1:35 Soviet Assault Group WWII

Soviet Assault Group, Second World War 1:35 — Zvezda

A set of plastic figures of Soviet infantry in an assault action in 1:35 scale from the Russian firm Zvezda. The manufacturer ties the set to the fighting for Königsberg in 1944. It is not a vehicle model, but a set of figures to place in a diorama or to go with an armored vehicle.

The real subject

The fighting for Königsberg in the spring of 1944 and 1945 was among the hardest urban actions on the Eastern Front. Soviet infantry advanced in it in small assault groups that combined submachine gunners, machine gunners and engineers with demolition charges. The soldiers were usually armed with submachine guns with a drum magazine, carried hand grenades and often advanced on the hull of a tank, which was known as tank desant. For dioramas of urban fighting this particular set of figures is exactly the typical one.

Building and painting tips

First clean the figures of the mold seams, which on figures usually run along the sides of the arms and legs; on a finished figure a line like that is conspicuous. Paint the face and hands first and separately, ideally with a dark wash into the folds and a fine dry brush on the raised areas. Build the uniform up from a base shade, put a darker tone into the folds and lighten the edges slightly. Place the figures into the scene only once they are painted and make sure the feet sit down on their full area, otherwise the figure looks as though it were floating.

Who the set is for

• Modelers of the Eastern Front in 1:35 scale
• Diorama builders working on urban fighting
• Builders who want a crew and riders on a tank
• Modelers with basic experience of painting figures

The figures are supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.