorny issue of scale has been broached, I will get it out of the way at the very start!  Unusually, I flip-flop a bit in this area.  It is patently obvious that 1:48 / 1:50 is technically too large for a realistically proportioned figure of 28-30mm height.  However the majority of 28mm figures are caricatures having heads and hands that are overscale and a physique that is too stocky.  Thus I would summarise my approach to be a pragmatic - "If it looks OK then go with it"

My plans for the Kampfgruppe are modest.  A couple of Sdkfz.251 halftracks, a Marder III and a Kübelwagen should do the trick.  Perhaps if I am feeling flush I will work in a Panzer IV G as well.  The period I will be modelling is the winter of 1943/4 and the theatre Western Ukraine/Galicia.  Dark days for the Ostheer but very interesting from a gaming and model-making perspective.

For infantry, I suspect I will use the large number of unpainted Artizan types I have lying around supplemented with some of Bolt Action Miniatures' plastics.  I am not a great fan of the BAM metals as they seem to be a disparate bunch - some showing great sculpting whilst others look very odd.  That said, I haven't really been perusing WW2 ranges lately and things may have improved under Warlord's ownership.

Anyway, that's a fair summary of the plan.  The terrain is being worked on in conjunction with that of my other project - simple "Isbas" (peasant houses) and a few outbuildings.  These I intend to make into masters for casting but that is a different story.

To follow, postings describing the models to be used - then a new feature that should prove popular...

An Introduction

Clearing the snow - Warnarowka 1941/2

Firstly, please accept my warm welcome to Frontkämpfer.  The goal is to make this blog an enjoyable destination for anyone with an interest in the German military of the Second World War - particularly the Ostfront.

As with my other site it is my intention to present a variety of articles dealing with modelling, wargaming and general research.  In addition I will release some photos from my private archive for your perusal - all of which are (to the best of my knowledge) previously unpublished.  I hope they will prove interesting and inspiring to historians, model makers and wargamers alike.

For many young conscripts, the invasion of the Soviet Union started out as something of an adventure - but after months of marching and much brutal fighting came the realisation that this campaign was different to the those experienced previously.  The near Medieval conditions in much of the USSR played havoc with logistics, leading to shortages of everything from food to fuel.  Also, the Russian soldiers' stamina and the immensity of the Country led to a widespread feeling that the war would never end.  Amidst such miserable conditions the average Landser showed great resilience and ingenuity - combating enemy, weather and terrain.

When it became obvious that victory was impossible, the fighting spirit of the Ostheer remained largely intact.  Motivated by professionalism, training and in many cases desperation - to protect their families from the Red Army - the troops kept on fighting until the bitter end.

At Frontkämpfer you will find the focus is not on political commentary or Grand Strategy.  Instead I will attempt to show via photographs, movies and models, the faces of ordinary men adapting to extraordinary conditions.