Artillery Support

Latest Edit: Added Kozak Miniatures US M116 75mm Howitzer and Crew 

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Artillery plays a crucial role in a military operation. It can be the critical difference between getting overrun and being able to fend off an attack multiple times. Or, similarly, artillery can rain hell on a defensive position and soften it up for the ground troops to attack and over run it. In the toy soldier world, it is not just a matter of having the howitzers, but you also need the crews to operate them and the observers to direct the fire. Unfortunately, this is one of the areas that is often neglected a bit in our hobby. It seems like there aren't enough guns to go around and often, when there are guns, they come without crews to operate them. However when you really look around there are actually some guns and crews to support your ground troops, although some of those crews have only become available in recent years. Admittedly the support is a bit uneven. Some countries have greater representation than others. For instance, the Japanese are really under-represented, even though they did make a good use of artillery to defend their islands against the Marine landings. Anyhow, this is a compilation of the artillery pieces and ground crews that we have available just in case you are looking for some support for your infantry units.

German Artillery

Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Towed

Forces of Valor produced a very nice version of this gun. As you might be aware of, the 88 could be used in multiple ways besides its originally intended AA role. It could be used as regular artillery or as a direct Anti Tank weapon. Here we see it attached to the 8 Ton prime mover that would tow it. The factory paint job gives it a weathered look, and as usual, the fact that it's mostly made out of metal gives it a nice feel.

Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Rear View

As you can see from this angle, the attention to detail is substantial. The gun can rotate 360 degrees around the vertical axis and the gun can be elevated up to a vertical position, allowing it to fire virtually in every direction.

Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Artillery Mode

Here we see it already deployed as traditional artillery. There is a scene in Band of Brothers in which the screaming eagles are being shelled with 88mm HE shells while in a forest, causing shrapnel and wood splinters to rain down on them with nasty consequences. Also note that the carriage is actually made of two separate sections. The front and rear wheel axles can be attached and removed independently. It also comes with a nice ground crew to operate it.

Forces of Valor 88 Flak - Anti Tank Mode

Here we see it deployed the way it would be used to fight against tanks. The air and land 'kills' on the shield add a nice touch of realism. FOV also manufactured this gun in a tan color scheme however I did not get around to buying that one.

21st Century Toys 88 Flak - Afrika Korps

21C Toys also produced a very nice 88mm gun. Not quite at the level of the one from FOV but far superior to anything that had come before in plastic. Here we see it ready to be deployed to fight the British in the deserts of North Africa.

21st Century Toys 88 Flak

Deployed in an anti-tank role. The wheel axles are also detachable. Note how the level of paint detail is not quite the same as the one from FOV, both for the carriage and the gun itself. The crew consists of just 2 figures.

21st Century Toys 88 Flak - side view

This gun also moves 360 degrees around and from horizontal to vertical, so it is just as functional as the one from FOV. And from this angle it looks just as lethal.

Dinky Toys 88 Flak - Part I

Here is an earlier model of an 88 courtesy of Dinky Toys. Not as detailed as the newer versions from FOV and 21C, but still fairly nice. Made in metal, it has a good, solid feel to it. The round knob/gear visible on the side, allows you to lower and raise the barrel. It comes with three crew members. The crew is made in some very light, stiff plastic, so you get the feeling that they might easily break. 

Dinky Toys 88 Flak - Part II

The gun also comes with its carriages to allow it to be towed. And it also happens to have a few shells that you can fire using a spring mechanism. The sticker on the barrel may or may not be present, as the glue loses its binding power over time. All in all a nice item to add to the collection. Unfortunately there are not many complete sets left, so getting one of these can get a bit pricey or you must settle for an incomplete set. I actually got lucky and managed to get the complete set for the price of what you usually pay for the gun by itself.

Waltersons (formerly FOV) 88mm Flak - Afrika Korps - Part I

This is hands down the most detailed 88mm Flak gun made by any manufacturer. What I mean by that is that when you move the gun vertically or rotate the gun around, there are gears that turn, transferring the movement all the way to the handwheels use to set the gun's position. Super realistic. The only thing that was a bit hard to attach was the gun shield. It's very tricky to slide it into the proper position. But if the gun is not exciting enough for you, the fact that it comes with a crew of 8 should be a nice plus.

Waltersons (formerly FOV) 88mm Flak - Afrika Korps - Part II

Here's a better angle of the crew. There's an observer and a commander. My commander is missing his binoculars, but I should be able to replace those with one of the Airfix multi-pose parts. Then there's a loader, an ammo box carrier, two men sitting operating the gun, another one adjusting the handwheels, and one more fetching the next ammo round from the side of the gun. This is jut a minor detail, but it also comes with about 6 rounds of ammo that you want to make sure you don't drop and lose. Compared to the 21C version of the AK 88, which came without any crew figures, this model is quite superior and detailed.  

Classic Toy Soldiers Artillery Crew

CTS recently provided us with an artillery crew. They are not made for any specific gun, but the size of the shell might be more in line with an 88.

21st Century Toys PAK 40

This is a nice gun. It comes factory painted and has several moving parts. The muzzle can be elevated/lowered and the carriage can be fully deployed or collapsed together and locked in place so that it can be towed. The downside of this gun is that it was not sold individually, but you had to buy it as part of a set. Luckily, I was able to find several at Toy Solider shows from collectors that no longer needed them.

21st Century Toys PAK 40 with CTS crew

This is the recently released artillery crew from CTS. The set contains an observer/officer and two loaders. They are a welcome arrival to staff the many PAKs that I have without crews.

21st Century Toys PAK 40 with 21C crew

These are some nice figures to staff your PAK or most other small caliber artillery pieces in your armies. The sculpting is of the same quality as the later 21C sets, which means that they are well proportioned and detailed. In terms of the poses, I definitely like the guy holding the shell, but the other two are very similar. It would have been good if one of them was posed as if more actively operating the equipment. Anyhow, I am still glad I came across them. I did not know they existed back when 21C was in production. 

Britains Deetail PAK40 with CTS crew

This is another nice model from Britains Deetail. Unfortunately I do not have the crew to go with it, so I had to enlist some of the new CTS guys to man the gun. One nice feature of this PAK is that it can actually fire. It has a small lever that you can pull to compress a spring and when released it could fire a round. I don't have the ammo that came with it either, but it should not be hard to improvise some rounds. 

21st Century Toys PAK 40 - Afrika Korps

This is actually the same model as the 21C model in grey, except that this one was painted by a fellow collector. It is one of those that I picked up at a local toy soldier show. He did a very good job on the painting. So much that it is hard to tell that it did not come this way out of the box.

