Sovs get some Recce

SHQ M/C's and Britannia scout cars

Off and on inbetween doing more Napoleonic stuff I've been adding bits and pieces to my 20mm Soviets, this project has been most enjoyable and the last few elements are falling into place. I started this with a few purchases at Salute last year, so I'm quite proud of having got a considerable force together and actually complete within a relatively short period of time (lots more pics knocking about elsewhere on the blog- look for tags).

There is now a complete Soviet Rifle division, enough T34's for a Tank corps (about 30) plus various assault guns, and now a recce btn. Artillery still needs to be finished.

The pics show a few odds and ends which fall in the broad spectrum of Russian recce troops, which in reality is just getting quite few troop types I liked and creating a unit out of them. Soviet reconnaisence battalions are reasonably well known for having no standard organisation, there are at least half a dozen different variations, so it is an excuse for a pick and mix type of approach.

The little BA 64 armoured cars weren't that common in the recce btns but they will double up as command and liason vehicles for things like tank and assault gun regts. The Frontline models are very basic with bit some good crew and extra bits they are sweet little models. I'm particularly fond of the big old Bertha smoking a fag, shes a Lammercaft figure.

Bertha eyes up some passing Motorcyclists

The Britannia bren carriers likewise will also do extra duty as tows for 45mm AT guns, but are also ideal as personnel carriers. As models they were a bit of trouble as the crew are all British- subsequently filing down British helmets to look like Soviets was a right arse...In the end I cut the heads off most of them and slung tissue paper tarps over the back....sorry to spoil the illusion!

For some reason I've always liked White scout cars, I remember a friend of mine having a model of one (Italeri, maybe?) when we were about 15 and I've liked them ever since

The Britannia ones are servicable models, but chuck in some AB crew and they look great. Again, they will do double duty as personnel carrier or command vehicles, hence the preponderance of officer types.

Scout cars with AB crew

Add in a few Dodge weapons carriers which were picked up on the bring and buy at Reading and the job is done

Some wierd SHQ figure doing something to his boot, while a Lammercraft NKVD man writes him a ticket

Lots more pics HERE:

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w138/christot2001/Russian%20Recce/

Free Counter

1944 Russian game at the Whc

My SU152's get a day out at Wembley

Sorry I've not been active here (what percentage of blog posts begin with that sentence, I wonder?). Been a bit busy with Premiere stuff for the new Bond film, during which I managed to break a finger, which is not terribly condusive to typing. Although actually, seeing as it isn't either of the 2 fingers I use to type with its not really a problem. So I bring you this despite the pain.
Anyway, last weekend saw me going off to Scarboro for another try out of Gerry's WWII rules. It was a vaguely 1944 Russia scenario, as he wanted to see what a few later tanks would be like. All the games we have done previously have been 42/early 43 with mainly Panzer III's vT-34 76's so this was upping the ante to bring in T-34 85's against Panzer IV H's and Panthers.

I took up a few figures for a day out at "wembley"... A Infantry Regt for each side plus some Soviet armour and a load of pak 40's (Gerry didn't have enough!)The scenario was for Russians attacking a big town, and it was a big town, about 12 feet by 6 in the centre of the table, with plenty of room on the flanks for armoured action.
The Forces were 2 good quality but weakish Panzer divisions - (10 infantry battalions, 4 small tank battalions, plus Stugs and Marders. Up against 5 of what Gerry calls Tank corps but are way too weak in infantry, basically 15 T-34's plus a regt of infantry, should really have double the quantity of infantry, although the soviets did have quite a few extra units; a couple of RECONNAISANCE (for John)btns, 2 heavy assault gun regts, and some T-70 light tanks (not sure what they are still doing running around in 1944, but, hey). Gerry is basically a lazy bleeder and needs to get his Russians sorted out.
I ended up defending the town (thanks) with a single German infantry regt plus 5 Stugs while the others ponced about on the flanks with all the good stuff.

Whc infantry assault the first line of the city


As it turned out it was too tough for the Russkis. It was easy for them to take the first line of houses. I just sat and waited, gave them a volley when they got close and then pulled out to my second line. The problem was it was difficult to repeat this for them without getting the Su152's into the town, and I had the entrances well covered by Stugs and At guns in positions which enabled me to get flank fire. They tried a couple of armoured assaults into the larger gaps but these were repulsed.


My Grenadiers lurk in the second line of buildings


The Russians then ran out of ideas and milled about outside the town (hiding behind their own smoke screens, which sort of sums it up) when frankly the armour they had there would have been better off employed on the flanks, where they were getting mullahed by the Panthers. All in all the Russians seemed a bit timid, didn't get their act together combining artillery with their attacks (vital, in the rules) Meanwhile their infantry hid in the first line of houses. Because they made no headway on the flanks, they couldn't get anywhere in the town and vice-versa. More aggression needed. In the end, I guess my losses tell the story: None.


I had a single hit on one Stug and one of my infantry battalion commander's got mortared when he strayed into a garden for a fag and was spotted.

More Grenadiers and a whc Stug defend a town square
On the flanks the Russian got shot to bits, although it wasn't quite as one sided as it looked at the end of the game, as nearly all the German tanks were in pretty poor shape. One last push and the Russians would have got some joy (maybe the 15 T-34's that did FA around the town?)
Anyway a good weekend and a good tryout for the rules.
There was a good feel to the game, with the potential to keep and manouvre reserves, with the focus of the action shifting from different company sectors- it sort of read like a account, which is probably a good thing!

The Soviets

Altaya T-34 with AB tank riders

Took a few pictures of my burgeoning WWII Soviet stuff today. This project was begun at the end of April this year, so pretty good progress so far.

The aim is to assemble enough kit to do either an Infantry division or a Tank Corps with add-ons for both.

These are all for a 1 vehicle = 1 platoon style scale. Suitable for CD, Spearhead, etc.

I've bought a lot of Dragon/Altaya pre-painted stuff.If you know where to look these can be got VERY cheap. A big chunk was 18 Altaya T-34's on e-bay for less than £70 including P&P
About £3.90 a vehicle painted!...Impossible to match really. They are not quite as good as the Dragon models but form a good nucleus for the Tank corps.

So far there are:

28 T-34's

4 KV1's
4 SU152's

2 SU85's

These are sporting about 90 crew figures and tank riders

To back these up most of the infantry are painted, a few still to base. About 300 in total when I'm done. The majority are Fantassin models.

On order are:

6x BA64 (Frontline)

6x Trucks (Frontline)

Still to come will be 4 x SU76's plus some carriers, either White scout cars or Bren carriers.

After this a light tank battalion...not sure which yet, T70 or Valentines?..Hard to resist the Valentines.

Then I just need a few more trucks/tows and more Anti-tank guns. Currently I only have 4 x 45mm and 4 x 76mm.

I'm aiming for some of these to have an outing at the WHC in about 10 days time, I'll take some up there for a weekend out of their boxes. Gerry is doing an early 44 bash. Lots of photo opprtunities I hope!

MMS tankriders on a Dragon T-34 (nice figures, but multipart metal...a pain in the arse to put together)


Dragon KV1, Fantasin Tank riders

Dragon T-34 in the background, Elheim Infantry (removed from their HORRIBLE slotta bases)

Many more pics here:http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w138/christot2001/