Living in the (hard) plastic age

The new PSC 1/72nd scale Russian T70 tank

Regular readers of the blog will no doubt recall my frequent mentions of wanting to tackle some plastic kits again, specifically tanks and other AFVs. The advent of the Portable Wargame style of rules approach and the Command and Colours based Memoir 44 (not to mention Bob Cordery's Memoir of Battle) mean that forces required for such games do not need to be huge in terms of models and figures. I recently acquired a copy of Bolt Action - the Osprey WW2 set; that are designed with section based games in mind. Clearly then, acquiring a collection suitable for both sets of rules should be relatively straightforward and not require a massive outlay in terms of expenditure or time to ready for action.

I was originally looking at raising  set up for 1941 on the Eastern front but have decided to move to 1943 instead and I am planning on using primarily Plastic Soldier Company kit. I am thinking that a single box of infantry and support weapons for both the Germans and the Russians will suffice, supplemented with PSC vehicles and with some from Airfix and Armourfast where applicable. I shall base the figures individually in order to maximise the number of systems they can be used for.

I do not intend building great car-parks of tanks, just enough for a good variety to be represented. Choosing 1943 as the base year also opens up the Mediterranean as well so if I fancied British and Americans I wold be able to bolt these on as required.

The original Perry Plastic ACW infantry - stick a kepi on them and paint the coats green with white trousers and they will happily pass for Russians for 1877!

On a similar vein I am looking at using Perry Plastics ACW for a Russo-Turkish War set up; again, along similar lines in respect of the number of figures involved. In effect both projects will be driven by what I will be able to use rather than what I would like. As yet no funding has been allocated to either of these projects and until my work situation changes nor is there likely to be. I have more than enough to be getting along with though in the meantime!