Offensive Miniatures have released a set of character models based on Sven Hassel's 27th Penal Panzer Regiment. In conjunction with Sven's estate Offensive Miniatures first previewed these at Salute last year but they are now on general release if people want to pick up a unique looking set of miniatures for their collection.

Sven Hassel // Offensive Miniatures

Offensive Miniatures have put together a fantastic set of eight character models for collectors and gamers, if you aren't aware of the books already Sven began writing based on his own experiences in a POW camp. The sculpts are 28mm but reflect the size of the characters from the book and are portrayed wearing a variety of uniforms to reflect the various periods and fronts that the novels are set in.

Because of this, it makes a very unique platoon for the tabletop if you are looking for a veteran unit for your games, but if you're not a german player they still make a fantastic painting challenge and fans of the books should definitely look at picking these up for display.

Joseph Porta. Berliner, Obergefreiter “of God’s Mercy;” redhead; gambler; won his yellow top hat in a game of cards with a Romanian count. Has a knack for business and knows how to procure merchandise; loves to cook and self-proclaimed chef. Fatally wounded in Russia.

Old Man. Willi Beier, or “Ol’ Un”; platoon leader; a carpenter by occupation; hates the war and wants to go back home as fast as possible to his workshop, his wife and children. Found calmly smoking his pipe and is viewed as the father figure of the group. The “Old Man” fell in Russia.

The Legionnaire. Alfred Kalb, “the Little Legionnaire” was in the French Foreign Legion previous to the war and became a converted Muslim. A professional soldier who views death as his bride: “come death, come”. Returned to the Foreign Legion after the war along with Tiny.

Sven Hassel. Of Danish origin went to Germany due to unemployment and crisis in Denmark and joined the Wehrmacht. After the war, he served in several prison camps, including Denmark, and was finally released in ’49, hereafter he wrote 14 books based upon the 2nd platoon.

Tiny. Wolfgang Kreutzfeldt, Gefreiter, Hamburger from Reeperbahn; was a bicycling courier with a communist past; a giant of size and therefore a bully; more or less illiterate and not very smart, but still sneaky and deep down not as bad as he seems. Joined the Foreign Legion after the war.

Gregor Martin. Professional truck driver. Used to be a chauffeur for “his” general. Good at “arranging things” beyond the limits of the law. After the war, he becomes the owner of a big truck and contracting company.

Julius Heide. A national-socialist racist. Professional soldier, hard disciplined and always acting according to the army regulations. Heide always wanted to become an officer and did so after the war in the East German Army.

Barcelona Blom. A volunteer in the Spanish Civil War. He carried around a dry orange from Spain in his pocket. He’d planned to own and run an orange plantation of his own post-war, but never achieved this as he fell in Russia.

Will you be picking up the Misfit Brigade?