Bolt Action Hobby Blog - Deutsches Afrika Korps #1

Hello everyone and welcome back to the channel and the start of another Bolt Action Hobby Blog. I made a series similar to this earlier in the year and it helped keep me motivated to complete the US Mechanised Tank Destroyer platoon that I was working on.
I have recently completed a British 11th Armoured Division project and was thinking about what my next Bolt Action project would be! Currently I am really interested in lists that are quite tank/vehicle focused with a smattering of infantry and support choices. These have given me a lot of scope over the last two projects so a third was definitely on the cards.
When I was at the Warlord Games Open Day, I picked up a box of the Deutsches Afrika Korps having seen a really wonderful western desert game being played as it was quite inspirational! I looked through my Western Desert campaign book and eventually settled on the 1942 DAK Heavy Panzer Division theatre selector which will give me a good mix of vehiclesm infantry and support.
I have made a start on the project and in this, part one of the hobby blog, I'm going to show you what I have completed so far and what will be next.
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Credits;
First Time Experience - Nate Blaze
El Secreto - Yung Logos
May your dice roll well and happy gaming!

[@lesliebeilby-tipping6854]

The dancing hands are back!! Great to see them again Ste. Beautifully manicured and not a spot of paint or a knife nick from building figures and kits!!

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Leslie, I always for immensely immaculate hands on all my videos 😃

[@stevesandford1437]

Hello, Steve! Knowing your penchant for 'kit-bashing' I might remind you that the Indian Legion of the Wehrmacht, and later the Waffen SS, (in 1944 they served at the 'Atlantic Wall' in France) were largely equipped from (by then) surplus DAK uniforms, though Field Gray uniforms were also worn. They usually wore Indian style turbans and many wore full beards. Turbaned heads with beards are available in the Bolt Action British 8th Army/British Commonwealth troop box-sets and a simple 'head swap' onto a DAK body will replicate this very unusual unit. The Indian Legion was an infantry unit composed mainly of Indian and Sikh POWs captured in North Africa. Elements of the Legion were employed in the Netherlands, France and Italy, mainly on 'second-line' or anti-partizan duties. They did however help 'cover' the German withdrawal from France post D-Day and so may possibly have come into contact with US or/and British/Commonwealth troops. Like the SS Handschar (Croatian Muslim) 'division', they were commanded in the main by German officers. Again, similar to 'Handschar' they weren't truly a 'division sized' unit so, it wouldn't be unreasonable to field a company of say, 10 - 30 figures or less, alongside regular Wehrmacht or SS troops in the later stages of the war in North West Europe or Italy. (As you will know, 'ad hoc' battle groups were often pieced together using whatever troops were available.) Unlike the Indians who fought in British service, the Indian Legion were not considered valued troops by their German masters, hence their being employed mainly on anti-partizan, second line duties. (The attitude of the Third Reich to non-'aryan' troops was one of mistrust and suspicion.) But, as I say, they were in the front line covering the retreat after D-Day. That said, knowing your interest in unusual fighting units, (and your love of converting/'kit-bashing') I thought you might be interested in being reminded of this rather odd formation. I'm sure you have more than enough spare parts in your 'bits box' to craft together a dozen or so! (It might even make an interesting video as you could tell us a little about the unit, how it came about and where they fought. I'm sure such a video, delivered with your usual informed aplomb, would be of interest to your many regular viewers.) Keep your paintbrush pointy, La! xx SF

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks for this Steve, very interesting! These last few Bolt Action projects, especially the Mechanised US Tank Destroyer platoon have definitely made me think more about more focused and niche lists and this could certainly be considered to be one of them! They have a very unqiue history and would certainly make an interesting addition to the tabletop and a German Bolt Action project. I think I saw someone kitbashing these and showing them on the BA Facebook group but it is certainly not a unit that I've seen much of if I'm being honest. From a build perspective, there are so many ideas about how I would want them to look and as I've mentioned literally hundreds of times before, the versatility of the Warlord Games plastic kits woud definitely allow the unit to nbe built. This is certainly one for the near future.....cheers Steve! 😀

