STALINGRAD Bolt Action Mega Battle!

I love ‘Mad-Bob’s’ scenery and miniatures. I his folding scenery is really the work of a genius! Which is why I still feel like a Philistine for assembling this superb model in a near static position. The deciding factor was that I wanted to give his superb model a custom paint job to tie it in with my Stalingrad scenery from those clever chaps at FactoruM, whom ‘Mad-Bob’ has teamed up with to manufacture his model.

Stalingrad was full of warehouses and factories, and this model is a perfect addition to my project, it also could be used quite happily with other locations and game systems.

oks with through my affiliate links:

Last years Spring Clean Challenge resulted in a great new multi platoon army for my aspiration to host a “Stalingrad Mega Battle”. After starting with 11 figures, I am now in a great position, and can hold decent sized battles, however, I still have the burning ambition to build the force up to a good company and an half in size.

I suspect that it needs more infantry to take on my Soviets with confidence, and taking up this years OTT ‘Spring Clean Challenge’ I can further develop the force and build up the element that I have.

The core of the force was the Jager Platoon (‘Into Hell Platoon’, Stalingrad Campaign Book) with two Stugs in support, then I added a Panzer III platoon, a ‘Stalingrad Kampfgruppe Reinforced Platoon’, (Stalingrad Campaign Book), a seriously week rear echelon platoon of two Felgendamerei squads, an inexpeienced officer and Propaganda Cameraman, and finally I have an understrength Pioneer Platoon of 1 squad and a Captain.

My immediate plans are to get an officer to lead my  ‘Stalingrad Kampfgruppe Reinforced Platoon’, which I intend to use in conjunction with the Panzer III platoon, and add a couple more teams and beef up the Panzergrenadier squad.

I also would like to get the Pioneers a second squad, the Felgendarmerei realy need some rear echelon troops (more on that soon) to herd into battle/hide behind, and the Jagers could do with a third squad, a couple of weapons teams and specialist to finish of the unit.

It may not be the biggest, baddest tank in Bolt Action, but in an early War and even a mid War setting (such as Stalingrad), it’s not going up against PAK 40’s and the late War German Big-Cats. Granted, it is likely to get sent to the Bovington-Tank-Museum-in-the-sky if taking on a Panzer III head on, but in the maze of Stalingrad, and careful use of cover it could quite easily take it out from behind.

This tank comes with a Light Anti-Tank Gun with co-axial MMG. It can fire one or the other in a turn. At 125 points (Regular) it’s the just under the points cost of a basic squad of 10 infantry men with an LMG. It’s that realm of expectation that I have for it on the table. The German Squads of this period do not have the later dreaded Panzerfausts, and this little tank is to them a real threat! I plan to use it to target motorised and armoured enemy infantry in their trucks and halftracks as an early priority, then enemy artillery/weapons teams, officers  and if a suitably sneaky ‘Texas-Heart-Shot’ on an enemy Panzer should arise, great. The key thing is to remember, It’s not there to take on the Panzer III and IV’s, enemy soft skin vehicles, scout cars and light tanks yes, but it’s the enemy infantry that are most vulnerable to it’s Light Anti-Tank Gum HE even when in cover.

It’s a great plucky little model, with bags of character, and was fun to paint. I can’t wait to use it in my first game.

I love Warlord’s T34 kits as they are so simple to assemble and paint quickly. The ability to assemble and paint the tracks separately is particularly helpful.

The box allows for 3 different variants of the t34/76 to be assembled, with one of the 3 different turrets. I have chosen the STZ (Stalingrad Tractor Zavod) variant.

I like the kit and have decided to manufacture as many different variants that I can, that are within the Bolt Action rules and/or army lists, as well as being historically accurate. I was surprised that Bolt action has so many ways that I can assemble and use this kit in a non standard way.

Warlord/Osprey has 2 books that feature rules for using captured enemy vehicles (Battle ground Europe page 85/ Ostfront page 47).

The special rules have that come under that Brandenburgers heading are great, but for disguised vehicles, or vehicles still in the enemy’s colours, and I will not discuss them here, as this tank in clearly painted and marked as German. In the “Stalingrad Mega Battle” I intend to run this tank simply as ‘Inexperienced’

I plan to use this tank as back up for my rear echelon platoon that I am building around Feldgendarmerei and other non frontline squads.  I used a metal Panzer commander from Warlord to enforce the sense of this tank being looted by the German’s.

