Sixth Painting Challenge Entry - 20mm Warsaw Pact Motor Rifle Platoon

Warsaw Pact era Soviet Motor Rifle Platoon in BTR-80 APCs

My newly discovered mania for 20mm figures continues but it has jumped to another period, from WW2 to another favourite setting of mine - the fictional "cold-war-gone-hot" of the 1980s.  Interest in this period with the Fawcett Avenue Conscripts goes back to around 2007 or so - I can't remember exactly how it started, but once Eureka released a line of 28mm Soviet troops wearing MOPP gear, it seemed suddenly Dallas and I were in an arms race. To keep it simple, I just blame Dallas. Today we have clouds of 28mm stuff, including a bunch of helicopters, and we enjoy rolling it out for local gaming events. Mike F jumped in as well - be sure to check out his awesome 28mm, 6mm and 15mm stuff elsewhere on the blog.

A Soviet motor rifle section - figures from Elhiem, vehicles from S&S Models

Anyway, my hobby interest in this setting spread rapidly to 6mm (for Modern Spearhead), and because I dabble constantly, I started to play the setting in even more scales, from 15mm down to 3mm. I even have painted 10mm and 40mm.  The last one I haven't tried was 20mm - and since I was diving into this with WW2, I figured why not modern too?

My mania in one picture - from left: 3mm modern Soviets from Oddzial Ozmy, 6mm modern Soviets from GHQ, 10mm modern Soviets from Minifigs, 15mm modern Russian from Eureka, 20mm modern Soviet from Elhiem, 28m modern Soviet from Mongrel Miniatures, and a 40mm modern Russian from the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company

Another view of the group photo - all scales accounted for :)

So this entry includes a 20mm scale Warsaw Pact-era Soviet Motor Rifle platoon.  The infantry figures are 20mm sculpts from Elhiem Figures, and the vehicles are (supposedly) 20mm-size BTR-80 APCs from S&S Models. The colour palette for these figures is almost identical to the WW2 Russian troops, so I was able to bear down and get this little points grenade finished during my holidays last week.

Ready to fight NATO lackeys

The platoon has three 8-man sections and a small command group.  Each section contains one trooper with a PK-LMG, an RPK-74, an RPG-7 anti-tank launcher, and the balance armed with AK-74 assault rifles.  The commander has a radio man and a trooper carrying an SA-7 shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile unit.

Officer with a radio man and a trooper carrying an SA-7 SAM

Elhiem's Cold War era Russian line is admirably complete, with a wide selection of troops wearing body armour, so most of the regular infantrymen are from that section of their line.  I love the look of the body armour and it really fits the setting to my mind.  One of the things I respect most about this Elhiem range is just how complete it is - most modern collections (or those north of 10mm in size) are very limited, often lacking in key areas, with strange mismatched assortments of figures (Eureka has a lot of this).

NCO on a square base for quick recognition during the game

The Elhiem sculpts themselves are an uneven quality.  Some of them have very soft details.  And the castings themselves are heroically resistant to primer.  But its a strange thing - in spite of the many challenges and limitations to these sculpts, these figures have an excellent overall appearance - I think that is the magic of the sculptor! The Elhiem poses are nice, the figures are not too heavy or too chunky, and there is a great selection. Even with their challenges, I strongly recommend them.

Elhiem figures...they have their challenges, but I really like them

I can't say the same for S&S Models.  My first concern is the size of the model - these are allegedly 1/72 scale models, but it just doesn't add up.

Actual BTR-80 - cramped, yes, but still larger than the men - unlike the S&S Models

Soviet-designed APCs and IFVs are notorious for cramped conditions, but this is still supposed to carry 10 men (including the crew) and the MG in the turret is supposed to be a heavy calibre 14.5mm weapon. Looking at it beside these 20mm figures, there is just no way this is a 1/72 model.  Do you see a whole section of these guys crowding into that vehicle?  This looks to me more like a 1/87 scale model - the effect is similar to seeing 1/56 scale vehicle models beside 28mm figures.