[@basement1908]

Mr Magic Hands ✋️. Way to go Ste! Looking beautiful 👍

[@OnPointHQ]

The hands are indeed back! Cheers Steve, much appreciated, I'm very happy with these so far. Good mix of kitbashing and adopting a slightly different technique again 😀

[@robandrosehobden3344]

Brilliant job looks great well done 🤠🤠🎖🎖🏆🏆

[@OnPointHQ]

Thank you, much appreciated! I've really enjoyed working on these so far. Getting to use a few new schemes and techniques 🙂

[@smoothbrush4722]

Awesome color scheme picked Ste, and nice poses. Good weathering on the vehicles too. Finally some German troops.

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Lucian! Yes, the poses have important when building these as I wanted a mix of dynamic and more natural poses. I'm super happy with the uniform colour choices as it rook me a good while to actually decide what paints to use. I wanted a more drab and washed out look and these have definitely worked 😀

[@darioscomicschool1111]

EPIC! Love the Minis! Great Work!

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Dario! My DAK was a project that I really enjoyed working on and I spent quite a lot of time completing the overall project. I plan to expand on this in the future by adding three Panzer IIIs and some other bits and pieces 😃

[@darrinstanaway8943]

Very excellent looking army mate look forward to the next installment top job👍

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Darrin, much appreciated mate! I've just started painting the kitbashed light artillery crew and also started work on the second Panzer IV. Bit slow going at times but I'm really happy with how it's progressing at the moment 😀

[@stigofthedump181]

great stuff Ste. love the weathering and basing, brings it all to life,

[@OnPointHQ]

Thank you, much appreciated! I think the weathering certainly goes a long way to bringing character and realism to the project. I have actually used very little in the way of weathering pigments so far which are normally a mainstay of my weathering regime with only the Panzer IV having pigments lightly added to the tracks and stowage 😀

[@stevenbuerkle9329]

Nice work 🎉. Keep at it , that army is going to look awesome. Cheers 🍻🍻🍻

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Steven, much appreciated! Yeah I'm really looking forward to seeing the platoon completed. Definitely one I'll be expanding on in the future 😀

[@jvcpaints]

Great work all around! Excellent medium mortar bash, too.

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers James, most kind of you! I'm super happy with the mortar crew as it took quite a bir of trial and error to get it to look how I planned. I'm hoping the light artillery crew turn out just as well 😀

[@darioscomicschule1111]

Looks Amazing! Thank you!

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Dario! This was definitely one of my favourite Bolt Action projects, really enjoyed working on every single unit 😃👍

[@cjohno1973]

Only just come across your channel and binged watched about 5. Your work is bloody amazing and got me thinking differently on how to set out a new project. Subscribed 👍

[@OnPointHQ]

Hey Johno! That's awesome, thank you so much and I'm really glad you're enjoying the channel. I've got a few more Bolt Action projects planned for the rest of the year and beyond as well as some more 15mm O Group updates too. Thanks for the the sub and taking the time to watch and comment, always appreciated buddy 😃👍

[@paulspaintshed3511]

Great start Ste. Everything looks superb mate.

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Paul! Really happy with what I have completed so far. It's been a good mix of kitbashing and painting a new scheme. Really enjoyable so far and looking forward to completing the next stage of the project 😀

[@jackhammond9034]

Well done Ste! Nice work 🎉

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Jack, much appreciated mate! In certainly glad that I chose this as a new project, enjoying it immensely so far 😀

[@BrushQuill]

Looking nice Ste. A great start on a new army+

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Cal! Very happy with the start that I've made on these. Quite a bit of research went into colour choices and what actual theatre selector I wanted to use but I'm really enjoying working on these so far 😀

[@nicofolkersma2535]

Really liked you're models. Building an Afrikakorps myself, but I mix in the occasional overcoat wearing soldier from the winter germans kit. Especially in weapons teams they look great.

