Tuesday, 29 September 2026

Some More "Berlin Defenders"

 I have had these painted for a couple of weeks but motivation to post has been low, for some reason - anyway, I have finally got around to it. Once again, these are very nice 3d prints of RKX models by Pot Belly Miniatures in Wellington. They are Volksturm, the German version of Britains Home Guard.


Behind barricades I built specially for the last game - then forgot to take with me!






The command group


MG34 (I think) maybe it's a 42?


With and StG/MP 44


One of several armed with a Panzerschrek


Second Panzerschreck


And a third!


Changing the mag on an Stg 44


With a KAR98


BDM with a schmeisser


Older woman with - you guessed it - a Panzerschreck!



Lobbing a "Potato Masher"


Rifleman



A Parteimensch with KAR98

Finally, I have had my first "fail" with Temu.

I ordered this in my most recent order 



This is what arrived - a nice model but....


1/56 scale, it ain't! Maybe 1/72?


The pictures were to send to Temu to get a refund


Which came through within a few days - and of course, they don't want 3c worth of resin sent back to China, so I can add it to my 20mm collection!





51 comments:

  1. Well I am glad you did post Keith, The vagaries of Blogger are enough to diminish anyone's motivation. Great figures again and lovely paint jobs on them. That is also nice of the Chinese to add their contribution.

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    1. Thanks Lawrence - I have no issues posting now - I use the workaround Jon posted on PWJ a couple of weeks ago, and it seems to work - I post, then refresh it or whatever, and it appear on Jons blog list within a minute or two

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    2. Yep! The workaround continues to work for me too. Post, hit Feedburner refresh, and the post hits the blogroll within a minute or two at the latest.

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    3. Exactly - which makes me wonder why so many posts continue to turn up on your blog list two days late - I assume people are just not using your hack!

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    4. Yes, I can confirm - just worked again for me with my latest post!

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  2. Beautiful work as always sir πŸ‘Œ

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  3. That's a nice scenic drop in the background. The Pot Belly stuff looks nicely proportioned and not a Pot belly in sight :-)

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    1. Hi Norm, not sure why I am answering you so late and out of sequence - I DID answer earlier but seems it did not publish - that's probably on me, so I won't blame Blogger this time! Although the backdrops are created by AI - I told it what to do - so I guess I can take some credit! The guy at Pot Belly does a very nice job with his 3D prints.

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  4. Nice work Keith, an interesting mix of figures. The machine gun is I’m pretty sure meant to be a 42 different barrel πŸ‘

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    1. Cheers Matt - I thought because it had that small magazine that's the shape of a coffee mug, it might be the earlier version? I know its 1945 but guessing the Volksturm might have had older kit issued to them... I will have to check if it has the square or round barrel

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    2. Yes, it's 34 if barrel round with holes on side, 42 if barrel square-ish with oblong grooved sides. They both could take the small drum mag.

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    3. As discussed earlier Andrew - thanks!

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  5. Lovely paint job, but I couldn't help but be distracted by your excellent barricades and backdrop.

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    1. Well, that is very nice of you Richard - the barricades are just bits n pieces of left over cork tile, broken into random shapes and piled up on top of each other, plus a few mdf "bricks" and some REAL brick dust.

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  6. Yup, deffo a 42. Some really cool poses in that lot. Nice work.

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    1. Thanks JBM - I did not realise I had so many rivet counters following me! LOL πŸ˜‰❤️

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  7. Lovely work on these Keith. I also like the barricades

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  8. Cool figures. I like the 2 bald chaps best.

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    1. Cheers ray - there were a few "baldies" in this group - but not in an "elderly" style - they look more like the UK Subs style skin 'eads!

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    2. Ultra Nazis, what I was thinking!

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    3. My thoughts exactly Ray

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  9. Great looking home guard and nice barricades! Another vote for mg42!
    Best Iain

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    1. Maybe the comment thing I mentioned in my reply to Norm above IS Blogger - this is the third (JBM was the second) comment that I have answered but when I come back, the reply isn't there! I think I will avoid mentioning the type and model number of small arms in future!

