The latest addition is Hanomak's 'Confrontation' set towards the bottom of the post.
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This post is a consolidation of several Soviet Infantry posts I had previously made. It probably needs a bit more editing, but at least for now it provides a central location to see all the Soviet Infantry figures made by all manufacturers.
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First you can see a selection of Soviet Infantry figures from multiple manufacturers, painted to look like a single unit. Even though I painted more than 100, the total number of unique figures is only 47. Since the time I painted these figures, I have found a few more sets (Atlantic, Italeri Anti-Tank Gun Crew, Supreme Playsets) which would allow me to paint another 20 unique poses or so. But for now, this is it.
By the way, while we are on the topic of Soviet Infantry, I have to say that in the name of accuracy, I always try to resist calling them Russian Infantry, as the Soviet army contained many more groups beyond Russians. The funny thing however is that I just realized that most of the manufacturers actually refer to them as Russian Infantry on their packaging. No wonder they are most often called this way. Anyhow, however you prefer to call them, I present them to you for your review.
Airfix Soviet Infantry
A nice solid set made in the 70's and 80's. I like how they did a good job showing how common the submachine guns were among the Soviets, particularly in the late years of the war.
Italeri Soviet Infantry
Released about 4 or 5 years ago. This is a subset of the figures that they produced in 1/72. Supreme Playsets actually came out a few months back with these 8 poses plus 4 more, based on the Italeri 1/72 figures. I bought the Supreme Playset figures just for those 4 extra poses.
MPC Soviet Infantry
I have mixed feelings about this set. The 4 guys at the ends of this picture are OK, but the other guys are a bit odd. Like what's up with that guy doing that funny step? The Cossack officer is a nice touch, but he seems to be a bit off balance. And the guy throwing the grenade seems to have a stiff neck.
Reproductions of Marx 6" Soviet Infantry Figures
The manufacturer of these guys is unclear to me. I bought them advertised as SWTS figures (Steve Weston Toy Soldiers), but I have not been able to confirm that claim. He does not mention them on his web site.
Reproductions of Marx 6" Soviet Infantry Figures - one more
Here is one more of the allegedly SWTS Soviet guys. I did not paint this one as the figure, except for the base, is almost exactly like one of the 54mm Marx guys. See the picture below, the man on the very left. I have added him to this post so that you get to see the complete set of 6.
Marx Soviet Infantry
The bottom of the base of these figures actually says 1965. The figures I painted were cast more recently, but the mold was made that year. Probably among the earliest WWII Soviet figures to be made.
Toy Soldiers of San Diego Soviet Infantry
This is a recently produced set. Nice sculpting, and good poses. The woman sniper is a good unique touch which pays tribute to the many women who fought at the front lines of the Soviet army.
ESCI Soviet Infantry
This is actually a 1/35 set. Next to some of the larger TSSD figures these guys look small, but when you need extra poses, you can't be very picky. Then again, I did not paint the officer on the right. Unfortunately, by the time I found it I already had enough officers painted but in retrospective I should have painted it as it gives me one extra pose. It is already primed and at some point it will join the ranks. BTW, I think that officer might also be a woman, but it's hard to tell for sure. The third figure from the right also looks like a woman.
Below are a few more Soviet / Russian Infantry figures that I have discovered since I painted the figures above. Unfortunately it's going to be a while before that as there's a long queue ahead of them, but we'll get there at some point.
Anyhow, first I'd like to show you the Soviet Infantry from Supreme Playsets. These we released only last year. They are recasts of the 1/72 Italeri Soviet Infantry. There is an important point though. While Italeri also released a
Soviet Infantry set in 1/32, that set only contains 8 figures, whereas the Supreme Playsets Set contains 12. If you want to try to identify which 4 are the new ones, do so before reading the rest of the post.
Supreme Playsets Soviet Infantry - Part I
I've already painted the Italeri Soviet Infantry set, so the only two guys that I'll be painting are the first and the third guys from the left. The one on the very left is carrying an anti-tank rifle (not sure if it is a PTRS or a PTRD), which is actually a nice and unique figure/weapon across all the Soviet Infantry sets that I have seen. He's great at taking on lightly-to-medium-armored German vehicles.
