you know what - i really dont think it matters at all what age you are or what rank you decide to be this is airsoft after all now where is my zimmer frame....
Vorsprung durch Blitzkreig !
Speed, aggression and Hugo Boss
the innocent have nothing to fear......[img][/img]
... oh dear !!...... age dictating rank........... then I should be the Fuhrers Deputy !!.. 
Don't matter anyways I'd still be calfing 
and no intention atm of any rank K.I.S.S 
But back to the original thought - how common was it for the German soldier to receive a battlefield commission? I thought they were even more class-conscious than the British!
Harder than the US army for sure . Germans had a system of having ot haved served a requisite number of years , better a Major command a Rgiment than promote him to Colonel before he'd served his time. Not a hard and fast rule, as the young SS senior ranks in my first post show.
That has a lot to do with the incredibly high mortality rates amongst SS NCO's and Officers, ergo, chance of promotion at a young age was far higher than in other units with less of a "lead from the front" ethos. (never has the phrase "dead mans shoes" been more true)
With regards to Commissioning, in the SS at least, after 1938 you had to have served in the ranks and then attended one of the SS-Junkerschulen. Late war, it wasn't unknown for Commanders to promote SNCO's to the rank of Untersturmführer in the field.
Dunno about Heer or Luftwaffe...
When we were a Kingdom it was run by a King
When we were an Empire it was run by an Empress
Now we're a country we're run by a..........
... oh dear !!...... age dictating rank........... then I should be the Fuhrers Deputy !!..
and i should be the Fuhrer ....who is the oldest person on the forums anyway? i cant believe its me....
Vorsprung durch Blitzkreig !
Speed, aggression and Hugo Boss
the innocent have nothing to fear......[img][/img]
War is a young mans business.
Even with re-enacment (perhaps more so) its very hard to get age 'realistic' units.
Very few 18 years old have the time , money or inclination to dress as wwii soldiers.
I think if i may quote the famous historian Mr P. Hardcastle.
"In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 21
In Vietnam he was 19
In inininininin Vietnam he was nnnnnnn nineteen."
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Thanks Gadge, that songs in my head now!
...Oh well,.... I might be knockin on,.... but still slim and agile,...... still haven't come across any younger guys,.. in reenactment anyway,....that with full kit,.. can keep up with me,.. on public and private battles.
So I guess,.... portraying an old grenadier,..... until I can be outrun,...... the enemy will always get a good fight........ the skirmish... to win.....is what counts for me. 
So to answer the original question of this topic " What age are you re your uniform "...... Well I am a veteran of 45yrs,...... portraying a 45 year old Grenadier,.. who has shunned promotion,.... who will lead when asked,...and show the younger conscripts,...... where the "Iron Crosses" grow. 
...foook me !.. that was naff!
"In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 21
In Vietnam he was 19
In inininininin Vietnam he was nnnnnnn nineteen."
26, surely?? 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
I think you may be right there...
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Yay! We're only..... classified... years overage! 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
That reminds me, the film 'Dads Army' was on earlier 
A 40 year old SS Mann or Gefrieter without any decorations would be either a late conscript or someone who really belonged in a penal battalion
.
sums me up perfectly, only im 34 not 40
"Take that you rotton helping of strawberry flan!"
Joseph Porta to "strawberrys and cream", in the sven hassel book ,ogpu prison
hello PBI, here is a nice bit of bling for your panzer uniform!
rgds
P2
OLD.... 
no matter which one I wear.
______________
OLD....
A kind of reverse question, I'm 42 and been airsofting for 4 years, but very new to WWII airsoft. I've just got my first heer loadout, field grey M40 etc. I've thrown my lot in with the 27th penal panzers so I know I'd have been stripped of most awards. What insignia would I have remaining. I've got the eagle on my cap but no insignia on the helmet (original) and no insignia on the greys. I guess with my age and battle experience I'd be at gerfrieter (corporal?) what tabs would I be wearing and where's the easiest place to get them from?
Cheers
Jimbo
I'm 20, and all my loadouts are either Lance corporal or less.
For example my Hohenstaufen loadout is badged up as a Sturman, which I think is a adiquate rank for my age and I have a wound badge in black and a Iron cross second class.
Apart from that I have all the usual SS insignia that is required. I do know some people who get delusions of grandeur, and put the whole fruit salad down them, not my cup of tea, but I think it’s totally at the discretion of the player.
Hang on! (x) of you, (y) of me, dont mind playing Airsoft, I make that Pimms O’clock
at husky gadge asked me if i would consider being a sergeant major with there re-enactors group. at 40 i think a senior sergeant or warrant officer in brit, yank or german would be about right.
