German Panzer I Destruction Platoon

This is the last major piece of finishing up my German Leichte Pionierkompanie for Flames of War. It is a platoon of Panzer I tanks for the pioneer 'destruction platoon'. The destruction platoon would use Panzer I tanks with boom rigs on them to drop explosive charges onto defences such as barbed wire, tank traps and pillboxes. My thoughts are they also make a very nice mobile HMG asset to back up the Pioneers and stem the flow of the hordes of Polish infantry and cavalry I'm sure to face. When facing an all armor force these will serve a light recon/flanking role.

Since the models come two to a blister I painted up all six even though only five are needed for the destruction platoon. Elsewhere in the German early war TO&E they can be fielded as a Verlaste (trucked) Panzer I platoon at the full strength of six tanks. Since I also have a platoon of Panzer IIc tanks and plenty of support, I actually now have most of the major portions of a Verlaste Panzer Company if I choose to try using that sometime.

Although I still will be adding some additional platoons to my early war German forces, they will mostly be to transform what I currently have into new companies, starting with a Czech Panzer Company which I'll be working on soon. The only small parts I have to consider the Leichte Pionierkompanie finished are a few more trucks for transportation and a single '88' AA gun, which I may or may not ever use. I'm close enough at this point to consider my first goal for 2011 accomplished.