1944 on the Eastern Front Project

[Wyrmalla]

Over the past year or so I'd been collecting four Nation's forces and expanding my existing Winter terrains set. The plan's been to put together a Platoon of figures for each, with assosiated support elements and vehicles. Initially I'd started out with just two armies, but I found myself being distracted (when I already thought that I had enough work on my plate), and added two more.

They are:
German SS in Parkas
Soviets in Snow Suits
Romanians in ...whatever they could find.
Italian Alpini in Snow Suits

Of these I'll post what I've managed to paint for the Italians first. They're the latest Nation to be added to the collection, so have the least painted thus far ...ah, but are also the closest to hand or photographing. 
 
My Italian force represents soldiers from the Italian Social Republic (The RSI) - the Fascist regime established after the Allies invaded mainland Italy. Greece and Africa had been Musolini for most of the war, with those troops on the Eastern Front receiving token deployment of infantry and second tier tanks (or whatever tier you want to call them using pre-war tanks against T-34s...). With the decimation of the Italian army on the Eastern Front Italian soldiers mainly found themselves fighting in Italy, the Balkans, and later in parts of Western Europe. However, some limited elements continued fighting the Soviet Union in support of the other Axis troops there.

My RSI models are a platoon of Alpini in winter dress supported by some armoured elements. The Alpini come from a mix of sources, but I'm primarily using Perry and Empress Miniatures models as I'm not into the Heroic Scale many other ranges go for. These have been modified to alter their tropical uniforms into snow suits - mostly by filling in seams and removing shoulder boards. Along with giving them winter helmet covers and adding the distinctive Alpini feather.




These so far are just the test models for the rest of the platoon. An officer, sniper team, LMG teams and a pair with a captured Boys Anti-Tank rifle (which there's record of them using in the Desert - and the Soviet Union received via lend-lease. Though I used it really just because I had one spare). The Alpini found themselves being improperly used as regular infantry, so won't be so out of place among the ruined industrial terrain which I use for my Winter games, rather than the mountains.





Along with these I'm starting to put together their vehicle pool. This has been a difficult subject to research, as most of the material out there in English focusses on the Desert, nor the RSI (and what there is on the RSI tends to cover their fighting in Italy - mainly with improvised armoured vehicles). As such I'm not looking for this part of the force to be totally accurate for the sake of having a more complete force - chalking it up to bad record keeping if a particular vehicle in pre-1943 service isn't recorded being used post-1943.

The bulk of the armoured cars in use by my Italians will be Autoblinda variants. So far just this AB-41 is painted, but I have the another 4 or so planned. This particular model's a 3D print by Paint and Glue miniatures which has had its barrel replaced with a plasticard tube.



As their first tank (as I await a delivery of more 3D prints) the Italians have nabbed themselves a Soviet T-26 Model 1939 tank. Historically sources place one of these painted with similar insignia earlier in the war, but it seems thematically correct. I'll be adding a M13/40 to fill a similar role later on too. This one's made by Rubicon Models.



I have the rest of the platoon due for their base coat as I continue to work on my other projects. For those interested below I've posted a list of everything so far planned for the Italian vehicle pool at the end of this post. Ah, feel free to add any comments to that list btw.

As a last little tease, here's one of my German force's Panzer IVs. Its a model by Italeri/ Warlord Games. Nowhere near as nice as the one by Rubicon, but it was going spare. Ah, or rather bits of it were - as its cannibalised from parts leftover from my various alt-history projects. The commander's from Rubicon Models, spare tracks and stowage by Die Waffenkammer




Italian Armour:

Armoured Car - MG - Autoblinda AB 40 or Autoblinda Lince
Armoured Car - Autocannon -    Autoblinda AB 41
Armoured Car - Light Gun -   Autoblinda AB 43 with 47mm
Armoured Car - Radio Vehicle - Autoblinda AB-41 Posto comando

Tankette - MG - L3/33 or captured T-37

Light Tank 1- Light Gun -  captured T-26 M.1939
Light Tank 2- Light Gun -  captured BT-7M or M13/40
Light Tank - Autocannon -Carro Armato L6/40

Medium Tank - Light Gun -   Carro Armato M15/42 
Medium Tank 1- Medium Gun -  Carro Armato Pesante P26/40 or captured  T-34/76
Medium Tank 2- Medium Gun -  Carro Armato Pesante P26/40