Italeri PAK 40 AT gun with 'servants'

The Italeri gun offers what the 21C gun lacks. A good crew. As you can see, it comes with 6 figures. Most of them are ammo handlers. But it does have a man operating the gun and an officer directing the action.  The gun itself offers fewer moving parts and degrees of movement. But once it is setup it looks just as good. Probably a good combination will be the painted Italeri crew with the 21C PAK. One thing that I do find very amusing about this set is that Italeri translated crew as 'servants'.

Hanomak German PAK 40 Gun with Crew

This is a nice set overall. It includes the PAK, the crew and even the sand bags/wall protection. The gun came in several pieces which have to be put together. It does require a good glue to do so, but once it's put together it will stay nicely in place. The crew comes with two loaders, a gunner, and one officer. You can place them in a variety of configurations, although the gunner needs to be sitting and I could not find many places for him to sit while being able to reach the gun. You also get an ammo box which will give the loaders a focal point in your scene. About the wall, I think I would have preferred just the sandbags. The wooden wings seem to be cut off too abruptly and leaves you feeling as though it should be part of a larger trench. Not a big deal and definitely a nice set. 

Forces of Valor PAK 36 (with CTS crew) - Part 1
This PAK came with the kfz 70 truck which was used to tow it. The PAK 36 was a 3.7 cm caliber weapon. It was the main anti-tank gun in the German Army until mid 1941, when given its inability to deal with the soviet medium tanks liek the T34, it was replaced by the PAK 38 which fired a 5cm shell. The PAK 36 was initially issued in 1928 and first saw combat in 1936 during the Spanish civil war. It was also used by the Chinese against the Japanese where it was a lot more effective neutralizing the lightly armored Chi-Ha tanks.

 

Forces of Valor PAK 36 (with Italeri crew) - Part 2

Here's a better picture of it. The CTS gunners were holding ammo that was too big for it. These Italeri crew guys are better fitted for this smaller gun, and the picture does show a bit more detail.

Hanomak German PAK 36 with Crew

Another nice set from Hanomak. Both the figures and the gun are nicely detailed. You can see the clearly see the helmet emblems on the crew as well as the hinges and rivets on the gun shield. The gun itself comes in several pieces that must be glued together. I glued everything except for the barrel piece to the carriage so that it can still rotate left and right. In terms of the crew, the firing man is sculpted just right so that he can have his arms around the carriage and the breech. The other two guys are really solid. And this might seem minor, but I am happy that the caliber of the ammo being held by the loader fits the weapon. Sometimes you get gun crews where that's not quite right. A good unit to provide more firepower to your early war German armies. 

21st Century Toys 7.5cm IG 18 cannon and crew
In German this is called the 7,5 leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18, or 75mm light infantry howitzer. In addition to the version used by the regular infantry, a couple other variations were made for Mountain Troops and Paratroopers, both of which could be disassembled into multiple pieces that could be carried/dropped into battle to be reassembled on the spot. Weighing close to 400kg, it could be dragged/pulled into position by 3or 4 men. It could fire a 6 kg shell, up to 3.5 km away. This particular set from 21C toys is a nice addition to the collection, although the gun feels a bit brittle. The range of movement is not great and it feels like you might break it if you press too hard. The figures are versatile enough that they could be reassigned to operate other German guns.

15 cm Nebelwerfer NbW 41 - Unknown manufacturer

Approximately 6,000 of these were manufactured along with 5.5 million rockets. It had a range of close to 7km. Another popular variation was the 5-barrel 21 cm NbW 42, which had a range of almost 8km. I got this one along with a batch of toy soldiers that I purchased on eBay. I have no idea who made it and it is the only one I have. For a plastic toy it has decent level of realism. The pivoting stabilizer at the bottom/front can be elevated to put it in the towing position. It came with a couple stickers on the side which you can still see. Maybe someday I will paint it to give it a more realistic look. The figures in this picture are FOV artillery crewmen.

Hanomak German Nebelwerfer 21 cm NbW 42 with Crew

This is a very well received set from my perspective. I only have one other nebelwerfer in my collection and that one does not have a crew. What's interesting about this one though is that it appears to represent the nebelwerfer 42 which had 5 barrels as opposed to the nebelwerfer 41 which had 6. However, the ammunition being depicted is the one for the nebelwerfer 41. The ammunition for the nebelwerfer 42 had a pointed warhead, as opposed the the phallic shape of the 41's ammo. But given how unusual it is to have such a set, I am not going to get too picky about the ammo mismatch. In addition to the 3 crew men, the set also comes with a sandbag emplacement. I am not a big fan of it. I would have rather had more figures or a lower price point instead of the sandbags. Also, be mindful that the nebelwerfer requires a bit of assembly and gluing, but nothing complicated.

Britains Deetail - Heavy Mortar Set

This is where we get into a grey area. Can heavy mortars also be considered artillery? This mortar can actually 'fire' shells. Unfortunately I do not have any of the shells that came with it, but you can improvise your own kind of shells and have some fun lobbing some shells at the opposing army.

Dragon Karl Mortar 'Loki' Part I

This model, manufactured by Dragon (in 1:35) is called 'Loki'. Here I've used some 1:32 Forces of Valor figures to operate it. Despite the difference in scale I think they still look acceptable. Loki is firing from a prepared position to afford it some protection as you can imagine that the enemy is desperately trying to neutralize it with some aggressive artillery counter-fire.

Dragon Karl Mortar 'Loki' Part II

This is a slight variation of the previous picture, with the gun in a depressed position, illustrating the degree of gun's movement.

Dragon Karl Mortar 'Thor'

This is Loki's brother 'Thor'. Note that the gun can be elevated from the horizontal position up to a 45 degree angle approximately. These mortars also come with one piece of ammo, which is as big as a man. No wonder they had to be loaded with a crane.

Mars German Paratroops w 10.5 cm LG 42 Tropical Uniform

This is a nice and original addition to the existing German Para units produced by other manufacturers which so far have lacked any heavy weapons support. The set includes two guns, each with its respective crew. They are meant to be painted in the tropical uniform. I actually purchased two sets, and plan to paint one crew in the early war (Crete) colors and the other one in the cammo scheme. The recoilless gun is interesting. The wheels are meant to be off the ground when it's deployed, but the plastic is a bit hard to straighten so that it looks even. I may actually use these crews with 21C Pak 40s. As far as the figures go, the poses are all good, but I do feel that the sculpting detail could be sharper. 

