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I can across a few blisters or rather cheap Soviet Heavy tanks and wondered whether anyone could suggest whether they would make up the basis of a descent force (not owning any of the Soviet books).

It seems I can get;

5 x ISU122/152
3 x IS2/1943
3 x Dshk50 trucks
3 x T60

I also have a boxed Company of Soviet Infantry kicking about the place as well.

I don't even know if this is the basis of a coherent force or not but thought I would ask if this could be usable together (even in the same period?) rather than just buying another army because it was cheap.

I think there is a heavy tank force in Red Bear (you would have to ask someone else about that, I don't have it), but I know both the 5 x ISU122/152 and 3 x IS2/1943 can be used in a Tankovy Batalon as Divisional Support in LW, if you are willing to get T-34s for the main force (with 11 T-34s [min. number] and the 5 x ISU122/152 and 3 x IS2/1943, you would have about 1600 pts.) .

I don't know were the 3 x Dshk50 trucks or 3 x T60 would fit in, though.

Red Bear has a Guards Self-Propelled Artillery. The models you list would be a good core for that I think.

olympia wrote:Red Bear has a Guards Self-Propelled Artillery. The models you list would be a good core for that I think.

One of the IS-2's could be used as an HQ for that list (it has to be either an IS or KV variant, somewhat funny that a "Heavy Self-propelled artillery regiment" is led by a heavy tank, but, no biggie.

The ISU-122/152's could make up a big combat platoon or almost two smaller ones (I'm relatively sure that they're taken in groups of 3-5)
The DshK's if I'm not mistaken, are the AA trucks, not bad to have around if you're going to be running units of big expensive tanks.
The T-60's... yeah no idea where'd they fit either.

Alternatively, you could use that box of Soviet infantry you have laying around and use the ISU's and IS's as corp support (I think you can take them simultaneously in a Strelk list). Those units alone are worth around 1,000 pts. The DshK's are awesome if for nothing else they bulk up your platoon count for a mere 55 pts (if taken as CT Red Army, it's 60 if you take them as FT Guards).

From the looks of it, either way you go, depending on the discount you'll get, it's a smart buy.

Yeah it works out at roughly 40% off, all new.

I like the idea of both the guard artillery list and infantry with (very heavy!) support.

I suppose a more pertinent question might be whether i need this with 2 half finished and 4 unbuilt armies sitting on the shelf.

notprop wrote:I suppose a more pertinent question might be whether i need this with 2 half finished and 4 unbuilt armies sitting on the shelf.

That is a slippery slope friend. Startt thinking that way and you'll start thinking do I need "another" army when I have 2 finished armies on my shelf? Just stop thinking that way now and you'll be much happier.

Skriker