AHPC16 - Russo - Finnish Winter War - Infantry and Machine Gun Bomb!

 

The Challenge ended on the 21st March, I'm still catching up on posts

How are we into the final week of the Challenge? I really wish it would go on for another month or so, I always seem to push myself to get more painting done. When its ended I have a painting lull, I suspect most of you, my fellow challengers are the same?

I am hoping this won't be my last post, but this is a biggy, for me anyway. This last week, I somehow found a lot of time to paint 65.5 figures, all for my and Lee's Russo-Finnish Winter War project. Here's a few photos of what I painted this week.

8 Officers and 1 Suomi KP/31 Sub Machine gunner 

A radio Operator and his lookout

A Lahti-Saloranta M/26 Light Machine Gun firing and 2 x 2 man teams carrying the M/26..

A 10 man Infantry squad

Another 10 man Infantry squad

A third 10 man Infantry squad

A fourth 10 man squad!

And an 8 man Infantry squad

Simo Häyhä , famously known as "The White Death", was a Finnish sniper during the Winter War. He is widely regarded as the deadliest sniper in military history, credited with at least 505 confirmed kills in fewer than 100 days of combat.

What Finnish army would be complete without some soldiers throwing, Molotov Cocktails, Satchel Charges (Kasapanos) and hand grenades.

A close up of the Lahti-Saloranta M/26 Light Machine Gun, I have 1 other that I painted up previously in the Challenge.

And to go with the 2 M/26 machine guns, I have 2 teams carrying the weapons, so on the table you can use these to move the figures around the table, then the others when they set up. (Sad I know)

Close up of some of the infantry, the kneeling figure on the right is an NCO, but I'll probably use him as a normal infantryman.

Officers, the one in the centre is a Russian figure!

And here they all are in their new home.

64 standing or kneeling figures

3 laying down figures.

65.5 figure x 5 points

Makes a nice fat total of 325 points!

AHPC16 - Resistance Theme Round - Winter War 1939-40, Finnish Medic

 

The Challange has now finished, but I've still got plenty of posts backed, this is the first of many.

Resistance: Submit a freshly painted figure (or figures) and/or piece of terrain illustrating resistance by a group or individual. The subject can be from history, myth or fiction.

Well that should be easy, any of my Finns fit in perfick!

I missed out posting my Toy Story Theme by a day, so I've made sure I've got the Resistance theme done this time round.

Here we have a Finnish Medic and his unarmoured helpers., all figures are from Parkfield Miniatures.

During the Winter War, Finnish medics worked under extremely harsh conditions to treat soldiers wounded in the fighting against the Soviet Union. Operating in deep snow, freezing temperatures, and often under enemy fire, they evacuated casualties from forests and frozen battlefields using sleds, skis, and improvised stretchers. Despite limited medical supplies and small field hospitals, Finnish doctors, nurses, and stretcher-bearers managed to stabilize thousands of wounded troops, playing a crucial role in maintaining the resilience and resistance of the Finland’s army during the brutal winter campaign.

For the points i will get 50pts for the Theme Round Bonus

and 15 points for all three 25mm figures, making a grand total of 65 pts!

Cavalier 2026 - Loot!

Better late than never, I thought I'd share a few photos of the loot I collected at Cavalier Wargames Show at the end of February.

Firstly some reinforcements for my Parkfield Miniatures, WWII Finnish army I'm in the middle of painting up. Two sets of machine gun teams, one firing and one moving.

Next up some Barbed wire from Last Man Last Bullet, again for my Finns.

A random purchase, a French team for, cough, Not Silver Bullet. I might be able to use some for my and Lee's Retreat from Moscow armies. I've not yet had the time to match the figures up size wise with my collection.  But they sure are nice sculpts. and sorry, but I can't work out which company I bought them from, they sold loads of beautiful 3D printed buildings, anyone know?

