Project - 'Deadly intent'

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Firstly I do hope everyone is getting-by alright in the current COVID world and for those vets amongst us that have partaken in the 'Long War' in Afghanistan - never think that your service, regardless of the negativity that has stemmed from it and its tragic 'bug-out' finale, was in vain.

For me, it's definitely a time of reflection but that hasn't impacted on my current build which, unfortunately, is not the series I had planned concerning the Afrika Korps earlier this year (which is now on-hold 'til 2026 with next year dedicated to the Fallschirmjager, 2023 to the U.S.M.C in the Pacific and 2024 to the anniversary of D-Day - yes I'm planning years ahead). I'm still awaiting parts for the DAK and, as such, has meant that the year has gotten away from me in terms of the time required to do all the vignettes I had planned for this year's series...but that's not to say I haven't been working on something else...

Once I realised that I could not realise my DAK Plan, I switched to another rather rapidly that, given the time already spent on DAK this year, would not require too much time to assemble in its stead.

I won't give too much away save for this one pic given next month is when everything I've assembled can start being placed in the several vignettes prior to the November show (COVID pending of course) with the intent on posting completed vignettes rather than the build process. Suffice to say it's multi-national in "scope" and I've applied a "sharp eye" to the details of each and the stories behind them.

More to follow, Steve

 

[Ostfront43]

You have me intrigued with the teaser photo, nice, very nice. Cant wait to see what you have planned

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Great teaser photo, Steve!

Looking forward to seeing this come to fruition!

Fred

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

For those that suspected something to do with snipers then you'd be correct...the aim of a short and sharp series of builds for this year's Canberra model show will cover snipers of The Second World War and will be more multi-national in scope than anything I've done prior. I've decided on 23 figures - smaller in number than previous efforts - to tell the story from British, American, German (featured), Russian, Japanese, Australian and one Finn (any guesses???).

Each will have suitable terrain and background scenery to enhance the environment and camouflage uniform worn and the first one is simply titled 'Sniper in the attic' and features a German Heer sniper circa Normandy '44. A stroke of good luck in an Ebay search recently found the perfect "lair" and was up for bid by its creator - Andrew Stuart (UK).

The attic is superbly made and I immediately began to repurpose from a scene where two 101st paratroopers were hiding into a sniper's hide. I gave the sniper the load carriage based on the works of two German sniper accounts and added odds and sods that would be found in such a place (the broken violin came to mind as I accidentally trod on it).

The sniper is posed in what is called 'sitting unsupported' position which allows the inner knees to act as bracing for the elbows providing a stable platform for the rifle, the shoulders leaning into the butt of the weapon slightly to absorb recoil. A watch on the helmet negates the need for the sniper to move his arm whilst a spare 5-round clip is close by for ease of grabbing as opposed to having to manipulate his pouches. A water bottle and chocolate are also within close reach.

 

[SteveKrieg]

As of last week however the model show, due to COVID conditions, has been postponed 'til mid-Feb next year which means the opportunity for two performances - the snipers and, come November, the "Green Devils" (more on that one later). Next November will be the 50th Birthday of the Canberra model club so it's bound to be a big show and with that in-mind I thought I'd continue that which is close to my heart in terms of airborne - now that I've done British ('MARKET GARDEN') in 2014 and the "Screaming Eagles" in Normandy in 2019 I'm now gathering eagles of a different kind to tell the story of the German Fallschirmjager from its victories in Norway in 1940 to its inevitable defeat in Berlin in 1945...some 75 paras and a host of supporting gear will start bringing that story to bear once I get the snipers sorted. 'Til then, enjoy the snipers.

Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

One more thing, the idea behind sitting the attic scene atop a speak stand is to give the illusion of applicable height given several other building ruins will be featured from a ground view and this is how it'll be displayed at the show. Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

And I almost forgot...the German sniper story will be illustrated by five figures (aside from the Hollywood rendition of Ed Harris' 'Major Konigs' (DiD)). From L-R, Fallschirmjager (Italy), the small scope pending 3d print. Waffen-SS (Holland '44), Heer (Russian marshlands '43), Heer (Normandy '44) and Heer Gebirgsjager (Russia '44).

 

[Ostfront43]

Holy cow! You have some really cool sniper figures. The attic sniper is very well laid out with many great details. Me like!

 

[Squidley]

Excellent work! Great figs and a great setup. One small question; did you post a view of the building end from the outside? I might have missed it. Fantastic!

 

[Panzercommander HOH]

Excellent work, Steve!

Fred

 

[Hammer's Africaners]

Awesome work, base and figures

 

[SteveKrieg]

Cheers all, much appreciate the feedback as always and just for that...

A few updates added including a British sniper team circa. Germany 1945 where I've used an idea from an Osprey 'ELITE' title - 'The military sniper since 1914 as inspiration for the posing and repurposing a part-ruin that I bought for the 'Carentan' scene (2019 series on the 101st A/B Div in Normandy). The British snipers were the envy of the average 'Tommy' in that they were excused routine duties (such as piquet, digging and such) and could wear whatever they found most suitable for their role which I've illustrated in the scene. The sniper himself having moved some furniture around to provide a stable firing platform The second is a German sniper of the First World War - I know, I know - it ain't Second World War but in order to complete the narrative of the World War Two sniper I need to hark back to the origins of the professional sniper and the trenches of World War One was where that started. I utilised an old BBI figure (Ebay purchase) along with some add-ons as it was a Stormtrooper to start with. The recent-release DiD trench which I've additionally weathered. Enjoy, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Been awhile, hope everyone is travelling along nicely?, attached are some completed vignettes regarding the ongoing sniper series (almost there). Namely an upgrade to the British sniper duo (circa Germany '45) with the addition of damaged roof sections. Yes, I wasn't overly impressed with my original efforts given the building ruin just seemed a tad sparse and was missing that certain something...that something being bit of its roof. I also decided to repose the figures somewhat by taking the table furniture out and putting more rubble and some examples to illustrate the demise of Germany at the time.

