looks at some WWII German tank-hunters.15mm World War Two gamers can now create plenty of havoc in their opponent's 'rear areas' with sculptor Mike Broadbent's new range of ferocious Soviet Partisans. They are a grim-looking lot, and enough to make any German general throw a worried glance over his shoulder - not to mention testing the nerves and allegiances of the local peasantry! Mike has also been busy with some other useful additions to our 15mm WWII ranges, covering the early (1941-42) campaigns in the Pacific.
Adolf Hitler famously said of Russia and Stalin's government that he only had "to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down." A fatal underestimation (if ever there was one) of the Soviet people's will to resist what they quickly realized was an even more oppressive and murderous regime than the one they already had.
Within a few weeks of the onset of Operation Barbarossa, with defeat on all fronts, and Nazi forces rapidly overrunning vast areas of Soviet territory, the Soviet authorities quickly set about organizing Partisan forces to continue resisting the invader, from behind enemy lines. At first these units were small, independent and widely dispersed - made up of the remnants of defeated Soviet army units and a few local volunteers, but as the war continued they steadily grew in number and size, and fell under central military control. By 1943, the Partisan forces were so numerous they had effectively become a Soviet army in their own right - numbering many thousands, conducting major coordinated operations, and fighting pitched battles with German 'security' forces. Some of these operations, such as the campaigns to disrupt the movement of German reinforcements and supplies during the battles of Kursk and the Dnieper, were very successful and instrumental in the Russian victories.
Our range includes a wide selection of Partisan types in practical civilian garb and armed with a variety of suitable weaponry. Horses were commonly employed by Partisans (and the Germans) for rapid movement and patrol work, so we have included some mounted figures as well. There is even an accordion player to keep your comrades entertained by the campfire in your forest hide-away!
Following the release last year of our 1941 U.S. Marines wearing the round helmet for the early Pacific War campaigns (such as the defence of Wake Island), Mike Broadbent has expanded this part of our 15mm World War Two range to provide gamers with all the necessary figures to cover the defence of the Philippines. As well as the U.S. Marines, General MacArthur's United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) included mounted U.S. cavalry units, and large numbers of local Filipino troops - both well represented in this release with multiple variant figures. In addition to these, we also have armed U.S. Navy sailors, who were frequently called upon to defend many of the U.S. naval bases and airfields from Japanese attack during the early months of the war in the Pacific. And remember - we also make 15mm Japanese for World War Two!
Here are the catalogue details for all the above new miniatures:
NEW 15mm World War Two Soviet Partisans
Sculpted by Mike Broadbent
300WWT150 - Soviet militia/partisans with rifle (8)
300WWT151 - Soviet militia/partisans with SMG (4)
300WWT152 - Soviet militia/partisans with HMG, 2 figure set (1)
300WWT153 - Soviet militia/partisans with LMG (2)
300WWT154 - Soviet militia/partisans mounted (3)
300WWT155 - Soviet militia/partisan seated (1)
300WWT156 - Soviet militia/partisan accordionist (1)
300WWT157 - Soviet militia/partisan leaders (2)
300WWT158 - Soviet militia/partisan heavy weapon crew (4)
For Soviet Partisan wagons - see our SYW Russian range for suitable rustic vehicles.
NEW 15mm 1941 Pacific War U.S. Forces
Sculpted by Mike Broadbent
300WWT130 - 1941 U.S. cavalry, mounted (4)
300WWT131 - 1941 U.S. cavalry officer mounted (1)
300WWT132 - 1941 U.S. cavalry, dismounted (4)
300WWT133 - 1941 U.S. cavalry officer, dismounted (1)
300WWT134 - 1941 U.S. cavalry horse holder on foot (1)
300WWT135 - 1941 U.S. cavalry held horses (1)
300WWT136 - U.S. Sailor, with Springfield rifle (5)
300WWT137 - U.S. Sailor, with Thompson SMG (2)
300WWT138 - U.S. Navy officer (2)
300WWT139 - 1941 Filipino infantry, with rifle (10)
All these miniatures can also be ordered in the U.K. from Fighting 15s, and in the U.S.A. from Eureka Miniatures U.S.A.