Able Archer/ RFR rules (?) - Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 in 20mm (part 7) - The new Russian Tsirpan-S-1 arrives to the battlefront

At the moment Armory is the only brand producing the Pantsir-S-1 and soon Zvezda will release its own. After spending 100 euros in two Armory Pantsirs I decided enough is enough as the risk of the model´s price being intercepted by the controlling part of the family (wife). So I made my own Pantsir (named Tsirpan this time...) from a toy truck, finishing with three models of this type, enough for three BTGs. The other three hopefully will have either Strelas, Tunguskas, Buk or modernized Shilkas, depending on what I can find at reasonable prices. 

The model became a bit rustic as there is nothing better than a true model coming out from a nice box but, at the same time, these kind of projects gives me enormous pleasure to make. 

Now discover which is the true Pantsir and which is the Tsirpan?... Sure! You just found it due to the different 'Z', right?? Now seriously: the Armory model to the left was used as a direct matrix to make the toy one on the right. All measurements were carefully taken but even so some errors were made mostly because the cabin, from were everything started, was not an exact replica of the Armory cabin but just something with the general layout. In the end good news to my wife: the Armory model is 50 Euros (P&P included) and the Tsirpan came out at 2,5 euros! 

The general dimensions, specially the maximum length, were respected and this my main approach. From there everything derives and one or two millimeters difference is not very important as it is not noticeable on the wargames table.   

I only had five tires from the spare box that could be used in this model so I cast another four which became slightly... well, not a master piece, to say the least. 

This is the original toy truck I found in a Chinese shop. The cabin had a relatively resemblance to the Kamaz cabin of the Pantsir and about the same dimensions. 

To begin with, the cabin had to be broken at the front bottom and slightly bent as well as the mudguards. 

 

The toy chassis were also used. It was connected to the cabin with a piece of hard styrene. This was a problem as the chassis became a bit taller than it should. 

The wheels are mostly hidden in this model and were crudely attached to the body with a glue gun and super glue. 

Blocks of blue board were glued to the chassis and then covered with a mix of paint and PVA glue. This layer was insufficient as I noticed later when the primer diluted a bit of the styrene. The weapons station was crudely made as most of the detail will be covered by the 30mm guns and missiles.  

The majority of the details were made in EverGreen, bits of GreenStuff, paper clips and broom bristles. 

Of course most of the details are over simplified but the generic looks was captured. This one looks a bit like a polythene Airfix Tiger from the 60s when compared with the Dragon one ...

The steps are too thick and rear holders are made of paper clips all for the sake of modelling endurance. 

Next: a return to WW2 and the Western Desert. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules (?) - Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 in 20mm (part 6) - Ukrainian T-64 BVs and the first battalion of infantry

The rest of the T-64BV tank battalion is done together with a few more BMP and the first infantry battalion.

Together with another T-64BV made before this battalion is 10 tanks with one command tank and three companies of three tanks each. This is a problem as the Ukrainian tank battalions are larger than its Russian counterpart (40 vs 30, with Ukrainian tank companies with 13 tanks instead of the Russian 10 tank companies) but not this big, so 8 models would be better to represent the Ukrainian tank battalion. As usual with the 1/5 ration dividing 40 per 3 companies is impossible. Well, for now it stays like this...

All T-64BVs are Minigeneral 3d prints with metal tank commanders from Spanish Xan Miniatures. 

Two Diecast Fabbri BMP-1 were added with Ukrainian 2022 camouflage, ideal for Picasso admirers like me. Only the log and antenna were added. 

The Ukrainian infantry was fun to do. The base are Esci and Revell modern US but with the M-16 turned into a AK-74 by replacing the charger with a curved piece of styrene and cutting in 1mm the tip of the rifle and cutting completely the handler. Also some helmets got Goggles made from GreenStuff. 

The full battalion with some Orion figures in the command and support companies. 

A company of Ukrainian infantry with a Javelin ATGM (L) and a CETME Ameli, very similiar to the original M-60 the LMG firer has (R). Several figures had extra RPG on their back as you can see on the third stand. The Javelin was converted from the original Dragon M-47 by simply leaving aside the bipod. The future units will have the more numerous NLAW and those will have a different head which will be also converted from Esci and Revell figures. 

The support company (minus AGS-17 grenade launcher) with a Manpad (Orion Chechen figure as firer and an Esci figure); 120mm mortar (Orion Russians) and sniper (Orion Russian also). 

Command company with mostly Esci conversions and an Orion officer. The main Ukrainian camouflaged uniform are very tricky to paint due to the geometrical shapes. Like this I made something close consisting of  base of Vallejo Khaki (with a bit of white) followed by diluted Olive Green and finally Olive Green mixed with white. The last two were applied with a very old brush for extra "splash" effect. Still didn`t decide which colour - blue or yellow - should I use as arm band. 