[@OnPointHQ]

Hey Nico, thanks for taking the time to watch the video! That's actually a really good idea and one that I may have to borrow in the future. It would certainly give the unit a very unique look with a few greatcoats thrown in! Definitely something I'll be looking into 😃👍

[@scalemodelinc.6077]

Excellent work there Ste, these figures look so good and the vehicles look awesome Ste, Bravo!

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Corey! I'll be honest, I was a little nervous about painting these as it's npt really a scheme that I've worke on before. Kitbashing the two LMG teams was a great start but when I had finally settled on a scheme, I was super happy with how they looked :)

[@garyclarke4889]

really inspirational, Ste, to see the results you have achieved for a new project in a few quality sessions. When you are bogged down in producing a Prussian Nap army (as I am) it's so refreshing to see someone kick off another project.

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Gary, very kind of you! I've certainly been in that position before but I always find that seeing what other people are working on, painting, building,gaming etc can be a great tonic in getting motivated again 😀

[@billu5297]

Please do a video on how you painted these guys asap. They are absolutely beautiful and really want to know how you did this. You are a true artist

[@OnPointHQ]

That's awesome thank you and apologies for the delay in responding. I've had a few requests for a tutorial on how I painted my DAK and it's something I'm going to be working on soon. Currently I'm working on a build/paint video of a Sdkfz 222 for my DAK so hopefully that will help with the vehicles. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, always appreciated 🙂👍

[@billu5297]

@@OnPointHQ i look forward to it. By the way, do you have any good research resources for someone just starting to paint the German army.

[@OnPointHQ]

I think one of the best research tools is the internet itself - websites, KZbin channels, Facebook groups etc. Outside of that, you can't really go wrong with the Osprey books. They provide a lot of really clear and concise information and the colour plates are a great guide for painting uniforms, equipment etc. Hope that helps!

[@mortsirk]

Really nice work! I started a winter german project to get the painting mojo back (so that I might finnish My french napoleonic army that right now brings the same joy as dragging My eyeballs in broken glass). Maybe I have to get the "A gentlemans war" box too. ...Just to be sure that I like to paint. Very inspiering video!

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Jonas! I've been following your winter German progress on the FB group and that is going to be a fantastic looking project. The basing is super awesome. Ahh.....Napoleonics. I just can't paint them and why I largely stick to WW2 or modern stuff. The Gentleman's War box looks excellent, especially the new armoured cars that are in it 😀

[@StormofSteelWargaming]

Lovely work!

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Alex! Very happy with how this is turning out. I honestly thought I was going to utterly ruin painting the uniforms but I've definitely stumbled onto a scheme that works 😀

[@rich_john]

Great work

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Rich! Defintely my favourite current project and the plastic DAK box by Warlord Games is an absolute joy to work with 😀

[@MiniatureRealms]

Loving this so much Ste, looking forward to to seeing this project grow. I really should finish my 8th Army 😅

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Stu, much appreciated! I think I have a new obsession with all things desert related after starting these. I was going to ask you about your 8th Army as I was planning to do something as a counter project for the DAK 😄

[@MiniatureRealms]

@@OnPointHQ That would be awesome

[@ShakosAndSprues]

DAKKA DAKKA!! Epic work on these ste, they really do look excellent and the weather is spot on. Any future plans? Would love to see some panzer III's and some of the more exotic early war vehicles used by the Arika Korps in the Western Desert.

