1:32 German Volkssturm Defenders WWII set II

The German Volkssturm on the defensive

A set of figures from Mars in 1:32 scale capturing the men of the Volkssturm from the last period of the Second World War. This home defense militia was proclaimed in the fall of 1944 and called up men who had not served in the armed forces until then, across a wide span of ages from boys to old men. There was no uniform dress for them: they turned out in civilian clothing, in parts of old uniforms and in work uniforms, and the recognition mark was an armband. The armament was just as varied, from older rifles to single-shot anti-tank weapons. The qualifier in the name points to the defensive role of these units, so the set captures figures on the defensive and not in the attack.

The set II designation and the scale

The Roman numeral distinguishes the individual sets of the same subject within the series; both can be joined in a scene. In 1:32 scale an adult figure corresponds to roughly 55 mm, so the figures will carry careful painting of the faces as well.

Painting and preparation

• Before painting, wash the figures in lukewarm soapy water and let them dry.
• A base coat will improve the adhesion of the paint on smooth plastic.
• Give every figure a different composition of shades; a uniform dress would be a mistake.
• Even out the hollows with a dark glaze and go over the edges with a drybrush.
• Cut the excess material off with a sharp knife a little away from the figure and sand the cut.

Who the set is for

For builders of dioramas from the last months of the war in Europe and for collectors of figures in a larger scale. The figures will fit into a scene in the rubble of a town as well as behind a makeshift barricade.

Paints, glue and a base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.