VDV Company Unit by Unit

OK - as promised here are the photos of each of the individual units broken down.

I'll start with the Company HQ

Moving from left to right we have Sniper (forgot to put a spotter figure in...) Medic, Company CO, Company Political Officer, Company HQ BMD-1P, Company Sergeant, Senior Technican (with radio) and a paratrooper.

First Platoon

The squad in the centre is the Platoon HQ squad, with each squad having 5 dismounts - an NCO, a RPG, a RPK-74 or PKM, and 2 paratroopers with AK-74 (possibly one also having a BG-15).  BMDs are a mix of BMD-1s and 2s.

Second Platoon

Similar set up to the First Platoon

Third Platoon

Again this is very similar to the First Platoon.

Now we get into the support options.  The Company would have attached to it some AA options - typically a MANPADS squad with SA-7 or SA-14.  The Battalion also has a ZU-23-2 Battery so I have mixed these two together.

Three of the four figures are armed with SAM.  The fourth is the NCO in charge.  The SAM squad could be carried in a BTRD, such as the one on the right, which could also act as a portee for a ZSU-23-2.  I've added another ZSU-23-2 onto a Gaz-66 truck - which could either tow the AA gun or again act as a portee.

Another company support option was the Automatic Grenade Launcher Squad - equipped with AGS-17 AGLs.

Again this squad is transported in a BTRD.  They had 2 x AGS-17 and 3 other squad members (and NCO and 2 other crew)

Each Battalion also had a 120mm Mortar Battery

The battery had 6 mortars, so I thought it reasonable that each of the three companies could be supported by a gun section of two tubes.  I also added in a 2S9 Nona for more options.  Beside (on the right) the 2S9 is a Mortar Fire Controller.

Probably only used if they were without the BMD's a Parachute Regiment has an anti-tank battery of AT-4 Launchers and SPG-9 recoilless rifles.  I've included them for completeness sake.

I've also included a Foward Air Controller and a Forward Artillery Observer, along with there UAZ-469 rides.

Finally - the ASU-85 platoon

So that's pretty much it for my VDV.  Of course there are a couple of other units that could fit in with the VDV, like a BRDM Anti-tank Platoon, but they can also fit in very easily to a Motor Rifle Company, so I'll hold them over for that.

Thanks for looking

Have fun

Richard

Complete VDV Mechanised Company + Attachments

Well I've finally finished and managed to photograph my first Cold War 1-to-1 company (apart from a T-72 Tank Company).  This is a VDV (Soviet Paratrooper) Mechanised Company primarily equipped with BMD-1 and BMD-2 air-portable/air-droppable infantry fighting vehicles.

All the figures here are from Liberation Miniatures and the vehicles are a range of ACE kits, S&S Models, Liberation Miniatures, MMS, GRAN and MAC.

Here are a few photos of the whole company plus attachments:

I hope you can get an idea of the size/scope of the force by looking at these pics.  Tomorrow I'll break it down into it's constituent units.

Thanks

Richard