I rusted out the exhausts...make them look a little used

Beyond the size of the vehicles, there are serious quality issues with these models as well.  It is not readily apparent in the photos, but there are numerous flaws and small bubbles all over the vehicles.  Many small details - like vision ports, hatches or headlights, are missing or have holes due to small bubbles that formed during casting. One fender area on one of the vehicles was particularly weak. And at 12 GBP per model (which works out to about $20 Canadian as our stupid third-world-petro-dollar plummets in value, and that's before shipping) let's just say I'm way less than impressed - and this was a surprise as I had always heard good things about S&S.

Note the gaps and holes over the front wheel, and the missing headlight in the same area - an example of the shoddy quality of the S&S casts

The BTRs received a very basic green paint scheme and some mild weathering, mostly on the exhaust, which I can imagine rusting out in almost no time.  The armour on these vehicles is almost non-existent by modern combat standards, enough to deflect light bullets and shrapnel and little else.  I don't think these would have lasted long enough to look worn out!

We must protect our revolution...

Units like these would have filled the armoured and motor rifle divisions from the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, and would have been at the forefront of any assault toward the Rhine by the Warsaw Pact.  Thankfully for the world this remained a fictional event - but it is great fun to game.  I understand the Too Fat Lardies are working on a modern variant of their Chain of Command Rules - I hope to try that with these fellows!

Up next will be some opponents finished off for these fellows.  Gotta love 20mm!

Modern Russians/Neo-Soviets/Gazprom Security Solutions

Finally finished the modern Russians. I can't even remember when I originally got all this stuff. I think Greg and I need to have a "Crisis in Kablikistan" or something similar with some of his Russian Kit.

Painted T-90s - 1/50 Scale From Imprint

1/50 scale T-90 MBTs from Imprint, with 28mm Soviet in NBC gear from Eureka

This summer has been lovely here in Winnipeg, but we had rain all day on Sunday this past weekend.  This was good for a couple of reasons - first the garden really, really needed the rain, and second, I was able to finish off my Imprint 1/50 scale diversion by painting up the T-90 MBTs.

The Russian T-90 tank is a wargamer fanboy favourite of mine, based purely on the looks-cool-factor.  The angled explosive armour blocks on the front of the turret, the spooky anti-ATGM jammers on either side of the main gun, the stacked/angled smoke launchers on the sides of the turret, and the remote-controlled 14.5mm MG on the cupola, and of course the massive nearly-over-sized 125mm main gun all serve to give the T-90 a very, very ultra-modern/NF sci-fi look. 

The T-90 is a heavily upgraded T-72 tank.  Russia has a small number in service ("small" as in relative to their still large tank fleet, even after all of the reductions to their armed forces).  India has a version of the T-90 in service.  Other nations have looked at this vehicle from time to time, but I don't know if they have been ordered/used....others on the interwebs will be wiser on this matter than me... 

I am not enough of a tread-head to give an informed opinion of how the T-90 would stack up against the latest western MBTs.  I expect the M1A2s, Challenger 2s and Leopard 2A6s would defeat this tank on most measurements, but superior crew training and maintenace would be major factors regardless of the competing systems on the tanks. I would expect the T-90s would easily handle any third-world/former soviet republic opponents (upgraded T-55s, T-62s and T-72s with lesser upgrade packages), and with a trained/experienced crew and support, would give NATO tankers all they could handle

The T-90 appears to be ominous and awesome looking - regardless of how they would actually perform on the battlefield - and that counts for a lot on the gaming table.  Overall, I think it is a good thing for the world that the T-90 hasn't yet acquired a detailed "in action" record on the battlefield when you consider that they are in service with nations that, should a T-90 unit be called to action, chances are some manner of very scary global security crisis is underway.

The T-90 model from Imprint is top-notch, just like all of the other Imprint products I have ever worked with.  The model is mostly resin, but key pieces are metal - such as the gun barrel and the MG, as well as the cupola turrets, so you can model them open/un-buttoned if you wish.  The only modification needed to make the vehicles game-survivable was to add magnets under the turret and on the main body of the MBT - I can't believe I actually managed to do this without screwing it up too badly...