Heavy Tank - Medium Gun - KV-1-

Tank Destroyer 1- Medium Gun - Semovente da 75/34
Tank Destroyer 2- Medium Gun - Stug III Ausf.G or captured M3 Grant
Tank Destroyer - Heavy Gun - Semovente da 105/25
 
SPG - Light Gun - L3 47/32

Rocket Launcher - BM 13-16 mounted on SPA-Ansaldo TL-37 light tractor
Truck - Light Flak - Spa AS-37 flak

Armoured Truck - Light Gun - Autoprotetto S.37 with 47mm L.32 anti-tank gun or  Camionetta AS 42 Cannone da 47/32

APC 1 - Fiat 665NM protetto
APC 2 - Fiat 665NM protetto

Light AT Gun -  Cannone da 47/32 Elefantino
Medium AT Gun - Cannone da 75/39

(And yes, I'll add a suitable header image to this thread eventually so y'all aren't immediately greeted by a wall of text  )

[BillK]

Very nice.
Looking forward to following your posts on this project.

[SABOT]

Cracking  job. Will be watching for more too. 👍

[FlyXwire]

This is a treat, and great to see these concept threads on the forum, plus to read about the background research invested to bring the project live!

I've got a modest winter-WW2 effort in mind (waiting for my TerrainCrate KS stuff yet to arrive), and so will be enjoying seeing your reveals here Wyrmalla!

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice work.

[Wyrmalla]

I guess up next we'll have a look at some of my Soviets. At least the one which don't take shifting a whole pile of boxes to shuffle out.

Currently the Soviet infantry are in a state of flux as I consider replacing them with another range. Most of the figures are from Artizan Designs, which are looking a bit too large for where the rest of the models I'm using have been leaning. I've been replacing them with the odd smaller scale figure from Black Tree (with head/ hand swaps), but appropriately scaled models - particularly in snow suits are hard to come by.



Bad Squiddo Games do some female Soviets which I've picked up. They don't really lend themselves to being converted to wear snow suits from what I've managed though. But form about a third of the platoon so far. These too may wind up being replaced in the future.



Rubicon Models range may be an option - albeit an expensive one. Eureka could do as well. I know Offensive Miniatures have said they're considering doing Soviets as well. Its a pity the Perrys focus on the Western Desert and don't have a Soviet range. For now though my Soviet platoon's painted, so not a priority for replacement yet.

More infantry pictures to come once I get around to pulling their box out from under the stack of figures cases. Moving on, vehicles.

I went with a pre-war BA-20 to fill the Machine Gun armed Armoured Car slot in my collection. The Soviets went fairly heavy with their Armoured Car's weaponry during the war, so finding this sort of thing has been a bit difficult (I'm considering going with captured foreign cars in order to find one armed with an autocannon). This model's a 3D print. ...I'll find wherever the gun went off to at some stage. 



Something else light - a T-38 Amphibious tank. Functioning as the force's tankette. I'll probably add a second one of these with a bedframe antenna to serve as an artillery observation vehicle in games at some stage. ...And well just an excuse to have more tankettes (Paint and Glue Miniatures, where I get most of my 3D prints, sells their tankettes pretty cheap too...). This is another 3D print - done up in a scheme used in Ukraine.



Breaking up the 3D prints a bit (don't worry, there's more coming - I've become a cheapskate in my old age), this is one of the latest "Soviet" tanks painted. A Panzer III under new management. In another life it had sloped armoured and was part of my alt-history collection. Tearing all the plasticard off I set about rebuilding the original vehicle - ah, which explains some of the inconsistencies. I have a spare turret so it can be used as a German vehicle too  - though I have a Panzer III being painted for them as well (which is even more of a gypsy wagon). This one's by Rubicon Models with a commander by Bad Squiddo Games.





Right, back to the 3D prints. Before the Soviets made indigenous SU-76 tank destroyers they were converting captured Panzer IIIs; called the SU-76i. They only did this for so long before production could be ramped up on the T-70 based model however, similar to what happened with the SG-122 - a predecessor to the SU-122 which also used the Panzer III chassis (something else I have in the works). I'm a big fan of StuGs, so I had to fit this into the force somehow.



And an actual Su-76. I left this one pretty basic, bar adding a tarp over the crew compartment to save the work bringing the 3D printed details up to snuff. Starting out I'd been leaving my Soviet vehicles with factory paint jobs so as to easily differentiate them from the white German vehicles in games. Now that I have more than two forces that's subject to change though.