Next:  A return to WW2, probably the Western desert or Ukrainian Mig-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 or even the Russian VDV.

Able Archer/ RFR rules (?) - Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 in 20mm (part 5) - Ukrainian vehicles for the mechanized infantry

 The Ukrainian infantry got reinforcements in the form of the BTR-4 Buchephalus and BMP-2. All vehicles are MiniGeneral 3d prints. In the current war most of them are equipped with the Bar Armor system. I´ll try my luck with Pedro Pato, the MiniGeneral warlord, to see if he can print something like that. 

The BTR-4 is a good way to practice the digital camouflage in usage in the Ukrainian armed forces. The most common scheme I´ve seen is this green based with sand and light green geometrical shapes. 

Another possible camouflage is this one with sand areas and black lining in the previous Russian style. 

The BTR-4 of MiniGeneral has the Shturm turret module which is the more common. Other modules are the Grom, the Shkval (seen on top of Georgian BMP-1s in the 2008 war) and the Bau 23x2. 

The only addition to the model was the the antenna. As usual I used two coats of clear varnish to limit the printing lines before priming (maybe a third would have been better...). 

Finally, two BMP-2s  with digital camouflage joined the ZSU. Antenna, rear logs and camouflage netting were added. 

Next: More Ukrainian armor and infantry as I need to balance it with the Russian forces. Also Ukrainian aircraft on the cue with a few MIG-29 and SU-27. 

Rapid Fire! France 1940 in 20mm - BMW's and Mercedes for the Germans

German light vehicles arrive at the Ferme des Fenêtres bleues (sorry, I could´t remember anything else) during that fateful month of May 1940. They are BMW R/75 combos and Mercedes-Benz G5 (W152). While the side-cars were a reality in France 1940 not so much for the military G5s which, as far as I could find, was sold to the Hungarian army, used by the German mountain troops but not seen in France. Even so I had these three 3d printed G5 models from MiniGeneral and had to do something with them. As they are relatively similar to other light and medium cars that the German army used in France I pressed these into service and they will be useful as Infantry battalion command cars or OP team carriers. 

The MiniGeneral G5 are simple six part models with my own usual crew made out of plastic torsos and boots with legs and arms made in GreenStuff. 

Now what I really need is a picture of these guys in the Blitzkrieg period valiantly advancing in the midst of the hot spring summer of 1940. Anyone?...

I found these Eskice Miniatures while looking at Aliexpress. A pack has what you see in each row and they are a nice way to introduce some variety in the ranks of our Zvezda combos. The figures are more on the chunky side with bigger heads than Zvezda but at the moment they are all happily living in the same shelve and I had no complains from any of the involved parts. 

One piece resin printings of the finest quality. Just take them out of the blister and paint them! No boring material attached, no printing lines, just lovely models. In their catalog you can find plenty of other models from French motorcyclists to refugees, British paratroopers, Swiss infantry and plenty more.  A true temptation. 

 

One of the prints has the later MG 42, so I carved it out and replaced it with the MG 34 from the Esci soft plastic figures. 
 

Next: probably more Ukraine 2022. 

Able Archer/ RFR rules (?) - Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 in 20mm (part 4) - First group of Ukrainian vehicles and a few more Russians

 

Nowadays we can find much more information on the organization and weapons of the Russian army than on the Ukranian side. There are several reasons for that: there are exhaustive studies on the Russian army and its organization and equipment much before this invasion and its army advanced much more in the open being photographed and filmed intensively. The Ukrainian army is the opposite: the star of its army has been the ATGW groups and infantry and its heavier defensive and counter attacking forces are generally well hidden and not easily reached by journalists, with its location kept secret. Of course the numerous casualties on both sides gives a good idea of models, camouflages and markings. 

I took this T-64 BV from a lot of 10 I got from MiniGeneral 3d prints in order to have my first attempt at the recently introduced digital camouflage of the Ukrainian army.  The T-64BV is the most common tank in the Ukrainian arsenal. In recent peaceful games and challenges between them and other Russian and Western MBT´s this model showed its age and deficiencies getting bad marks and maybe because of that is not seen challenging the more powerful Russian tanks that much.  

These two BTR-80 are Altaya and were painted without camouflage as some examples found in the National Guard. 

Also two BM-27 Uragan and its 9T452 transloader got the digital camouflage. All models are Altaya diecast but the transloader is a conversion using plastic card and barbecue sticks. 

One more 400+part  model of the Pantsir S-1 arrived. This is good news as Armory managed to get into business again after having its production disrupted due to the invasion. The mention of the 400+ part is due to the fact that this model is one of those time consuming models for wargamers with the usual nice end but nerve wrecking building process. 

