Would appreciate help from the experts. Is this scene feasible?

One of the best ways to get multiple vehicles together is to model a cross roads.  The "moving" road will cause a back-up on the "stopped" road.  Stopped vehicles can have close proximity (if to the vexations of feldweble, sergeants, the world over).  Which also allows for a lot of casual folk loitering about the vehicles.

However, cross roads are also not where one wants to dig in weapons, except, perhaps, the odd MG, and those really ought to be a few hundred meters off, with tables of fire to support/defend the cross roads.  An AT weapon ought to be well back down either road axis, this better uses the geometry of the mount to secure the road in question.

I realize that is not very "verlinden" of me; but I've spent too much time among redlegs to not view a 7000kg weapon "magicked" 1.5m down into a ruined basement with a blocking building 180º to one side, and a one-block sight line, just more than a bit askance.

It's never a good idea to mix early-war and late-war vehicles; even if it's theoretically possible, you wind up with endless critiques and naysayers who say "You'd never see that!"....

My idea would be instead of trying to cobble together a large dio from what disparate elements you have, why not just go for a medium or small dio that is effective with either one, or possibly two definitely-compatible vehicles? The panther F in rubble would look great--but not if you positioned it as if the barrel broke through the wall. Tankers in WWII didn't really do that-- it seriously knocked their guns out of true, and rendered them essentially useless.

Electric Blues wrote:

The house hasn't been war damaged yet but it's in sad shape. There's a road in front of the house and a  SD.KFz.222 is driving by on the way to the front, towing a PAK 40 behind it.

The PAK is not necessary to be towed though. You can put it beside the house, a common place for a AT Gun position. Give something for your soldier figures to do.

Thanks! I'll check that out!

Electric Blues wrote:

1940 (May-June) in France, the Aisne /Belfort area. It would be the 2nd Panzer Division. It's the village country house with a Bison I (the "Bismark" was assigned to them at the time) hidden behind and camouflaged by tree limbs and the observer is on the house roof. They are sending supporting fire to the front line. The house hasn't been war damaged yet but it's in sad shape. There's a road in front of the house and a  SD.KFz.222 is driving by on the way to the front, towing a PAK 40 behind it. According to the investigation I've carried out, the 2nd Division had all three pieces at that time and all the colors were grey. That would be a total of three vehicles plus house and figures. You're right, that seems a bit ambitious. I'd have to have it finished by late September for the IPMS National here in Mexico. I'll give it a bit more thought.

1940 (May-June) in France, the Aisne /Belfort area. It would be the 2nd Panzer Division.

It's the village country house with a Bison I (the "Bismark" was assigned to them at the time) hidden behind and camouflaged by tree limbs and the observer is on the house roof. They are sending supporting fire to the front line.

The house hasn't been war damaged yet but it's in sad shape. There's a road in front of the house and a  SD.KFz.222 is driving by on the way to the front, towing a PAK 40 behind it.

According to the investigation I've carried out, the 2nd Division had all three pieces at that time and all the colors were grey.

That would be a total of three vehicles plus house and figures. You're right, that seems a bit ambitious. I'd have to have it finished by late September for the IPMS National here in Mexico. I'll give it a bit more thought.

Can I offer one suggestion?  I've been following your request for information and it seems like you've got some pretty good ideas and suggestions, so it seems like your off to a good start.

My suggestion would be to think small.  As I look at it, the latest round of posts implies putting as many as five vehicles in this dio.  While it might sound great, if this is your first dio, it might be a good idea to start off with something a bit more managable, that won't be too time consuming.  Maybe the idea of the Pak-40 set in (no RSO) waiting for allied tanks and one other vehicle cruising by and a few figs.  Keep the scene and the story simple...

Fried Rice wrote:

Or perhaps instead of African theatre, you can model a European Theatre during the early - mid war (britzkrieg 1940 most likely), showing the motorized units (Bison, Pak 40, Kubelwagen, Panzer II, Kettenkrad) stopping over for re-supply of ammo. Get a messenger/scout soldier on the kettenkrad, and an officer on the kubelwagen. The officer, messenger and probably the Tank commanders are discussing the possible route for the advancement. Perhaps you could mark the Panzer II C with Platoon / Division command tank. This scene can show the rapid advancement of the German forces during the Blitzkrieg years. The Bison artillery catching up the front line panzer groups, discussing a suitable location to provide fire support. The Pak 40 crew can be modelled as if they are having a rest or starting to pack up for mobilization. The European damaged house gives a sense of where abouts this is, Frances perhaps. Color wise may be alittle boring, the vehicles would all be Panzer Grey (is that what dunkelgrau means?) and the soldiers would all be in standard field grey.

Thanks very much for this suggestion and I think I'll try it. I'll start looking for as much info as possible on the suggested scenario before I design the general layout of the diorama. All I would need to buy would be the Kettenkrad.