This one is the first vehicle I bought for the Soviets. Which may explain why it cost more than £10... Its a resin BT-7 from Warlord Games. A surprisingly long tank when compared to things like the Panzer 38(t) which its usually coming up against in games. The loveheart unit marking looks rather French - I nabbed it from a period photo though. No idea what the historical context was.



Another rehabilitated tank which had to be torn up and rebuilt as it was previously something else. Which has left this particular T-34 looking pretty rough. Ah, par for the course with T-34s then. On this and the next vehicle the invasion stripes may not be period correct (the white crosses were used at Berlin for identification by foreign Allied aircraft, as opposed to the single lines seen earlier in the war). However, whilst just there because they look cool, I'll explain them away as being a variant of the common markings in use with a particular unit.




Ah, now for something which was another case of "seemed like a cool idea". A rare IS-1 tank. Most of these would be converted into IS-2s fairly quickly in the real world, but those are a bit too heavy for the games I play, so I went ahead and downgraded a Warlord Games IS-2 kit into this. That involved remodelling the front of the hull and replacing the gun and mantlet cover. You'd not really notice unless placed besides an IS-2 to be fair. As with the Panzer III it also has a commander from Bad Squiddo (for even more historical accuracy!).




Now that I've found another Panther for my Germans (...yeah I just find spare kits in my bits boxes...) this will likely be joined by something like an up-armoured KV-85 at some stage.
So far that's most of the completed Soviet vehicles. There's many more still in various states of completion to work through of course. At the end of this post again is the list of what I have planned for those interested. Admitedly its always the vehicles which I like collecting with each project, which is why there's just so many for such a small force.

Next up - the Germans I think.

So here's something German. Another case of - I have it so I'll use it - a captured Humber Scout Car now done up in their colours. I couldn't find any historical records of this happening - unless an old movie prop counts. Nor is there much explanation on how this thing made it to the Eastern Front (must have picked it up in Italy or something). But the Germans seemed like the most likely to have one of these out of my forces, so they're the ones who nabbed it. This one's by Warlord Games - sans the Michael Caine commander figure.



Soviet Vehicles:

Armoured Car - MG - BA-20
Armoured Car - Autocannon -Sd.kfz 222  or Landsverk  L180/ L181
Armoured Car - Light Gun - BA-6
Armoured Car - Radio Vehicle - BA-20 Bed Frame antenna  or T-38u

Tankette - MG - T-38

Light Tank 1- Light Gun - BT-7
Light Tank 2- Light Gun -  BT-5
Light Tank - Autocannon - T-60
Light Tank - Flamethrower -  KhT-133

Medium Tank - Light Gun - Panzer III
Medium Tank 1- Medium Gun - T-34/76
Medium Tank 2- Medium Gun - T-34/76
Medium Tank - Heavy Gun -  T-34/85

Heavy Tank - Light Gun - *Matilda II
Heavy Tank - Medium Gun -  Churchill III/ IV or Matilda II CS or KV-1
Heavy Tank - Heavy Gun - IS-1

Tank Destroyer 1- Medium Gun - SU-76i
Tank Destroyer 2- Medium Gun -  SU-76i
Tank Destroyer - Heavy Gun - SU-85

SPG - Medium Gun 1 -  SU-76M
SPG - Howitzer - SG 122

Rocket Launcher - T-40 Katushka
Truck - Light Flak - STZ-5 with Quad Maxim
Truck - Medium Flak - Gaz AAA with 37mm Flak

Armoured Truck - Light Gun -  American Half Track 50mm SPG
Armoured Truck - Medium Gun - Zis 30

Light AT Gun -  45mm
Medium AT Gun -  Zis-3

[Marine0846]

You are to great start.
Fine painting on the Russia armor.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice work.

[Wyrmalla]

Now onto the Germans.

My German force are mostly based around Offensive Miniatures range. Kitted out in their distinctive parkhas. Originally I was using Heer46's similar line, but found them far too chunky for my tastes (some pictures of them below regardless). Their poses are a bit more interesting too. Along with these are some conversions of other ranges like the Perry's.

The old Heer46 models








And what I'm currently using:








As I'm going for a setting around about the start of 1944 (even if I'm willing to make that a bit fluid in cases) I had to retrograde a feel bits and pieces. My Panzerschreck for instances have what look like field produced blast shields, rather than the later factory made ones. I did this after the models were originally painted - otherwise I would have gone with Empress' Miniatures figures which are designed to represent these earlier models (as do they come with ammunition bearers. I'll likely wind up picking them up for my Romanians and modifying them. Eugh, though Romania used the later model with the blast shield). 



