"Those Ain't Engineers!"

Skorzeny's Mob have arrived! In fact waiting outside the door for me this evening were not one, but TWO boxes from Maelstrom Games.

Box One opened to reveal the absolutely cracking Forged in Battle Panzer Brigade 150 set; Panther disguised as an M10, StuG, Hanomag and a Sdkfz 250 with 'American' crew. Lovely models, crisply moulded. The only thing missing? Skorzeny himself! Maybe needs the FoW General von Sauken set, GE888, with a headswop to fieldcap for Herr General. And to support PzBde 150, a blister of FiB Fallschirmjager.

Only the other day I found that Skytrex were now selling their Command Decision Fallschirmjager in squad packs and thought "sod it" but no, I definitely made the right choice given we are playing with Axis & Allies Miniatures as the best of the bunch have an Artizan Miniatures feel to them. I'm going to do some conversions - Panzerfausts, moving MG42s etc. May use some of the heads, which are generally very well executed, on some other German figures in order to increas the weapons, pose mix and Late War look.

Box Two? A superb Forged in Battle M5 tank platoon (ish) - four M5A1 Stuarts, again crisply moulded. And to support them.... a blister of FiB American Airborne. Now these guys are more D-Day and Eindhoven than Bulge and to be fair that's what they were bought for. Nevertheless they burst with "Devils in Baggy Pants" 'lost in France' character! I have posted full reviews on TMP for both these FiB sets.

After a rollercoaster week at work where once again, no sooner had things settled than my project was shaken like a snow globe, these make me a very happy boy indeed!

I may, just may, spring for the FiB US Rifle Platoon pack to paint up as generic dogfaces in M43 jackets and convert a few to greatcoats. But they don't quite look right to me. Cartoonish but if I can accept that it's in the style of Bill Mauldin's characters "Willie & Joe" they'll pass muster.

Just bear in mind that the 'platoon' boxes just contain 40 assorted figs - NOT platoons according to any TOEs.

Cheers
Mark

p.s. FoW Marder III ausf m, arrived today! Lovely model.