Mars German Winter Paratroops with 10.5 cm Gun

This is a really nice set to complement the Mars German winter paras. Each crew consists of 5 men and you actually get 2 crews per box. I bought two boxes, so I now have 4 guns/crews, so I will likely assign 2 to the paras and 2 to the regular winter infantry. Those who are into conversions could replace the helmets to make them fit better as regular infantry. The best part about this set are the figures. The gun itself is made of softer plastic which bends quite a bit and needs to be straightened so that the gun stands evenly. A minor criticism is that the shells look wider than the gun's barrel. Looking at some pictures of the real equipment online, I think the shells are the ones which are too large. But let's not get too picky and instead be glad that we have this unique set to give our winter units some well needed firepower!

US Artillery

21st Century Toys M59 155mm Long Tom

Also known as the 155 mm Gun M1 or M2, this field gun was designed and developed during the inter-war period and by 1938 it was officially adopted. It had a barrel length just shy of 7 m, and could fire a round up to 23km. Its size and weight (almost 14 tons) required a carriage with 8 tires in the back and two in the front. The barrel could be elevated from -2 degrees all the way up to 65 degrees, which means that if necessary the Long Tom was also able to engage targets such as tanks in direct fire mode. The Long Tom was operated by a crew of 14 and saw action in North Africa, Europe and the Pacific. This gun comes to us from 21C Toys. Even though it is all plastic, it is still a really nice model with lots of moving parts. The carriage is detachable -and a bit hard to assemble-, and the gun can be deployed into firing position. The paint job shows a small amount of wear for added realism. 21C did a good job filling this previously ignored model niche.

21st Century Toys M59 155mm Long Tom

Here is the gun in its deployed position. Unfortunately, 21C did not provide any crew figures to go with it. Classic Toy Soldiers recently released some artillery crew figures which I have pressed to service the Long Tom, but with a crew of 14, it looks like I am still 11 men short...

Classic Toy Soldiers US Artillery Crew

These three poses are what made me get a couple of these sets. I had several Long Tom artillery pieces from 21st Century Toys, but I did not have crews for them. There is a loader, a guy on the phone, and another one that seems to be ready to fire the gun. The caliber of the ammo looks small for this gun, but I guess it's going to have to be good enough for it.

21st Century Toys M115 8 Inch Howitzer

Also known as 8 inch Howitzer M1 or M115 203 mm howitzer, it was designed and developed prior to WW II as a replacement for the 8-inch British howitzer that the US Army had been using since WW I. Even though it was developed independently of the Long Tom, it was mounted on the same M1 Carriage. That's probably why it was an obvious choice for 21C Toys to produce this variant. It really looks like all they did was shorten the barrel of the Long Tom. Curiously, this gun was about 700 kg heavier than the Long Tom, even though the barrel was 2 meters shorter. The firing range was also 7km shorter, or about 17km in total. It was also operated by a crew of 14. 

21C Toys US Artillery Crew

This set is actually sold by Four Star Military. I have a feeling it was one of the last sets made by 21C before they went out of business, but you can clearly see that the style and sculpting is the same. This is a five man crew to operate a big gun, like the Long Tom in this picture. It comes with a few extras, such as shells and casings. The one odd pose is the guy who has his foot high up. I had a hard time finding a place to put him where he would look like he was doing something that made sense. Overall a pretty nice set, that will help man quite a few guns.

Forces of Valor M101 105mm Howitzer

Also known as the 105 mm M2A1 (M101A1) howitzer, this gun was the standard light howitzer used by the US military during WWII. It weighed only 5000 lbs, yet it had a range of 7 miles (11 km), making it an effective infantry support weapon. It was widely used in all theaters. It's been so successful that it is still in service in some countries today. Forces of Valor has delivered this nice model to us. It is partly made of metal, and it comes with a crew of 3. The barrel can be elevated and the trails can be separated so that the spades can dig into the ground when firing. Another nice piece of equipment from FOV.

Forces of Valor M101 105mm Howitzer

Another view of the crew and the gun from behind. Note that the figures come without a base, which makes them a bit wobbly at times, but still remarkably stable for not having a base.

Dinky M101 105mm Howitzer - Part I

Here is another version of the 105mm howitzer, made by Dinky Toys. In this picture I have set it up with a crew from 21C toys. I believe it originally came with its own crew, but unfortunately, this one came without them. The howitzer has several moving parts, allowing the firing angle to be adjusted and the trails can also be spread apart when deployed.

Dinky M101 105mm Howitzer - Part II

So here it is with the original crew. I was happy to get the figures because they are not so easy to find, but I must say that they are not the greatest. The plastic feels hard and light. The kind that might break easily. And the detail is a bit rough in some parts, lke the face of the main pointing. Anyhow, all in all, I am still happy to have checked this set off the list. 

Dinky M101 105mm Howitzer - Part III

On this pic you can see that the trails can also be collapsed and hooked to the back of a Jeep, also made by Dinky. Interestingly enough, I bought a second Dinky howitzer and it turned out that it has a different set of rubber wheels, with finer thread design on them, similar to the tires on the jeep.

Kozak Miniatures US M116 75mm Howitzer and Crew by TS Central

There aren't that many artillery pieces and crews around so when I saw this set I didn't think twice about getting it. The howitzer itself is nicely done and I am impressed that it came as a single piece. I guess that's the kind of magic that you can achieve with 3D printing. In terms of the men, I like all the poses, but I feel that the sitting guy does not go well with the other five. I'd expect the crew to be either hard at work, or relaxing, but not doing both simultaneously. I also found the outfits a bit mismatched. A couple of the guys are shirtless, two of them have rolled up sleeves, and then you have a couple of them wearing pullovers. All this led me to place them in the North African desert where the temperatures do drop at night. Or maybe they could also be in the Italian mountains? In any case, a good addition to the US forces!   

21st Century Toys US M7 Priest

The Priest, also known as the 105 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7 was a self-propelled gun carrying the 105 mm howitzer. This Priest was made by 21st Century Toys, and even though the box was branded as 'die cast', it is pretty much made out of plastic. Even so, it is a nice vehicle. I've actually seen it in a different paint scheme with slightly smaller stars that have a circle around them, and the name Annamae written on the side. This vehicle comes with two figures: a driver and a gunner.

New Ray Howitzer

This howitzer came with some New Ray set. I don't even remember which one. I don't know if it represents an actual gun or some fictional model. And if it represents a real model, whether it is from the WWII period. In any case, given the limited availability of artillery pieces I have chosen to keep it and even feature it here. If you are not picky, they might come in handy as extra fire power, plus they are cheaper than those from 21C or FOV. As you can see, it blends well with the FOV crew figures.