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  10. Keith, I have noticed both a slowdown in your posting and commenting. I hope you can find renewed motivation somewhere! Too bad about your undersized model but good to see that you can still use this in another collection.

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    1. Thanks Jon - I didn't think I was commenting any less (as long as I see the posts!) Now you drawn my attention to it, I must try harder!

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  11. Great looking figures Keith and a well armed to resist the Soviet armour.

    Unfortunate result with Temu but you got your money back so that gives confidence for future purchases.

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    1. Cheers Ben - I assume that comment is tongue in cheek, I wouldn't want to take on a JS II with a Panzerfaust - a bit like Blackadders comment to George near the end of the final WWI episode - "don't forget your stick lieutenant, wouldn't want to face a German machine gun without that!"

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    2. Or even a Panzerschreck - seems to be my post for getting German weapons muddled up!

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  12. Great looking figures Keith. The poses, faces and variety of kit really capture the desperation of the last hope (no hope) defence.
    Best wishes, James

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    1. Thanks James, yes, the RKX figures are a very evocative range I think

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  13. Great looking figures Keith, nice job on them but you have to fear for them on the table top. Nice little model and certainly good for the 20mm collection, good that you got the refund too.

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    1. Cheers Donnie - I think the Temu refund is just automatic - they did ask for evidence of the issue (hence my pictures) but I doubt there was anyone in China reviewing them and making a conscious decision to grant my refund request - I also apparently qualified for a special "get the refund AND keep the goods" offer - but again, I suspect they never want anything returned to them!

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  14. Superb work on these Keith! Characterful sculpts with a grand paint job—and you can never have too many Panzerschrecks when defending Berlin!

    The barricades look top-notch too. Free 20mm scale terrain/vehicles out of a Temu mix-up is a very tidy bonus for the collection!

    All the best, Andy

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    1. Thanks a lot Andy - I will definitely paint the Russian armoured car up - it might even get away with being added to the SCW Republican forces......

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    2. Looking forward to seeing it painted up and on the table.

      All the best, Andy

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  15. Another great batch Keith. Bit of a pain about the armoured car. Nice little model.

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    1. Thanks Chris - yes - I would have liked the 28mm version - but I can still use the smaller one!

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  16. More great figures there Keith and I do like them posed against the ruined wall and the backdrop:)! Definitely an MG42, as the barrel is square compared to round on the MG34.

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    1. Thanks Steve - I am particularly appreciative that you confirmed the model of German machine gun! 🀣❤️

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  17. (Those are single-use Panzerfausts mate. The Panzershreck was the German answer to the US bazooka. The reason there are so many modeled on these is I think I read somewhere for some reason one of the main factories or warehouses that produced/stored them never got bombed, so the Germans had oodles of the things to hand out to those poor Volks once the Soviets were at their doorstep. Some guys even had Fausts in lieu of actual guns cos those were hard to come by!)

    These sculpts are pretty flippin cool though and I like all the civilian colours you've gone with too which will really make them stand out. Always a fan of seeing bald sculpts too cos not all of us have hair! LOL

    Your barriers are likewise very well done! Shame they missed out on your game.

    Lastly, I "think" the Republicans used the D-12 during the SCW? Regardless if I'm wrong though, just it's design aesthetic alone seems to look appropriate for the setting, so I don't think's too much of a stretch to use it for your games?

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    1. Yes, yes - I realised as soon as I typed it Dai - but thanks for pointing it out!! πŸ˜‰πŸ˜
      I agree this is a nice range of figures and likewise with your logic vis a vis the D-12 armoured car - and it really DOES look like a car with an MG added!

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  18. Great looking defenders and terrain, Keith. Didn't realize the blogger issues.

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    1. Thanks Dean - the so called Blogger issue is likely to have been a user issue!

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