Muzzleflash.
Nice looking vignette. Very well done. I like the placement of the figures and they are all looking at something. i.e. the line of sight of the figures makes sense rather than having to ask the question, "what is that command figure looking at?" The base is a good proportion to the grouping and it is well done. Doesn't detract from the overall.
Now for some critique. PLease accept it in the spirit for which it is intended. That is to help, not "rivet count". It is based upon from what I can see from your photos. If it is different in person then please disregard.
The figures are well sculpted and you should take advantage of that. Because we view things in miniature, we have the luxury and sometimes the necessity to exagerate a little when it comes to highlighting, shadow and the play of light on objects. Highlighting and shadowing of folds is important to convey depth in miniature. Your figs are a little flat in that they are very monochromatic. Also, clothes weather differntly and are not always the same color. i.e. pants and tunics may have call outs of the same dye colors but rarely match exactly and can vary even in the same dye lots. This can be attributed to frequency of washing, sun fade, wear and tear and environmental conditions. By mixing up the shades between pants and tunics you create alot of visual interest and realism in your miniatures. Helmets can be a semi gloss to dead flat, even in the field. Also try and mix it up there too. A slight difference in shades again adds visual interest. It doesn't have to be extreme, just a lttle goes a long way in this case. It was a pretty common practice to rub mud or dirt on the helmets in the field to act as a sort of camo applique. Especially troops that had the occasional necessity to stick their heads up. While not always the case, it again adds some interest and variety to your pesentation.
On figures like the man with the range finder, it is important to look at details like the sleeves. His cuffs have no demarcation from his wrists. One way is to cut the hands off and drill and carve out the sleeve or cuff area. Then reattach the hands. This makes a big difference when you see it done and really is one of those details that stands out. If you don't feel comfortable about cutting the hands off, at least paint a dark area of black or dark grey around the wrist. This will give the impression of an opening of the sleeve. Leave a slight ring of highlighted color around the edge to give the impression of thickness of the fabric. When hands are up in the air like that it is very obvious. When they are down or at the sides it is not as crucial or necessary.
Your loader looks good. But it looks as though he may be wearing the shorter laced boots rather than the high leather. These (the short boots) were brown or black and had gaiters or puttees made of wool or canvas that wrapped around the cuff of the pants. These were grey or field gey or brown.
The biculars and the range finder could use a wash or even a little pastel work to give them some depth.
The mg stand you painted brown. All of my references show this as field grau or black (gunmetal?) in some cases even white washed. A drybrushing of some light grey or metallic silver or steel would make the detail stand out a bit on the mg itself.
You did a great job on the personal field gear but where's the weapons? No rifles, scmeissers, pistols? And where's the spare barrels for the mg? These needed to be changed becuase of the rate of fire caused them to heat up quickly. gun crews always had extra barrells, especially in a fixed position. They would aslo have an asbestos cloth (about the size of a small hand towel or wash rag)that they could use to grip the hot barrel and make the change. They were carried in a long cylindrical case and usually crews would have them slung if they were mobile or readily accessible if emplaced. If you really want to add some detail, especially in this case clip some short lengths of brass wire and scatter them under the gun as spent casings.
Your ground work looks really good and you did a fantastic job on the ground cover and rocks. A quick return to your figures. Look at your ground work and compare your figs to the ground. Some weathering would occur just on the dust kicked up. Your guys are contrasted against the ground pretty starkly. Some dirt on the knees and elbows perhaps? Some dry brushing to look as though they have been in the field for a while with a color similar to your ground work would look good here.
Your rocks look good, how did you paint them?
You've done a good job overall and I can't wait to see more of your work. Hope these suggestions help out. I went down and looked for this kit after seeing yours. I like what you did with it.
Mike