Hi to all ,
In this very special anniversary year of the start of the horrors of WW1 ,with trench warfare being a particularly type of fighting that caused the opposing armies to develop troops .
Pathos Miniatures have released a sculpt depicting a member of the German stormtroopers .
Let have a bit of background on these troops :
Uniforms and protective-ware of the storm troopers
Initially the storm-trooper uniform was the standard M1910 feldgrau tunic and trousers, Pickelhaube leather helmet (but with a detachable spike), black leather belt, pouches, back pack and jack-boots. A new simplified uniform in dark grey was issued from 1915 onward, but the old feld grau uniform remained in circulation until the end of the war. Paradoxically, as the storm-trooper units increased in number and strength the regulation jack-boots were replaced by the combination of ankle boots and cloth puttees long favoured by the British Army. Although the French were first with the general distribution of their mild steel Adrian steel helmet in 1916, the German M1916 Stahlhelm 'coal scuttle' helmet was designed in 1915 expressly for the storm-troopers. Made of silicon/nickel-steel, it gave protection to the neck and face that the British 'Brodie' forged steel helmet lacked. Various formats of body armour and protective shields were evaluated for the use of storm-troopers and other front-line troops such as machine-gunners and snipers. In practice they were generally found to be too cumbersome and more trouble than they were worth in the more mobile actions of the Battle Zone. However, the snipers' loops were widely used with great success in the early years of the war as the British had insufficient high explosive shells to deal with them. Also, the amour breast-plate was widely issued to certain particularly vulnerable cadres such as aforementioned machine-gunners and snipers.
Arms used by the storm trooper
Carbines and pistols: As early as 1915 the shorter K.98 carbine was issued to the early storm-trooper units in preference to the longer and more cumbersome Mauser M1898 rifle. Unlike the British and French army, rapid firing pistols of the Luger P08 and Mauser C96 types were routinely issued to NCOs as well as officers.
Hand-grenades: Large quantities of both the stick M1915 Steilhandgranate and, from 1916, the egg-shaped Eierhandgranate hand-grenades were provided to the storm troopers as a prime small-arm to be widely used in the clearance of both strong-points and trenches. Sandbags were frequently modified to allow the individual storm trooper to bodily carry very large quantities of these grenades directly into battle.
Hand-grenade launchers: The storm troopers greatly enhanced the range capabilities of their hand-grenades with a purpose-built 40kg Grenatenwerfer (Grenade-thrower) that was introduced in 1916. Its light and ready portable structure was ideal for the storm-trooper style actions.
Mortars: From the earliest days of the war The German Army heavily relied on the deadly effect of the mortar – Minenwerfer - and found them particularly effective in trench warfare as their high and steep trajectory more readily penetrated the open trenches and their associated dug outs. Accordingly, operational storm-trooper units always had their own specialised mortar teams.
Machine-guns: As was the case with all the belligerents at the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, the existing heavy and bulky machine-gun was rated as a relatively minor weapon in both offense and defence: the volley from massed infantry rifle-fire was considered as the principal 'shock' infantry weapon. The British in particular relied on the 15 aimed rounds a minute volley – 'The British Mad Minute' - for maximum stopping effect on the battle-field.
Once the extraordinary efficacy of the machine-gun became apparent as trench warfare took hold, the numbers were rapidly increased in all armies. Accordingly, serious thought was given as to how these weapons could be best deployed by the storm-troopers and it quickly became evident a light, ready portable, machine-gun was essential. As early as 1915, the standard heavy machine-gun MG08 had become modified, but it still weighed over 60kg in full operational state. By late 1916, an even lighter version, the MG08/15, was widely introduced in the German Army, but it still was a hefty 20kg, without any ammunition. So it required a strong and fit soldier to carry it far and wide over the shattered battle-field.
The storm trooper clearly required an even lighter and more portable version as already existed in the form of the 10kg Danish Masden light machine-gun, of which the German military had already ordered some numbers, and was to use on the Somme in 1916. The BEF also already had its excellent 15kg Lewis gun and the Germans were not loath to modify and use captured material. The French had a less robust model – the Chauchat –, which was also bought in large numbers by the Americans. The Germans storm troopers eventually got their super-light machine-gun in the form of the Schmeisser MP18 submachine-gun; prototype versions were captured by the British on the Western Front as early as 1916. However, it was not available in large numbers until after the German Spring Offensive in 1918. But at least 3,000 are said to have been used on active service in 1918.
Light artillery: Whilst the specially designed 1915 Krupp Sturmkanone did not meet it operational expectations, other light versions of artillery were utilised by the storm-trooper units. In 1916, a converted 7.62cm calibre field-gun was adopted and over the years became the standard equipment in the storm trooper units. Another 7.7cm calibre gun was specially adapted to be manhandled on the battle-field and using armour-piercing rounds was used in an anti-tank role.
Flame-throwers: Special units were created from 1915 onward to deploy this German initiative on the Western Front. Elements of these specialist flame-thrower teams were integrated into the storm-trooper units using the smaller back-pack based Klief flame-thrower devices.
The men who served and died in these units considered themselves an elite ..they were IMO , fit , dedicated and looked up to by other troops often being given better rations and facilities but giving all in their missions .
They normally wore little excess with weapons being ready and grenades often carried in sandbags , often in these were found a taste of normaility giving the soldier something not connected with the horrors surrounding him ...a unit mascot maybe .a dog or perhaps a cat !!!
Badges were also seen after completion of the intensive and often dangerous training ...extolling the elite nature of these troops...although these were often removed when in the line .
Much is to be found in particular at many military museums ie: Imperial War Museum in the UK
with books being available of course ..here is a selection but by no means exhaustive.
