Soviet ZTZ-5 Tractors in German service in 20mm size for Rapid Fire! rules

 

For many years already I wanted to build a second "winter" Volksgrenadier division as two are necessary for the actions of the 5th Panzer army around St.Vith in late 1944 (18. and 62. VGD). They were small units compared to the German infantry division and not very difficult to build. The 105mm artillery was generally pulled by RSO but I had these six 3d resin prints ZTZ-5 offered by my friend Mário Laranja sitting in a box that can replace the RSO (well sort of..). In fact the RSO came after the Germans found the ZTZ-5 from the beginning of Barbarossa. The main difference was the larger track set and different wheels on the RSO. 

Frankly I couldn't find any evidence of the usage of the ZTZ-5 by the VGD in the Ardennes offensive just a similarity between the Russian original and the German copy. For sure, camouflaged like these in white, they can be used in the winter of 1943 and 1944 at the eastern front. 

Mário´s model is a beauty of detail. The tri-color camouflage was first applied and then some white was splashed on for a winterized look. The snow is simply fine sand mixed with acrylic white and a bit of wood glue, everything applied with brush. 

Different stowage also offered by Mário was spread all over together with my own stowage and gauze camouflage nets. 

Next: 'What If ' French for 1941.