Konflikt 47: A Different Take On The Axis

This post contains spoilers for Wolfenstein The New Colossus.

While this by no means is the start of a new project; It is in part the introduction to a collection and painting idea I have and will be pursuing in the future. I have been positively enamoured with the new edition of Konflikt 47; The lore, the art and the miniatures all speak to me on that incredibly pulpy Wolfenstein-esque way. Now I have the obvious way to move forward with painting and collecting miniatures by extending my Italian collection into the year 1947. Sadly on the release they scrapped Italy as its own faction and even split the allied portion of the units between the US and the Brits. I did find a solution, but that is a story for another day. Today's post is about what I will be doing with the Axis models. I cannot deny they are amazing looking, but I really do not want to do more Nazis. The solution to this is simple and only partially inspired by Wolfenstein The New Colossus and how in it [SPOILERS!!!!] Blazkowicz is given the body of a lab grown Nazi super soldier to continue the fight against the regime. This was obviously not an idea unique to that game, but a proud tradition of resistance movements across history. Using the weapons of the enemy against them is poetic and iconic. From that my idea was born; I want to portray a resistance cell that has robbed multiple pieces of equipment and is using them against the axis. This would allow me to play using Axis models and rules, with modifications and Proxys here and there. The first attempt can be seen in this article on Tabletop Battles, I wanted to portray a suit of Stahlrüstung that was heavily battered and fixed by means less sophisticated. The suit has bits missing, a banged up camo job and is notably missing the big machine gun instead featuring a small SMG. I have yet to finish that miniature, but I think it is definitely one way I can go. Another presented itself when I received the two new Event exclusive miniatures for K47; The Stahltruppler had a lovely pose that I could modify as a standard bearer to serve as an officer in my force. This suit of armour would not be banged up though. Instead I was imagining the cell raiding a factory or transport and scavenging factory new suits of Stahlrüstungen.

Being new the suit would not be painted yet and so I wanted to give the armour a look of fresh steel plating. I admit metallics are one of my less developed skills and so I practiced a speckled look on this miniature. I cannot say I am 100% satisfied with the result, but it is definitely going in the right direction. As you can see I decided to use the masked head from the Firefly which was the other event exclusive. The thinking here is in keeping with historical precedent, that this is an allied paratrooper who joined up with the cell to guide their efforts and offer advice. I might actually try and flesh out some more concrete lore on this, but for now I can say this with certainty: The resistance cell is originally a Czech group near the German border and as such also feature a contingent of German resistance fighters which is how they managed to get these suits.

With some more color that is not metal I think he is coming along nicely. I am uncertain yet how I want to style the Cell's iconography, but I imagine they would paint it on the chest plate to ensure these guys are identifiable in combat. That said I do think it would be fun to try and do another suit of armour that was stolen from an active unit and looks just believable enough for the cell to infiltrate the enemy perimeter without being immediately found out. I would imagine it would have a lot more scratches and dings and maybe a not so obvious bullet hole where they shot the previous inhabitant. In any case I will upload photos when I finish this officer and maybe add some more fleshed out lore. I do like that this is not going to be some major project, but an outlet for me to flex my creative muscles whenever I find a model that speaks to me. Truthfully that is how I see a lot of my painting endeavours. Thank you for reading and let me know what you think of this idea and what unique Weird War ideas you have maybe?