Supreme Playsets Soviet Infantry - Part II
As you can see, Supreme Playsets released these figures in two color schemes. The green base color that you see is actually the color of the plastic, and only the face is really painted. The rest of the figure just has some brown patches throughout the body. So, other than the eyes, which actually look fairly decent, the rest of the paint job is rather poor. The same is true for the brown figures in the first picture above. The two new poses that I have yet to paint (or paint over) are the first and the fourth guys from the right.
DGN Soviet Infantry - Part I
These guys all seem to be originals as far as I can tell. They are a fairly decent set in terms of detail and proportions. Some of the poses are a bit 'funny' though. For instance, the guy on the left is aiming too low. I suppose he could be placed in the upper floor of a building. The other guys in this first picture are OK. In fact, I quite like the two on the right.
DGN Soviet Infantry - Part II
My favorite guy here is the officer. Very nicely sculpted and good body language. The grenade thrower's arm is posed at a funny angle, but other than that, these four guys make a nice batch.
DGN Soviet Infantry - Part III
These are my least favorite poses. I don't really like how they are standing. The best part is that they are all carrying sub mgs, but I don't think they would manage to survive a charge across no-man's land standing that way.
Atlantic Soviet Infantry - Part I
The other Soviet figures that I discovered come courtesy of Atlantic. Atlantic was in production mainly during the 70's and '80s so some of these figures are more interesting from the collector's standpoint and less so because of their sculpting which is sometimes a bit stiff. Having said that, the Maxim machine gun is a pretty unique figure/weapon, and that by itself makes the set special. Here is a previous post on the
Maxim Machine Gun.
Atlantic Soviet Infantry - Part II
The second guy from the right is a good example of what I mean when I say that their sculpting is sometimes a bit awkward. The rest of the figures are fairly decent and will blend well with the rest of the painted guys once they have some color on them.
Charbens Soviet Infantry
Charbens was in production during the 60s and 70s, but these figures look like recent casts. These guys are actually Cossacks. A couple of the poses are a bit odd, like the guy standing with his legs apart or the guy throwing the grenade. My favorite ones are the machine gun and the third guy from the right.
Cherilea Soviet Infantry
These guys are 60mm figures, but close enough in size to pass for some tall Slavic guys. They are also wearing a cossack outfit which is good to augment their number in my Soviet Army. The set comes with a flamethrower guy, a mortar, and a bazooka, which are welcome heavy weapons.
Cherilea Soviet Infantry - Vintage
Here are some of the original figures. Some of the factory paint is faded, but there is enough left to see that the pants were painted grey, while the shirt appears to have been left in the original plastic color. Not the most accurate, but I guess it made them lively and attractive.
Italeri Soviet Anti-Tank Gun Crew
The last 6 poses that I will be painting are the ones from
Italeri Soviet Anti Tank Gun Crew which I showcased in a previous post. They are all very nicely done. Unfortunately, what makes them so good -that they are really made for the anti-tank gun- is also what makes them hard to reuse in scenes without an anti-tank gun. For instance, a guy with field glasses might have been usable in a different context, but hey, I'm still really happy with the set. And BTW, if you're paying attention you might have realized that there are 7 figures in this picture. The guy on the far left does not belong to this crew. In fact, he is a German guy who sneaked into the picture by mistake when I was grabbing the figures from their box.
21st Century Toys Soviet Infantry
These guys come painted out of the factory. They are in fact a nice set. The sculpting is good, the poses are good and the paint job is also very good. The uniform colors don't match my painted figures that well, but I still find them a nice addition to the unit.
Crescent Soviet Infantry
This set was a real find as it is not easy to come by. To my knowledge there are only 5 poses. The pose on the right is rather original. As you can see they came factory painted. The level of detail on the sculpting is fairly decent, except for the faces which are a bit dull. All in all, a nice set to have in the collection.
Progress Soviet Infantry - Part I
These figures are closer to 60mm in size. The detail is actually rather shallow, as if they were clones of clones. I don't think that's the case though because the proportions are still fine, so I think they were simply sculpted this way. As far as the rest of the sculpting goes, the figures are well posed and in decent action stances.
Progress Soviet Infantry - Part II
The flag bearer is a rather unique figure. He could be getting ready to climb the Reichstag building in Berlin. I am assuming the man on the right is wounded, otherwise his pose would be a bit lame. The other two are average poses.