And instead of Stg-44s I have a squad of figures aren't with experimental MKb 42(H) automatic rifles. They're made from Achtung Cthulhu! Black Sun troopers (ah, and in need of  an updated paint job). Something like 10,000 of those guns were issued around the time of Stalingrad -  for all that they're represented in wargames systems and the media (for all they just love automatic weaponry...). I have a squad of six of these guys for games as some specialist infantry to cover the German Platoon only having 3 squads compared to the Soviet 4 in a platoon.



The medic's a conversion of a Perry Miniature paratrooper figure. On a note of specialist troops there's some plans for a few types. Germans and Soviets wearing armoured vests. Romanian Mountain troops in snow suits with berets. Perhaps some allied Cossacks for the Germans, or RNNA style troops wearing Soviet gear (though the RNNA was disbanded by this time, and later organisations wore German uniforms). Not sure what to go with for the Italians as they're already an elite force of Alpini.

My German riflemen need a last touch up before they're done, so it'll be a bit before I post more pictures of the platoon. That's fine though, as of course they have vehicles already painted for them.

Starting out with the heavies first. A KV-1 upgraded with a German Kwk 40 from a Panzer IV. Its inspired by a real field conversion - albeit with the commander's cupola mounted in the wrong place (...this is an old conversion). I touched up its paint job a bit and just need to find a suitable commander figure to call it done. This one's by Warlord Games.



A Panther Ausf.D. I deliberately went with the early model so it could be used along with older vehicles. The model's from Rubicon and has a few innacuracies, which I mostly got around just by adding more stowage rather than messing with the details (adding a loader's hatch to the left of the turret for instance). Tsk, sorry for having just the rear facing image of this. There'll be more pictures of everything in future once I can get past this initial image dump.



I have a second Panther - an Aus.A with Zimmerit - being built currently. Zimmerit's a difficult topic for this collection. For accuracy many of the models coming into service new in 1944 would have had it, as would existing ones be modified in the field. It wasn't universal either. So they can be used for earlier and later games I've chosen to leave it off of most of these models. Eugh, and its a right pain to sculpt at times. And similarly an arse to research which patterns were being used at which plants then match them to the vehicles (or just give up on that and apply it like it was in the field, looking like a right mess...).



Not quite so heavy. A Renault UE with a Wurframen rocket system. These found themselves being used at Kursk, possibly later. This one's the earlier model with the side mounted frame, as opposed to one over the rear cargo bed which Warlord makes a model of. I'd considered going for a H-35 or Panzer I as the basis for this system, but they seemed a bit overkill for games with its turret (this will likely just be an objective market though. I think they even stuck these on Panzer IIIs). Its a 3D print with Wurframen by Rubicon. Other forces will have their own rocket systems once I can do some research on them and find suitable models - the Soviets are getting a T-40 based one with the rockets on its turret.



I probably aught to add some insignia on this thing looking at it now. 

An Sd.kfz 251 Ausf.D with sPzb 41 recoilless rifle. No official variant mounting this weapon was in service, but I found one conversion from Normady matching this, so it could happen I guess. The model's by Rubicon, and I threw it together really just as I had the bits there (you get two in a box).



Another truck. ...Um, this one with tracks. This time it was originally Soviet. A Voroshilovets artillery tractor with a German quad flak on the back. Its a work in progress still needing more crew and stowage. A 3D print with a rebuilt cargo bed and gun from Rubicon Models. The first in a planned set of flak trucks (I have a Soviet one done too, sans the gun, as I try and source suitable pieces).



Speaking of 3D prints. Horribly dated for front line service. I guess its performing recce or been dragged away from security duties. An Sd.kfz 221 - as well, the Germans withdrew most of their other machine gun armed armoured cars for training duties early on.  I added some bits from Rubicon to the 3D print, along with a pile of stowage by Black Dog.




A StuG III Ausf.C  done up with concrete armour. Obviously modified in some shop somewhere to include elements of the later models. Again with stowage from Black Dog tat the back. Spare tracks are by Die Waffenkammer - and an element which I've been using to set my German vehicles apart from German vehicles in foreign service (ah, at least I intended to, but rule of cool doesn't always let me in the odd case...).




A StuiG 33b. Still surviving after the Battle of Stalingrad. A few of these did in fact, though in retrospect I aught to have gone with a captured SU-122 or Sturmpanzer 43 (hell, I may do anyway). More Black Dog stowage at the back there (1/48th scale, which is really hit and miss with these 1/56th scale miniatures and needs work to fit).



