I've gone crackers for Krakas!

Sorry - appalling title but I couldn't resist!

Carrying on the West German theme - from last week, I've also managed to finish off some great little S&S Models Krakas.  Perfect for West German Paratroopers S&S Models (which now has a brand new web store) has a range of about 5 different Krakas.  A standard utility, a version armed with a 20mm AA gun, another with a Milan ATGM, yet another with a TOW ATGM and finally a variant carrying a 120mm mortar.

You can find out more about the Kraka here and here and some walk around photos here.  Unfortunately all three sites are in German but you'll get the picture.

The Kraka was replaced by the Weisel, but in my Cold war universe - the Kraka is still king - well - a very little dwarf king maybe.

So here are my pics:

First up the basic Kraka:

Of course I can always add some stowage - but I've been thinking of a system of different stowage loads that I could use - at some point in the future.  The driver comes with the Kraka.

Here is the variant armed with a Rh202 20mm AA gun:

I like this one alot!  I actually converted an Elhiem Soviet figure (with a head swap) to act as the gunner.

Next up a Milan ATGM armed Kraka:

To make this one a tiny bit different I used a Revell Milan launcher with no missile attached.

Finally I decided to make a diorama with my last Kraka:

Again the crew are Elhiem figures.  The Loader is a standard Elhiem Milan loader, however, that is a kneeling down figure which had to be added to a standing pair of legs.  The Gunner is a walking figure carrying a G3.  The G3 was removed and his head popped off and twisted to show him firing.  The Milan is a Liberation Miniatures milan.

That's it.  I'm quite chuffed with my Krakas and know that deep down, I'll need a few more!

Thanks and have fun

Richard

More West German Infantry

Well - here we are again...  This time I thought I'd show you some of my recently (like 2 days ago) completed West German Infantry.

Before I jump into it, I first have to say that the "new" Elhiem West German Infantry are simply some of the best miniatures I've ever had the pleasure to paint.  The poses are all excellent, very natural, well studied, with great attention to anatomy, weapons, uniforms etc.  I simply love these figures and can't wait for Matt at Elhiem to add to the West German line - to match his excellent BAOR range.

Anyway - that's enough waffling from me - onto the photos - in no particular order:

The first 2 shots give you an overview of the Elhiem BW03 MG3 range.

These 2 photos show the Elhiem BW04 set of infantry armed with Pzf 44.  I particularly like how they are still carrying their G3s.

This photo is what I'm calling Officers and NCOs.  The chaps pointing actually come from the BW02 and NAT02 rifleman sets while the chap kneeling down looking though bino's comes from the BW05 Milan ATGM team set.  I'm using the pointers as NCOs, with one of the bino chaps as a Platoon officer (until a proper one comes out) and the other as part of a FOO team.

These 2 shots show a variety of things - from the left - a RTO - basically a standard rifleman from BW02 with a greenstuff radio backpack added by me.  Next are 2 Carl Gustav gunners from BW04.  The final chap is an old Elhiem figure firing a Redeye SAM.  He is out of production - but I'm assuming Matt is planning a better version of him some time in the future.

Next are my new Milan ATGM teams.  Elhiem's BW05 gives you 3 figures & the Milan.  I only used 2 on each base - the gunner (Missiler?) plus either a loader or an observer - just to misx it up a bit.  This also meant I was able to use as Revell Milan gunner and Milan and one of the observer figures to stretch it to another team - so I was pretty chuffed with that.

These are all the standard Riflemen that come from BW01, BW02, NAT01 and NAT02.  I decided to get one pack each of the NAT01 and NAT02 so I could have a little more variety - basically they come with plain helmets.

Finally to complete a particular section I had half done a year or so ago, I needed a couple more Liberation Miniatures to be finished.  I know the Panzerfaust 3 on the right is past my time period - but I'll be using it as a Pzf 44 instead.

So that's all my new West German infantry. 

More West German goodness to follow soon.

Thanks

Richard

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

West German or Not? Terrain Poll 1

Recently I've gone through a tiny bit of a "modern" terrain building phase as I haven't been that well and putting some of these things together is something I can do watching telly with my wife.  I had a couple of old Superquick cardboard buildings that I thought I could complete fairly easily and then see how "West German" they looked.  These all come from their "County Town Building" selection.

So I thought I'd ask you guys and see what you think.  Here's the first one with some new Elhiem West German infantry for scale (which I'll show in more detail soonish):

This is the Superquick "Farm Hayloft or Barn".  I think this one could pass fairly easily as West German (with a little imagination) and is the most "European" of all the Superquick stuff which is generally very English.  So what do you think?

I was thinking of adding these buildings below to this to make it a real farm complex.

Anyway - the next Superquick building is their "Railway Hotel"  Mine isn't great, but it looks like this, with the Elheim figures again for scale:

I'm not 100% convinced by this one as West German.  I think I could push it a little over the edge though with some German signage or something like that.  I think it will do as a background filler or something like that.  Let me know what you think...

Last one is the Superquick "Police Station or Public Library".  Here is mine again with some Elhiem West German figures:

One thing I like about this one is the ability to easily put men on the roof - like I've shown in the picture.  However of all three I rate this one the least likely to be West German.  It just looks to English to me.

So let me know what you think of the three and I'll have some more terrain items to show you over the next few days - then hopefully onto some figures.

I actually happy for you to say whatever you like (as I couldn't work out how to do a proper poll here, but perhaps you could list the Buildings as 1,2 & 3 (in the order above) and then tell me what you think, something like this:

Building 1: Yes - works for me
Building 2: Maybe - if I squint I guess it looks West German
Building 3: No - You're kidding yourself!

Thanks and have fun...

Richard