From BenF: Там, где мы, там — победа! 6mm 1980s Soviet Naval Infantry (135 points)

So, by the time this post goes up i'll be with my wife in the maternity ward in the process of having a baby! This is our first, and we don't know if it's a boy or a girl so its doubly exciting. I daresay that the frequency of my updates will slow down a tad over the next few weeks as we all get into our routines. That said, i've got some '80s RAF and French ground attack aircraft at 80% complete, along with some Soviet odds and sods. So, if I do manage to grab a half hour of painting here and there I should be able to finish these off.

For this entry, I've completed a Soviet Morskaya Pekhota, or Naval Infantry force. With their sharp black uniforms worn over blue and white striped sailors shirts, and a lineage stretching back to the times of Peter the Great, the Naval Infantry were the original elite of the Soviet forces. Indeed, the VDV airborne adopted the sailor's shirt as a sign of their own elite status. Despite this status, and in common with many marine forces, the Naval Infantry did not enjoy the latest and greatest of technology. The little bit of Cyrillic in the title means 'Where we are, there is victory!',  the motto of the Naval Infantry.

First off are the command stands, one for the Tank battalion and an overall Brigade commander. I wanted these to give the feeling of moving off the sandy beaches of the Baltic or North Sea. Vehicles and figures are all Heroics and Ros.

Next off, the 112th Independent Naval Tank Battalion. Unusually for the Soviets Naval tank battalions appear to have had a mix of equipment. Six bases are the T-55AMVs, the upgraded version of the 1950s era tank with ERA and a tube launched anti-tank guided missile to bring them into the 1980s. The PT-76 tanks on the other hand are relics from the past with a 76mm gun and thin armour. They are amphibious though, which is why they were used. Finally, there are three bases of TO-55 flame tanks. I've attempted to paint an approximation of the Soviet naval flag on the TO-55s and PT-76s, and I'm relatively happy with how they turned out.

Next up is the teeth of the brigade, two naval infantry battalions. For CWC, these have 8 bases of infantry, one base with a 9K115 Metis ATGM, and one base with the 9K34 Strela-3 MANPADS anti aircraft missile. All figures are from Heroics and Ros, and wonderful sculpts they are. Andy kindly put together a mix of figures with helmets and berets which works well for these elite troops. I was a few Strela armed figures short, so I will add in a second SAM base at a later date. I've also included an extra ATGM base, as well as two bases of the earlier 9M14 Malyutka ATGMs so I can field these as an early 80s formation.

Next we have the transport for the infantry, BTR-60BPs from CinC. Lovely little vehicles, and I really like that the turrets are separate which allowed me to make the vehicles less uniform. I've got 12 vehicles, enough for a battalion and a half. I'll be adding another six BTRs at a later date to make up the two battalions worth of transport.

And here's a picture of one complete battalion, the 877th Independent Naval Infantry Battalion. I've got almost enough for the 878th as well.

The Naval Infantry also used the 2S9 'Nona-S' Self propelled gun-mortar in place of the usual 120mm mortars, so here are brace of them from Heroics and Ros. The Nona-S was based on the air-portable BMD chassis, and had originally been designed for the VDV, however the naval lads soon appropriated some and i'll have two of these supporting each infantry battalion. I'll be getting another one from Andy to finish off enough for the entire force.

As with all amphibious forces, engineers play an important role clearing minefields and obstacles and tackling fortifications. These two bases of engineers are armed with the devastating RPO-A Shmel, a shoulder launched thermobaric flamethrower. Their transport is in the form of the PTS-M amphibious trucks. All Heroics and Ros.

Next, some serious fire support. These are two GHQ BM-21 Grad self propelled rocket launchers, the descendants of the WWII era Katyushas.

As the Naval Infantry was to operate in concert with the Soviet navy, I've provided some rotary aircraft which could operate from destroyers, as well as some fast air from one of the Kiev class carriers. The Helos are the unconventional two rotor Kamov Ka-29TB Helix-B armed assault transports. These are from Heroics and Ros with Hurlbat/Lazerline rotors. I managed to spill CA glue on one of the rotor discs, and will need to order a replacement. For one, I scratch built a 23mm gunpod on the left side. The fast air is the Yakolev Yak-38M, a VTOL aircraft known as the Soviet Harrier. This is a Heroics sculpt with bombs added from the bits box. I think i'll add a friend for him at some stage, as I really like the unique blue/green colour scheme.

So that's it for this entry. The total for this lot should be:

98 x 6mm figures = 49 points
39 x 6mm vehicles = 78 points
Total = 127 points.

My next entry will be after baby is due, so not sure when that will be, but it will consist of some 6mm French, USAF, and RAF aircraft.

Look at that Helix! Look at it! I'm drooling over all your 6mm entries, and this is another micro-modern mega-treat. I'm awarding a bonus 8 points for:

• Handpainted naval flags
• Antennae
• Scratchbuilt gun-pod
• Painted glass effects
• Getting your twin rotors on and separate!
• Because I'm a softy and you're having a baby imminently.

Barks