Here's a fairly bedraggled looking Panzer 38(t). At this stage you may have noticed that I like a certain look with my vehicles. Grimy as hell and carrying everything and the kitchen sink (damn, I have 28mm sinks somewhere...). I've been meaning to replace the barrel, but haven't quite yet (the Soviets, among others, did consider upgrading the guns on these. This one just looks dumb though).




And last here's the first German vehicle I made for this current iteration of my WWII collection. Warlord Game's Marder III. In case you wonder where the bar was set with the grime. I believe the crew started out as Warlord's Soviet figures, but its been a while. Since making this I've been wanting to make more of the Marder series in particular one of the pre-production prototypes fitted with a StuG's short 75mm which went off to the Eastern Front to fight.




More to come as its painted. Further posts aren't going to have as many models as I'm running out of the finished stuff. But I'll probably go more into the background of certain weird vehicles or random stuff once its less about just dumping all of these images.

Again here's the list of vehicles which I've been working from. I'm thinking of switching out the Panzer II for a Panzer 38(t) with 2cm autocannon which would be more period correct, then using the Panzer II for ...something (maybe that BA-10 which had bits of the II's turret stuck on).

Germany:
Armoured Car - MG - Sd.Kfz 221
Armoured Car - Autocannon -  sd.kfz 234/1
Armoured Car - Light Gun -  sd.kfz 234/2
Armoured Car - Radio Vehicle -   Panzer I command or sd.kfz 223

Tankette - MG -  AMR 35

Light Tank 1- Light Gun - Panzer 38t
Light Tank 2- Light Gun -  7TP
Light Tank - Autocannon - Panzer II

Medium Tank - Light Gun - Panzer III
Medium Tank 1- Medium Gun - Panzer IV
Medium Tank 2- Medium Gun - T-34/76
Medium Tank - Heavy Gun - T-34/85

Heavy Tank - Medium Gun - KV 1 mit L/40
Heavy Tank - Heavy Gun - Panther

Tank Destroyer 1- Medium Gun - StuG III
Tank Destroyer 2- Medium Gun - StuG IV
Tank Destroyer - Heavy Gun - SU-85 or Jagdpanzer IV L/70
 
SPG - Light Gun - komsomolets mit Pak 36
SPG - Medium Gun 1 - Marder III
SPG - Howitzer - Sig 33(b)

Rocket Launcher - Renault UE mit Wurframen 40
Truck - Light Flak -mRSO/ STZ with Flak 30
Truck - Medium Flak - Maultier with 20mm Quad Flak

Armoured Truck - Light Gun - Sd.kfz 251 panzerbusche 41
Armoured Truck - Medium Gun - Sd.kfz 234/4

APC 2 - Armoured Sd.kfz 6

Light AT Gun - Panzerbusche 41
Medium AT Gun - Pak 40

[Wyrmalla]

Now onto the Romanians.

Thus far my Romanian force is something that's "coming along". Originally I was using the Great Escape Games figures in Winter Dress, but more recently have decided to replace them. I hadn't managed to finish painting the first lot though, so there's not much to show with them.

The other ranges which I'm now using aren't wearing Winter clothing which means that they're due to be converted. The plan's to kit them out wearing things like fur coats, rain ponchos and the odd snow suit. With the actual figures being a mix of Gothic Line and Tsuba Miniatures Romanians, with a few from other Nations by other companies.

With their vehicles I've spent a good amount of time scouring online sources and books trying to work out just what they actually used. Even the better material on the subject often conflicts with each other, isn't clear, or disproven when you find a random period photo on a random forum. Here's what I've managed to paint thus far.


Getting the silliness out of the way. Here's a Tiger I in Romanian service. Romania captured a pair of Tigers from the Germans after they had switched sides. They didn't see combat however as the Soviets quickly seized them. I had this Tiger going spare at the time so decided to do this up as a "what if".

As a historical note Romania did capture KV-1 and IS-2 from the Soviets. And received Panthers post-war. The Soviet tanks don't fit the profile I'm looking or, as am I trying to strive for each force having its own tanks rather than using Allied ones (which may have to change in future). If further research does come up with a heavy tank armed with a long 75mm, 85mm or 88mm gun though this will be replaced.



Right, now that little distraction is covered, here's something else with historical questionability. ...Ah, at least this one may have seen service.