Second series covers famed Ruskie Vasili Zaitsev now with fitting urban diorama base (courtesy Toys City) with some additional snow and window effect. I had thought to how best put the figure against a setting and low and behold this one came to hand and will save some time in creating. Diorama backdrops, normally a secondary consideration to my shows, have taken equal thought this year in order to enhance the snipers which seem to play a secondary role...don't know how exactly how it got to that but I suspect having the sniper figure in the right environment makes the sniper standout more-so which goes against the grain so-to-speak of the sniper role where he/she should blend in...perhaps I'm over-thinking it? but the vignette backdrops have been interesting aspect to this particular series and I'm enjoying it as much as the figure assembly....now where was I?...

The third vignette in the pics is one of two dedicated to the USMC snipers and the first of four American sniper scenes (the others just requiring some finessing before pic posting). The age-old trick of trying to the location of a sniper by sticking a helmet on a stick and holding it up in order to ascertain where the shot came from for a counter-snipe.

More scenes to follow, meanwhile enjoy, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

And five more pics. I forgot to mention the Vasili Zaitsev headsculpt is courtesy 'Facepool'...they've pumped-out quite a few this year and the others I've purchased will be used for next November's big series covering the Fallschirmjager (more to follow on that one). Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

BTW, the other two American sniper scenes will cover the ETO...one U.S. Army and one U.S. Airborne. Til next post, take it easy if not easier. Steve

 

[The_Dutchman]

Nice vignets Steve. Have you considered Simo HäyhÄ for a vignet?

 

[SteveKrieg]

Why yes I have, can't have a diorama series on WW2 snipers without covering the 'White death' and whilst I was originally going to start the series (in order of display) with him I thought it'd be a nice way to end the display given he is renowned as the greatest of the WW2 snipers (well...of all time).

I purchased a smaller DiD body, hands and feet to suit his diminutive size and I've shortened a standard Mosin Nagant rifle into a Finnish M28/30 which he used. Clothing will come close to period pics however the headsculpt remains the main issue and I'm in two minds about whether just to apply a white face mask which he used on occasion which might just have to suffice if I can't find anything close to his facial features.

Other snipers which I've completed save for environment backdrop are two Russian female snipers (Pavlichenko and Shanini in period photo poses), three more German snipers (covering FJR, W-SS and Gebirgsjager), three Americans (one more covering the Pacific - Iwo Jima - which is complete but will post next batch, one U.S. Army and one U.S. Airborne - both ETO) and one Japanese.

Supporting information panels are also almost complete - one for each diorama (which will have a short descriptor of the scene, background to the action, weapon carried and uniform worn) and a larger series covering WW2 snipers in general (training, firing positions, camo and concealment methods etc etc) for the information board.

All coming along nicely. Whilst the delay in the show has provided more time to enjoy the build process, I'm still keen to finish up on this as soon as possible given there's another big show in November which will be a doozy in itself as I attempt to illustrate the German WW2 airborne story which is slowly taking shape as to how I'll be doing so whilst also thinking to 2023's series covering the U.S. Marine Corps, 2024's D-Day anniversary and 2025's revisit of the Afrika Korps....just never ends. Cheers again for the kind comments, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Just another quick update of the second in four scenes dedicated to German snipers. This one of a W-SS sniper circa Netherlands late '44. As we all know on this site, the Germans were very adept at camouflage uniforms so I've fitted the figure out accordingly in an M-42 Type 2 Plane Tree 3/4 pattern smock, helmet cover and face veil along with 'dot' pattern trousers. He wear minimum belt order in order to avoid rattle and has made his K98 rifle less obvious by wrapping hand-painted hessian sandbag material around the barrel, stock and sight. Enjoy, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

G'day all,

Just another quick addition - Gebirgsjager sniper circa '43, Ostfront (the third of the five WW2 sniper scenes dedicated to the Wehrmacht as part of the series). The small 'trees' are actually small branches removed from a dead bush that I had removed several years back, I thought they make great scaled autumn or winter trees and with a 'dusting' of Testors' 'Snow Cap' spray have worked a treat along with a snowmat (which disguises their bases) which I picked up at a Christmas barn some years back.

The sniper is dressed in an M42 reversible winter parka suit and wears insulated felt boots. Whilst these items of dress went along way in providing the German soldier with a degree of warmth they were belatedly issued and never in the quantities required. The true mark of his specialist mountain troop role is indicated more-so by his head dress - the bergmutze - bearing the famous edelweiss insignia. He carries the K98 (wrapped in torn bed-sheeting to break-up the weapon's outline) with turret-mounted Zf 39 telescopic sight.

As with most of the scenes I'm doing for this series, I've added some battle debris to indicate and enhance the type of battlefield and enemy encountered. In this instance a winter-finish Russian PM1910 MMG w/Sokolov mount (ostensibly a Maxim derivative) with equally discarded helmet and ammo case.

The scenes are being packed as I complete them and I'm getting the impression the figures are taking second-stage this time around as efforts go more-so into the terrain they are blending into. 7 more 'little' scenes to go.

Enjoy, Steve

 

[SteveKrieg]

Forgot to add that in order to not break the outline of his clothing, the sniper has white-washed his combat equipment.