Strv-103 S-Tanks on manoeuvres

 

Here are the completed S-Tanks enjoying a day out.  

The Aurora version - closest to camera - has been built with the suspension set to elevate the gun.

The Aurora kit is ever so slightly smaller and has less surface detail but both are lovely representations of the real thing.

Madrid 1936 - part 7 - the final reckoning

As the battle drew to a close the Republicans could have been forgiven for being quite pleased to have saved Madrid.  You'd like to think this would have put everyone in good spirits.  Here is the scene at Gen. Gorev's HQ where smiles and handshakes are indeed happening:

photo by Martin

But not everyone was joining in the festivities.  Having had another look at his personal victory conditions (see part 2 here) , NKVD Representative Orlov swooped on the Government meeting which was still in progress.  Here, ministers Miaja and Olivier had been joined by Durutti.  As the Anarchist Militia had been driven back and the POUM militias had also suffered greatly the explanation was - to Orlov at least - clearly treachery.  Thus it was that he and his NKVD comrades carried out a political education and realignment exercise.  Though it looked a lot like a firing squad to me.

On the Republican side the most points were amassed by Jerry.  Mostly for for in-character role play but also for  having arrived by bus, while his comrades had each travelled in German-badged motor cars.  Very suspect....

Agreed by all the players to have been a great game, this exceeded my expectations and was an excellent start to what I hope will be a busy outdoor campaigning season.

Madrid 1936 - part 6 - losing their bottle

 

Having come under fire from several enemy units, the Lenin Division suffered greatly.  Among the casualties was Georges Kopp himself who finally bled out on the road.

The Italian tankettes had come under fire from a pair of Russian tanks and one was soon ablaze (it was too windy for smoke markers!).

Enraged, a company of Moors set out to lob petrol bombs.  Seven figures set out - the other three learned the hard way that trying to light a Molotov Cocktail while running is jolly dangerous!

The Republican tanks on the left meanwhile had chased away the Panzers.

This rescued the Anarchists who had been the Panzers' main target.  Note the presence of the Miliciana in the rear rank.  She was referred to throughout the game as Sophia Loren....(photo by Russell)

And what of the Internationals?  They remained far from the battle throughout.  Indeed, the sound of gunfire was drowned out be the clacking of typewriters as they all wrote their memoirs and novels. (photo by Russell)

By now both sides were pretty exhausted.  The Republicans still occupied most of the area so we agreed that the Nationalist assault had stalled.  But it had been close and the Nationalists' successes were clearly  - according to Colonel Orlov - due to treachery.  See the results of his even-handed investigation in the final part of this debacle!

Scarce Swede safely sourced - Strv-103 'S-Tank'

The reason I ended up with the battered Jagdpanzer Kanone which featured here recently was the model which accompanied it.  None other then that rarest of rarities a Tamiya 1/48 Strv-103 S-Tank.  I've been gently on the lookout for such things for some years now and while they often crop up on eBay they are often very expensive.

Regular sufferers of this blog will be aware I have something of a weakness for the S-Tank  - but after five Volvos and three Saabs that's hardly a surprise!  The Tamiya model was in decent shape - afflicted only by dust and a shortage of tracks.  The former I can live with - the latter was cured with more packing straps.

But the story doesn't end there.  Having secured one reasonably priced S-Tank you may imagine my delight when within a few days I found a second!  This time it was the Aurora kit - part built and seemingly in possession of all of it's parts.

 This one even had tracks!  What luxury.  It was soon built and in the queue for painting.

I need hardly add that if you have one of these kits gathering dust in your attic then either make your fortune on eBay or do the decent thing and send it to me!