STALINGRAD Bolt Action Mega Battle!
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About the Project
Inspired by the Ontabletop.com 'Spring Clean Challenge' I have dusted off my Soviet Army for Bolt Action, which is 'Stalingrad themed'. I have dug out half painted and many still boxed kits and blister packs to start/re-start and hopefully finish the ridiculous amount of Soviet's, German's and Scenery that has been stuck in gamers limbo for years. I particularly look forward to getting a German army up an running to challenge my Soviet's, and to base the elements on real units (such as the 100th Jager Division). I also need to get scenery to theme the board built and finished. No Stalingrad battle (let alone a MEGA BATTLE [which Stalingrad very much was!]) would look right without a mass of smashed grey buildings, and a ruined concrete and brick wasteland. It's ambitious, but I have a LOT of unpainted miniatures and scenery that is crying out to get done, and the end result will (God willing?) be achievable and great fun for my gaming group and I. Like many gamers we all have a favourite battle that we would like to have masses of models and scenery to play with our mates. In those terms. this is my Waterloo (in a gaming bucket list way, rather than my ultimate personal downfall!),
Related Game: Bolt Action
Related Company: Warlord Games
Related Genre: Historical
Related Contest: Spring Clean Hobby Challenge 2023
This Project is Active
KV -8 Flame Tank.
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:
My Soviets so far.
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.
I plan to turn this mixed tank platoon into two separate platoons, the first of 3 T34's, and the second of KV1's.
This Naval Infantry Platoon has real character, and stands out clearly on the battle field. In terms of the new hobby challenge, I would love to get all three infantry squads up to a full strength of 12 men, and add some more weapons teams and a medic, to finish it off.
Featured in this image are my Strafbat platoon (above the trucks), and the SMG platoon below and including the trucks. I wish to add a a specially converted weapons team (more on that later), an NKVD squad and complete a 3rd strafbat squad to finish this unit off. For the SMG platoon, I wish to add a 3rd SMG squad at full strength of 12 to finish the platoon off, and build the 8man Siberian Veteran squad into a dedicated Siberian Veteran platoon.
It's Back On!
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
Stalingrad Landing Stage.
A commissar takes desperate measures to restore discipline amongst routing Strafbat troops, as a Naval Infantry NCO prepares to receive fresh troops via ferry, whilst the last of his men stave off the closing enemy. The landing stage hangs by an horse hair.
Miniatures by Warlord Games:
Soviet Infantry plastic box set
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
Discount code: TTMINI5
Panzer III Platoon.
What’s better than a single Panzer III, THREE Panzer III’s!
Miniatures by Warlord: https://store.warlordgames.com/products/panzer-iii-plastic-box?aff=42
Scenery by 4Ground:
https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/indie-design/tftb-master-builder-series/tftb-grudinin-mill-chimney
https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=urban%20ruins
Discount code: TTMINI5
Sdkfz231 Armoured Car.
This rather striking looking vehicle is going to be placed in a ‘Stalingrad Armoured Kampfgruppe Reinforced Platoon’ (see Warlord’s ‘Stalingrad Campaign Book’), as the Armoured Car choice.
It is a ‘wheeled vehicle’ and can move 12″ on regular terrain, or a whopping 24″ on roads. It however cannot cross ‘rough terrain’, which makes up much of Stalingrad, and will rely on Pioneers to remove barbed wire road block. It can however move swiftly on roads, having 2 x 90% pivots per movement, so to threaten enemy small and artillery teams, and generally make a nuisance of itself.
It is armed with a Light Autocannon and a co-axial MMG. It will be great for taking out small enemy teams in cover, and critically knocking out enemy transport vehicles, and hopefully taking out some of their passengers. On occasions where the 231 cannot cross terrain, the 40″ range of it’s autocannon will give it a decent amount of long range punch to threaten enemy infantry, teams and light vehicles from a distance.
It has the ‘Recce’ special rule, which means that it can retreat out of harms way if shot at, potentially wasting an enemy units shooting for a turn.
As long as it is used in accordance with it’s strengths, and not used in an anti tank role, it should be a great asset to my Panzergrenadier infantry.
Miniatures by Warlord Games:
Sd.Kfz 231 (8-Rad) Armoured Car
Scenery by 4Ground:
https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/28mm-road-barbed-wire-barricades?search=barbed%20wire
https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=urban%20ruins
Discount code: TTMINI5
Stalingrad Water Feature.
I really struggled to find a water feature that I liked, then I spotted the ‘La Haye Sainte Sand Pit’. I turned it into a Polluted Pond for my Stalingrad project. It could equally be utilised for 40K, Star Wars Legion or even 15mm Napoleonic’s as intended.
German Pioneers
These guys with a Veteran Unit rating, access to up to 6 SMG’s, an LMG and a Flame Thrower, can deal out more damage than any other squad available to the Germans.
They come in a 30 man box set using Warlord Games’s Blitzkrieg German plastic sprues, with additional metal heads, a host of weapon and specialist equipment arms.
The range of variation in the metal heads has allowed me to field a unit of characterful individuals, all with unique ways of camouflaging their helmet (Ooh, Er, Missus!). I have painted one with a ‘Soviet Amoeba pattern’ cloth cover, as well as an Hungarian equivalent, and the chap with a battered and bandaged bonce particularly stands out. Not at least that He is carrying a Teller Mine.
Miniatures by Warlord Games:
Blitzkrieg German HQ (1939-42)
Scenery by 4Ground:
https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/28mm-road-barbed-wire-barricades?search=barbed%20wire
https://www.4groundpublishing.co.uk/index.php?route=product/search&search=urban%20ruins
Discount code: TTMINI5
Barbed Wire is available in some Campaign Books, and I am keen to utilise it in my Stalingrad Battles. I like the 4Ground kits, and the way the models can be easily placed almost anywhere on the tabletop. The Pioneers are able to remove whole sections after taking a down order when adjacent.