From the Bring n Buy I bought my 2nd copy of Black Powder, even though I've never played the game. Why 2nd copy you ask? Well the first, I bought on ebay without realising it was A5 sized. The writing is so small, I can't read it even with my goggles on!

Well, We need the rules for the Finns! Lee wanted to use Bolt Action over Chain of Command, only coz he thinks he can get more hits on his you tube channel, the tart!

And with the rules, I got this free figure of Francis S Currey.

From Products for Wargamers, I picked up these 2 hills.

And some magnetic sheeting.

Picked this Osprey up, from one stall, how didn't I know about this book?

I spent a few quid at Debris of War as I always do. Yes more trees as well. But thus time they're for my 15mm collections.

Lastly more from Debris of War. 25mm hedges, which I want to cut up and make bushes and some 15mm hedges as well to add to my ever growing collection.

And that my friends, is that!

AHPC 16 - Russo-Finnish Winter War - Finnish 37mm Bofars - Oh Rats!

For my next entry it's back to the 1939-40 Winter War, the figures are once again from Parkfield Miniatures, great range packs WWF33 the Bofors and WWF34 the crew. You get 5 crew in the pack, but only need 3 crew in Bolt Action, but I thought It might as well paint them all up. The base from Charlie Foxtrot and is a spare from my Retreat from Moscow French.

The 1939 Finnish 37 mm Bofors anti-tank gun was a highly effective, Swedish-designed weapon that played an important role during both the Winter War and the Continuation War. Originally developed by Bofors in the early 1930s, it was intended to provide infantry units with a lightweight yet powerful defense against armored vehicles. Weighing only about 370 kilograms, the gun was easy to maneuver and could even be towed by a single horse in Finnish service, making it well suited to Finland’s rugged terrain and mobile tactics.

In combat, the gun proved accurate and reliable, with a practical rate of fire of around 12 rounds per minute. Firing a 37×257 mm cartridge, it could penetrate approximately 40 mm of armor at 300 meters—more than sufficient to destroy most light Soviet tanks such as the T-26 and BT series encountered during the early stages of the Winter War. Its semi-automatic mechanism automatically ejected spent shells to speed reloading, while an optical sight and protective shield enhanced both accuracy and crew protection.

Finland relied on both imported Swedish-made guns and domestically produced copies, with roughly 355 Finnish-built versions manufactured under the designation 37 psv.K/36 or VTT37-36. Although the weapon gradually became obsolete as heavier Soviet tanks like the T-34 entered service and thicker armor rendered the 37 mm gun less effective by 1943, it remained a dependable and durable asset. During the initial phases of the conflict especially, the Bofors 37 mm was a critical component of Finland’s anti-tank defences.

For the points, there are 5 figures, one of them is laying down - 22.5 pts

1 Crew served weapon - 10pts

Plus whatever Dave wants to give me for the base?

Next we have some Rats, that will fit into either the Winter War or the Retreat from Moscow.

I'm sure they didn't starve unlike the poor French and Allies, I guess they were the breakfast dinner and Tea!

I bought these at the Warfare Show last November and can't for the life of me remember the company I bought them from????? I know they came in a little round tine, with Body Parts written on it??

Anyway the 25mm Rats will add a little discomfort to our snowy game, there are 20 rats all in all, 3 are based on 25mm circular bases while the bigger horde is on a slightly larger irregular base.

I'd guess at 2pts per rat, as they're roughly the size of a 15mm horse?

But again, I'll leave that up to Dave!

AHPC16 - Russo-Finnish Winter War - Kaukopartio Squad

During the Russo-Finnish Winter War of 1939–1940, the Finnish Kaukopartio (“long-distance patrol”) units served as elite reconnaissance and harassment forces operating deep behind Soviet lines. Although they became formally organized and widely known later in the Continuation War, their tactics and missions were already in use during the Winter War through ad-hoc patrols attached to Finnish divisions and corps. These patrols were small—typically 4 to 12 men—and composed of experienced soldiers, hunters, skiers, and woodsmen skilled in skiing, navigation, camouflage, survival, and independent decision-making. They operated for days or even weeks with minimal support in some of the harshest winter conditions imaginable.

