Megablitz units - Soviet Tank Corps, early 1942

In response to requests, the description of this unit will include details of the strength points (SPs) which I would allow it in a Megablitz game.  SPs vary according to the theatre of war and period, so the following comments relate to a Soviet Tank Corps as it might appear in early 1942.  This does not mean that the SPs for, say the T-34 stand, would be the same for a T-34 stand the following year.  What I am trying to say is that while the T-34/76 is decidedly better than average kit at Smolensk in 1941, by late 1942 it is merely average and by 1944 arguably yesterday's news.  Similarly the T-34/85 would be average during the advance into the Reich in 1945 but superior against the Japanese a couple of months later.  Clear?  No?  Didn't think so.

Anyway, on to the toys.  The Russians began forming Tank Corps (we decadent westerners would call them divisions) in late 1941, after their enormous but unwieldy Tank Divisions had largely disintegrated in the face of the German onslaught.  The new formations were built by grouping 3 tank and 1 motor rifle brigade, with additional supporting elements being added throughout the war.  From what I have been able to establish, no two Tank Corps shared the same composition at any given time. 

Here is the Corps assembled except for it's logistic 'tail' which unaccountably didn't make it into the photo.

Corps HQ, complete with a rather decadent looking Ford(?) Coupe.  Presumably this was 'liberated' in one of the Baltic states.  Die-cast toy by ERTL with Battlefront figures.  0-1 SP

The Armoured Car Battalion.  The BA-10 and BAI provide the authentic 1930s look. 

The BAI is a resin and metal kit by RH Models.  1SP (R)  The R denotes that this stand is armoured recce.

BA-10.  This gorgeous thing was scratch built (even the wheels!) - but not by me.  1SP (R)

AA Regiment.  he truck is a Corgi Ford Model A, which originally advertised Cadburys Chocolate.  Traces of the factory purple paint are all too evident on this photo.  Ford tooling was used to produce the GAZ AA series, so for that reason alone it's close enough!  Quad Maxim MG & gunners by Skytrex.  2SP, 2AA  This stand may be used in combats against ground or air units.

The Motor Rifle Brigade.  I generally represent this with 2 or 3 stands (a total of 6SP for the brigade), each with a truck and two infantrymen.  The trucks in the photo are more Corgi Model As.  The nearest has had it's wheels replaced by more convincing items from the spares box.  I know I should have done them all, but I have a lot of these models.  Figures by Dixon.

And now - the tank brigades.  The three tank brigades have a 'book' strength of 48 T-34, 30 KV and 60 light tanks.  Although the brigades had a mix of tanks, it is easier to represent them with a model of each type. You could either equalise the SPs across the three brigades or have heavy, medium and light brigades.  The light tanks were theoretically T-60 but in practice anything could turn up in their place.  I have used a BT-7.

Heavy tank brigade.  An old Esci KV-1 with many kilometres under it's tracks.  4-5SP

Medium tank bde.  Matchbox T-34 with Britannia commander.  Again this has been around a while.  4-5SP

Light tank bde.  This is an old Red Star BT-7.  I have always liked the look of the BT series and now have rather disturbing numbers of them.  3-4SP

And finally - at the rear with the beer* and the gear.  The logistic back-up for the Corps.  In early 1942 these would be Army assets, attached as required for particular actions.  For two days' worth of action, 2LOG in the lorry and 2POL in the tanker.  ZIS lorry by Frontline, tanker is an unknown Russian plastic kit with a fuel tank from the Airfix Bedford QL.

* I know it should be Vodka but couldn't come up with a suitable rhyme.