Atlantic US Artillery - Part I

This is a set that includes the gun and 3 figures. I don't know if it represents an actual artillery piece that existed in reality or not. It could be an anti-aircraft gun as there is something that looks like a sight for the operator to aim through, but the barrel does not offer much elevation. The gun comes in multiple parts and needs to be assembled together. Everything snaps into place but you need to be careful when putting the barrel into its mount. I pressed a little too hard and snapped the mount in two. In terms of the figures, the gunner who gets to sit at the gun could have been given a more realistic pose. He really looks like he is just sitting there doing nothing. All in all it's one of those sets from Atlantic that are appealing to have for sake of having a 'complete' collection, and not so much for its poses or realism.

Atlantic US Artillery - Part II
Not sure it these guys were meant to be US troops or Italians, but since I already classified the guys in the previous picture as GIs I'll do the same with these. I found them as part of a larger batch of Atlantic figures. It is hard to tell what exact set(s) they were released with. From what I have seen, some of these figures were released as part of multiple sets. For instance, the guys with the radio were released with the rocket launcher, but also with an artillery set. The other two guys are more easily associated with an artillery crew. And I even got a small ammo stack to go with them.

Atlantic US Artillery - Part III

Same thing with these guys. Not sure what country they represent, but I have classified them as GIs for now, and they will help man the gun above. As is often the case with some of the other Atlantic sets, the figures are very straight and show little action. Not the most exciting figures, but they are rare enough that they deserve a place in the collection.

British Artillery

Crescent 25 pounder Field Gun

Also known as Ordnance QF 25 pounder, this was a 87.6mm caliber gun. Introduced shortly before the war, it was the main howitzer in the British Army during the War and many years thereafter. Its maximum range was 13,400 yards with a HE shell of 25 pounds (hence the name). This is another nice model by Crescent. The rivets on the gun shield make it look very real. Like the 5.5 gun, it also has a lever that allows it to shoot rounds. 

Crescent 25 pounder Field Gun - from above

This picture shows the circular platform that these guns used to have which enabled them to be rotated to point in the right direction more easily. When the gun was deployed, the platform would be placed underneath the wheels of the gun. Unfortunately, most of the models that you find today are missing this part, as it is relatively easy to detach it.

Crescent 5.5 inch Medium Gun

The 5.5 inch (or 140mm) gun went into service in 1941 and first saw action in North Africa. It was operated by a crew of 10. Its firing range was between 16,000 to 18,000 yards. Each shell weighed 100lbs. The firing angle went from -5 to 45 degrees. This model by Crescent has a wheel on the side that can be loosened/tightened to adjust the firing angle. It also comes with a lever on top that controls a spring and it allows it to shoot actual rounds. Unfortunately none came with the gun, so I will need to improvise some ammo.

Lone Star Anti Tank Gun

This is an under-scale gun by Lone Star. Rather than 1/32 it seems to be 1/40 or 1/43. Based on its size it can probably be used as a 6 pounder or even the 2 pounder anti-tank guns. Like the Crescent guns, it also comes with a lever-controlled spring that allows you to shoot rounds with it. 

Lone Star Anti Tank Gun - Desert Version

This is the same gun as the previous one. I don't know if Lone Star released it in this color scheme, or if a prior owner spray painted it this color. In any case, I just got three of them in this style and they provide much needed artillery support for the B8A guys. 

Lone Star 25 Pounder - Front

Here is another under-scale model by Lone Star. Given their 1/32 figure range, I just wish they had manufactured these sets to match those figures. BTW, this one also lets you shoot with it. 

Lone Star 25 Pounder - Back

Here you get a good idea of the size of the gun relative to some actual 54mm figures. I guess it could be used to represent a smaller caliber gun. But definitely, if you are undecided between the Crescent 25 pounder and this one, the Crescent one is head and shoulders a much better choice. 

Crescent 18 Pounder

As you might suspect, perhaps from the wooden wheels, this is a WWI gun. At the beginning of WWII some British units were still equipped with them. Anecdotally, I have also heard -although I have not verified- that they were also used at the outset of the war by the Soviet Army, hence I staffed the gun with a Soviet crew for this picture. This model comes in metal and as other Crescent guns, has a spring-based firing mechanism. The only thing to criticize is that it is a bit underscale. This particular model is well used, so the gun barrel drops below horizontal, which is why I had to place a small twig to support it.

Britains Deetail L6 'Wombat' 120mm recoilles Antitank gun

The Wombat is actually a weapon developed in the1950's. I suppose this is why it looks so much like a WWII artillery piece. At any rate, since I don't have many other British anti tank guns, I have decided to accept it in my WWII collection. Plus it has a nice, heavy caliber!

Britains Deetail British Heavy Mortar Set

A really nice heavy mortar team. The mortar can actually fire shells enabled by a spring mechanism inside the tube. There is a small lever in the back of the mortar which can be pulled and released to eject the shells. A pretty fun set.

Soviet Artillery

Soviet ZiS 3 76mm Anti-Tank Gun - Part I

This is a nice artillery piece introduced by Italeri. This set was released a couple of years back and it filled a huge gap in the WWII 1/32 plastic toy soldier world. In addition to the gun itself, the set contains a crew in a good variety of poses. The Soviets produced these guns from 1942 onwards in massive quantities (over 100,000) and with a 76mm round, they were capable of piercing any German Tank prior to the Tiger I and the Panther.

Soviet ZiS 3 76mm Anti-Tank Gun - Part II

The gunner and the leader prepare to fire another round as the rest of the crew works hard to keep the ammunition supply flowing. The Soviets were known for deploying large belts of anti tank defensive positions in depth which would wear down the German armored offensive capabilities and would leave them ripe for T-34 counterattacks, which is how they managed to stop the largest ever tank offensive at Kursk. These pictures depict this gun in a street fighting scenario, as the Red Army pushed west and retook its cities.

Engineer Bassevich Soviet Artillery Crew

These three poses came in one of the Engineer Bassevish Infantry sets, but they actually 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. 

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!

Hanomak Soviet 45 mm Anti-Tank Gun 'Sorokapyatka' - Part I

As you can see, this antitank gun is operated by a 4-man crew. One man is loading and firing the gun, another is handing him the ammunition. Another one is dealing with the cases containing additional ammunition, and the fourth one is observing and directing the fire. A good crew which can probably be deployed to help with other artillery pieces. I feel that this set is sculpted at a slightly better level of quality and detail than other Hanomak sets. The posing feels less rigid and more natural. Perhaps if you want to be highly critical, the hands could be done slightly better, and the 45 mm shell being held by one of the men feels a bit too thin, but other than that, I think this is one of their best sets.