I am really pleased with the over all look, based upon historical images on Google, and can’t wait to use this colourful miniature on the tabletop against some of it’s Soviet brothers.

Miniatures and books:

T-34/76 Medium Tank

Ostfront: Barbarossa to Berlin – Bolt Action Theatre Book

Blitzkrieg German Panzer Crew (1939-42)

Battleground Europe: D-Day to Germany – Bolt Action Theatre Book

4Ground sadly are having a closing down sale, so if you would like to get any of their scenery that I have featured of not, it is an excellent time to buy as their is a sale on. In addition I have a further discount code: TTMINI5

Scenery by 4ground:

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/ports-of-plunder/ports-of-plunder-short-dock-with-stairs-04?sort=p.model&order=DESC

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=urban%20ruins

This tank is truly a Fire Breathing Dragon on the table top (well at least when it doesn’t get taken out by a Panther Tank on the 1st turn, as in the image below!).

It is has the ‘slow’ special rule which means that  A vehicle that is designated as
slow has a basic move rate of 6” when Advancing and 12” at a Run.” This is a bit of a disadvantage for a tank that will be at it’s most lethal up close with it’s flame thrower, however a light anti tank gun, a rear of turret MMG and an hull MMG is still a effective against infantry, soft skin vehicles and much of the German Early and Mid-War armour of the period.

The reason that it has the ‘Slow’ special rule is due to it’s ‘Armoured all round’ special rule. Its armour is heavy all round. This means that it can get up close and personal (which is what you want from a flame thrower armed tank), as it has the same 10+ heavy tank armour at the sides and rear. This is a considerable advantage over side armour 9+ and rear armour 8+ that it would have without this special rule.

It may be slow, but it can deal out damage whilst on it’s way, and when it gets close it is lethal, and very difficult for the Axis forces to take out with the weapons of the time.

This tank is going to be the back bone of my Guards Platoon, which I intend to use defensively. When the German’s close in to capture ground and buildings, this Dragon of the table top will make them wish they hadn’t!

If anyone is interested in re-creating the scenery, or owning this awesome tank, please use my following affiliate links:

KV-8 flamethrower tank

Sorry for the poor quality image, but you get the gist of how much I managed to get done as a result of last years ‘Spring Clean Challenge’.

I am now able not just to field a single reinforced platoon, but a company sized force.

Without taking up Ontabletop’s  ‘Spring Clean Challenge’, I would not be in this position. I would recommend it to others, as it really helped me focus, and get stuff done.

The platoons in this picture are:

A motorised SMG squad platoon of two 12 man SMG squads, with an 8 man Siberian Veteran SMG squad, with support weapons and truck transports.

A Naval Infantry Platoon with 3 squads and light support weapons.

An armoured platoon of 2 T34’s and a KV1.

A Strafbat Platoon of 2 and a bit squads.

A Guards Squad of 2 understrength LMG squads with support weapons.

As part part of this years ‘Spring Clean Challenge’, I plan to add new units to all of the platoons that I have developed so far.

Ontabletop’s ‘Spring Clean Challenge 2021’ provided to be the inspirational tonic to assemble my collection of ‘Stalingrad Ruins’, that I had had lying around unopened for 3 years. I already had a decent sized Stalingrad themed Soviet army, but no Germans for them to go up against, and no scenery to frame the battle.

I dived in Big-Time, and took up the challenge to build my hobby dream of a “Stalingrad Mega Battle” for Bolt Action. It was also a great way of keeping motivated after being nearly killed off by Covid 19, and trying to recover.

Last years challenge was so great, and lead to so much getting done, that I have restarted it for this years Challenge. I have been busy mass manufacturing and painting for this year’s challenge, and only now am I about to see the first of I hope many pieces getting finished. Watch this space.

In the meantime, here is the scenery that I painted during last years challenge. Soon to be added to. Watch this space….!

4Ground sadly are having a closing down sale, so if you would like to get any of their scenery that I have featured of not, it is an excellent time to buy as their is a sale on. In addition I have a further discount code: TTMINI5

Scenery by 4ground:

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/ports-of-plunder/ports-of-plunder-short-dock-with-stairs-04?sort=p.model&order=DESC

https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=urban%20ruins