My latest buy of 15mm models for Flames of war are the
Soviet partisans. I like the thought of using these for a
stab in the back when playing wargames on the eastern
front. This forces will be able to deliver a heavy blow
when necessary. The force contain self-propelled
guns(lend lease), SU76i(german tanks that has been
converted after the defeat in Stalingrad), armoured
cars. The figures looks real nice and I will try to
paint them all in 2021.
As a young boy I went for a visit at my mothers office and this
affected my interest for models and the hobby in general.
This was when I was 7-8 years old back in the 1980-ies.
My mother worked at weekly magazine writing about dishes
and cooking. Two persons at the office that were both working with
the layout and the graphics had lined up both model airplanes and
tanks and that catched my eye for ever. The first person Bertil
also offered me to take over all his old models in various
condition but I didn´t care if they were handed in pieces because
I was overwhelmed. To mention a few of the models I got for a
present was a german Panther Ausf D with moving tracks in 1/16-scale
and a british Hawker hurricane in the 1/32-scale together with a
lot of tanks in 1/48 scale but also small planes in 1/72-scale.
Very nice gifts indeed but I am sad to say that nothing of these
has lived on to present days. I also wish that Bertil could read
this report and see how much his presents meant to me and also
affected my hobby-interest but he passed away several years ago.
The next person that really have influenced me is Tor that is
one of the most enthusiastic person I know and he is also a walking
library in swedish aero-history. The first time I met Tor he had
lined upp two planes from World war 1 at his office and I know that
one of these was a german tri-plane and the other a english biplane.
Which model I can´t tell because I don´t remember and I have asked
Tor about this but his memory was short in this case.
A couple of weeks ago I found 3 very nice modelplanes to be mounted
on holders to get the feeling on flying.
Just looking on these old model-kits made me remember myself as a
young boy full of enthusiasm and joy and I couldn´t resist buying
these for a very reasonable price of 4 Euros each.
One french Nieuport 17, one english Sopwith triplane and finally
one german Fokker D VII.The kits looks o.k and when scaning on the
internet I have seen some very nice builds.
I am really looking forward building these kits and place them on
one of the shelf in my office and maybe I will also influence anybody
outhere young or old.
Next report will show the planes assembled and painted.
To play the game Flames of war it is the diversity that
is half of good experience.
To give my 15mm soviets an extra edge I will use Spetznaz-units.
In the rule book they drive stolen Sdkfz 251/252 and a
Sdkfz 250(command vehicle) but I will use M3 halftrack and
a the Sdkfz 250. The M3 was a part of lend-lease between
the allies and I like the vehicle a lot and it is a nice model.
When I asked in a forum for Flames of war I also was offered
two M16(quad-MG AA) and
one M15A1 (double MG and one 37mm gun) for only 4 Euros
and 3 M4-shermans for 1 Euro each. A great second hand-deal
but it will need some fixing.On the M16 AA two 50-cal
MG´s are missing and will be scratchbuilt.
The shermans are divided in two tanks with the smaller 75mm
gun and only one 76mm and I will either modify the two to look
like the bigger version or try to buy two 76mm-towers.
The two M3-half tracks are still mounted on the sprue and looks like
real nice models and fun to build.
The 3 AA-guns above were a very powerful threat to all german
aircrafts and in the rule book(version 3) it is written that you can use
this together with your HQ and this I will.
I already got a lot of soviets and models in my collection but
I have learnt the "hard" way that a armour-attack without a
"solid" spearhead often loose momentum.
To adjust this I have invested in 4 heavy tanks named JS-2 from
Plastic soldier company. All the tanks are originally fitted with
Dshk-anti aircraft MG but only one "survived" the trip in the
package so I will have to improvise the rest.
These JS-2 together with ISU-122 (I have 5) will be a heavy punch
to any defending germans in the trenches...
I also bought one Katuysha BM-13 to have a complete artillery-barrage
of 8 trucks.
Last but not least I got some PBI to fill up my ranks.I am not very fond
of plastic-figures but to fit my russian artillery and staff they will
do. As soon as I have painted all my soviet models and miniatures
I will make a complete lign up but until then stay tuned. :)
This week I have come across sime more soviets
to complete my collection.
The seller was real bad in making a package to send but
I have manage to repair and save the most of the models.
The package contained 5 tank-killers (SU-85) and two
Anti aircraft guns(85mm)and two rocketlaunchers fitted
on Studebaker US6-trucks (BM-31-12).
And also some russian tank-riders.
The tank-killers could be used as SU-85 or the more powerful
SU-100 and they are a big threat to any enemy-tank placed on
the gaming-table.
The AA-guns also have a versatile role and can be placed as
either AA or a devastating anti-tank cannon. I already have two
of the AA 85mm and together they will form a company-formation.
The Andryusha-rocketlaunchers are a devastating artillery-weapon
and can grind down the most dug in stronghold if they only have
the time to fire without any counterattacks.This truck-mounted
rocketlauncher is the predecessor of the famous Katyusha BM-13-16
rocketlauncher but upgraded and arrived to the front in 1944.
The number of rockets are only 12 from originally 16 but the range
is 4235m(earlier 2800m) and the calibre of the rocket is also stronger
from originally 130mm to 300mm.
Last but not least are the tankriders that looks very good and give the
big formations of my T-34/85-tanks the right edge.
In this very moment I am waiting for the final delivery of my second-
hand buys and this will be written about in my next report. To be continued. :)
Last but not least I have bought a machine-gun platoon in
the 15mm-scale. I have bought it for only 5 Euros on
second hand it is original Battle-front-figures.
The figures are Fallschirmjägers and the kit contains both
MG-34 and MG-42. I like the models and I think the will
look real good with some paint.
Next up is some soviet armour. To support an attack the
soviets used SU-76 and basically it is a anti-tank-cannon
on tracks and they are "cheap" to use in the game Flames
of war so I bought 5 of these from Gustavsson spel.
To make my small collection of T-34's complete I also
bought 5 of these lovely models from plastic soldier
company. Nice buys indeed.
In my big project: Flames of war, eastern front 1944-45 I
plan to recreate the battle for Seelow heights and the final
battle in Berlin. To make this more accurate I was earlier
in short of both german elite troops and infantry-supportweapons.
A week ago I came across a very nice second hand stock
of german tinsoldiers in the scale of 15mm.
The soldiers are very nice sculpted and I will paint them
as Fallschirmjägers, Waffen SS and Volksgrenadiere.
I also got a lot of Machineguns and Panzerfausts and this will
be much needed when trying to stop the red "storm".
In the package I also received 3 armoured cars (sdkfz 222).
I like these models very much and they will be used as recon.
A Marder III without gun will probably be a used as a
Munitionschlepper. Another gem is a 2cm AA-gun that will
be converted and much needed on the gaming table.
Very nice models and figures indeed. Next up will be some
paintjob of the PBI(poor bloody infantry). :)