Progress Soviet Infantry - Part III
The last guy in the set. I had actually run into this figure at a bin of figures in a soldier show a couple of years back, but since I had not been able to find the rest of the set or identify the manufacturer I had not posted him. Now he can be displayed with the rest of his gang.
Publius Brest Fortress Soviet Infantry - Part I
These are some of the best figures I have seen. I love the action-packed poses, how the movement and intensity of the fight is captured, and the great level of detail. For instance, look at the figure on the left, standing on a German helmet. I also like the man on the right firing the MG with the circular ammo drum from the hip.
Publius Brest Fortress Soviet Infantry - Part II
The rest of the set. Again, look at the guy in the middle for instance. His attitude is totally consistent with the the weapons he carries. Throwing himself into a close quarter combat situation. The woman on the right reflects the important role that women played in the Soviet army, not just as nurses, but in many combat functions. The only things not to like about these figures are that there are only six poses and that they are out of production and therefore are really hard to find.
Publius Stalingrad Soviet Infantry - Part I
Publius' third WWII set is just as good as its predecessors. The uniforms emphasize the winter season of the campaign. The poses are loaded with action and movement. When you look at the man in the middle you can feel the tension in the situation that he might find himself in.
Publius Stalingrad Soviet Infantry - Part II
The only pose that seems a bit stiff, compared to the rest is the sniper woman, but even she is well sculpted. The man on the right is an interesting pose. If you look at him closely, you will notice that he is wearing body armor. I've seen some pictures in which you can actually see the dents left by bullet impacts, so it seems that they were reasonably effective.
Publius Battle of Berlin Soviet Infantry
Another nice set from Publius. Great sculpting, with lots of action and emotion packed into the poses. The only figure that I am not very excited about is the signaler. Not just because it is not a combat pose, but also because Engineer Bassevich had just released pretty much the same pose in its latest set. Also, note that the set comes with a wall section. I would not have minded if that had also been replaced by another combat pose. Forces of valor has given us many factory-painted wall sections that look even more realistic. One thing I like about this set is that these guys can be combined with their earlier sets to get more poses. For instance, there's a naval infantry guy who can be mixed with their first set. The guy with the smock can be mixed with the Stalingrad guys, and the regular infantry guys can be combined with the Brest Fortress figures.
Engineer Bassevich early war Soviet Infantry - Part I
These are early war Soviet Infantry figures. Apparently they are made in Russia. I find myself a bit ambivalent about these figures. On the one hand, the poses are nicely done, with a good degree of action and they have a lot of nice detail. For instance, the expressions on the faces of these figures are among the best I've seen. The casting however is not so great. The figures come with a lot of flash. Part of it looks like marks left over in the clay during the sculpting, the rest is probably from the mold. Also, the plastic that they are made of is very light. I tend to like figures better when they have a bit more weight. And then there is the price... not only are they very expensive relative to the average new production toy soldier, but you also end up paying a hefty shipping cost. At the end of the day each of them comes to about 5 dollars a piece, which not even many vintage figures fetch. So are they really worth it? We'll have to see how they paint up.
