Showing posts with label Sagger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sagger. Show all posts

Saturday, July 26, 2014

An East German motor rifle battalion

Some time ago, I finished a Danish mechanized infantry battalion (my post of 5/25/14), so it seems only fitting that I give the "enemy" equal airtime.  

Here's an East German motor rifle battalion (wheeled) that I've just finished, with all the appropriate support elements, ready for service in my LANDJUT 1981 campaign:
Three companies of BTR-60PB's:
(Sorry for the crap photos and the inconsistent lighting. iPhone 5's have truly pathetic cameras). And the support units:
The 120mm towed mortars:
The AT-3 Sagger launchers:
And the AGS-17 Plamyas:
And last of all, the battalion commander with a BTR-60PU and a UAZ-469:

I already have a supporting panzer battalion, so now I just need to replicate the above motor rifle battalion two more times and I'll have a full regiment. Most of the regimental support units (antiaircraft, antitank, recon, etc.) are already finished. Seems a long slog, but I'll get there, my many sidetracks notwithstanding. At some point in the distant and misty future, I'd like to do a tracked motor rifle battalion too, but that falls under the category of "someday".

More next weekend!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Saggers and other toys

Painting a few command stands this weekend, as well as a stand of AT-3 Sagger anti-tank missles:
The O8 pack contains models that are very obviously Saggers, but also includes some that are different and could be used for Spigots:
Or Spandrels:
Or even Saxhorns:
In 1981, the East Germans had tons of Saggers, quite a good number of Spigots, and even a few Spandrels, but Saxhorn had only been in service since 1979, so only a small number of Soviet units would've had them. 

Here are my East German Saggers:

And two BDRM-2U and one T-55 command stands:

I'm also trying to get another company of T-55's done so my panzer battalion will be finished. That will get me about one third of the way to a complete motor rifle regiment. Whew. Still a way to go though. Not counting various support units, I need 3 motor rifle battalions and 1 panzer battalion.  

Otherwise, just texturing a lot of bases this weekend, which is less than photogenic. However, I feel a creative burst coming on. I haven't made a terrain feature in quite a while and I've never done one in 3mm. I have a 1/600 European farmhouse coming from Picoarmor and I need something to go with it. Standby....

Friday, February 14, 2014

More East Germans and some Danes

Progressing with my East German motor rifle battalion this weekend. Here's half the 120mm M-43 mortar battery that provided fire support for each battalion (i.e. one stand of the two needed):
Needless to say, in reality, the mortars wouldn't be packed in so tightly and the GAZ-66 ammunition supply trucks would only be that close to drop off more shells and then would stand a bit further off until needed again. However, doing platoon stands and using 3mm minis requires/allows a bit of "artistic license". 

And not forgetting my Danes, I've completed a 120mm mortar battery for them too. The Danes actually used French-made Thomson-Brandt 120mm mortars:
But O8 makes only Soviet ones, specifically the M43:
So I have to use this for both NATO and WarPac forces. Luckily at this scale, it's not too noticeable. I just swap the GAZ-66 trucks for Unimog 1300L's and paint them in Danish colors:

I've also (almost) completed an East German BMP-1 company this weekend. 
As you can see, the command stand has a way to go yet, but the actual platoon stands are finished. In order to make the AT-3 Saggers stand out a bit more, I painted them a much brighter green (Vallejo Gunship Green 895) than the vehicle itself. I've seen wargamers with the Saggers painted in all manner of bright contrasting colors, but as in all armies, bright colors are training rounds. In the field, the last thing you want on your vehicle is a glaring aiming point for the other side to use. 

Now I just have to whip that command stand into shape.... More next weekend, if not before.