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.