A crucial piece of the Ponyri Station battle strategy, the 27th Guards' hard-hitting KV-1 tanks make a fitting centerpiece for my Soviet defenders. In RAPID FIRE speak, the entire "regiment" is only 4 tanks, representing about 20 but should be enough to keep the German infantry at bay, at least until they can bring up their own tanks, including the feared and dreaded Ferdinands. Some of these are destined for other units but they're all getting the "Guards" crest on them.
To make this force truly motley, I did not paint all of the tanks in the same colors, choosing to differentiate with various greens that I had laying around. For instance, #112 below, the command tank, is FOW "tankovy green" one of my favorites, and washed with a black ink.
Some of the tanks have not yet been washed or drybrushed/weathered! I just wanted to get a post out there to show that this machine is moving forward.
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| patriotic Soviet infantrymen for scale |
All of the models are Zvezda 1/100 plastic snap kits and go together in under 4 minutes.
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| #113 is painted in my favorite Soviet green, Krylon light olive. He does not yet have his wash on. |
Tracks are mostly German Camo black-brown as I love that for track coloring.
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| Clean as whistle, da? |
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| I was playing around with battle damage on the turret side. |
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| Class of'43 Assembled and ready for battle comrade commander! |
This is also the first time i played around with Micro-Sol which, at least to me, smelled like vinegar.
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| The vehicles on the far left, #150 and #309 are krylon light olive, heavy drybrushed with sandstone, and then washed with "agrax earthshade" which gives a nice, oily dirty look to them. This is the same treatment 110, 111, and 113 will get. |
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| 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 1019th Rifles behind them! |
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| sufficiently dirty |
and.... surprise? someone in "wargame hull defilade" peeking out?
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| mean, green machine! |
Interestin' surprise ya got there, Boss.
ReplyDeleteI like how it turned out. Couldnt resist putting him on the table :)
DeleteMighty Soviet steel indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul! The hordes are coming together for the big push!
DeleteLooking good. I'd like to try RF so let me know when you want to play.
ReplyDeleteKen, i like RF very much especially for "big" battles like what im planning for Ponyri Station. I also feel that it gives historically plausible results and is based on historical OOBs which i really love.
DeleteWe can do a smaller game any time you want. The games play fairly quickly.
There us also a great modern version called "able archer" that's alot if fun. Gives battle on a slightly bigger scale than TY but much fun.
KV's I have always loved a KV!
ReplyDeleteI think it stems from watching all of those documentaries from the 1970s and 80s with the English accented narrators and the devastating footage of the carnage in the Eastern front.
Thanks buddy - you mean like this:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7qP0RyjvvA
I've probably watched it a thousand times :)
Fantastic work Steve. If I wasn't so busy right now, I'd be looking at giving Rapid Fire a go myself...but free will come soon :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Darren. I hear you. 2 little ones in the house and new work schedule and most of my free time has dried up!!! I paint when I can and game when I can.
DeleteI am really liking Rapid Fire however. Very easy and uncomplicated game. Gives an all-arms feeling, and still has a very "toy soldier" feel to it, all while using historical OOBs and hones a sophisticated and elegant use of support networks like signals, artillery, forward supply, even medical services. I think it's just what I've been looking for after the "rules fatigue" of the last few years.