Assault guard and MMG's, LMG's and smg's

[David]

Hi
Does anybody have more pictures on Assault guard and MMG's, LMG's and SMG's ?




This site has some nice uniforms pictures
http://memoriasdelaguerracivil.blogspot.co.uk/p/uniformes-de-la-republica.html
http://agrupacionfare.es.tl/Guardia-de-Asalto.htm
http://ejercitorepublicano.wordpress.com/category/guardia-de-asalto/
Cheers
David

[Arlequín]

They are relatively few and far between unfortunately and until the Civil War began, they only had the Hotchkiss MMG as part of their arsenal, barring a few sub-machine guns of the 'Bergmann' type, its copies and some home-grown designs (Gollat MX 35, Star Si 35 etc), which are rarely seen in photos (so rare I've never seen any). The best I could do is this shot of a Guardia with a Mauser C.96, with the wooden holster/stock;



The following photo is from initial fighting in Barcelona 18th July (or so I'm led to believe). That they have acquired a Hotchkiss M.1922 and steel helmets, implies that they have seized these from an army arsenal literally on the day, as I've yet to find either of these mentioned as part of the AG's issue equipment prior to the Civil War (which naturally does not mean that they weren't, I've just not found it to be so).  



The Republicans were far more inclined to use the Assault Guards as front line combat troops and they acquired weapons from the stores of the now-disbanded Army to support this role, competing with the militias for them.

Those battalions of the 'police' (AG, GC and Carabineros) who went on to be part of the Republic's 'Army' and were eventually absorbed into the EPR, received imported weapons from various sources and from October 1936 were amongst the first units issued with Soviet weapons, which is the point beyond where your photos of the Maxim MMG and the Tokarev LMG derive from.

[Durutti]

A few pics from across the 1930s, interesting to see the guys in steel helmets again, not sure if they are army or Assaltos.

[Arlequín]

A few pics from across the 1930s, interesting to see the guys in steel helmets again, not sure if they are army or Assaltos.

One of them is at least, you can see his AG collar badge. On mine above, the guy with the Hotchkiss LMG has a baton, which the army did not carry.

Again the C.96 with its combi holster/stock fitted too... I thought my photo was a one-off, seems that this might be the 'regulation' use of that weapon.

[Durutti]

C.96 is standard issue, well it was in 1932



Like the fellows on the end, in the jackets with the fur collar!!



Also looks like the helmet was a standard issue item as well.

[David]

That's Great information.
I can do some Assault Guard with Helmets
Plus I will convert some figures with LMG's and MMG
I am away for the rest of the week, so I will spend some fun time to convert some figures.
Thanks
David

[Arlequín]

C.96 is standard issue, well it was in 1932...

Also looks like the helmet was a standard issue item as well.

The C.96 was licence-produced in Spain, as were a surprisingly large number of weapons... and indeed there is no arguing that the helmet must have an issue item, as that photo is definitely pre-Civil War. 

[WillieB]

Any idea what colour that Assalto helmet would be? It seems fairly light in comparison with the caps but with these old pictures you never know for certain.
More conversion possibilities!
I know there was a company that sold separate C96's together with other hand weapons in 28mm but can't remember which one.

[Arlequín]

Apparently the same blue-grey as their Bilbao armoured cars were supposed to be.



Seems a safe bet, but grey was also the colour of the Franco-era Cuerpo de Seguridad... so it might not necessarily be so. Army 'khaki' does not feel right either though, so maybe it was.

[WillieB]

Think I'll go for the blue -grey. If anything it will look spectacular.