Colour test - German armour for the desert 1941

It's a long time since I've painted any WW2 stuff for my 15mm Desert 1941 collection.

Today, taking a break from Monsieur Anderson's Romans, I looked at some almost completed SYW Russians and thought........nerrrrr.

I had undercoated some German WW2 stuff a while ago and they have sat there since. This was partly down to 'being busy' and partly down to nerves.

I have painted 22nd Armoured Brigade Group for 7th Armoured so I know what colours I'll use as a pallet for the Brits (based on Humbrol 63 and burnt umber ink wash).

I have painted a battalion of Italian vehicles (for the, Ilkley Lad's, Bir el Gubi game) so I know I'll be using ink wash and a Humbrol 93 pallet for the Italians.

How many shades of desert sand paint can there be? I wonder.....

.......and could I find one for the Germans.

But, I think that the ink wash over a Humbrol 225 base highlighted in base Humbrol 93 with Humbrol 94 used as a base for the top two highlights gives a different shade again. I like it because there is an olive green tinge.

It is debatable how 'desert yellow' varied from nation to nation - even formation to formation - but I like there to be a difference: Different sides, in a game, need different coloured counters.

I'm happy with this combination of shades. I'll use it for the rest of 15th Panzer Division (which mainly sits, at 1:5 scale, in its blisters).  

A shot of the Pz III from 15th Panzer Division next to a tank of 22nd Armoured Brigade. The colour difference is noticeable but not 'dramatic'.  The thing that brings them together, IMHO, is the same colour ink wash, which is also used on the bases.

I hope you approve.

Models are from the FoW range.