Engineer Bassevich early war Soviet Infantry - Part II
The rest of the poses. I could have done without the two guys standing in the middle, and taken two more action poses. BTW, notice the diversity in the uniforms and headgear at this early stage of the war. Also, you can't tell very well in these pictures, but these are some of the few Soviet figures made with a full backpack. You can see that better in the previous picture.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Infantry - Part I
This other set is a theoretically an Infantry set, but it is actually a big mix of things. These guys for instance represent a couple of high ranking officers, and two regular army guys. The officer with the big coat must be some kind of big shot who is probably standing way behind the front lines.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Infantry - Part II
These other guys are the crew of a tank and the guy on the right looks like a downed airman firing off a signal gun, perhaps hoping to be rescued before the enemy gets to him. Certainly not the average poses in an infantry set, however they will come handy in some unique scenes, not to mention that the nice level of detail will also make them look quite good when painted.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Infantry - Part III
The last three poses in the set represent an artillery crew. Here I am showing them manning the Italeri ZiS 3 76mm Anti-Tank Gun, however that gun comes with its own crew, so now I am thinking that perhaps I will use them to man a captured German PAK of which I have several who are still lacking a crew.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Partisans - Part I
A unique set by Engineer Bassevich. The depiction of these partisans strikes a nice balance between showing them as civilians and soldiers. For example, the guys above might have just joined the partisan unit and are still wearing some of their original clothes and their weaponry is lacking automatic firing.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Partisans - Part II
These guys however are more rugged and is likely that they are regular army troops who got left behind the enemy lines and joined the partisans, giving them some badly needed training and leadership. As far as the quality of the figures go, I am quite pleased with this set. They don't have any flashing, and the plastic used to make them feels more dense, making them feel a bit more robust. The level of detail in the sculpting as you can see, is really great.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Partisans - Part III
These guys are probably a mix of civilians and ex-soldiers, but have been in the Partisan ranks long enough to have more sophisticated clothes and equipment. A very interesting touch is the kid in the middle, holding a captured German sub-machine gun. I actually saw a picture of such a kid, dressed very much the same way, which was surely the inspiration for the pose.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Military Women - Part I
Another unique set from Engineer Bassevich. This time the set is a bit of a mix. 8 Figures represent women across a range of military roles. As with some of the previous sets, some of the figures are inspired by actual historical characters. In this first picture we have Marina Raskova (far right), a pioneer in the Sovier Air Force and founder of 3 female pilot regiments. The next character is supposed to be a brave girl who rushed under the tank with and blew it up using a pack of grenades. This happened in September 23, 1943 near the village of Ivanenko, Ukraine. The sniper figure is supposed to honor women such as Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Rosa Shanina, Elizabeth Mironova, Mary Polivanova, Natalia Kovshova. Below are a few pictures which inspired these figures sent to me by Alex, the man behind Engineer Bassevich.
Elizabeth Mironova and the movie character which inspired the figure with the sub MG
Grenade Girl and Marina Raskova
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Military Women - Part II
On this picture we have Zina Tusnolobova, who lost all limbs helping the wounded in combat. While on the hospital, a tank unit heard of her and named 5 tanks after her. Another famous medic was Valeria Gnarovskaya (far right), a medic credited with saving many lives. In a single battle she is said to have brought from the battlefield 47 wounded, and then went on to defend them, killing over 20 and enemy soldiers. The figure in the left is a road inspector, as were Sonya Petkovska and Marya Shalneva. Below are a few more pictures which inspired these figures sent to me by Alex, the man behind Engineer Bassevich.
Marya Shalneva and women at attention
Medical instructor Valeria Gnarovskaya and medic Zina Tusnolobova
Zina Tusnolobova caring for a wounded man and one of the tanks named after her
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Scouts
These other 4 figures represent Red Army scouts. I like the 3 figures on the left better than the man on the right. He reminds me of the old days sculpting which would favor flat figures for ease of casting and release. I wonder why they made him this way. In terms of uniforms, the head cover and thickness strongly suggests that these are winter troops, although I suppose you could also paint them in a cammo scheme. Notice how they are also equipped with sub machine guns, something necessary given that they were used as an elite, shock unit.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Scouts
If you are looking for a tough and daring raiding party look no more. Plastic Platoon's Soviet Scouts are full of grit and intensity. Are they engaged in a fighting retreat or are they springing up an ambush on an unsuspecting enemy? Whatever the case may be, these guys seem ready for it! These guys' outfits are relatively simple by Plastic Platoon's standards. All of them are wearing the typical Soviet cammo smock/suit, which should make them look quite interesting if you chose to paint them. In terms of weaponry, they are packing a good amount of heat. With the exception of the officer, they are all firing automatic weapons. From a German Maschinenpistole to the more ubiquitous PPSh-41 with its different ammo magazines, and then there's the guy firing off the hip what appears to be a 'conscripted' German MG34. Of this set, my favorite pose is the man throwing the hand grenade. Not only is his stance just right -which is not always the case for grenade throwers- but what about that mustache? I think that gives him bonus points. All in all a really nice set, representing a branch of service rarely depicted.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Infantry - Battle of Berlin Part I
Another nice set from Engineer Bassevich to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the capture of Berlin. A set with a nice level of detail and a generous number of poses (12!). Notable among them is the figure representing the man who raised the Soviet flag over the Reichstag. The figures are well proportioned, although a bit bulkier than those from other manufacturers, and the poses show a nice level of action, and are adequate for urban fighting. Speaking of comparisons with other manufacturers, I do like Engineer Bassevich's plastic better. It is harder and therefore the tips of weapons do not get bent.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Infantry - Battle of Berlin Part II
The other poses also represent some of the other service branches, with a couple of tank men fighting outside their vehicles and what appears to be an airman fighting on the ground with his side arm. Another thing I like about this set is that there are no figures standing guard as in many of EB's prior sets. Again, the level of detail on the figures is really good, and the manufacturing process did not leave any flashing. A very nice set, worthy of the event it commemorates.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry - Defense of Leningrad, 1941
Another superb set from Plastic Platoon. The details on the figures is exquisite. Worthy of note is the carriage for the Maxim machine gun that one of the men is transporting on his back. It is simply amazing. Note also how the man is also carrying the front shield for the gun on his left hand. And the gun itself, carried by the officer is also quite nice. The other figures are also very well done. One of them carrying a capture German submg. The only thing not to like about them is that the plastic is very soft and the bayonete of the man on the right is simply impossible to straighten, even with the tried and tested hot/cold water technique.