Hanomak Soviet 45 mm Anti-Tank Gun 'Sorokapyatka' - Part I

As you can see, this anti-tank gun is operated by a 4-man crew. One man is loading and firing the gun, another is handing him the ammunition. A third one is dealing with the cases containing additional ammunition, and the fourth one is observing and directing the fire. A good crew which can probably be deployed to help with other artillery pieces. In addition to the men you also get a wooden defensive position to go with it. I feel that this set is sculpted at a slightly better level of quality and detail than other Hanomak sets. The posing feels less rigid and more natural. Perhaps if you want to be highly critical, the hands could be done slightly better, and the 45 mm shell being held by one of the men feels a bit too thin, but other than that, I think this is one of their best sets.

Hanomak Soviet 45 mm Anti-Tank Gun 'Sorokapyatka' - Part II

Here's a view from the front to appreciate the detail on the front of the wooden barricade. I probably would have preferred to be able to buy the gun without it. I don't really need it and I would rather pay a lower price, but given that you get it, and it is reasonably nicely detailed,  I should be able to incorporate it into some defensive works for this or some other artillery unit, specially once it is painted as it has pretty nice texture on the wood and the rocky ground. 

Hanomak Soviet 45 mm Anti-Tank Gun 'Sorokapyatka' - Part III

I took this other picture to try to show the different parts that have to be glued to put together the gun. The gun comes as 11 separate parts, 3 of which have to be glued quite precisely to assemble the gun's operating mechanism. What makes it harder is that there are no instructions and some of these parts come attached to their sprue and it is not clear where to cut. Some of the plastic is needed as a pin to be inserted into some small holes, and some of the plastic is simply excess material but it all looks the same. Fortunately I found some pictures of some real guns out there on the internet that guided me in this process. Another thing I had to fiddle with is the gluing and positioning of the trails. At first it seemed like they were going to end up with the hole for the pin that keeps them together on the outside, but it is supposed to go in the middle. After some trial and error I figured out how to glue them in a way that the holes are on the inside. This was not intuitive given how the parts are designed to fit together. In fact, at the online store where I bought them, the pictures they show have them glued incorrectly.

Italian Artillery

Waterloo 1815 Folgore Division Light Artillery 1942

These other guys are the crew for the small howitzer. I am not sure about the caliber of the gun. I thought it might be a 37mm which is what was often issued to the paratroopers as it was easier to drop along with them during an airborne operation. However a reader recently commented that it's likely a 47mm Bohler gun. Apparently the wheels were detachable and it could be mounted on a tripod. It might not be clear from the picture, but all these figures come without a base, but they still manage to stand well on their own. One thing I don't quite like about the gun is that you can't change the elevation without messing around with the peg that inserts into the wheel carriage. All in all a good addition to the Folgore infantry.

Britains Deetail 105 mm Pack Howitzer - Part I

From what I have researched, this looks like the Post-WWII Oto Melara 105 mm Pack Howitzer. Developed in the mid 1950's for the Italian Alpine troops. It could be disassembled into 12 separate components which could then be put on mules capable of dealing with the mountainous terrain. This version of the Deetail Howitzer comes with a movable trail which can be pulled apart when deployed.

Britains Deetail 105 mm Pack Howitzer - Part II

Here is another version of the 105 Pack Howitzer. This one comes with a collapsed, non-movable trail. It also has a spring-based firing mechanism. This howitzer could also be transported by having a small vehicle tow it. The Oto Melara became quite popular, being used by over 30 countries, with 20+  nations still using it today.  

Japanese Artillery 

Plastic Platoon Japanese Artillery

This is an exciting set for a couple reasons. The first one is simply that there are not that many Japanese artillery crews or artillery pieces out there. The Deetail recoilless rifle comes to mind, but that's it as far as I remember. And then there's the fact that the figures and the gun are so well sculpted and detailed. I believe this gun is a Type 92, 70 mm howitzer. The gun comes in several pieces which can be easily attached together. Glue seems to be optional. In terms of the figures, my favorite one is the man operating the sight and elevation lever.  The fact that he is straddling the gun gives it a nice touch. The officer and the loader complement the crew very nicely.

Britains Deetail Japanese Infantry - Recoilles Rifle

Aside from the infantrymen, Britains produced extra sets with heavy weapons. They were part of their special Combat Weapons series. Not sure if the Japanese Army actually had this weapon in the field, but nonetheless it makes a good addition to the army and provides some welcome firepower if you are war-gaming with these figures. I just wish there were other artillery pieces to complement them.

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Introducing the US Marines

Latest edit: Added Kozak Miniatures US Marines

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The war in the Pacific was a brutal business. Not only were men fighting each other, but they were also fighting against nature. The jungle, constant rain, mud, tropical diseases, jungle rot -dying of the skin and flesh-, even starvation -or at least having to eat half-rotten food-, when supplies could not reach them. The fighting was also a lot more primal. Tanks were hard to maneuver in the jungle, so infantry did the bulk of the fighting, often in close quarters fighting or hand-to-hand combat, which was made highly treacherous by the large amount of vegetation that allowed combatants to sneak upon each other. Every night the danger of enemy infiltration and being killed in your foxhole was a very real and nerve-racking possibility. The stiff resistance of the Japanese, often fighting to the last man, meant that sometimes they had to be burnt alive or sealed to die in their caves, and virtually no quarter was given by either side. The weather conditions also meant that the dead decomposed very quickly and the men often found themselves fighting next to or on top of rotting corpses filled with maggots, enduring a terrible stench and macabre conditions. This is the world that the leathernecks inhabited in this theater of operations. Yet, perhaps because relatively fewer men were involved in the Pacific campaigns, or perhaps because of its remoteness, or the fact that the fighting happened in places that westerners have difficulties locating on a map, the war on the Pacific has received less attention, and this is also the case in the manufacturing of figure sets representing US Marines. It was not until a few years back that the situation started to improve, as you will see from the pictures below. 

Atlantic US Marine Corps - Part I

This is one of my favorite sets from Atlantic. The figures are posed with enough movement in them and they are well proportioned. The kneeling guy's bazooka is a separate piece, so unless you glue it, you have to put it in place every time you handle him.

