WW3:TY Soviets

Time for something completely different for me.  I’ve been throwing together kits for gaming for years, but I need to go back several decades since I carefully built some scale models, and that’s what these feel like you’re building.  So, starting with two boxes with two in each box [TSBX04]

Assembly was mostly smooth, a couple of pointers for anyone trying this at home:

1. That first meld of the two halves of the main fuselage.  Have some means of keeping them together after glueing.  They’re inevitably slightly warped and it’s hard not to have gaps open up.
2. The missile launch pod supports are a complete ****.  The mounting under the wing requires 4 pieces on the sprue each with a unique combination of mount angle (left or right wing) and the gap between the nubs on the surface (small and big).  Having struggled with my first model I had a very close look.  From what I can see you get two left and two right, and two small gap and two large gap.  However you have two identical pairs rather than 4 unique mount.  Answer?  Trim off the nubs that are wrong.   Also do these out of order, mount them on the small wings before you glue the wings to the main fuselage.
3. The supplied magnets fit well in he top of the fuselage to take the rotor assembly, but the hole at the bottom to take a magnetised flight stand is too small to take the magnets even before priming  (always magnetise before priming!)

Fuselage primed with Vallejo Desert Tan Surface Primer [74.613] through an airbrush. Rotors primed standard black (See separate panel for pic of all paints used).

Firstly, the green camo was a mix of Vallejo Model Air Russian Green and Dark Green [71.017 & 71.012] that I air-brushed straight onto the primed model, leaving the desert tan primer as the contrast.  In hindsight I had the pressure too high as got some unwante effects.

Underside was Game Air Wolf Grey [72.747]  I could have masked and airbrushed. but used a steady hand and a brush instead.

Rotors and wheels base painted with Dark Grey Blue [71.054], probably my most overused colour across all models that need black with shading. The glass picked out and taken back to black, as were a few items under the wings.

Several steps to detailing.

• Model Air silver [71.063] applied to missile pods, engine vents and main/rear motor works before nuln oil wash.
• Ends of main rotor blades first based with Vallejo’s Game extra opaque Heavy Goldbrown before brightening with Model air Medium Yellow [71.002].  Using the extra opaque saved a lot of time doing yellow on black!
• Coated the windows with GSW’s Colorshift Storm Surge Green onto the black base.  Looked a bit lary at first, but after some wash and matt varnish that settlesd down.
• Decals applied using Microset and Microsol.  First go at decals for decades, I was nervous at first but it went OK. Was suprised a couple of times how quickly the decal took and couldn’t be slid dead straight – but I think I got away with it!
• Pin washed various parts, applied selective washes on rotor parts etc and the windows.
• Vallejo Mecha Matt Varnish through airbrush finished the job off.

2a) Hinds [completed]
Just finished the Hinds as I open this project, but I’ll retrospectively go through that process with a few pointers for these tricky models.

2b) Frogfoots [completed]
All 4 Frogfeet ready for battle.

2c) T64s [started]
The core armoured vehicles in the collection. Collected through three Yuri’s Wolves boxes (TSUAB3) giving me 15x T64s. Originally built and primed 7 for first game, but all 15 now in sync

2d) BMPs [started]
To the 6 BMPs from the Yuri boxes I added a box of 5x  BMPs, 10 of which will be BMP2s to have a decent size Motor Rifle platoon and one will be a BMP1 to be an observation vehicle (see 2e).  originally did 4 gor first outing, but now all 10 up to same level.

2e) Artillery & AA Support units [started]

3x Carnations, 2x Gophers SAM and 1x BMP-1 Observer, now referred to as a PRP-4 (which is what it would be).

Tempted to add more options, but going to at least finish the Phase 2 before I’m tempted,

2f) Infantry

1x Motor Rifle Company box (for use with BMP-2s)

1x Motor Rifle Platoon blister (For Hind Assault Company)

1x Motot Rifle Heavy Weapons… not very useful for this build!

Anyone getting the impression I’m leaving these to last?

So once I got hold of my Red Thunder book it was time to start to plot my force.  My initial focus is on a tank platoon, but eventually want the flexibility to run a BMP Motor Rifle Platoon as an option, both with common supporting planes, AA, artillery etc.

Was persuaded that T64s are a better option than T72s so that’s the initial core.  <<update Dec 2020>> Added T80s and BMP-3s to the list as ordered to be able to table a Shock force from the new Soviet book. May augment with additional support options later.

Below is a table of all the models and progress so far which I’ll update as I go.

As a longstanding FoW player I was eventually tempted  give WW3:Team Yankee, the new edition, a go. After a quick survey of what nations others at club played I decided to dabble with Soviets.

The project is initiated

Well I say dabble.., I don’t think I’m genetically able to dabble.

As described in detail in Phase 1 section below, I’m aiming for a good mixed forces collections based around a T64 tank division with support  as my main list, but with options to do a Motor Rifle division with tank support.

PLAN
Phase 1: Stuff done before I started this project page. Quickly threw 50 points of T64s and BMP2s on the table to try the game out. Basic Russian Green prime of half those models in my backlog for now, will pick up with these models and show them when I get around to the rest.

Phase 2: work through the backlog (see separate panel) starting with something different… 4x Hind helicopters!

<<UPDATE DEC 2020>>

Phase 2.1: The production backlog has just got a bit longer.  With the release of the new Soviets book I decided that my main battle force would still be shedloads of T64s, but an option should be to take a Shock company of T80 tanks supported by BMP-3 s.  1ox each on their way.  They will use a different, camoflague scheme compared to the standard tanks, which should be fun.