Continued in next post:
Nap
In this very special anniversary year of the start of the horrors of WW1 ,with trench warfare being a particularly type of fighting that caused the opposing armies to develop troops .
Pathos Miniatures have released a sculpt depicting a member of the German stormtroopers .
Let have a bit of background on these troops :
Uniforms and protective-ware of the storm troopers
Initially the storm-trooper uniform was the standard M1910 feldgrau tunic and trousers, Pickelhaube leather helmet (but with a detachable spike), black leather belt, pouches, back pack and jack-boots. A new simplified uniform in dark grey was issued from 1915 onward, but the old feld grau uniform remained in circulation until the end of the war. Paradoxically, as the storm-trooper units increased in number and strength the regulation jack-boots were replaced by the combination of ankle boots and cloth puttees long favoured by the British Army. Although the French were first with the general distribution of their mild steel Adrian steel helmet in 1916, the German M1916 Stahlhelm 'coal scuttle' helmet was designed in 1915 expressly for the storm-troopers. Made of silicon/nickel-steel, it gave protection to the neck and face that the British 'Brodie' forged steel helmet lacked. Various formats of body armour and protective shields were evaluated for the use of storm-troopers and other front-line troops such as machine-gunners and snipers. In practice they were generally found to be too cumbersome and more trouble than they were worth in the more mobile actions of the Battle Zone. However, the snipers' loops were widely used with great success in the early years of the war as the British had insufficient high explosive shells to deal with them. Also, the amour breast-plate was widely issued to certain particularly vulnerable cadres such as aforementioned machine-gunners and snipers.
Arms used by the storm trooper
Carbines and pistols: As early as 1915 the shorter K.98 carbine was issued to the early storm-trooper units in preference to the longer and more cumbersome Mauser M1898 rifle. Unlike the British and French army, rapid firing pistols of the Luger P08 and Mauser C96 types were routinely issued to NCOs as well as officers.
Hand-grenades: Large quantities of both the stick M1915 Steilhandgranate and, from 1916, the egg-shaped Eierhandgranate hand-grenades were provided to the storm troopers as a prime small-arm to be widely used in the clearance of both strong-points and trenches. Sandbags were frequently modified to allow the individual storm trooper to bodily carry very large quantities of these grenades directly into battle.
Hand-grenade launchers: The storm troopers greatly enhanced the range capabilities of their hand-grenades with a purpose-built 40kg Grenatenwerfer (Grenade-thrower) that was introduced in 1916. Its light and ready portable structure was ideal for the storm-trooper style actions.
Mortars: From the earliest days of the war The German Army heavily relied on the deadly effect of the mortar – Minenwerfer - and found them particularly effective in trench warfare as their high and steep trajectory more readily penetrated the open trenches and their associated dug outs. Accordingly, operational storm-trooper units always had their own specialised mortar teams.
Machine-guns: As was the case with all the belligerents at the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, the existing heavy and bulky machine-gun was rated as a relatively minor weapon in both offense and defence: the volley from massed infantry rifle-fire was considered as the principal 'shock' infantry weapon. The British in particular relied on the 15 aimed rounds a minute volley – 'The British Mad Minute' - for maximum stopping effect on the battle-field.
Once the extraordinary efficacy of the machine-gun became apparent as trench warfare took hold, the numbers were rapidly increased in all armies. Accordingly, serious thought was given as to how these weapons could be best deployed by the storm-troopers and it quickly became evident a light, ready portable, machine-gun was essential. As early as 1915, the standard heavy machine-gun MG08 had become modified, but it still weighed over 60kg in full operational state. By late 1916, an even lighter version, the MG08/15, was widely introduced in the German Army, but it still was a hefty 20kg, without any ammunition. So it required a strong and fit soldier to carry it far and wide over the shattered battle-field.
The storm trooper clearly required an even lighter and more portable version as already existed in the form of the 10kg Danish Masden light machine-gun, of which the German military had already ordered some numbers, and was to use on the Somme in 1916. The BEF also already had its excellent 15kg Lewis gun and the Germans were not loath to modify and use captured material. The French had a less robust model – the Chauchat –, which was also bought in large numbers by the Americans. The Germans storm troopers eventually got their super-light machine-gun in the form of the Schmeisser MP18 submachine-gun; prototype versions were captured by the British on the Western Front as early as 1916. However, it was not available in large numbers until after the German Spring Offensive in 1918. But at least 3,000 are said to have been used on active service in 1918.
Light artillery: Whilst the specially designed 1915 Krupp Sturmkanone did not meet it operational expectations, other light versions of artillery were utilised by the storm-trooper units. In 1916, a converted 7.62cm calibre field-gun was adopted and over the years became the standard equipment in the storm trooper units. Another 7.7cm calibre gun was specially adapted to be manhandled on the battle-field and using armour-piercing rounds was used in an anti-tank role.
Flame-throwers: Special units were created from 1915 onward to deploy this German initiative on the Western Front. Elements of these specialist flame-thrower teams were integrated into the storm-trooper units using the smaller back-pack based Klief flame-thrower devices.
The men who served and died in these units considered themselves an elite ..they were IMO , fit , dedicated and looked up to by other troops often being given better rations and facilities but giving all in their missions .
They normally wore little excess with weapons being ready and grenades often carried in sandbags , often in these were found a taste of normaility giving the soldier something not connected with the horrors surrounding him ...a unit mascot maybe .a dog or perhaps a cat !!!
Badges were also seen after completion of the intensive and often dangerous training ...extolling the elite nature of these troops...although these were often removed when in the line .
Much is to be found in particular at many military museums ie: Imperial War Museum in the UK
with books being available of course ..here is a selection but by no means exhaustive.
Continued in next post:
Nap
