Warlord Games: Bolt Action Wintersets

Warlord Games hat neue Wintersets für Bolt Action heraus gebracht und zumindest die Deutschen Grenadiere (Winter) sind ja schon seit dem Ostfrontbuch überfällig.

Germany’s aggressive campaigns of conquest ensured that her armies would fight in many countries far from the fatherland and in starkly contrasting terrain and weather conditions. German soldiers were well-equipped for their venture into Europe, and later North Africa, but found themselves ill-prepared for the bleak, freezing and unforgiving Eastern Front. When the Russian armies failed to collapse, the Wehrmacht found itself caught out on the Russian plains, freezing, literally in many cases, to death.

Gradually German industry caught up to correct the defects in winter clothing and the troops and their families even fashioned suitable winter gear to keep general frost at bay. Clever use of white or reversible camouflage clothing and snow hoods helped to keep out the cold and hide the troops in featureless terrain. Gloves, mittens and thick felt boots blankets and scarves all meant that the landser might not only survive the bitter winters of the 1940s, but also be able to fight and win.

This box contains a squad of German infantry in a wide array of winter clothing and represents very well the rag-tag look of soldiers of any winter front, from the Soviet union to the Ardnennes.

Our latest Warlord Range is perfect for bringing the battles into the winter of 1944-45. Packed with character that really shows how unprepared for the truly bitter winter, which hit Europe that year, the US forces really were.

The vast Soviet military machine that invaded Finland during the Winter War of 1939-1940 was stunned by the lightly armed but intensely motivated and skilled Finnish troops. The Soviets were outfought despite hugely superior weight of numbers. Although eventually seeking terms the Finns had delivered a harsh lesson to their rapacioius neighbours.

When the Soviet Union – having by then joined the Allies – again attacked in 1941, the Finns were left with little option but to side with Germany in a conflict known as the Continuation War, making good use of German weaponry.

The Finns were masters of fieldcraft, sniping, and small unit tactics that hit hard then disappeared into the dense forests. Their weapons were light but used with great dexterity, and many made use of captured Russian kit as there was always plenty left behind after the Finns had struck!

These miniatures are mostly dressed in standard issue M36 tunic and armed with a variety of Finnish weaponry and so are most suitable for use in Continuation War (1941-1944) against the might of the Soviet Union. Dig in and stop the arrogant Russians marching into brave Finland!

The M8 Greyhound was originally designed to replace the US military’s portee gun in an anti-tank role, but was quickly repurposed once it was realised that its performance against German armour was lacking. It found use as a popular and successful armoured car that served American and British armies well throughout the war.

Its crew of four served a 37mm gun, a co-axial .30 cal, the more aggressive crews adding a .50 cal on the roof for anti aircraft and local defence.

It was very fast – hence its British name of Greyhound – capable of 55mph on good roads, but was known to bog down in mud. Its armour was enough to shrug off small arms fire, and these vehicles were best used in pairs to scout out enemy lines, supporting each other in a leap-frog fashion on the advance or covering a retreat.

Replacing the armoured turret for a fixed, open fighting compartment, the M20 scout car was used primarily as a command vehicle, Sacrificing the turrets main gun in favour of extra radio capability, it also carried a portable Bazooka for extra anti-armour firepower.

In contrast to many other nations the US developed just the one type of chassis for the role of reconnaissance, destined originally for the tank destroyer units it was eventually issue primarily to the cavalry squadrons.

In conjunction with the M8 the M20 utility car was also developed becoming a command variant in many cases.

Appearing in late 1943 in Italy to a baptism by fire on the roads to Rome, the cavalry squadrons gave the tactical commanders a unique unit offering a mix of speed and firepower. This led to the squadrons becoming the core of small, task specific, forces consisting typically of engineers, tank destroyers or self-propelled artillery depending on the mission.

This kit will allow you to build both the M8 with its familiar turret and 37mm gun as well as the M20 utility.

Bolt Action ist unter anderem bei unseren Partnern Radaddel und Fantasy Warehouse erhältlich.

Die deutschsprachige Community zu Bolt Action erreicht ihr unter BoltAction.de.

Quelle: Warlord Games