Painting Challenge II - Panzer Divsion HG

This post has several reasons: My efforts to paint for the challenge, my efforts to use Stu´s technic on airbrushing battleworn tanks and my question how you like the result.

Ever since I read Stu´s article on weathering with Marmite I wanted to have a platoon in this battleworn style. I tried the technic for the fist time and used as described by Stu Tamiya colors German Grey and Dark Yellow.

I have chosen the H. Göring Panzer Division as a background since I want to combine the tanks with my Fallschirmjäger company for gaming Flames of War. The division saw action during the Tunisian campaing and in Silicy and Italy. Therefore dark yellow without camouflage was my choice to cover those three theatres.

The Marmite effect is really stunning. I am not sure if I have overdone the battleworn look a little bit, tell me your opinion on this, please.

After spraying Dark Yellow and removing the Marmite, the model is inked with Sepia ink. I need some more practise during this step I think. Afterwards I repainted with thinned Dark Yellow.

Before inking I added decals for the first time in my wargamer life. I hate decals I think. The surface on the Panzer IV turret is not even so it is really hard to fit the decal to the surface. Any tips on this are appreciated.

The only freehand on this first model is the tiny division marking on the right front side. It is sized approximatly 2mm so do not expect too much from it.

The Herman G. Panzer crews during 1943 wore white Kragenspiegel and white Schulterklappen with pink Vorstöße on a black uniform. On the Kragenspiegel there were the skulls of the Panzerwaffe. I tried to paint this tiny details, I think if you know what I did you can see what I painted.

The marmite step picture is for the purpose to prove that I recently painted the model for the challenge. By the way, I do not think that Nutella is an alternative for the very special consistency of Marmite.