WIP: Pioneers Box Set (Warlord Games)

Pioneers are the unsung veterans of the German Army. Overlooked by tank commanders and other elite groups, the Pioneers played important roles for all armies of the Second World War. And now, I've added some to my own German force. Today, I'm showing you what I've made so far from the kit.


The Pioneers box set is easily the best-value set I've ever bought for Bolt Action, purely because of the sheer customisability and choice in the box. For a mere £3 more on top of the standard Heer Infantry box, you get a lot of extra metal components to make a variety of units and specialists. So far I've managed to make a basic Heer infantry squad, a SMG/flame-thrower totting Pioneers unit, and a Goliath tracked mine team. I won't go into detail with the basic infantry squad shown at the back, you aren't missing much.


The Pioneers are were it's at. The extra components set the unit out as combat specialists. The SMGs, whilst short range, will mince anything that gets too close. Proving the flame-thrower doesn't get them first. I can imagine this unit will be very devastating in those decisive close-quarters fire-fights.


All have been equipped with SMGs (and the flame-thrower), apart from the loader of the flame-thrower team. Seeing as it wont be firing that often, it seemed pointless to pay for an upgrade on the model.


Now this next unit is a little more unique. Essentially a remote controlled car strapped with explosives, this little tank-lookalike will scare even the biggest tanks such as the King Tiger and IS-2 with it's +7 pen value. If there aren't any tanks, it can always detonate near a building, hitting as hard as a heavy howitzer.

Once the mine's gone boom, the crew are still capable of damaging most foes, and are equipped with rifles and anti-tank grenades. Not much, but still helpful in any situation. I made sure to make the unit WYSIWYG, so I have given one of the troopers a stick grenade bandolier, a metal component unique to the pioneers. It did require a bit of chopping and filing, both to the part and to the plastic body, since it didn't fit all too well. Fortunately it looks good now it has been properly fitted.




And the above units were made with only half of the box. I still plan to make an MMG team, another pioneers unit, and an anti-tank rifle team using a modified grenade launcher from the kit. If I have any models spare, I'll either add to the existing units or make an extra unit.