Publius Soviet Infantry - Winter 1944
This is another really nice set from Publius. I often wonder if this sculptor is the same as Plastic Platoon's because the level of detail, quality, and sense of action in the poses is also exceptional. And compared to Plastic Platoon's figures, they are slightly less expensive. And a bonus is that this set actually contained 8 figures. This is supposed to be a winter set, but I like that the figures are outfitted for either a late fall/early winter, or a late winter/early spring weather, making them more versatile. The uniforms included coats, padded suits, and a Plash-Palatka rain cloak. In terms of weapons, they also have a nice range. From a flamethrower, to a captured panzerfaust, passing through all the standard Soviet small arms. Their weaponry, along with the poses make them very usable in a wide range of combat situations. Overall another great set from Publius.
Mars Soviet Infantry
Not a set for which there is a shortage of poses from prior manufacturers, but it is understandable that a Ukrainian firm would manufacture such a set around the 75th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War. No concerns from my end about the selection of poses. All are good, dynamic fighting poses. What's also nice about some of them are the rain capes (Plash-Palatkas). Not very common in sets from prior manufacturers. My only criticism about the set is that some of them show some flashing and/or mold misalignment down the middle line of the figure.
Warhansa Soviet Infantry - Defenders of Brest
These figures are only OK in my opinion. I feel that the body language lacks the sense of urgency and action that you might expect from men who are fighting with their last resources, against the odds, as the weapons and the wound suggest, and as the story of the Brest Defenders goes. The main thing to like about these figures is the material. It is a very solid plastic. Firm, but not hard. The one touch I did like quite a bit is the hair style of the wounded man. Well done.
Warhansa Soviet Infantry - Nameless Height
This set is named after a Russian WWII movie. I have not watched it so I don't know if the figures depict any specific events from the movie. And speaking of movies, the man with the rifle above his head reminds me very much of Ron Perlman in Enemy at the Gates. I wonder if that was intentional. Maybe not the resemblance with Ron Perlman, but to depict the same features that made Ron a good cast for that role. Other than that peculiarity, this set, like the one above, is OK, but not great, and at $30 for 4 figures, it's only a set I purchased to fill a hole in my collection.
Plastic Platoon Soviet 'Hunters and Prey' - Stalingrad, 1942
This set is the complement to the German Hunters and Prey figures that are so reminiscent of the characters in the movie Enemy at the Gates, where you see Vasily Zaitsev and his fellow snipers take out German soldiers, as Vasily dukes it our against German sniper ace Major König. Note how they have accurately included both a male and a female sniper. The other figures, like the officer or the phone operator, I suppose represent the targets for the German snipers. It is also noteworthy that optionally, the wounded man and the fighting medic on the right can be placed side by side, with bases that have been specifically designed to fit with each other. As always with Plastic Platoon, the level of detail is top-notch. A great set to display in the ruins of Stalingrad.
Starlux Soviet Infantry
I suspect these might be recasts as they don't have any color on them as opposed to the typical Starlux figures. Also, I don't really know how many there were in the set. I only got a hold of five of them, with two repeated figures. I am not overly excited about the poses. I don't like figures which just seem to be standing around not doing much, and that's how these guys look. But they are hard to find, so at least I am happy I have a few guys as a sample.
