A War in The East

[Rich H]

Not seen that one before! Nice

[Rich H]

Quick search found this:


WTF is that on the right!  Looks based on a T-55? I think?

[Wyrmalla]

From a cursorary search, the IS series didn't last that long in Soviet use - at least compared to other tanks. The last combat the saw with them was the 60s, and it seems most of the Arabs were done with them by the 70s (they fared pretty poorly against the Israelis). The T-54 and later models presumably won out of the heavier tanks, and so any IS inventories were quickly dumped.

With them out of service as tanks, you'd think they'd have seen a longer life as engineering vehicles, though I suppose with the adoption of the Ts the Soviets just wanted rid of them to decrease the number of chassis that they had to support (bearing in mind the half dozen different Ts we'd see of the next few decades). That and they presumably had tonnes of more modern vehicles to use as engineering vehicles by the 60s-70s as the older T models were freed up - so why keep on an obsolete chassis?

Which brings us to one showing up in a modern conflict. I couldn't find any information on them seeing life into the later 20th century (specifically the ARVs I mean - the ISS-122 turns up here and there). In this case I suppose someone pulled it out of a scrapyard. Probably not a mainstream military - they have better options-, rather someone without many other options I guess.

Yes, that T-54 ARV's looking more appealing for modern games...

[Rich H]

At least one ISU-152 was used during the Chernobyl 'liquidation' as a heavy tractor and demolition vehicle.  So there were a few knocking around. 

[Ultravanillasmurf]

At least one ISU-152 was used during the Chernobyl 'liquidation' as a heavy tractor and demolition vehicle.  So there were a few knocking around. 

Very post Apocalypse.

[von Lucky]

Lovely conversion work - your pieces look so gritty.

(right now some of them look like Grandad stuck his water proof coat on and went to war with in his slippers and an RPG-7 which'd been balanced against the coat rack).

Word.

[Wyrmalla]

With the Chechen Wars Kickstarter Russian VDV I'm following through on my original plan to do some of them up as Cossacks. That explains away the Cold War era gear, and well is just a simple case of replacing their heads and sticking on a bit of greenstuff.



With these Chechens, and the existing Separatists, the opposition forces are going to be pretty substantial compared to the Nationalists. I'm still waiting on a peep from Mike Bravo Miniatures in the hopes that their IDF will ever show up to use as Spetsnaz with Tavors (like seriously, WTF Mike Bravo).

Speaking of the Cold War.




Another bit of terrain more than likely. I should really put some scenery together for an open field so I can build up a firing position for some artillery. Stone walls, maybe some barns. Speaking of artillery. I've been considering some - again as an objective marker -, though finding post-WWII stuff is an arse. I did see one 28mm 152mm gun whilst searching, though couldn't find the source. Right now I'm eyeing up Kings Hobbies & Games Howitzers, with the excuse that they've been taken out of a mothball (or from a museum plinth) by the local forces in desperation. There's a wargaming show coming up in a month, so finger's crossed something will appear there.

Here's my current heavy artillery however...



The ultimate weapon indeed. I wonder how I'll actually integrate it into games? Hmn, perhaps a 6+ save against stopping any enemy air support dice rolls? Ooh, bringing that up to a 4+ if I outfit one of my guys with one of those sci-fi looking drone jammers.



(I do have a few spare Empress Russians... Pft, and that brick of a gun wouldn't be a pain to sculpt)

I'm set on painting up some more terrain now. Currently the petrol station's had some work done on it, so that'll hopefully be done in the next ...year or so. A BTR-3' coming along as well, though as with the BTR-4's turret, bothering to build that particular part is the last hurdle. ;P

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice models.

[Wyrmalla]

Finding that those diecast BTR-80s that I'd ordered weren't what I thought, plans to make some of the modernised BTR-80 variants have fallen through a bit. So I returned to the Empress BTR-80 which I'd ordered.

I'd intended to turn that into a BTR-94 - which would have just been a new turret-, however the idea with those diecasts was to have one become a BTR-3DA. As I prefer the look of the 3 compared to the 94 (which it should be noted was only built for export), I went ahead and started on a 3.