For the paint scheme I employed the same one I used on the BTR-80s.  The yellow on the camouflage came out a little more prominently for some reason, so I may go back to the tanks and try and dull the yellow down a bit.  I used paints from the new GW range for the most part, with weathering powders at the end.

T-90 on the left, a BTR-80 (also from Imprint) on the right

Together with the BTR-80s and 80As, my Chemical Commies can now expect both a nice ride and some heavy-duty fire support against their NATO/Zombie/Insrugent/Rebel/Seperatist/Big Pharma/ opponents on the Fawcett Avenue tabletop.  Of course the T-90 never really appeared in the time when Russia was still a communist state, so I suppose these would not count as "Chemical Commies", but "Chemical Putin Federalists" doesn't have the same ring to it...

My Golan Heights project is still fully underway - see the picture below for some goodies that just arrived in the post, including infantry and tanks from Peter Pig, and some T-62s from QRF.  Stay tuned!

Goodies in the mail....

Painted 1/50 Scale BTR-80s from Imprint

Chemical Commies on maneuvers with their new APC

My 28mm scale Commies have some new wheels tonight after I finished off one of the new BTR-80 models I have recently purchased from Imprint Models. I only finished one of the vehicle bodies, but finished one of each turret - the BTR-80 and BTR-80A variant - to give a look for each one.

From a wargaming perspective, the BTRs are not as sexy as the BMPs, but these blue collar APCs will stylishly and safely deliver my Commie Forces to battle against insurgents, separatists, NATO forces, Zombies, Big Pharma, militants, reality show contestants, and whatever else we can find at the Fawcett Avenue table - possibly all in the same game (Dallas' Zombie games are very diverse). The 30mm cannon on the BTR-80As will provide some nice extra punch.

These were painted primarily with GW paints, many from the new range, which I am gradually getting used to.  I have seen so many different camouflage patterns for modern Russian/late Soviet vehicles that I just went ahead an made one up. The infantry in the pictures are 28mm Soviets in NBC gear from Eureka.  The numeral decals are from a sheet of Battlefront tactical numbers I found lying around.

Up first is the straight-up BTR-80 version:

The BTR-80 has a 14.5mm MG in the turret

Now here are some pictures with the very cool BTR-80A variant turret.  With the funky mounting for the 30mm cannon, and the concentration of smoke launchers, all with the spooky light at the top, I find this turret looks very near-future/sci-fi.

The 30mm cannon can engage everything from enemy troops to enemy helicopters

These Imprint models are top notch - I recommend them highly!  I have two more vehicle bodies to do, and then I will be able to mount a platoon for battle.  The T-90s will have to wait for a bit - I need to figure out a way to secure the turrets - preferably without gluing them, although it may come to that - to be sure they can survive on the gaming table.

Fun With Size And Scale - 1/56, 1/50, 1/43, 25mm and 28mm

Tanks on parade - from left, Force of Arms T-55, James Bond T-55M, Kitech T-72

A poster on TMP the other day asked if anyone had a comparison shot between some vehicles from Red Star Miniatures and some vehicles from Sloppy Jalopy.  I have some from both, acquired in my various rummagings in modern gaming, so here are a few pictures to help with the comparison for anyone who is wondering.

Like all such posts on TMP, this one elicited a discussion arc that seems to flow the same way - scale is not a size, the differences are slight, no they are not, etc.  Just look what happened to this guy when he floated a discussion on 1/56 vs. 1/50 - in short, don't bring it up on TMP unless you want to accumulate stifles and derision.

I'll save my editorial perspective (worthless as that is) for the end.  In the meantime, here are some different pics of the different kits that have seen action with us and our 25-28mm modern and ultra-modern gaming.  Apologies for the unpainted vehicles...

To help a little with the perspective of a gamer, I added some painted infantry to the shots - a 28mm "Chemical Commie" fro Eureka, a 28mm VDV trooper from Mongrel, and a 40mm Russian Federation infantryman from HLBS (from a line that I believe is no longer available....)