Romania had stocks of R35s dating back before the war. When they actually got involved in the fighting they were obsolete. Plans were made to upgrade them, with eventually the Vânătorul de Care R35 project coming around. This involved fitting a T-26's 45mm gun in a modified R35 turret. Prior to that however there's speculation that prototypes were made fitting T-26 turrets to the chassis. Photographs of these may exist, but its speculated whether they represent Romanian or German conversions (who also performed a similar modification).



Ideally I want my Romanians to be equipped with vehicles suitable throughout the war. Which makes the production conversion less desirable  as they were only used after Romania switched sides. This one's just a side project - I kept the original turret so it could be fielded as an original R35 in most games (I'll pull the turret for a captured BA-10 armoured car or something).
 
Here's a Polish WZ-34 in Romanian service. I managed to find one source claiming that Romania managed to seize these from fleeing Polish toops early in the war and went onto use them for internal security duties. Though it didn't go into detail on which particular model of the vehicle which was captured, so I chose to go with this one with the angled rear armour.

There's other accounts of Polish vehicles being seized by Romanian forces, but I couldn't find anything about it actually being used. So no 7TPs for Romania unfortunately.




This one's a Czech built AH-IV tankette, with a modified version being known as the AH-IV-R or Praga R-1A in Romanian use. They were used for training by Romania and there's little information on their potential combat use. Without finding a suitable alternative to represent a turreted tankette though it was my best option (I did find some info on the Polish TKD tankette in Romanian use, but it lacks the turret. Germany did field loads of those things as armoured carriers though. As did Romania use captured Komsomolets armoured tractors).




Filling out the force's command vehicle role I went with a German Sd.kfz 250/5. Romania received a few Sd.kfz 250 an 251 of numerous variants late into the war from Germany, along with other things like Panzer III, IV , Stug III and Sd.kfz 222/223 (as was Romanian license building German trucks). Its painted in a generic scheme so it can also be used by my Germans as necessary - as did Romania leave their foreign provided equipment in its base paint scheme from what I've read (rather than painting it in their standard green). For games I’d like command vehicles to be quite obvious. Whilst I could go for whip antenna – as was popular later in the war – where possible I’m using these “bed frame” ones. Its a pain though as for the Soviets I’m having to go back to pre-war models for something suitable (and its just impossible with the Italians).



So far that's what I've managed for my limited Romanian armoured section. Due to them now needing a complete re-do of their infantry the force has fallen down the priority list on my painting table. But I have a lot more Romanian vehicles than I do for my Italians, so its likely that they'll see combat before that force does.

Oh, and as a last thing, here's the Romanian Maresal Tank Destroyer which I had posted in the other thread here. There's more information over there about this vehicle for those who are interested. Suffice to say that this one may find itself used in games if I don't manage to discover a source confirming any SU-85s or similarly armed vehicles were ever fielded by Romania.



Again here's a list of the current and projected vehicles I'm looking to have in this collection.  In case anyone of you can give or need some pointers on the subject.


Romania:

Armoured Car - MG - Wz-34
Armoured Car - Autocannon - Autoblinda 41
Armoured Car - Light Gun - BA-10
Armoured Car - Radio Vehicle -  sd.kfz 250/5

Tankette - MG - CKD Ro-1 (Praga R-1)

Light Tank 1- Light Gun -  R35
Light Tank 2- Light Gun -   m3 Stuart
Light Tank - Autocannon - T-60

Medium Tank - Light Gun -  Valentine III or  Turan
Medium Tank 1- Medium Gun - Panzer IV
Medium Tank 2- Medium Gun - Panzer IV

Heavy Tank - Medium Gun -  KV-1
Heavy Tank - Heavy Gun - Tiger I (non historically accurate )

Tank Destroyer 1- Medium Gun - StuG III
Tank Destroyer 2- Medium Gun - StuG III
Tank Destroyer - Heavy Gun - Maresal (non historically accurate ) or SU-85 (no sources found)

SPG - Medium Gun - Tacam R2
SPG - Howitzer -  43M Zrínyi / SU-122(no sources found)

Rocket Launcher -   STZ-5 with Katusyka(no sources found)
Truck - Light Flak - RSO with Flak 30(no sources found - did use RSO/ Flak 30 however)
Truck - Medium Flak -  -Maultier with 40mm Bofors (gun might not be heavy enough) - again no sources found, but used both vehicles

Armoured Truck - Light Gun -  Sd.kfz 250 Pak 36
Armoured Truck - Medium Gun -  Sd.kfz 251 Stummel

APC 1 -  Sd.kfz 251
APC 2 -  Sd.kfz 251 / m3 half track

Light AT Gun -  Bofors 37 mm anti-tank gun
Medium AT Gun -75mm (F22)

[FreakyFenton]

Following with interest! Looking great thus far!