In order to speed building I used the other one already built as a matrix and all useless parts not to be seen were left aside. Like this I may have gained an extra modelling day (10 to 12 hours... joking!) on this one.

Before painting the Pantsir looks like this. Its a very good multi media model and not a very easy build. 

A third Russian infantry battalion was added. Again Orion conversions and Alex Miniatures. 

The 120mm mortar is again Atlantic with  a number of cuts to make it simpler. The round base is the wheel of a Panther tank. Another peeing soldier is carrying a 120mm shell most probably dwarfing the original!

The Strela AA group is Zvezda with the usual goggles added for a more post-2008 look.

A loaded and tired Metis ATGM shooter from Alex Miniatures is ordered into position by its superior. 

A mix of Orion and Alex Miniatures for the command group. 

The AGS-17 grenade launcher is being assembled. In fact as the AGS-17 is transported in three different parts (gun-support-ammo) I built the support structure in plastic for a bit of variety. 

Another mix of the two brands. The left figure (Alex Mini) carries a RPG-26 but it can also be one of the several RPG's in service in the Russian army like the RPG-27/28/30, the RPO-A or the MRO-A. 

This time the RPG man is Orion withe a new helmet and goggles made in GreenStuff. 

All Orion figures also got new haversacks for the look of the Russian infantry in Ukraine. 

Next: More Russian invasion of Ukraine or a short incursion by the Germans to France in 1940.

Able Archer/ RFR rules (?)- The Russian BTGs of the 2022 Invasion of Ukraine in 20mm (part 3)

This video shows and talks about the organization and model sources for making the nowadays miniature Battalion Tactical Group(s) that the Russians are using in the invasion of Ukraine. The models are mostly die-cast from Altaya, Eaglemoss and Fabbri, and 3d prints from MiniGeneral and Mário Laranja with plenty of kits from S-Models. Zvezda, Armory, Revell, 4d Models and ModelCollect.

Most of these models were made years ago for the Russo-Georgian war of 2008 and suffered minor changes for this nowadays conflict. The infantry is a mixture of Orion conversions and Alex Miniatures.

If you want go to my blog jpwargamingplace.blogspot.com and see how these were made.

Able Archer/ RFR rules (?) - Russian Invasion of Ukraine 2022 in 20mm (part 2) - First few infantry and Kamaz improvisations.

First few Russian infantry battalions made and a few "Kamaz 4x4" to join the six BTGs in the make. In fact, excluding 4 infantry battalions and a few artillery, the Russian BTGs are almost done. Then it will be time to start the Ukrainian side. 

The contemporary Russian infantry is only available through the excellent Alex Miniatures (some of the green figures in the next picture). Even so I managed to find a total of six boxes of Orion Russian Federals on ebay as they tend to be rarer due to the sanctions on Russia and they were used to beef up the ranks. Those figures are aimed at the Chechen conflict and still Ok for the Russo-Georgian war of 2008 but not up to the reforms of 2012 on. Nowadays the Russian army introduced the Barmitsa and Permyachka combat suits and this forces some changes in the Orion figures. All of the Orion got new goggles and extra equipment made in GreenStuff and thus they can be placed side by side with the Alex Miniatures. 

A big problem with the Orion is the number of silly figures, around half of the set. Some can be adapted to action poses but many are a complete waste, at least for wargaming even if nice for dioramas. 

Here you see the 1st battalion made with all adaptations I mentioned above. 

The 'specials' of the battalion, both weapons and command companies. Most of these are Alex Miniatures with a few Orion carefully placed on the stand in order to protect the fragile Alex Minis as they are resin and the weapons are easily breakable. 

Again the same idea. One Alex Mini and one Orion figure per stand. Hopefully I´ll try to remember always to hold the stand by the Orion figure...

This Vasilek 82mm mortar is also Alex Miniatures. Beautiful but very fragile, so I used resin to strengthen the parts and a reasonable sized base to protect the group.  

The second battalion was finished a few days later and benefited from better light while taking its pictures. The 120mm mortar stand had some of the silly Orion figures, namely the one peeing, now holding a 120mm mortar round! 

One of the AGS-17 groups from Alex Miniatures. 

 The command group of the 2nd battalion with two figures from Alex Miniatures and one Orion (officer with pistol). 

Finally some Kamaz 4x4. This image is one of these machines captured by the Ukranians and a command or ambulance version. 

As I need numbers of these I used some 1/100th or 1/87th large trucks conversions bought at the local Chinese shop in order to have something relatively close to the true Kamaz. 

Only the original cabin and chassis were used. Parts added were: a front bumper; new lights, five old Atlantic wheels and the cargo area made of plastic card and insulation board. 

Well, not a work of art but a handy addition to the Russian BTGs. 

Next: maybe the promised video or a new Pantsir-S1 together with the 3rd infantry battalion.