"Latest Project-Soviet Motor Rifle Troops-Mid to Late 1980s" Topic

A little bit of an explanation and information on my latest project to see what people think and if I have gone off my meds again.

I took a serious look around for Soviet Motor Rifle troops for the late eighties period and did a bit of research maybe will help if I explain it.

First off the uniforms.

They went from the 1968-69 model of uniform which was an update from the wartime uniform, to the Afghnaka or model 1988 uniform which was the equivalent to the BDU in a lot of ways.

If the figures are covered by camoflage coveralls of smocks, this is not so much of an important feature.

Next, the body armour.

Believe it or not the introduction of 6B2 body armour was near general issue from very early in Afghanistan. This is a front and backside vest that gave protection against fragmentation as well as pistol shots too. So, the equivalent of modern level 3 as we'ld say today.

That vest though was pretty much a vest and that only. The troops still wore the standard webbing and belts over top of it.

Because of the obselescense of the web and belt system, Soviet trops in Afghanistan pretty much adopted the chinese chest webbing, either captured, bought or maed themselves and wore them over the armour vest. Eureka miniatures does these figures perfectly.

The body armour became far more widespread in general use. Was it common in Europe, probably not in entirety due to numbers but definitely more general use as time went forward.

Due to user feedback, late patterns of that 6B2 vest introduced magazine pockets. Then the 6B3 vest kept the magazine pockets and was imporved to the point of being protective against intermediate rifle rounds. So now good as what we'ld call level 4 armour today. The 6B3 vest was say 1986-87 onwards.

However, the chest webbing over the 6B2 body armour was not really as widespread. The chest webbing was almost unique to Aghanistan. There was a Soviet attempt at making a similar chest rig called the "Lifchik".

Since the later production 6B2 and newer 6B3 body armour had magazine and amm o pouches inherent in the body armour, the Lifchik vest was not as widespread but more of a short term thing.

In the mean time all those troops with the regular 6B2 plain body armour not in Afghanistan simply wore the regular old web pouch and belts over top of the body armour.

TAg, The Assault Group again do a very nice job in making the Soviet troops in the 6B3 body armour. You can easily tell these figures because the have the two ammo pouches on each right and left front side of the body at waist level, as well as the big square chest pocket and back pocket. Even the grenade pouches on the back of their buttocks.

But nobody makes the troops in the plain body armour with the standard old style webbing. Belt with one big mag pouch for four magazines, another smaller pouch for the two grenades, maybe the old style canteen and water bottle and folding shovle carrier.

Then I started taking a good look at a number of pictures othat people had posted of Soviet Assault engineers from the world ar two miniatures.

Helmets, 1940 vs 1968 close enough no one will know without looking inside of one.

Camoflage coveralls or jackets. Again paint in the appropriate camoflage colours and they're good to go.

Big steel armour plates in front of the body.
Taking a really good look at it, paint it a drab green and then the back of the figure like a vest and it will actually look like the 6B2 armour vest.

The only real work on my part is to convert the figures from PPSH to AK74. Parts from TAG and Crooked dice and I am on the way.

Other small things are the odd ammo pouch is round for spare PPSH magazines, a pinch with a apir of pliers to square them up and all set.

More testing out my Google-Fu for figure searches.
I find I have a wider seelction than i thought.

Nei-Forge had a set of Soviet Shock Troops Perfect figures but long out of production. That might be a good thing because I remember them as big and cartoony from the old Easy Eight and Battleground ranges. All the same I decry the loss of any figures and ranges out of production and lost to us.

Next,,,

Bolt Action.
A metal set of eight.
One figure witha flamethrower, not good for conversion.
Another two figures that might challenge conversion like the guy carrying two Panzerfausts or the one lugging around a thirty-five pound cheese cake anti tank mine, but I'll figure something out.

They also have two bonus packs of another flamethrower and a kneeling rifleman as well as a three man SG43 machine gun team. One generation back of an SG43 instead of a PKM, no problem with me. Maybe even add n AGS17.