[Wyrmalla]

Well after anther "brief" period of procrastination, here's what I've been up to since my last time posting in this thread.

Over the past few months things have progressed a bit with this project. With the infantry I'm nearly done with the basic platoons - though that's been delayed a bit after deciding to re-do the Soviets with another set of figures. The vehicles are their sporadic selves, with just a bit of everything coming along. I've started on artillery pieces too. Terrain's been what's been the most static (and you may see a part of the railways I'm starting on in the background of some images - though its still a ways off from being done).

So, here's what I've been up to. Starting with the Soviets.


Odessa NI "Tanks"



During the siege of Odessa in 1941 the Soviets in Ukrainian were in dire need for armoured vehicles. With little in the way of assets they were forced to throw together these "tanks" based on the STZ-5 artillery tractor using what equipment was left over at the January Uprising Factory.

These vehicles followed the same general design and came with a mish mash of armaments mounted in pre-existing T-26 or manufactured turrets. Machine guns, autocannons, light tank cannons. Around 69 were built, with typically many being lost in the fighting.



How that relates to this thread is that some of these survived the fighting. Falling into Romanian hands. Information on their use is rather scant however - with the most I've managed to find is them being mentioned as being in Romanian inventory at the end of 1942.

Its unlikely that they lasted much longer tha that, which perhaps means that they aren't so relevant for this 1943/44 project. The opportunity was there for me to add them to the collection though.




Both of these are 3D printed vehicles, bought from Paint and Glue Miniatures. I'd replaced the printed turrets with ones from Rubicon's T-26 kit - fitted with machine guns (though the real vehicles had anything up to 45mm guns squeezed into those turrets). As potentially these could be used for both the Romanians and the Soviets I chose to leave off any insignia. They're obscure and distinctive enough a vehicle that it may not have been necessary in the field to bother with markings either anyway.

In games they'd be little better than tankettes, and that's how they'll be used. Enough to stop rifle or machine gun bullets and little else...


ZiS-30



Another vehicle born out of necessity during the initial fighting in the Soviet Union. The Soviets produced this light tank destroyer by mounting a ZiS-2 artillery piece onto the T-20 Komsomolets Artillery Tractor in 1941.

Their guns were powerful, but that couldn't be said for defensive capabilities of the chassis, with the crew being suceptable to almost all forms of incomming enemy fire. And so whilst they proved themselves in combat, there was hardly any left in service by 1942 - through combat, or just breaking down. That said, some were still listed in inventory as late as 1944.



Paint and Glue sell a ZiS-30. I used that - mated with a ZiS-2 and its crew from Warlord Games to produce this. The gunshield and a few other details are plasticard. Warlord produces a Zis-30 themselves, however its rather pricey for such a small vehicle, and lacks several details the real vehicles had (being pretty much the original gun stuck on a modified tractor).




Originally I'd decided to make this just as I like the look of the tractors and wanted a few. It was only later with some researching that I turned up some evidence of some still fighting on into 1944 - which would make one suitable for this project. Like the real vehicles this sort of thing would be pretty dire in actual combat - outside of being used in ambushes - but still, that'd just mean it would need to be used correctly.

This isn't the only T-20 based gun carrier which I have planned. There's a German one finished as well. But I also came across another possible Soviet variant. One armed with a "45mm" gun. Its only the one source (found on the Axis History Forum), and the author may have been confusing the vehicles with those armed with the 57mm ZiS-2 the Zis-30 had. However its enough to go on to inspire a plausible field conversion. So one of those will be in the works once I can order another T-20.

The quote: "(PTO artillery (3SP) on "Komsomolets" tractors terrified the enemy, who took them for tanks and later against tank 45 mm. guns on "Komsomolets" tractors)"


BM-8-24 T-60



In 1941 the Soviets converted around 44 T-40s and T-60s to mount the BM-8-24 Rocket system.  Turning them into an armoured variant of the more common truck mounted "Katyusha"

Light tanks like the T-60 at the time weren't obsolete, and were roughly comparable or better to what other Nations at the time were using in a reconnaissance role. But this type of vehicle would fall out of favour in Soviet doctine - with heavier vehicles being proposed to replace them (such as the LTTB). In the T-60's original guise it would see use through to the end of the war, as would conversions based on the chassis.



Another 3D print. The print comes without the rockets, which were made from plasticard. This is one which I may come back to and give a white wash. As it looks a bit too dirty for my tastes.




