Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Sidetracked by German Fallschirmjagers

It all started innocently enough—a simple YouTube video about the historic invasion of Crete during World War II. What was meant to be a brief distraction turned into a deep dive into military history that has since spiraled into my latest hobby project: building a German Fallschirmjäger platoon.
 The video detailed the dramatic airborne assault by German paratroopers in 1941, highlighting their audacity and the strategic challenges of the operation. The courage and complexity of the Fallschirmjäger's mission captured my imagination completely. By the time the video ended, I was hooked, eager to learn more about these elite troops and their wartime exploits.
Driven by newfound curiosity, I turned to several issues of Wargames Illustrated. I found articles featuring detailed analyses of the Battle of Crete, complete with maps, battle strategies, and unit overviews. The articles not only enriched my understanding but also showcased some impressive wargaming miniatures and setups that brought history to life on the tabletop.
I've begun gathering resources, from miniatures and paint to terrain pieces and historical texts, ensuring that each element of my project reflects the authenticity and spirit of the Fallschirmjäger.

As I embark on this journey, I look forward to sharing updates, insights, and maybe a few lessons learned. Whether you’re a seasoned wargamer or a history enthusiast curious about the intersection of hobby and history, I invite you to follow along as I delve into the world of WWII wargaming, one Fallschirmjäger miniature at a time.
Here’s to unexpected inspirations and the fascinating tangents they lead us on—happy gaming and learning!

20 comments:

  1. I am in a similar boat myself right now. Although I'm definitely more interested in putting the "Weird" into my "World War II" toy soldiers, some Fallschirmjägers seem inevitable.
    And MOAR zombies etc etc

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    1. Every game needs moawr zombies especially Nazi zombies 😎

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  2. I've thoroughly enjoyed your sidestep into Napoleonics, so I'm looking forward to seeing where this one goes too.
    Bill.

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    1. Thanks Bill! I’m pretty excited, I do need to get back to my Napoleonics as well. I’d like to get my allied Polish brigade done before the holidays.

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  3. An exciting deviation! Looks like Artizan figures?

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  4. This is crazy and I love it. Not only you changed subject and went deep into Napoleonics, now you are changing again and starting all over. Wow, go for it!

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    1. Who would have thought, Napoleonics, Ancient Greeks, and WW2...but here we are LOL

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  5. I completely understand, while building my Bolt Action Heer, I spotted the fallschirmjager and instantly had to have some for the project.

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  6. Ah - the best kind of projects - when you fall head first down the rabbit hole!

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  7. Watch out for later equipment and uniforms that were not used or available for Crete in 1941. Simon

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    1. Lol it’s starting to morph more towards Ramcke and Witzigs Pioneers in Tunisia winter 42/43

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  8. Looking forward to seeing this one develop. Crete is a fascinating battle.

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    1. I think I'm going to push a little later to Tunisia Winter 42/43. I've talked someone into getting some Commonwealth minis. They can be suitable for Crete as well.

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  9. Did the Greek campaign in 20mm a few (30) years ago. Some interesting battles. Loads of free resources on the Rapid Fire website. Strangely after having said I will never game WW2 again i have been sucked back in. Just starting a 1946 project but I suppose that isn't really WW2.

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    1. It's a period that has come and gone several times, but I'm super excited to get into this one. As I said above I might be shifting this more to North Africa the more research I do.

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  10. A couple months late to this FJ party - but I'm surprised and excited to see you working on a WW2 project mate! German paras are indeed cool as heck and Crete is a great example of where they were used poorly by their leadership, but still managed to win when the odds were most definitely were against them.
    Tunisia FJ's are a better option for gaming and collecting I think as you then have cool and fun armour to choose as support, as well as other assets.
    Are you collecting with a rules set in mind?

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    1. I’ve already grabbed some Italian armor and Italian paras to support. Not settled on a rule set yet

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