Now the figures come in complete cam coveralls over what look like shorter or covered boots down to ankle boot height. Helemts come separate in a strip of head options.

But, they are not alone,,,

Artizan designs also makes the Assault engineers.
they have two sets. One of all submachine gun figures and a secod set of flamethrower, DP28 and two more PPSH troopers.

they are sculpted in the same way consistent with the Bolt Action figures. same cam coveralls right down over the boot tops and helmets.

Additionally there is Great Escape Games who make Assault Engineers. Again an eight figure set.

One figure again is not a conversion candidate because he is a flamethrower figure. (What is the love for flamethrower figures?)
Otherwise the rest are helemts, DP28 and the rest are PPPSH.

This time though it seems either my eyes are off or they seem to be more of a camoflage jacket or smock over regular trousers. Maybe they'll show better once I prime the figures. I suppose I can always paint the trousers as if they were cam coveralls, but maybe cam jackets over regular tan-khaki pants would make a nice change of appearance on the figures.

Two or three figures have the old pattern bag style rucksack. The one that looks like a bag where the top is tied off with a sting and the top flowers out. Maybe a bit f eacto work and a pinch with a set of pliers can sqaure it off into a more modern shape for the 1980s look?

So, we have some very nice widespread three options for figure makers to pick from.

Now Bolt Action has specific support weapons like the SG43 machine gun. Both Bolt Action and great Escape Games have a figure or two kneeling as well. So I get to make some support weapons.

The SG43 machine gun is OK by me still. Second line use for sure. Maybe spruce things up with either an AGS17 or an AT4.

On the happy side I am in the amassing all the figures and parts stage still.

Also a positive is that the motor rifle platoons are only what 21 man strength. So smaller number to convert a full platoon of ene a company.

Ak74s, RPK74s and RPG are easy and standard enough.
There are enough kneeling and support figures for Sg43 mgs, AGS17s, maybe even an AT4 or two.

I can always use left over standing figures for an 82mm mortar, an SPG9 recoilless gun,,, but I have always wanteed an T12 anti tank gun,,,.

I actually was once told that the old Maxim 1910 model machine guns were still being taught and practiced because they were the mainstaty of the bunkes on the chinese border into the mid 1980s. So the mix of support weapons I am looking at can play both east and western scenarios.

I apologise to everyone for my long explanations but maybe it will help to clarify my madness in my latest project.

Do I seek help or better yet, how can you inspire and eneblae me further???

Maybe some Stalin 2 tank turretsand an odd ZU23-2 for hill tops on valleys controlling the routes from the Amur River?

As an aside, the other modern Soviet figure makers.

Underfire, both 1988 uniforms and camoflage coveralls with regular webbing but no body armour. Good for western europe. However they do tower over the other figure makes a touch. Good for AK74 and RPK74 though.

Mongrel Miniatures. For AK74 they have two sets of Afghan and to sets of Ninth Company, but the inconsistancy in body armour, uniform and headgear drive me bonkerss.

The Mongrel summer and Winter Soviets are more consistant for uniform ad headgear but are all AK47 or AKM kitted out and I already have a company of them. As well Reiver Minitures has a three pack of Soviets that fit in superbly with the Mongrel Soviets. they actually have the arm sleeve pockets of the Afghanka uniforms!

Ironwind Metals makes two figures with Ak74, one running like he just hustled out of dismounting a BMP and another with rifle slung like a sentry.

I want the AK74, body armour and old webbing look.

Are the uniform specifics that you want even going to be visible when the troops are on the table?

You have a point.
The type of uniform might not even be noticeable.
Maybe the cam coveralls or jacket would though.

Thanks for wading through all my ramblings.

Great discussion, I have only one thing to add- "Lifchik" is the Russian word for "brassiere."

Yes, the USSR/Russians made their own version of the chest webbing. Some in Afghanistan they actually sewed the mag pouches from the paratroper webbing, together by hand using rifle slings for belting.

Later there was a production model but I don't think it was overly widepsread.

Again I apologize for the too long diatribe about kit.
More to the point, anyone think it might be worthwhile to modify?