One of those "seems cool - I want one" projects. The model will more likely see use with its original Autocannon armed turret as a light tank. As, well, even with the rockets elevated to the horizontal position on the model, they'd still be firing at point blank range on a 6x4 table.


T-34



By late 1943/ early 1944, the T-34/85 hadn't yet entered service. And so to that end the bulk of my T-34s will be armed with the 76mm guns. Originally this one had actually been a late model T-34/57. However I reconsidered and converted it back to being a 76mm armed variant so it could see more use.

This particular model is the so called model 1942, though its really just a mish mash of parts. It was originally made from Rubicon's kit, and in another life was going to be used for my alt-history collection. With some time spent turning it back into a bog stanadard T-34, that left me with this slightly decrepit looking tank (though perhaps in a bit better state than the other one I have). I'd actually painted it up as a beutepanzer first, before giving it a white wash and returning it to Soviet use. Thinking back, I should have left the German cupola - as some did see service them after being re-captured. It would have been an odd little detail.




STZ-5 with Quad Maxim



Lastly for what's done so far for the Soviet's vehicle pool - some AA support. In this case an STZ-5 artillery tractor in its original guise - instead of being turned into a NI Tank.

With this collection I'd like to represent some unarmoured vehicles, not just the usual tanks and assault guns. As I'm not looking to put together forces which care too much about a points system or what's the best unit out there. Its fine to play with asymmetric forces. One side could be a reconnaisance section, whilst the other's say a ressuply element for a tank group - its who takes the game's objectives which matters more.




This model's one more 3D print, with the gun and crew being out the box Rubicon models. The Maxim was a complete arse to put together, and with Rubicon no longer selling them pre-assembled I don't think that I'll be buying another (you know your kits complicated when you need to sell it half built...). Oh, and I'd rebuilt the rear bed out of plasticard as the original print's was as chunky as lego.

Just one more Flak truck. All of my forces will hopefully have something like this (armed with light or heavier guns) - we'll just have to see if being completely unarmoured makes them popular. There was one field conversion sticking a Zis-3 on one of these I believe, ah, but that may be a bit silly.
(Oh, did I mention that I'm making a Pak 38 stuck onto a RSO tractor? They had to tear the top of the cab off to make it fit...)


That's your lot for my Soviets at the moment. Progress is being made on the infantry - after I decided to sell off the Artizan figures (pictured earlier in this thread), as they just don't match my tastes with their proportions. A series of artillery pieces are in the works now too. The main hurdle with them is finding appropriate crew. The Soviets oddly don't seem to be that popular when it comes to companies making artillery pieces for them - at least compared to the Germans (though that's a given). So finding suitable crews isn't always ideal, especially in Winter clothing. I'm managing though. They just aren't a priority compared to all the tanks...


Right, I'll take a break and write up a post for what I've managed for some of the other armies I've been collecting. There's your lot for tonight (well, maybe not).

[carlos marighela]

Very nice work but there wasn't much of the ENR fighting in Russia in 1944 and I'm reasonably sure none of the handful that remained were Alpini, engineers and non-combat forces as I understood it. Most of the Italian forces were withdrawn in early 1943 after the disaster at Stalingrad and Italy surrendered in Sept '43.

The rump fascists had rather too much on their hands to send significant forces to Russia even had they been so inclined.

[Wyrmalla]

Oh exactly. These RSI are more aimed for anti-partisan fighting to be honest. And are to an extent fictitious to suit having a force at all.

Though I do recall reading that there were Italians fighting the Soviets till the end of the war. Having been caught up with the Germans throughout their retreat. Making it as far as the battles in Germany. So these are perhaps more of an Italian force under German command, than directly under the RSI.

Would those forces have been as coherent as what I'm representing? Probably not. In a given game though it'd just be some infantry with possibly the the odd vehicle. Hardly a substantive fighting force in the scheme of things. I am fudging things a bit by allowing them certain things though. As objectively the better equipment the RSI did have was limited to the fighting in Italy. Altogether however, most of the vehicles which my Italians have are all pre-1943, with one or two exceptions.

[fred]

Missed this thread earlier in the year, so with the update,  I’ve had loads of eye candy to work through. What a great set of models and troops, I really like the grimey snowy look you have with them, and also the wide variety of kit you are bringing in. The Humber made me do a double take - but the Germans used everything they could get their hands on, and its small enough to have been loaded on a train and shipped with the troops (perhaps!)