28mm Opel Blitz truck

Posted on January 18, 2026 by Guru PIG

The Opel Blitz was the standard light-to-medium truck of the German armed forces during the Second World War and one of the most recognisable logistics vehicles of the period. Introduced in 1930 and refined throughout the 1930s, the Blitz became central to German motorised warfare by the time large-scale conflict began in 1939. Its importance lay not in firepower or armour, but in its ability to move men, ammunition, fuel, and supplies across vast distances, making it a quiet enabler of German operational mobility.

The most common wartime variant was the 3-ton Opel Blitz 3.6-36, powered by a 3.6-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine producing around 75 horsepower. This engine gave the truck reasonable speed on roads and adequate hauling capability, though it struggled in mud, snow, and deep sand—conditions that exposed the limitations of Germany’s logistics during campaigns in Russia and North Africa. A four-wheel-drive Allrad version was produced to improve cross-country performance, but it was more complex and never fully solved the underlying traction and reliability problems.

One of the Blitz’s great strengths was its versatility. The basic chassis was adapted into troop carriers, cargo trucks, ambulances, radio vehicles, mobile workshops, fuel tankers, and anti-aircraft platforms. Its simple construction allowed field repairs with limited tools, and spare parts were relatively easy to source early in the war. As Allied bombing intensified and supply chains deteriorated, however, production quality declined, and late-war Blitz trucks often showed reduced durability and simplified fittings.

In operational terms, the Opel Blitz became inseparable from German campaigning. It carried infantry forward during advances, evacuated wounded from the front, and sustained units holding extended lines. Yet its heavy reliance on petrol engines—rather than diesel—proved a long-term weakness, tying German logistics to vulnerable fuel supplies. In prolonged campaigns, especially on the Eastern Front, destroyed or abandoned Blitz trucks became symbols of overextended supply systems and logistical collapse.

After the war, surviving Opel Blitz trucks continued in civilian service across Europe, valued for their ruggedness and adaptability. The design influenced post-war commercial vehicles, and restored examples remain popular with museums, reenactors, and wargamers. Historically, the Opel Blitz stands as a reminder that wars are not won by tanks and aircraft alone, but by the unglamorous vehicles that keep armies moving and fighting.

The model is from Warlords and comes complete with canopy and a squad of seated infantry.

These will be reacu tomorrow.

Review of Commandos: The Inside Story of Britain’s Most Elite Fighting Force by John Parker

Posted on October 27, 2025 by Guru PIG

Commandos: The Inside Story of Britain’s Most Elite Fighting Force by John Parker offers a compelling and comprehensive historical deep dive into one of Britain’s most legendary military institutions. As a key installment in Parker’s acclaimed series on British military units, the book chronicles the Commandos from their audacious inception in 1940. Formed from volunteers across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Commandos were, in essence, Britain’s original special forces—a direct and daring response to the early German successes in World War II.

Parker’s narrative strength lies in his use of primary sources, vividly bringing the history to life through the raw, unfiltered words of the men who were there. This commitment to firsthand accounts transforms the book from a standard military chronicle into a series of intimate, often shocking, testimonies. The author meticulously details the extreme psychological and physical demands of their training, emphasizing the unique, unrelenting ethos required to earn and wear the coveted Green Beret. This intense focus on the individual soldier’s experience grounds the broader military history in human reality, resulting in what the book describes as “bloody, fearful, and controversial accounts.”

The book meticulously charts the Commandos’ role in global conflicts across six decades. It begins with the pivotal, small-scale raids of World War II—operations so successful and disruptive that they prompted Adolf Hitler’s infamous “Commando Order” for the summary execution of captured Commando personnel. Following the war, Parker covers their transition into the Royal Marines Commandos, detailing their evolution into a highly versatile, “ready-to-go” brigade deployed at a moment’s notice to virtually every major crisis involving British troops globally. This extensive scope makes the book an invaluable resource for military history enthusiasts, providing not just a chronology, but a visceral and dramatic appreciation for the courage and impact of these elite fighting men.

I have to admit that I treated this book as a history reference and only picked out the bits that I was interested in. Easy to read and well referenced this is ideal as a history read or a reference book. Glad I have it in the collection

More Commandos

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Guru PIG

Well, sometimes things just don’t go to plan. This was meant to be a post on my second Stuart tank. After much filing, filling, glue and drilling I finally had the tank and turret almost finished. All I needed to do was to fill in a few holes on the turret with green stuff and it was ready to undercoat and paint. I had just been working on the turret about ten minutes before and I couldn’t find the #$%&* thing! Half a day later and I still do not have a clue where I put it. I even laid down on my memory foam mattress but that didn’t work either! In the end I went on to something else.

Another project I wanted to finish early this year was my WW2 British Commandos. I always dread putting together plastic figures so tackled that first.

Each section has an NCO and five Commandos. All, including the NCO, are armed with rifles.

There is also another Lieutenant that will join one of the squads in place of the NCO if desired.

I am still waiting on 2 Vickers K machine guns to arrive for each section to complete them. These together with the six rifles of the rest of the section will make an excellent fire support platform.

I am also waiting on the support group box to arrive.

The PIAT arms are significantly better in the Allied Commandos pack than the older British Commando set, so I put a new PIAT team together using these. The PIAT is larger and is attached to a right arm which makes it a lot easier to see on the table and to put together as well.

War paint! With this quick style of painting I do not go back to do any touch up. You dot even notice these minor errors on the table without significant magnification like in these shots.