DAK Kradschützen Platoon

Continuing to add to my DAK army, I've added the DAK Kradschützen!

Photo courtesy: Flames of War

History

In 1941 15. Panzerdivision had a Kradschützen, or Motorcycle Reconnaissance, battalion as part of 15. Schützen Brigade, while both the 15. Panzerdivision and 21. Panzerdivision had Kradschützenkompanies as part of their respective Aufklärungs or Reconnaissance Battalions. Their role is to reconnoiter ahead of the main body, seeking the enemy and investigating the terrain ahead, critical in the North African desert conditions.

Although they would later prove unsuitable in the desert conditions and be replaced, at the beginning of the North African campaign the most prevalent motor vehicle in the Deustche Afrikakorps was the motorcycle, with 21. Panzerdivision alone having almost 1000 of them in December 1941.

In Flames Of War

Motorcycles were used in North Africa in large numbers by the Germans and Italians. Their speed makes them perfect for leading the way during the long desert advances.

Motorcycle Reconnaissance teams are Infantry and Gun teams prefixed with the word Motorcycle. Motorcycle Reconnaissance teams do not have separate motorcycle Transport teams. Instead, they are Cavalry teams combining both riders and vehicles into the same team. As such they have a 3+ Infantry Save.

Note: Motorcycle and Sidecar teams are still Transport teams just like a Kfz 15 field car or any other commander’s vehicle. As Transport teams they have a 5+ Unarmoured Vehicle Save.
Because each motorcycle can only carry two soldiers in addition to its driver, most teams have two motorcycles, one carrying a machine-gun and the other carrying the rest of the crew and extra ammunition.

Motorcycle Command teams, Anti-tank Rifle teams and Light Mortar teams are carried on a single motorcycle or motorcycle and sidecar based on a medium base facing the narrow end.

All other Motorcycle infantry and gun teams are carried on two motorcycles or motorcycles and sidecars based on a large base facing the narrow end.
The biggest advantage of motorcycle-mounted infantry is their speed of movement across good terrain, but they are better off fighting on foot in rougher terrain.

Motorcycle Reconnaissance teams move as Jeep teams rather than as Cavalry teams.
Motorcyclists quickly learned to use their speed and reconnaissance skills to survive.

Motorcycle Reconnaissance teams are Recce teams and Motorcycle Reconnaissance platoons are Reconnaissance Platoons while they are mounted on their motorcycles.

When a Motorcycle Reconnaissance platoon dismounts, it stops being a Reconnaissance Platoon. If the platoon was
Reorganizing after having Disengaged last turn (see the Flames Of War rulebook), it continues to Reorganize when it dismounts.

This by far has been the longest project I've ever worked on.  I have a total of 60+ hours invested on painting this platoon up. I've tried some new techniques, but a majority of the time was dealing with all the various small odds and ends on these models.

As I've yet to use them in a game (as I've lacked to models), so I personally don't know how well they perform. I've seen them used with a good degree of success by other players, so I'm anxious to get these on the table!

The platoon