Here are the Heer - and Punjab Preparations

I'm pleased to say that my D-Day Dodgers WW2 Italian Campaign has taken another baby step forward, as I have now  completed my first German infantry battalion in  Rapid Fire Reloaded format. Without further ado, here they are: 

 

Counting from the front (left to right) we have 1st, 2nd and 3rd Rifle Companies and Battalion HQ with commander's Steyr car;  on the middle row the 4th (Heavy) Company with MGs and Mortar, Steyr and Opel Blitz, and at the back the Support Company with AT Gun, Infantry Gun and two more Opel Blitz trucks.  All in all a handy little unit, I hope, and ready to take on the 'West Suffolks'  in the battle for Italy.  As previously discussed, the only missing element is a decent name for them, preferably 'fictional but credible', though borrowing a real unit name might also be an option. Still thinking about that one! 

Next recruits for this project will be an Indian battalion - indeed I think I am aiming for an Indian Brigade, where the attached British battalion is the West Suffolks.  This will be largely built from the Strelets plastic 1/72 Indian WW2 sets (below).

An interesting challenge that has emerged relates to the varied headwear of different troops in the Indian army, and how to depict them. The Strelets boxes have a variety of different headgear, including the standard British 'tin hat' but also what looks to be 2 or 3 different styles of turban - Sikh, Punjabi  (Muslim)  and possibly also Baluchi.  Identification of these was aided (of course) by a little light web-browsing, coming up with the splendidly-named MilitarySunHelmets.com, with a page on Turbans of the Indian Army .   

As I understand it the Indian army generally had regiments recruited from specific ethnic groups, so there were Sikh regiments, Punjabi regiments etc,  so I need to reflect that. The variety of heads on the figures should help with that, but in fact it's become clear that we have an embarrasment of riches here. For illustration, here is the range of headwear on the Strelets figures: 

'Punjabi' style turban and British 'tin hat' 

 

..Sikh turban

... 'Baluchi' style

 A crucial line from the above website (and other sources I've seen ) is as follows: By the start of World War II typically only Sikhs continued the tradition of wearing turbans into combat, although turbans of various styles are used in both India and Pakistan today.   Which means that for absolute accuracy all I need are the 'tin hat' troops, and maybe some with Sikh turbans if I want a Sikh battalion. Hmmm.. 

Well to be honest that seems a bit dull!  I'm afraid I am going to romanticise things a bit, and do a bit of an 'imagi-nation' here..  I liked the Punjabi/Muslim style turban and there were a good number of them in the Strelets set, and along with the steel helmet-wearing  figures I can put together a decent selection - albeit the turbans probably wouldn't have actually been worn in combat!  But after all this is a slightly fictionalised view of Italy 1943-45, and the turbans add a lot of character, so I am quite  relaxed about using them - and they make a visual distinction for the unit, after all. I will simply assume that my Indian soldiers are brave lads, many of whom disdain the effete steel helmet..       

a mix of Punjab and Steel Helmets

 

The above selection came from one box of Strelets Indian infantry - so to make a battalion of about 50 figures, I am probably going to need another box, unless I start chopping heads off Sikhs and replacing them with steeel helmets from other unused plastic figures ( the rather disappointing Airfix 1970s British might be useful ),  or perhaps remodelling Sikh turbans to Muslim versions. Hopefully none of this gives any offence to any ethnic or cultural group!     

So, still plenty to do and think about, but this is a decent beginning to the recruitment  of what will become the  11/8th Punjab battalion - a fine body of  (entirely fictional) men. Now to start painting, and looking at how to get the correct number of troops - plus heavy weapons etc ( the 'support weapons' Strelets set seems to be heavily biased towards Sikhs, which is another challenge! ) to make a full battalion. 

In the meantime, maybe it's time the completed British and German battalions faced off in a beginner  game of Rapid Fire Reloaded - which I will report on in a future post,  if I can get it up and running. Until then keep well, everyone.