"Soviet Infantry" Topic

Hi,

Bought my first Bolt Action miniatures, the boxed plastic Soviet infantry.

First of all let me say that I'm am impressed with the value for money, the quality and the variety that can be built up.

But there are a couple of things that are a little irritating

1) some assembly instructions would be helpful regarding the placement of equipment – bags, cases, holsters etc.

2) although I take my hat of to the variety which allows me to make every figure unique it is a little disappointing if I want to install some uniformity. What if I want a 12 man squad with M91 rifles – can't do that not enough even if you use all the varieties. But not too bad and I can buy extra weapon sprues right. Okay so going to kit all my soldiers out with entrenching tools – can't do that not enough. And this is more of a priblem because they are on the figure sprues. Okay so it can do most of them. Now what about gas mask cases, ammunition pouches, breadbags etc. Nope hardly any if those. And again on the figure sorues so not tgat easy to resolve.

So no doubt that I can create a platoon, and it will look fine. But equipment-wise they will be a bit rag tag. Okay they are Russians, they weren't that well equipped – but something tells me that I might find the same issues with the Germans, or the US or the British.

Rag-tag is more realistic, this is not Napoleonics, but agree that the plastic sets lack a decent number of bog-standard rifles.

The rifles are less of a problem, there are alterntive weapons and failing that I could always buy some more weapon sprues.

It is the lack of equipment like pouches, bags, entrenching tools that is the bigger disappointment.

Well, it's a good value boxed set which would not be nearly as good a value if they included enough of everything to do everyone with the sqme load-out.

I think weapons are mandatory to get right myself, but as you said,m you can get extra weapon sprues.

But for the rest, you either (a) drop some more bucks on additional sets or sprues, or (b) get handy with green stuff, or (c) you go a bit more rag-tag than you wanted.

You might want to check out The Assault Group who do a lot of equipment packs including several different variants each of entrenching tools, canteens, packs and pouches. They also do weapon packs and you can buy Mosin-Nagant rifles in packs of 10. I am building Brits at the moment and there is enough equipment, but I am short of arms for ordinary rifle poses. As there are only 5 figures per sprue and each sprue comes with Sten, Bren and Thompson arms it doesn't leave enough room for ordinary rifle carrying arms. So a bit of chopping and adapting needs to be done.
IMHO Perrys do the plastic box sets much better. 12 different figures per sprue and enough kit to do a full platoon properly.

Unfortunately Perry's do not make any Plastic Soviets, so the suggestion is a bit irrelevant.

But the Assault Group bits are the best option, I will need to do the same to create RM Commandos all equipped with SMG's as there is the same problem with what's in the box.

Any good Osprey for the period will soon give a good idea of the variety of how the equipment can be arranged.

The Soviets are most probably the most random in their equipment. At some times during the war they were not even sent into battle with a rifle.

"The Soviets are most probably the most random in their equipment. At some times during the war they were not even sent into battle with a rifle".

Exclusively in Hollywood films))) However, some problems could be with the Wehrmacht's deep breakthroughs into the Soviet rear, where the rear non-combat units were located.

Russian uniform. Follow the link. Click on the red dot ;)

Two fighters: the image of the Red Army in 1941 and 1945

warspot.ru/2727-dva-boytsa-vneshniy-vid-krasnoarmeytsa-1941-i-1945-godov

Tankers of the first day of the war: uniforms and equipment

warspot.ru/2804-tankisty-pervogo-dnya-voyny-uniforma-i-snaryazhenie

Defenders of the Fatherland (women – snipers)

warspot.ru/11320-zaschitnitsy-otechestva