Thanks to everyone for the input. This is really a helpful group!

renarts wrote:

Change your location to the African theatre and (I think) except for the RSO you could use your Bison, Pak 40, Kubelwagen, Panzer II C, kettenkrad and you could mix it up with both dunkelgrau and desert sand colors. Change your country house to a villa or something more mediterrainian or what you would find in the region and you could really have some fun with it.

 Or perhaps instead of African theatre, you can model a European Theatre during the early - mid war (britzkrieg 1940 most likely), showing the motorized units (Bison, Pak 40, Kubelwagen, Panzer II, Kettenkrad) stopping over for re-supply of ammo.

Get a messenger/scout soldier on the kettenkrad, and an officer on the kubelwagen. The officer, messenger and probably the Tank commanders are discussing the possible route for the advancement. Perhaps you could mark the Panzer II C with Platoon / Division command tank.

This scene can show the rapid advancement of the German forces during the Blitzkrieg years. The Bison artillery catching up the front line panzer groups, discussing a suitable location to provide fire support. The Pak 40 crew can be modelled as if they are having a rest or starting to pack up for mobilization. The European damaged house gives a sense of where abouts this is, Frances perhaps.

Color wise may be alittle boring, the vehicles would all be Panzer Grey (is that what dunkelgrau means?) and the soldiers would all be in standard field grey.

Thanks!

What tank would you recommend?

Electric Blues wrote:

What tank though? Would either the Panther F or Pz.kpfw II Aust C be ok?

Therein lies another dilemma.

The Panther Ausf.F never saw combat and, I believe, only existed in prototype form, if at all (there is some debate as to whether or not a complete vehicle was ever built).

The Panzer II Ausf.C was only produced up to 1940 and would be unlikely to be seen in the time period you are considering.

Behind a wall and rubble sounds great!

What tank though? Would either the Panther F or Pz.kpfw II Aust C be ok? 

Hmmm... This is getting interesting. I've been doing research while asking question here and there was VERY few of them.

So I'm stuck. So far I have a RSO that brought a PAK40 with it and supplies. The idea is the PAK40 is hidden behind the little country house and ruins, waiting for unsuspecting Allied tanks to rumble down the dirt road towards it. I'd like to have a spotter on the roof of the country house, looking down the road with field glasses. From the answers so far, it seems there's no problem from that scenario.

I'd like some kind of German tank too though. Possible a bit dug in and camouflaged. What tank would you suggest for that? There's a local contest this weekend and I could pick up a few kits based on your suggestions.

Electric Blues wrote:

Thanks again.   Would the Jagdtiger be among these anti tank companies?

Thanks again.

Would the Jagdtiger be among these anti tank companies?

Electric Blues wrote:

Thank you. According to the answers I received, the Bison is out of the picture. The think now is which tank to pair the PAK 40 with. I'd like them to be waiting for battle instead of retreating.  I don't have a Blitz at this time. I did just finish building one in 1:24 though as an imaginary fire truck at some Luftwaffe base.

Thank you.

According to the answers I received, the Bison is out of the picture. The think now is which tank to pair the PAK 40 with. I'd like them to be waiting for battle instead of retreating.

 I don't have a Blitz at this time. I did just finish building one in 1:24 though as an imaginary fire truck at some Luftwaffe base.

Heres an idea, you could make the opel blitz towing the paK 40 and leave the bison out altogether and use your other stuff as you said

Edit: it would be cool if you could put one of the tanks and opel blitz towing the pak 40 going down a road as if they were retreating passing by the blown up buildings and stuff with like wounded soldiers and uninjured soldiers (like dragon's wermacht infantry)walking alongside the tank and truck

Thank you all very much for the information and advice. I'd like my diorama to be historically correct so it looks like I've come to the right place!

Besides the ones mentioned before, I have the following armor kits as well;

Pz. Kpfw. II Aust.C

Panther F

Panzer Jager Jagdtiger

Which of these in combination with the Pak 40 and RSO would complement the diorama?

Also, consider the PaK 40 was a direct fire anti tank weapon. The gunner would see the target and aim essentially from the front lines. I suppose it COULD be used as artillery in a pinch. The Bison is a howitzer, indirect fire. The target is located by an observer and the gun is fired towards coordinates from behind the front line. Therefore, they would not likely be next to each other.

Of course, I'm speculating here and more learned members could easily show me the error of my speculation.

www.actungpanzer.com/s.g33.htm#sig33

Only a few Bison II's were built and they all went to North Africa, the last being abandoned in spring 1943.

Hope this helps

Mark

Thanks very much.

Could a Bison II be used instead? I'm trying to use kits that I have instead of going on a shopping spree, although I will do so if needed.

According to Actungpanzer, the last of the Bison 1's were taken out of service in late 1943. Perhaps you could change the RSO for an Opel Blitz?

www.actungpanzer.com/panzerkampfwagen-i.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page, hope this helps and look forward to seeing the finished article

Mark

Thank you.

So that would mean all vehicles and the 7.5 cannon should be painted in the dark yellow color scheme... dunkelgelb. Correct?

Since the Bison is an older weapon, can I asume that would have been originally painted field grey and then over painted dunkelgelb on the field? If so, that would be a nice touch to include?