Starlux Soviet Infantry ?
I can't say for sure if these guys are Soviets. They look like they could be, but then again, the look very different from the three Soviets in the prior picture. I do like that they are action poses, so I hope they turn out to be Soviet. Even if they are not, maybe I will just use them a such.
Unknown Soviet Infantry
This is a guy who came with a mixed set of figures. It's actually fairly well done. And you can recognize well that he is a Soviet guy, not just by the uniform, but also by his weapon. Unfortunately, there are no markings on the figure to give a hint about the manufacturer. So if you happen to know who made him, please leave a comment.
Speira Miniatures Soviet Infantry
Here's one more Soviet infantry man. What's special about Speira Miniatures is that the figures are 3D printed. This guy is supposed to be standing up, running forward to throw his grenade, but he does not have a base to stand on. In due time I might glue him to one, but for now, I think he works equally well crawling forward. He just needs a bit of support on the back to keep him from rolling over.
Hanomak Soviet Infantry - Defenders of Brest
A good set to add to your ranks of Soviet infantry. By itself, it does not really give you enough of a fighting unit, but they are good 'character' figures to enhance your Red Army. The most interesting figures here are the female medic helping the wounded soldier, while firing a pistol, and the wounded man holding (or throwing?) a grenade. They are made to fit nicely with each other. The downside is that they don't really make much sense without each other. The bugler firing his pistol is also interesting and unique. The officer and the man firing his sub machine gun on the go are both nicely sculpted and useful battle poses. The wounded man standing around is the only pose that I think could have been used for a better purpose, particularly because we already had a wounded man in the set. But I suppose the idea was to convey the desperate situation faced by the defenders of the Brest Fortress.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Field Hospital - Part I
This set is addressing a range of characters that you might have run into within a dressing station or a hospital close to the front. Two key figures here are the surgeon and the nurse in their operating gowns. Then you have the stretcher bearers who would do the hard work of bringing their wounded comrades if they lived long enough to get there. These figures are well done. The only unusual thing is that the man carrying the front of the stretcher seems to have a very flat face, without a nose.
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Field Hospital - Part II
Here we have a couple of characters who would have been at the front. Maybe a wounded pilot who crash landed, and a couple of medics supported by a dog trying to reach him to lend him aid. There's also a couple figures who would have been at the field hospital recovering from their wounds, and perhaps trying to make life a little livelier. And then we also have this other figure documenting the scene -the horrors of the wounded, and the high spirits of the man around camp- probably for some propaganda film. All of them interesting and unique characters addressing a topic not covered often. I typically prefer frontline figures, but with the wealth of Soviet infantry figures already made, it seems reasonable to branch out and cover these other subjects.
Hanomak Soviet Penal Battalion
The Soviet penal battalion set is similar in nature, in the sense that several of them are also engaged in hand-to-hand fighting, but I think I like this set better than the German one as all the poses are consistent with the level of action and useful in both a defensive and offensive scenario. I also like the sculpting and level of detail. For example, notice the bandaged hand on the man on the far right, which BTW is carrying a grenade cluster that comes off, so be careful not losing it. Note also the expression on the man firing with the captured German sub MG. You can even see his teeth individually! Another interesting bit about this set is that it comes with a traffic sign. Not a bad addition, but I would not have minded a seventh pose instead. Anyhow, all in all, a good set, which can be used really well for close quarters fighting against the German penal battalion set.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry Kharkov
These guys are a nice counterpart to the German winter troops. Their outfits display a good variety of styles, from the padded suits, to the long coats, the man wearing the balaclava, and the guy with the winter smock which I will likely paint white. One thing I really like about this set is that all the figures are in an attacking mode. Most of them are firing on the move. The only one who is standing, although still firing, is the commander. The squad is also handling a decent variety of weapons. The most interesting one is the grenade launcher. And the Molotov cocktail can always come in handy against German armor. Can't wait for these guys to face off against the winter Germans on the eastern front!