Atlantic US Marine Corps - Part II

Here are another 6 figures. If you are counting that makes 11, which is 1 more than the usual in the typical Atlantic set. The highlight of this batch are the flag-raising guys. Again, the flag comes separately and it requires a few tries to assemble the three pieces right, but the effort is well worth it. A mini tribute to the Iwo Jima flag-raising marines.

BMC US Marines - Part 1

BMC released these marines as part of their Iwo Jima set, along with Japanese figures. They were made aroud the time of the movie Flag of our Fathers, when some interest in the Pacific war started to take place. Personally, I find these figures to be very well made, and quite affordable. They are a bit on the larger side for 54mm, but they are very well made.

BMC US Marines - Part 2

As you can see, the men are depicted in nice action/fighting poses which look quite realistic. One thing to point out is that the left most man's bazooka can be removed and it requires a couple tries to set it back in place properly. Not a big deal, but something to be aware of.

BMC US Marines - Part 3

These guys are already primed as I will be painting them soon. Their original color is a light, creamy green. Also with this set you get a flag raising team modeled after the famous photograph, and also a Higgins boat coxswain. The flag raising team is made in a smaller scale as the rest of the figures, and the coxswain has an unusual base that makes him stand about 1 inch taller than the other guys, hence I am not including them in the figures I'll be painting.

Glencoe / Marx US Marines - Part 1

The Marx Marines were released in the 60s I believe, and for many years, they were the only figures of their kind that you could find. They produced 12 poses, and they seem to be meant for a beach landing scene. There are a couple poses in the set that seem a bit awkward, but they are actually a very nice set if you compare them to other figures released at the time.

Glencoe / Marx US Marines - Part 2

I painted these guys about 10 years back, before I had any of the more recent sets. Going back to the point about the poses, the two guys on the right are slightly odd. Maybe it's the way they are leaning, or maybe how the flamethrower guy is bending his knees. On the other hand, the two guys on the left seem just right.

Glencoe / Marx US Marines - Part 3

Remember what I was saying about a beach landing? The running poses and the Mae West would be well suited for it. Even the prone guy trying to determine the best route to get off the beach. Although I really wonder how many Marines actually wore life jackets during landing operations. Maybe this is a rear echelon officer coming ashore once the beach has been secured?

TSSD US Marines - Part 1

Another recent set courtesy of Toy Soldiers of San Diego. These guys are also a nice dynamic bunch which captures well the nature of the fighting in the Pacific. Close quarters combat with bayonets, the wounded having to defend themselves. Their original color is very similar to the BMC guys, so even unpainted they blend well together.

TSSD US Marines - Part 2

Some more nice poses by Toy Soldiers of San Diego. The guy fighting with the shovel is quite dramatic. The other men showing a representative variety of weapons: sub machine gun, Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) & Garand rifle.

Classic Toy Soldiers US Infantry (as Marines) - Part 1

These guys are not really Marines. They are recently released US Infantry troops by CTS, but I thought I would add them to the Marines to get a few more poses, plus the fact that they come with a flamethrower guy and a guy having to fight with both hands, makes them good candidates to fight on places like Peleliu or Iwo Jima.

 Classic Toy Soldiers US Infantry (as Marines) - Part 2

I like the guy standing with the bazooka. Most of the times they are depicted kneeling. The BAR guy could be firing through the dense jungle foliage at some unseen enemy in the distance while on patrol. 

TSSD US Infantry (as Marine)

This guy is also a regular Army guy, but since the Marines don't have any heavy MGs of their own (OK, the Marx/Glencoe guys have one guy running carrying a MG, but it is not mounted) I've decided to reinforce them with this TSSD guy. He could be gunny Sergeant Basilone fighting on Guadalcanal, earning his Congressional Medal of Honor.

Austin Miniatures Marines

This is a fairly recent release from a new US firm. They are made in the style and size of CTS and Conte figures. A nice level of detail and good sculpting. The poses also depict a good degree of action and intensity. And they are all good basic fighting poses. They will certainly blend in well with the rest of the unit. And if you want you can probably paint them as regular GIs, and they will fit right in as well. 

Plastic Platoon US Marines

The perfect complement to PP's Japanese Infantry set. These guys remind me a bit of Austin Miniatures' marines in the shape of the bodies and heads, slim and tall figures, but with nicer sculpting and detailing. The six poses are good fighting poses, and they cover a nice range of headgear (covered helmet, with netting, plain), clothing styles (tucked vs loose pant bottoms, rolled up sleeves, shirtless, ripped pants, etc.), weapons (Thompson sub mgs, BAR, rifle/bayonet, shotgun w/bayonet(!) and my favorite, the flamethrower) and equipment (backpack, pouches, bandoliers, etc.) I also enjoyed the facial expressions. I am not surprised anymore by the fury and intensity displayed by a couple of them. This time I was more impressed by how the BAR gunner seems so concentrated. Is he aiming at something in the distance, or is he simply laying down covering fire with determination? You'll need to figure that one out yourself when you setup your scene :-) 

Plastic Platoon US Paramarines

These guys are a nice complement to the first set of Marines. Initially I thought that other than the fact that there's a 7th man with them who clearly is a pilot -maybe he crashed or had to bail out on the same mission that dropped the Paramarines- there wasn't much to indicate that these guys were paratroopers, but then it hit me that they are clearly wearing jump boots. I wonder if after the jump that was still a good type of footwear for tropical islands. Maybe it was better at keeping the sand out, but if it did get in, I would have hated having to undo the shoe laces every so often to empty the sand. Anyhow, great poses as usual, with good variety of weaponry. The machete guy is a nice touch. And in terms of detail, look at the ding on the helmet of the second guy from the left. Looks like he literally dodged a bullet! The pilot is one guy that I probably won't have a lot of use for. I might have preferred another Paramarine, but I won't complain. Another great set.  

Plastic Platoon US Marines Heavy Weapons

This is a very nice set. It contains a crew for a Browning Heavy MG, a bazooka team, a BAR man, and an officer coordinating the action through a radio. The center piece of this set is the heavy machine gun itself, and not just the gun, but the base. I know that some folks prefer plain/neutral bases so that they can be placed in a variety of settings, but in the case of these marines, I do think that the heavily detailed base adds to the set. The other figures are nicely sculpted, as usual, with a high degree of action in them. A couple of them show bullet dents in the helmet, which is a nice bit of detail. The other creative touch is the trophy sword tucked away in the backpack of the BAR man. Lastly, the expression on the officer captures very well the intensity of battle without overdoing it as was the case with some of the prior German sets. Overall a great addition to the WWII range, and a great support unit for the other Marines.