[@OnPointHQ]

All the DAKKA! Cheers James, really happy with how these are turning out. I wanted a drab and dusty looking platoon and the scheme certainly seems to be helping it. Future plans....I'm going to add Panzer IIIs so that I can run this as either a heavy or light platoon 😀

[@David_R434]

Thought I'd convinced myself that I wouldn't start another force however after seeing your stuff went and got the gentleman's war starter and some DAK. Looking forward to getting started on them. Was wondering what you used as a wash and where you got the additional stowage? Cheers

[@OnPointHQ]

Hey David, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy working on the DAK as much as I have! These have been a great change to what I've been painting recently. For the greens I use a mix of Vallejo Green and Black wash and for the khaki and browns I use a mix of Vallejo Sepia and black. The resin stowage is from a company called Reddog UK on eBay 🙂👍

[@David_R434]

@@OnPointHQ Cheers

[@jonreyes587]

I’m starting my journey into Bolt Action with the Gentleman’s War box, so I will be following this project closely. Thanks!

[@OnPointHQ]

Hey Jonathan, welcome to the wonderful world of Bolt Action, you're definitely going to enjoy it! A Gentleman's War is certainly a great way to get into Bolt Action and the armoured cars look awesome. I'm still working through the next stage of my DAK project so hope to have a new video up on the channel soon. Thanks foe watching and taking the time to comment 😃👍

[@jamesfirth-haydon7381]

Cracking video. Love the base with the boxes. Adds lots of lovely narrative to it. Once again, a stunning set of pieces. Don’t know how you find the time to paint so much so quickly.

[@OnPointHQ]

That's awesome, cheers James! Yes, the mortar base looked pretty sparse so I was thinking for a while about what I could use, then I remembered those resin bits and pieces and they just seemed to.....work! Its taken me just under four weeks to complete these, few hours each night after work and the odd Saturday afternoon. With the amount of different paints I use, it definitely lends itself to a slower approach 😀

[@basicminiaturepainting]

Lovely work ste I've just started to build a 5 man afrika corp infantry,and some wargames Atlantic Panzer lehr

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Justin! I'm really enjoying work with these Warlord Games DAK, really nice sculpts and they mix well with other plastic ranges too. Ahhh, that sounds interesting. I've been intrigued by the Panzer Lehr box so it will be good to see them painted up 😀

[@teamkeogh]

I painted my Tallarn Desert Sentinel using Sonic Sledgehammer’s tutorial too. The half-track looks amazing.I’m going to watch both your blogs for the Afrika Korps as I’m considering making a force too.

[@OnPointHQ]

It was an awesome tutorial and really showed how such a great effect can be achieved with such a really simple technique! Thank you, I'm a bit behind on my DAK at the moment but hoping to have the third video out soon 😁

[@simdoyle]

Cheers.

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Simon, it's good to be starting a new Bolt Action project and I've really enjoyed the start of this one. Something a bit different for me in building a desert force but really looking forward to seeing this progress 😀

[@granapriego]

Nice work Ste.

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks Anthony! These have been a lot of fun to paint and kitbash too. Really happy with the overall colour scheme too 😀

[@granapriego]

@@OnPointHQ I really like the colour you chose for the infantry uniforms. It really does not look like Russian green. Vallejo panzer aces do the Africa Corps green by the way. The name has dropped my mind but it has Africa Corps in the title.

[@thepiratepenguin4465]

I have always thought that the Afrika Korps & Blitzkrieg sets would kitbash well together.

[@OnPointHQ]

They work really and definitely bring new dynamic to the Afrika Korps box. The only thing that I've found is that on some I've had to use a small bit of filler to bulk out the upper arm joint as it looks a bit too 'thin' but overall they work really well 😀

[@thepiratepenguin4465]

@@OnPointHQ THank you for the tip. I'll give it a go in the near future.

[@oldschoolfrp2326]

You have perfected a dirty dusty dented desert look for these. Russian Uniform must be Vallejo’s most useful color across many different armies - I finally bought a spray can for priming with it. If the small artillery piece has a wonky part you could plant a tall tan tuft in front of it, or drape it partially with tan camo netting (I’ve used cheesecloth for this on poles above sandbag positions).

