Soviet Army Support Group

Description

This set contains:

• 1 x Soviet HQ
• 1 x Soviet Medium Machine Gun Team
• 1 x Soviet Medium Mortar Team

Soviet HQ

Like the soldiers they commanded, many Soviet officers were inexperienced andlacked training at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.Stalin’s ruthless purge of the officers of the Red Army in 1937 had denudedthe organization of leadership and left deep scars in the survivors’ minds.Throughout the war, showing initiative was seen as a dangerous trait, and mostSoviet officers would follow their orders to the letter even if they meantmarching their men to certain death.

Soviet operational leadership improved immeasurably over time, but the heavycasualties endured by the Red Army indicates that overall battlefield controlremained a blunt instrument. A great reliance was placed on forward planning,timetables and pre-set objectives to overcome shortcomings. An officer unitconsists of the officer himself and can include up to two other men acting ashis immediate attendants. Soviet officers can be rated as Inexperienced, Regularor Veteran.

Soviet Medium Mortar Team

The standard Russian medium mortar of the war was the 82– PM-41 or 82mmbattalion mortar Model 1941. This served alongside the otherwise similar 82mmModel 1937. Both were very effective and accurate weapons with a range of about3,000 yards. 82mm mortars were regarded as artillery rather than infantryweapons by the Russians and were usually massed together in batteries forbattalion-level support.

Soviet Medium Machine Gun Team

The Red Army used the venerable Maxim Model 1910 as its medium machine gunthroughout the war, the very same weapon that had served the Tsarist army inWorld War I. It was a capable weapon that could be tripod-, sledge- orwheelmounted and was often given a useful shield to help preserve the crew. TheMaxim was so heavy and cumbersome, however, that, unlike most other Sovietweapons, the Germans seldom made use of captured examples. The Maxim was slowlyreplaced by the newer, lighter but equally effective SG43 model machine gun,which was also usually deployed on a small, wheeled mount with a gun shield.

The models come supplied unpainted and unassembled, contents may varyfrom the box image.

Delivery

 

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