Mars US Marines

It's nice to see Mars cover this service branch. Not that it had been neglected by previous manufacturers, but for the sake of Mars collectors having a more complete range, it is good to see this set hit the market. Overall it is a good set, with nice action poses, and a good variety of weapons, including a flamethrower and two heavy machine guns. The larger one is a Browning M1917, and the smaller one is a Browning M1919. Unfortunately, this set suffers more noticeably from what I've been referring to as the tucked arm issue. I know that it has to do with the challenges imposed by two-part molds, but it still makes this set have several figures with right arms that are in very unnatural positions. Other than that, the sculpting is pretty good, so if you look at the figures from the right angle, you can avoid seeing the tucked arms. But all in all a good set.

Austin Miniatures Marines Set 2

It only took me about 10 years to get my hands on Set 2, but I finally did it! This set gives us a few more poses, but I have to say that most of them feel very similar to each other. Maybe it is because of their stance - they are all standing with legs apart and bent knees. Their weaponry is good. Besides 3 rifle men, we also get a BAR man, one Tommy gun and most interestingly, we also get a man firing a pump action shotgun (the Winchester M1897 Trench Gun - thanks to the fellow collector who pointed that out!). Another interesting feature in this set is the fact that two of the men give us the option to insert either a backpack or a radio set. You get two of each in the bag in case you want to have two radio men or all backpacks. I recommend you glue them so that they stay in place. In terms of detail, that's also OK, although some of the faces and hands could have used a bit more love and care. Overall, this is a set I value more in terms of filling a hole in the collection than because of the figures themselves. 

Kozak Miniatures US Marines by TS Central - Part I

This Marine set contains a generous 16 poses. I like that many of them are wearing cammo cover on their helmets and most are wearing their trousers untucked and have rolled up their sleeves as they'd do in the jungle weather of the pacific. In this first picture I included the shooters. I find 4 out of the 5 guys pretty good. Can you guess which one I am less excited about? Yes, the second man from the left. For some odd reason he is standing with his feet parallel to each other and facing the same direction as his rifle. I prefer firing poses that look more like the guy in the middle. 

Kozak Miniatures US Marines by TS Central - Part II

These next 5 guys are the ones standing or advancing quite cautiously. Again, I find 4 out of these 5 guys fairly acceptable. The one who feels a bit odd is the man on the right. He seems about to hug his rifle. Not the most useful pose. The other 4 guys would be very useful when placed around a Japanese bunker, or cave, waiting for anyone to come out while another one of their buddies throws a grenade into it. The guy with the BAR certainly could do some damage.

Kozak Miniatures US Marines by TS Central - Part III

And in this batch we have what may be the most interesting poses. One of them is the grenade thrower that we were just talking about. And we also have the 2 most dynamic poses in the set rushing forward with intense facial expressions. One guy even has to hold his helmet! We also have a couple other poses that every squad needs: an officer and a radio man. The officer feels a bit stiff. Less of a combat pose and more like the stance that he would have if he were threatening someone. Maybe keeping a prisoner in check? The radio man is a nice solid pose, although I wonder why he is carrying that equipment in the back if he is speaking into a walkie-talkie. And to round off the set we also have a prone shooter. Not much special about him. Just a nice useful combat pose. 

Click here to take a look at WWII Toy Soldiers by Country

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Click here if you want to see a really cool post of the Marines in action.

Click here to see a description of Japanese Infantry figures.

Introducing the ANZAC Infantry

Latest Addition: Kozak Miniatures Australian Infantry

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The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps fought in many theaters during the War, starting in the Greek mainland, then the defense of Crete, and moving on to North Africa from where they helped expel the Axis forces after their victory at El Alamein. From there they fought multiple campaigns in the Pacific, much of it around New Guinea. The New Zealanders also fought in Italy, and took part in the bloody battles around Monte Cassino. In terms of ANZAC figures, there aren't that many manufacturers that have tackled these them. The only ones that I am aware of are Airfix and Lone Star. Take a closer look below.

Airfix Australian Infantry - Part 1

As usual, a well sculpted set with dynamic poses from Airfix. These guys are wearing the tropical uniform so they would most likely be limited to the Pacific theater. Even though they are supposed to be Australians, I was hoping that they might pass for New Zealanders although I recently learned that might be a bit of a stretch, particularly if you are from either nation ;-) Seriously, according to Peter Darman's Uniforms of World War II, the Kiwi hat was smaller, the crown was pointed, and indented on four sides. Plus the brim was never officially folded up. It also had a cap badge worn in front and a puggaree with the regimental colors was worn around the base of the hat. On formal occasions, Australians wore their slouch with the brim folded up and fastened with a metal badge.

Airfix Australian Infantry - Part 2

I really like the crouching Bren gunner, as well as the grenade throwing guy in the middle. The marching guy is nicely done, but if you've read some of my other posts you might know that I have a bias for action poses.

Lone Star ANZAC Infantry - Part 1

The sculpting on these figures is a bit coarse, but it's nice that they provide a bit more variety and poses. Luckily they are also wearing a tropical uniform. I am sure that once they are painted they will blend in acceptably with the Airfix guys. This set includes an officer with a cap, which looks a bit more official than the Airfix commander.

Lone Star ANZAC Infantry - Part 2

This other set contains a bazooka guy, which is a welcome heavy weapon addition, as well as a radio man, which is also not present in the Airfix set. These Lone Star guys are sold in a blister pack which is branded as both Lone Star and Timpo, so if you look for them you might find them under either brand, however my understanding is that they were originally released by Lone Star.

Lone Star ANZAC Infantry - Originals - Part 1

I got lucky and found some original figures in a large batch that I bought. I only got 5 of the poses, but I think they give a good idea of how the set used to look. Several of the guys still retain their original paint. It looks like the commander got a bit of a 'touch up'. Also, note how they were issued in tan uniforms. Compared to the green, new production figures, I think I like the originals better, even with some of the paint missing.

Lone Star ANZAC Infantry - Originals - Part 2

Here is one more pose in the original color scheme. Again, much better than the recasts.

Lone Star ANZAC Infantry - Originals - Part 3

Two more down. Unfortunately, with the weapon tips broken off. 

Trojan ANZAC Infantry - Part 1

These guys are hard to come by. A nice figure which adds variety to the ANZAC troops of which there are not that many options. I think I will have to touch up the paint, but once that's taken care of, he will be a fine looking trooper.