This one is the DA model, which proceeds the "E" (export) version, though externally most of the changes aren't obvious (the exhaust's on the other side for example). Compared to the base 80 the 3 has some key differences. Notably the raised roof for better ergonomics (the size difference stresses how small the base vehicle must be) and removal of some of the vision ports to accommodate the new turret and improved armour. The turret is a standard unmanned variant made by the Shkval plant, featuring a 30mm gun, with co-axal MG and Grenade launcher - with the option for up to four ATGM to be mounted on either side.







I've already made another unmanned Ukrainian made turret for my BTR-4E, which is similarly armed, though I can't speak for any mechanical differences which necessitates the other's larger profile (it is made by a different factory).





When making this, actually finding accurate examples of the vehicle was a bit of a pain. Modern stuff isn't as well documented as any of the WWII era vehicles (even the ones which were never built!), which meant that the building process was a bit iterative as I discovered sources which gave different angles (that large stowage box on the side didn't exist till the last minute). Knowing the difference between the E, DA, and the other models is a bit of a devil in the details.

Some of the details were left out too. A pair of ATGMs on the turret looked a bit silly in the way that they jutted out (perhaps explaining the small size of this turret compared to its competitors), though I made add them back at a later stage if I can find something more compact. As are the various handles inaccurate, as well if they were properly standing out they'd wind up broken soon enough by the way I handle these things. Whilst the barrel has better detail than my first attempt on the 4, looking at better source images has it coming out too thick; which I suppose is an area that can be improved if I ever want to make another. As ever, its a "good enough" / anyone who knows what this thing is probably isn't a wargaming.

[Rich H]

Nice!

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Very nice.

[archiduque]

Nice work!

[Wyrmalla]

Here's some lttle bits and bobs to contend with all those vehicles that I have chucking about.

I believe that this is supposed to be a 9K115-2 Metis-M / AT-14 Saxhorn-2, though Empress don't list which specific system it is on their site (the tube carrier matches the late model, though the sights and other gear that the crew have are from the older one > confusing!):



The Wikipedia page lists the Soviet era AT team makeup as three soldiers- 1 gunner and 2 ammo carriers with AKs. I went with two, as the 3rd guy on the model looks more like a radio operator than ammo carrier (he turns up in my Seperatist command squad). They're intended to be Russian soldiers from the Chechen wars, so I've painted them with a mix of Soviet, plus some modern British gear so as to represent some irregular forces.

Something else heavier as well. An SPG-9 recoiless rifle made by Spectre Miniatures, with an Empress Miniatures Russian as the gunner (here's a HMG gunner with new arms/ head), and a Warlord Games Spec Ops soldier as his companion. Its intended for use on the back of a technical, though with the new crew it'll work in its original intended role (if only Spectre did more professional looking crews for their support weapons instead of all those insurgent types).



I like the look of these old Soviet heavy weapons besides modern soldiers (the plastic case rather than a wooden box for the ammo on the SPG-9 for instance is a bit of contrast). Speaking of that contrast, I'm in the market for one of these...



I'll have to see what I can pick up at the next show. Warlord do one for their WWII Soviets, though the crew are useless for modern games - so I'm looking for just the gun. Having one of those next to modern fighters would be so cool.

I do need to make a fighter with an old Mosin Nagant at some point. All of those Chechen fighters who're just armed with RPGs need some sort of weapon. Hmn, maybe an Obrez.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

More nice work.

The ATGW team looks great.

Generic crews for heavy weapons are a bit sparse, I hope Empress will do some in their Universal Soldier range (and crew for their jeep). Insurgents are easier to work with than regional costumes.

[Wyrmalla]

Oh, I meant the specific issue I have Spectre's crews are that they're quite distinctively dressed for the Middle East; so using them for much else is a bit difficult (especially their head scarves). Had they been done up in generic cargo pants and a tshirt they'd go further.

I tend to make my crews out of existing heavy weapons team models, or those Warlord Games Spec Ops - just as they can be cut up. Having Spectre do some would be ideal, though Empress haven't so far done much regarding loose crews (they've their ZU-23-2, though the only difference in the different nationalities is head swaps rather than whole new uniforms).