[@OnPointHQ]

Thank you! I was thinking exactly the same about Russian Uniform Green, this is the third army that I've used it on across both allied and axis projects. A very versatile paint indeed! Ahh....that's a really good idea. I shall definitely consider using something like that 😀

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Nice to see you’re starting a new project Ste. The paint job on these is quite superb! I’m looking forward to following your progress.

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Keith, much appreciated! As I mentioned in the video, it's been a good while since I worked on anything desert related so this is sorting of starting from scratch using the new technique that I've been using this year that cuts down on the reliance of washes. Very happy with what I've completed so far 🙂

[@xSnakeByte]

fantastic! im looking to do DAK and these look great!

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Jamie! I'm a few bits and pieces away from finishing the project so hope to get another video up soon 😃👍

[@xSnakeByte]

@@OnPointHQ Two questions if you don't mind. 1)Are they just glued to the cork or pinned? 2) Does the additional height impact gameplay at all? Cheers!

[@lionheart3916]

Great looking force there ste, the paint scheme and weathering you used is fantastic. I’m trying to resist a North Africa bolt action army at the moment but this video isn’t helping lol 😂

[@OnPointHQ]

Thank you! It took a little while to eventually settle on a scheme but I'm really pretty pleased with the colours that I chose. And the weathering is deceptively simple to apply! I definitely think an allied desert army will be up next 😃

[@bickercity6392]

It gets tiresome trying to come up with new ways to say how amazing your work is, so I am just going to say that there is a reason you are my Bolt Action Consigliere. Your videos and assistance with the project are why there is going to be a Bolt Action Guadalcanal game at Adepticon.

[@OnPointHQ]

That's awesome,cheers Don, much appreciated! I was a tad worried that these wouldn't come out how I wanted them to look but I'm super pleased with the results so far. I'm really looking forward to seeing the prep for the Guadalcanal game progress. If you need anything, just give me a shout 😀

[@benw8825]

Great looking project! Where’s the panzer 4 stowage from? Looks great 👍

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Ben, much appreciated! The stowage on the Panzer IV is mostly plastic bits and pieces from other Warlord kits but I also use third party resin stowage from a company on eBay called Reddog UK 😀

[@williamgoodwin2102]

Thanks for the inspiration on kit-bashing and painting techniques latest painting does look better I think. I bought some bolt action commonwealth and 8th army box sets and after making the figures I’ve got a lot of shirt sleeve arms left over and thought of kit bashing with other figure sets. Any ideas? Thanks.

[@OnPointHQ]

Thanks William! I agree with you about the painting technique. Now that I rely less on washes when painting, the figures are looking a lot better. The short sleeve arms could work in quite a few ways - British/Commonwealth troops in Sicily and Italy, they work well with German Grenadiers and would probably also work with USMC too. I have quite a few that I may try and mix in with my DAK 😀

[@Ultibacon]

Love the videos, quick question. What are the bases you use for the vehicles? Are they from warlord or are they 3rd party?

[@OnPointHQ]

That's awesome, thank you, really glad you enjoy the videos! The bases are MDF bases. They are 60mm by 25mm and I glue three of these together. It makes a perfect size for basing vehicles. Hope that helps 😀

[@Ultibacon]

@@OnPointHQ They look really good, thanks for the reply 👍

[@andyshaw5378]

Was there any wash on the DAK uniforms?? Have they been varnished??

[@OnPointHQ]

Hey Andy, I used washes on the uniforms but more as a way of creating shadows and depth. For the tunics and packs I use mix of Vallejo Black and Green washes and for everything else I use a Black and Brown mix. Rather than apply it to the miniature, I drop it into the folds and creases and then build up the highlights around these. Zero varnish on these chaps 😀

[@porgstew3657]

What color is their top?

[@OnPointHQ]

The tunic is Vallejo Russian Uniform Green 😀👍

[@BootsontheTable]

Great start mate. Love the weathering very much

[@OnPointHQ]

Cheers Dom! Super happy with the weathering on these so far, like I said it's probably the best weathering I've applied to vehicles in a long time 😀