Trojan ANZAC Infantry - Part 2

Another lucky find. I seem to be getting them a drop at a time. I just wished it had been an action pose, instead of a wounded guy, but well, it is still good to gradually assemble the set, and this guy is in better condition than his mate.

Trojan ANZAC Infantry - Part 3

Here are three more guys that I was able to get a hold of. They came in a mixed bag of figures, so initially I did not realize that I had bought something special. I like these mostly because of their collectible value. The sculpting is OK, but you can tell that the manufacturing techniques of the time imposed certain constraints, like the man on the right holding his knife against his body. Not a very likely pose in reality. But still happy to have found them and enhanced the collection!

In terms of ANZAC troops dressed up for North Africa, I think that British 8th Army troops would fit better than these guys. And for Italy, I would probably use regular British Infantry. However if you want to be unambiguous about the origin of these troops, then going with these guys with their distinctive ANZAC head gear will let everyone know without a doubt who they are!

Expeditionary Force Australian Assault Section - Pacific War

It's nice to see a new set of Australian figures being released. It's been decades since we've had a new set of Australian troops. At first I was a bit skeptical about the extent that different headgear could make them feel really like their own set, and I must say that they do pass the test. In addition to the hats, the set also comes with a couple of machete knives and an ammo bandolier for one of the shooting figures that also make them look more authentic. And I am sure that once they are painted, it will be even better. In terms of the poses, you do have to try to make them a bit different by gluing the arms at slightly different angles, and making the heads face different directions. All in all, very exciting to see a new set of ANZAC troops arrive on the jungle scene!

Expeditionary Force Australian Defense Section - Pacific War

These guys would go well providing support to the MG team, as they all come in poses suitable to be firing behind cover. One of the most interesting figures in this set is the man firing the Lewis machine gun on top of the tree stump. Two other men are firing sub machine guns and the rest, aside from the officer, are riflemen. One of them throwing a grenade. I do have to say that the Expeditionary Force grenade throwers are some of the least exciting. Perhaps it is because they are assembled on top of a base body that is also used for firing/advancing poses, but they lack sufficient momentum in their body movement. But I don't think the body is the limiting factor. I think that by stretching the arms a bit, some of this could be addressed. 

Expeditionary Force Australian Machine Gun Section - Pacific War

In this other MG set, I chose to have all the men in the MG teams kneeling, and the three support troops standing. Note also that you can glue the ammo box to the base of the ammo handles in a slightly different way, with the lid opening forwards or backwards. This gives them just enough variation to avoid making them feel like clones. Note also that the weapons on two of the three support men are different in each of the sets (Australian, Indian, and British). The third guy is either holding a set of binoculars, or pointing, depending on which arms you use for the machine gun team lead.

Expeditionary Force Australian HQ Section - Pacific War - Part I

The HQ sections are probably my favorite ones. I really like the mix of poses and weaponry. All of them come with a radio man, a piat anti-tank gun, and a light mortar. From there, there the other 6 poses are pretty versatile, as you can attach a variety of upper arms and weapons to the base bodies of which you get a good mix of standing and kneeling poses. Note also that the radio man comes with a listening headset or you can also attach a head with regular headgear. 

Expeditionary Force Australian HQ Section - Pacific War - Part II

These are the rest of the set. Sometimes I like to attach the heads at a bit of an angle to show that need to communicate with the rest of the unit, and also to show that the men need to be watchful of what's happening all around them. Note also that the headgear for these Aussie troops comes in a couple of variations, with the folded brim (slouch hat) or without it. BTW, the way that these guys turned out, I feel that they could very well be the assault section.

Expeditionary Force Australian Mortar Section - Pacific War - Part I

The mortar set is composed of 9 figures. It comes with 3 mortars, 3 loaders and 3 ammo handlers. The other 3 figures can be either officers/NCOs coordinating the firing, or some other free standing figure as you will see throughout the rest of these pictures. The set comes with 3 kneeling figures for the ammo handlers and 3 standing figures for the loaders, but I tried to mix it up a bit so that not all the crews would look the same. For example, here the loader is kneeling and the ammo handler is standing. 

Expeditionary Force Australian Mortar Section - Pacific War - Part II

Here the loader is standing and the ammo handler is kneeling. These guys also got the officer to coordinate the action. You can tell that he is the officer because he has a side arm and he's also not wearing a backpack as the NCO in the previous picture. 

Expeditionary Force Australian Mortar Section - Pacific War - Part III

This third crew got a radio man as the free standing figure. I also switched it up a bit by having the loader hold the shell at the waist, and use his other arm to adjust the mortar. This also allows him to stand on the right side of the mortar.

Kozak Miniatures Australian Infantry by TS Central - Part I

This is another generous set in terms of the number of poses. Several of them resemble the figures in the British 8th army set with the main difference being the headgear. Speaking of headgear, I bought these guys as Australian infantry, but later I read something about the brim folding on the left side for New Zealanders, and the right side for Australians (at least in Tasmania and Victoria). If that's true, then these guys could also be from New Zealand if you ignore the fact that their hat is not as pointy as it should be for New Zealanders. In terms of the poses in this picture, I would prefer to see more action in them. These are the guys showing the most movement in the set and only one guy has a foot off the ground. Whether they are attacking or defending, it's going to be hard to overrun the enemy or find cover when you are moving at that pace!  

Kozak Miniatures Australian Infantry by TS Central - Part II

Here's a group of mostly firing poses. Better suited for combat, but again, not very dynamic. But I suppose you can place them behind sandbags or some other protective rampart and they would do just fine. Among this guys, I tend to like the guys with the submachine guns better than the rifle men. Of course, the guy who is advancing would have to abandon his defensive position and venture out into the open. But hey, he could be firing behind a Matilda tank as they advance! BTW, I should also point out that based on their short sleeves and short trousers, I decided that these guys would be deployed to the  North African theater of operations.

Kozak Miniatures Australian Infantry by TS Central - Part III

And here you have the kneeling and prone firing poses. The same that we got with the B8A set. As you can tell, two of them on the left are identical, except for the fact that one of them has a scope on his rifle, so we got ourselves a sniper. In terms of the prone men, one of them is firing a Bren gun, while the other one aims his Boys anti-tank rifle at some unsuspecting Panzer III. Speaking of the Boys AT rifle, the armor of later Panzer IIIs and subsequent Panzer IVs proved too thick for this weapon, and you also had to be within 300 yards. Then again, that's nothing compared to how close you had to get with a panzerfaust, but in the open desert I bet that could be easier said than done. 

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Click here to see a description of the Gurkhas, who fought next to the New Zealanders at Monte Cassino.