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry PTRS-41 Anti-Tank Rifle Team, Winter Dress - Part I
These guys will be a nice extension to the Soviet winter troops above. The set comes as several parts that need to be assembled: the base, the assistant, the shooter, and the shooter's rifle/arm. The assistant is wearing a one piece winter smock, while the shooter is wearing a two piece suit. The PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle looks big and powerful. The only thing that is not ideal is that it gets bent a bit easily. I will try to give it the hot/cold water treatment and see if I can straighten it out.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry PTRS-41 Anti-Tank Rifle Team, Winter Dress - Part II
Here's the look from behind, which makes it easier to appreciate the differences in the uniforms. One thing to be aware of is that the base bends a bit upwards so the manufacturer has glued a couple of bits of plastic under the back side. This keeps the base from rocking back and forth, but it will permanently lift up the back side. Which is why I pushed some snow close to the base. That hid it well.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry PTRS-41 Anti-Tank Rifle Team, Summer Dress - Part I
Here's the equivalent team dressed for the non-winter months - yes, why restrict them to summer! As was the case with the winter guys, the man firing the rifle requires minor assembly to attach the rifle and arms to the body. And the rifle itself may require some straightening. Other than the summer dress, what's different in this set is that you can actually see the assistant handing over the next round to fire.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry PTRS-41 Anti-Tank Rifle Team, Summer Dress - Part II
From this angle you can appreciate better how he is getting the next round ready. Another thing that you can appreciate is that the loader has a helmet in front of him, which makes you wonder if it's his and why he wouldn't be wearing it. Something you can't see because of how I cropped the picture is that the back of the base also bends upwards a bit, and has similar bits of plastic attached on the bottom to stabilize it. Not ideal, but not a deal breaker as you can simply place some rubble around it.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry, Battle of Kursk
Another seven piece set to fend off the German's summer offensive of '43 at Kursk. Six of them equipped with submachine guns and only one rifle man. The most interesting pose is the man carrying the flag, although I have to admit that I wonder how often they may have gone into battle carrying their colors. In any case, the flag is well-made, with several bullet holes piercing its fabric. I wonder how I am going to paint those holes, as the plastic is actually solid... The pose that I find a bit intriguing is the man kneeling who is also handing over an ammo drum. Not sure who he is handing it to. My best guess is that guy that I placed next to him, but I am not sure, as he is not really looking at his hand and he is moving too fast to be able to pick it up on the run. Perhaps I am over analyzing this. But I like the pose, and I am sure I can find some other guy who is a better candidate to be getting extra ammo.
Plastic Platoon Soviet 76mm Gun with Crew, Winter Dress - Part I
This is a really nice contribution to the hobby. There aren't that many Soviet artillery crews and guns available. I can think of the Italeri set, but that's about it. PP has released this set in both summer and winter outfits. Unfortunately I have only been able to find the winter crew. The figures are certainly nice, as usual, but clearly, the highlight of this set is the gun itself. It comes in a few parts that must be put together - the wheels, shield, trail/carriage and the barrel, but it is fairly easy to assemble. The detail is all there. You can see many nice touches like the hinges on the front of the shield and the grooves on the wooden spokes of the wheels, as well as the firing mechanism of the gun itself.
Plastic Platoon Soviet 76mm Gun with Crew, Winter Dress - Part II
As you can see from this other angle, you get an officer who is directing the firing of the gun, an ammo handler ready with the next round, a guy ready to fire, and another guy who can be placed in a couple spots to help operate or move the gun - he is carrying a side arm, so he might also be an officer. The uniforms are nicely detailed and show a variety of winter clothing. A couple of long coats, a padded jacket, etc. My favorite is the cap with sheepskin lining. And to round it all up, you also get a couple of ammo boxes. Ready to lay some supporting fire!
Engineer Bassevich Soviet Red Army Continued - Part I
This set came with ten figures. The first five pictured above are a bit unremarkable. Three of them are just standing around. One of them is firing from a standing position - we have many of those, and the other one is advancing or standing pointing his bayonet forward. Maybe their best feature is that they are dressed in winter long coats. So why did I buy this set then? It was because of the other 5 figures representing Soviet Naval Infantry. You can check Part II of the set at the bottom of
this other post.
