I attended SELWG's London show at Crystal Palace this weekend and took the opportunity to buy myself a new themed army.
I decided to create a battlegroup based on the doomed defenders of Berlin in April, 1945.
So what to buy?
First up was a King Tiger tank. This is a must have model. The monster is symbolic of the last stand of the Third Reich and will supply a much needed firebase to anchor the defence. I chose the Tamiya 1/48 model because they are just perfect and good value at around £25. The 1/48 scale really conveys the brooding menace of the beast.
From the same stand I picked up a box The Last Levy, twenty models for £29.50. Aren't they wonderful? I love the slightly comic-book look. The box includes a Golden Pheasant (party boss) as leader, a Bund Deutscher Mädel Medic, a sniper with a gun that shoots around corners, a two man AA team with shoulder-launched AA missiles, a squad of Hitler Youth and two squads of Volkssturm. Bloody useless the lot of them and so great fun to play.
And finally also from Warlord a Kriegsmarine squad also for £15. Naval ratings were flown into Berlin, some still in U-Boat leathers, to act as last ditch infantry. They were keen but untrained.
The total cost was about £85, not bad for an all metal individual model and Tamiya detailed kit army in 28 mm. I will add the odd model from my collection to fill out the ranks as necessary but this is the core.
Okay, I won't paint them up this nicely but I will do my best. I will put up squads as I finish them.