Over the winter it’s a little cold in my garage for airbrushing, so I’ve been using the time for the more desk-intensive work of painting 15mm figures and vehicles.

First up was a batch of Soviet infantry and supports. The Too Fat Lardies’ Operation Citadel campaigns for Chain of Command have an option to spend support points on tank killer teams. Ideally I would have been able to find figures wielding the RPG-40 anti tank grenade, or satchel charges, but all I was able to find in 15mm scale was panzerfausts and Molotov cocktails. I first attempted to paint clear bottles, light grey with highlights, with some orange fuel, but in the end I went with bottle green. A pair each of 82 and 50mm mortar teams were from Peter Pig. The Peter Pig figures have lots of character, and a great range, size-wise they are at the small end of the 15mm scale range. I had great fun painting the yellow-green and chocolate brown amoeba pattern camouflage for a scout section, which I think is part of a Battlefront platoon. Also from Battlefront are a pair of their ‘late’ 76mm infantry guns. Being a large range, there’s a bit of size variation in Battlefront figures, and these crew are on the puny side. Last up was a pair of 45mm anti tank guns from The Plastic Soldier Company. The 76mm gun you see in the photos has been awaiting basing for six months or so.

To go with the infantry, I painted up a company of five IS-IIs, from The Plastic Soldier Company, another four T-34s, this time from Forged in Battle (with the cool curvy turrets from the Chelyabinsk Tractor Factory), a couple more trucks, another T-70, and a trio of cheap QRF BA-64 armoured cars.

This time I used Tamiya NATO green, I diluted the Vallejo Dark Green wash with Dark Yellow, and I used a bright green to drybrush the vehicles, and I think they look pretty good. My earlier efforts are a little dark and flat. In the picture you can see some of them, because I added flock to the pre-based vehicles in my collection.

Some heavy metal for the Soviets. You can see the difference between my recent painting and my darker coloured earlier work.

The Germans received similar reinforcements, a few support teams and extra armour for Kursk.

The infantry was a mix of Battlefront, from a variety of sets, and Peter Pig Goliath teams. Painting Germans for my force is a learning experience for me, because my usual technique is to undercoat white and apply thinned colours; but for the Germans I go for a black undercoat and apply a number of layers. I do it that way for consistency, as the core of my German army was bought at a show, and painted that way. I think I’m getting the hang of it, but it is a little slow for me, although the variety of uniforms and the amount of equipment they have might be a factor there.

German reinforcements: three Goliath teams, two demo teams, a mine clearance team, and a pair of panzerschreck teams.

The additional German armour comprised four Panthers, four Tigers, a pair of Raupenschleppers, three 20mm flak guns, a quad 20mm on SdKfz 7, a 20mm on Sd Kfz 10, a Pz III flamm., and a Pz IV. The Panthers, one of the Tigers, the Pz III, and the Pz IV were from The Plastic Soldier Company. They make nice kits, and inexpensive ones. My only complaint is that the turret hatches are never very secure if you model them open. One of my other Tigers is from the Battlefront ‘Tanks’ range and it is slightly superior, but really only because of that hatch. The 20mm flak are from Forged in Battle. They are OK. The crew figures look about the same size as Peter Pig or the PSC. The remainder of the vehicles are from Battlefront.

Tigers, Panthers, a Pz III Flamm., a PZ IV, and some flak