Plastic Platoon Soviet Infantry, Final Assault on Berlin 1945
Another nice set of Soviet Infantry courtesy of Plastic Platoon, all posed in good action poses, very appropriate for taking over Berlin. One of them is even carrying a Soviet flag. Is he going to set it on top of the Reichstag? The officer is also interesting. Not only because he is firing upwards, into the many upper floors of the city buildings, but also because he is one of the few Soviet figures wearing a cape. The bases are also definitely urban, littered with bricks and furniture. Notice also how a couple of them are firing German weapons which they have 'liberated'. One of them is firing an StG 44 assault rifle, the man next to him is about to fire a panzerfaust, and the man throwing the grenade is actually throwing a German potato masher. All in all, a good set to complement the other Berlin sets made by others like Engineer Bassevich and Publius, or simply to reinforce your Soviet army.
Hanomak Soviet Infantry 'Citadel' - Part I
This is an interesting set from Hanomak. I am pretty sure it represents the defenders of the Brest Fortress, as Hanomak also made a set to represent the German 45th division, which is the unit that led the attack on Brest. Another clue is that most of the men are wearing what appears to be officer caps. That's because the fortress was defended not only by regular army troops, but also by NKVD and border guard units, who also wore such caps. In terms of the sculpting, it is OK for the most part, although I wish that the two poses on the right were leaning a bit more forward, consistent with their momentum. If you feel that something is missing from the second man from the left, that's because he is meant to be striking a German lying beneath him. He comes as part of the 'Dogs of the Reich' set, which I don't have yet.
Hanomak Soviet Infantry 'Citadel' - Part II
Here's the view of the two men behind the fortress walls. One of them is simply firing his rifle from the waist in a kneeling position. The other one, is a shirtless man running/jumping over the wall, using a wooden door as a ramp and ready to engage in intense hand to hand combat with his entrenching tool. Something to know is that most of these guys -except for the prone man and the one striking with his rifle- must be glued together. Not a problem if you have a good glue. These two guys while a bit bulky will look quite good if/when I get around to painting them. All in all a nice set.
Hanomak German and Soviet Infantry 'Confrontation' Set
Sets in which figures can't be set up on their own are not my favorite as they limit their usefulness. These guys however seem useful for hand to hand combat scenes and there aren't that many figures like these available. What's most interesting about these guys is that there are two pairs in which there's a Soviet guy stabbing a German and their knives can actually fit into a cavity in the Germans' bodies. In terms of the sculpting, I think that the German man standing on the right, seems to relaxed and straight for the situation that he finds himself in. In that situation he would be leaning forward with bent knees and perhaps his torso also writhing in pain towards his left as he just got stabbed. More like the German guy on the left side who is responding more realistically to the blade sliding into his gut. The guys in the fistfight are fairly decent, although I also think that the Soviet feels a bit stiff. He could be swinging his upper body more.
Classic Toy Soldiers Korean War Chinese - Part I
I got these guys thinking that I will use them as WWII Soviet Winter troops. The level of detail is so good that their faces actually betray them as Chinese. I might still be able to use them as Soviets, if we assume that they came from the Central Asian Soviet Republics. The uniforms and weapons all would pass as Soviet gear. In terms of the sculpting and poses, I am quite happy with this set. All poses are combat poses, which is the way I like them.
Classic Toy Soldiers Korean War Chinese - Part II
The man on the right is actually my favorite pose. You don't often see figures reloading their weapons, and he is doing it on the run. Another interesting detail of these figures is that the base is covered in snow and you actually see the footprints of the men on it. A nice touch of realism, which actually highlights the fact that I should have taken these pictures with a different background :-)
The only thing that some might criticize is that the sets come with 16 figures, but you don't get two of each pose. Three of them come in 3s and 3 of them as singles. Having 2 of each is useful if you plan on painting one set of poses and leaving the other 8 unpainted. On the other hand, if you want to use all 16 together, then, having one officer makes more sense than having two. All in all a nice and unique set from CTS, so I might not even mind buying a second one, perhaps to use as true Chinese.
Classic Toy Soldiers Korean War North Koreans
Similarly as with the CTS Korean War Chinese, my intention is to use these guys as Soviet Winter Troops. The sculpting is nice, and the uniforms and weapons fit just fine. My only wish is that the poses were a bit more dynamic. I don't like is as much when they are mostly standing around. But They do add 8 poses to the pool of potential Soviet Winter troops. Can't complain about that.
