From DaveD - Bolshevik Cavalry , Maxims and Infantry (135 points)

This week's offering is yet more addition to my growing Bolshevik army. Anyone would think this was supposed to be this years project - but it wasn’t. But hey ho. It’s got them done. Most of these only needed basing this week, good job as I have been floored with the lurgy over the weekend and early part of the week.

First up 6 lancers . I made the lances from a suitable gauge piano wire cut to length and the point created with a carborundum disc attached to the mini drill . These have had a little solder work done to make sure they are attached properly in hand - no superglue failures here , in some cases it is also tacked to the stirrup .Lancers without a means for them to keep hold of the the thing grinds my gears , so I have created the strap around the lance and then around the arm using some garden twisty wire strpped of its plastic covering. This wire is flexible and strong for its thickness, its  also nice and cheap.

And now with the rest of my 1st Cavalry Army 

I feel I want to double this at some point , but not for now.

I had previously made up a single tail pennant to add to some of the lances . So I thought a horseshoe with the number inside would do nicely. 

 

I have also designed a full standard for them 

 

Again these are Copplestone Castings 

Next up is a Maxim gun for the sailors .

Some thin brass rod snipped into small pieces and added  as spent cases 

Finally a last unit of infantry in the classic budenovka hat . 

So with the sailors it gives me 6 infantry units, 3 MGs, 18 cav, 2 field guns with transport and command, commisars etc . I have some slightly out of period other vehicles, which will do service for now until I replace with something more in line with the period in due course.

It’s also proving difficult to get them all in shot now 

Points - all 28mm

6 x Cav = 60

Infantry x 13 = 65

1 gun = 10

Total 135 

Just my newly arrived Tachankas to sort . 

***

More commie bolsheviks! It's like rats...there is never just a one or two...I expect nearly every Challenger will relate to your sentiments about how these figures were not intended to be a main effort for this edition of the Challenge, but it just sort of worked out that way. Those often end up being the best projects! I have certainly loved watching it come together, and the crammed-in group shots at the end just underline what a triumph it is. 

Some fantastic work on the lances and small conversions. I would never go near soldering gear myself (for reasons of public safety) but I totally relate to having that maddening feeling of a missing little bit for the kit - in this case, the rest for the lances. It's the little things in this little hobby of ours, right?

Well done Dave!

GregB