Their primary role was deep reconnaissance, providing intelligence that Finland critically needed due to being heavily outnumbered. Kaukopartio patrols identified Soviet troop concentrations, supply routes, roads and rail lines, artillery positions, and command posts, and tracked enemy movement patterns through dense forests. This intelligence was essential because Soviet forces were often constrained to narrow roads, making them vulnerable to isolation and encirclement. The information gathered by these patrols directly supported Finland’s effective use of motti tactics, in which large Soviet formations were split into smaller, manageable pockets.

In addition to reconnaissance, Kaukopartio patrols conducted harassment and disruption operations. These included ambushing supply columns, sabotaging communications such as telephone lines, sniping, and conducting small raids. While not designed as assault units, their constant presence behind Soviet lines strained enemy logistics and morale, creating the psychological effect that Soviet troops were under continual observation. They also played a key role in target acquisition and fire direction, helping guide Finnish artillery, support counterattacks, and confirm the results of engagements—an especially valuable function in forested terrain where visibility was limited.

Operating at temperatures of −30 to −40°C, Kaukopartio patrols exemplified Finland’s adaptation to winter warfare. They moved silently on skis, crossed frozen lakes and forests, survived on limited rations, and often functioned without radio contact. Although these small units could not alter the overall strategic imbalance of the war, they significantly enhanced Finnish situational awareness, disrupted Soviet logistics, and supported major successes such as those at Suomussalmi and along the Raate Road. Their Winter War experience laid the foundation for later, formally organized long-range patrol units and influenced modern Finnish special forces doctrine, earning the Kaukopartio a lasting reputation as the “eyes and ears” of the Finnish Army in the wilderness.

More great figures from Parkfield Miniatures to add to the collection, this is a 10 man unit, some of which can to used as an addition to the normal rifle armed units.

10 figures @ 5pts each gives me a total of 50 pts!

AHPC 16 - Russo - Finnish Winter War 1939-40 Finnish Heavy weapons

Time to sneak in my second post of the day. More Finns, this time its their Heavy Machine Guns and AT Gun and a Mortar. All figures are once again from Parkfield Miniatures and bases from Warbases. I had a big issue with yellow snow on these, can't work out why though???

I undercoated the mdf bases all over painted them white a few times and varnished them, they still seem to be leeching....groan!

The Lahti-Saloranta M/26 was the standard Finnish light machine gun adopted in the mid-1920s and designed by Aimo Lahti and Arvo Saloranta to provide mobile automatic fire at the squad level. Chambered in 7.62×54mmR and fed from a 20-round detachable box magazine, the air-cooled, gas-operated M/26 weighed about 9 kg and had a relatively high rate of fire of roughly 500–600 rounds per minute.

 It was well made and accurate, reflecting Finland’s emphasis on quality manufacturing, but its tight tolerances and complex mechanism made it sensitive to dirt, snow, and extreme cold, reducing reliability in harsh field conditions. Soldiers often criticized the small magazine capacity and the weapon’s tendency to jam compared to more rugged designs, leading many units to prefer captured Soviet DP-28 “Emma” machine guns during wartime. Although it served throughout the Winter War and Continuation War and remained Finland’s official light machine gun for years, the M/26 never fully earned the confidence of frontline troops and was gradually supplemented and replaced by more dependable alternatives.

During World War II, the Finnish Army made extensive and increasingly widespread use of captured Soviet 7.62×54mmR DP-28 light machine guns, nicknamed “Emma,” (which is my wife's name hence the gas operated,  and no she won't be reading this!) finding them more dependable in Finland’s severe cold, snow, and muddy conditions than their domestically produced LS-26. The DP-28’s rugged, loose-tolerance, gas-operated design resisted jamming and fouling better than the more finely machined Finnish weapon, making it especially valued by frontline troops. 