BMP-2s up first....the painted one is 1/56 scale from Sloppy Jalopy, and the unpainted one is 1/48 scale from HLBS*...

Sloppy Jalopy BMP-2 on left, HLBS BMP-2 on the right

Another comparison pic without infantry - no question the HLBS stuff is bulkier/heftier...

From left, a Mongrel Miniatures 28mm, a Eureka 28mm and an HLBS 40mm figure in front of the Sloppy Jalopy BMP-2

Same troops in front of the HLBS BMP-2 - you can see it fits nicely with the 40mm trooper - look OK with the others, but maybe a little big...

Now some BTRs....the unpainted BTR is a BTR-80 in 1/50 scale from Imprint, and the painted one is a "Russian die cast" from E-bay, allegedly 1/43 scale...

BTR-60 on the left - one of the die-cast ones that seem readily available on Ebay; the Imprint BTR-80 is in the black primer....these models are very, very close in size

Troops pose with the Imprint BTR-80....the 40mm lad looks a tad large...

Now some BRDM sized vehicles - a 1/43 scale (allegedly) from "Russian die cast" on Ebay, and a 1/56 scale BRDM with an AT-5 Spandrel launcher from Sloppy Jalopy...

Die cast BDRM on the right, Sloppy Jalopy BRDM on the left

This BRDM seems bulky for the 28mm lads, looks OK with the 40mm chap - the vehicle is allegedly 1/43 scale

The Sloppy Jalopy model is very compact compared to the Russian die-cast, but looks fine with the 28mm models - a bit small for the 40mm trooper

Finally, a little fun with some tanks...the T-55 is 1/56 scale from Force Of Arms, the T-55M (with reactive armour) is actually from a James Bond toy series, and is 1/50 scale, and the T-72 is a Kitech kit, which is (very allegedly) 1/43 scale.  The scale of the Kitech kits needs to be taken with an enormous grain of salt, given that ALL Kitech models have an undercarriage of exactly the same size, with the same road wheels!

Troops in front of a T-55 from Force of Arms models - tank is 1/56 scale

This 1/50 scale T-55M is a James Bond toy - from Ebay

This T-72 is allegedly 1/43 scale, from Kitech - back in the day when we first went nuts on moderns, we were picking these things up in bulk orders for like $5 a model...

I have snipped and whinged numerous times about 1/56 scaled vehicles.  The tall foreheads (particularly on TMP) will smack you down, lecture you on how you are wrong, not the models, that it is scale creep with the castings etc. etc. All of this may be true - but 1/56 scale just looks off - it's too tight - just odd - I call this the "1/56 effect".  But they are still nice models.

1/43 scale on the other hand looks fine for the tanks - but then I am basing this on a Kitech kit - who knows how close to "correct" the overall model is, and what scale it really is.  But I can't have my Russian infantry ride in 1/56 BMP-2s with 1/43 Kitech tanks on the table - the BMPs look way too small, or the tanks way too big, or both.  I will replace my Kitech tanks over time with Imprint T-72, T-80s and T-90s.  But you can't beat the price of those old Kitechs when we got them....and we have had some very, very fun games with them.  The Kitech tanks are still the only model I have ever used a hammer to assemble.

I have found that 1/50 "looks" the best for me when it comes to 28mm gaming.  The HLBS stuff looks awesome, but I suspect it was scaled to match their larger 40mm figures.  I don't have Red Star figures, but if they are a little bulkier - i.e. "heroic 28mm" - then they should look great with the 1/43 stuff and OK with the 1/50 stuff.

For all my subjective blather, however, it depends on what is available.  You will have your own opinion, and may very likely agree with the majority on TMP who would find my perspective uppity, ignorant and full of delusion (and you may be right). Sloppy Jalopy and others have put a nice 1/56 stuff out there.  Meanwhile, Imprint is expanding a range of 1/50 stuff.  The HLBS stuff is excellent. too. Take your pick, fill your boots, and roll some dice! Screw the scale.
*******
UPDATE - *Correction - July 11, 2012 - the HLBS models are 1/48 scale, not 1/43 scale as was originally stated in this post.  Sorry about that! GB.