Weighing about 9.1 kg unloaded, it fired from a distinctive 47-round top-mounted pan magazine—earning the additional nickname “record player”—at a rate of roughly 550 rounds per minute, providing steady and effective suppressive fire at the squad level. Its use of the same cartridge as Mosin-Nagant rifles and Maxim machine guns greatly simplified logistics and ammunition supply, further increasing its practicality. Captured guns were inspected, refurbished, and stamped with Finnish “SA” (Suomen Armeija) markings before issue. By the end of the Continuation War, more than 15,000 DP-28 and later DPM variants were in Finnish inventory, outnumbering native LS-26s and becoming one of the most common and trusted light machine guns in Finnish service.

The Maxim M/09-21 was the standard heavy machine gun of the Finnish Army between the World Wars and throughout World War II, developed from captured and inherited Russian Maxim M1910 guns that Finland acquired after independence. 

Reworked domestically during the 1920s, the M/09-21 featured improvements such as a redesigned rear sight graduated for Finnish ammunition, a strengthened mount, and compatibility with locally produced 7.62×54mmR cartridges, allowing it to integrate smoothly with the army’s existing logistics. Like other Maxim variants, it was a water-cooled, recoil-operated weapon capable of sustained automatic fire, typically fed by 250-round fabric belts and capable of a rate of fire around 500–600 rounds per minute.

 Though heavy and usually mounted on a wheeled or tripod mount for defensive and support roles, the gun was extremely reliable and well suited to Finland’s harsh winter conditions, where its water jacket could even be filled with snow in emergencies. Rugged, accurate, and capable of prolonged fire, the M/09-21 served as the backbone of Finnish heavy machine gun units and remained in frontline use throughout the Winter War and Continuation War.

The Lahti L-39 was a Finnish anti-tank rifle developed by Aimo Lahti in the late 1930s to provide infantry with a portable weapon capable of defeating light armoured vehicles and fortified positions during the Winter War and Continuation War. Chambered for the powerful 20×138mmB “Long Solothurn” cartridge, the gas-operated, semi-automatic rifle was exceptionally large and heavy—earning the nickname “Norsupyssy” (“elephant gun”)—weighing around 50 kg with its bipod and often requiring a two-man crew to transport and operate. 

Fed from a 10-round detachable box magazine, it delivered strong armour penetration against early-war Soviet tanks, armoured cars, and bunkers, and was also highly effective against machine gun nests and other hard targets due to its high-explosive and armour-piercing ammunition. Although it became less effective as enemy armour improved, the L-39 remained valued for its accuracy, long range, and versatility, and it continued in service throughout the war in both anti-armour and heavy support roles.

During the Winter War, the Finnish Army employed the 50 mm light mortar, most notably the 50 Krh/38, as a compact and highly portable infantry support weapon designed to provide close-range indirect fire to small units. Based on a Finnish design by Tampella, the mortar was lightweight and simple, allowing a single soldier to carry and operate it, which suited Finland’s forested terrain and fast-moving ski troops. It fired small high-explosive and smoke rounds to ranges of roughly 800 meters, enabling squads to engage enemy troops behind cover, suppress machine gun nests, or screen movements with smoke. However, its limited explosive power and relatively short range reduced its effectiveness against entrenched positions, and ammunition capacity was modest. While useful for harassment and close support during the early phases of the war, many Finnish soldiers considered the 50 mm mortar underpowered compared to larger 81 mm mortars, and its role gradually diminished as heavier and more effective systems became available.

So there we have it, I'm a bit confused about the points, there are 5 figures either kneeling or sitting and 9 laying down, so I'd make that worth 47.5 plus all the crew serving weapons, 5 machine guns and a mortar, I think I'll leave these for you Dave?