Soviet Army winter

When the German army crashed over the Russian border in 1941, Hitler was confident of a short, sharp campaign. He nearly got one, but heroic defence by the massive Soviet armies slowed the Nazi advance. It was done by the simple…

Epitomising what Hitler referred to as the -Asiatic Hordes-, the Siberians were battle-hardened from their service in the conflict against Japan in the east.

Coming as a rude shock to the forces of the Third Reich, the veteran…

Veterans are formed from the ferocity of war - these battle-hardened men are always ready to lay their lives for Mother Russia. Given the finest gear the land can offer, these veterans took the fight to the front to protect their…

Like the soldiers they commanded, many Soviet officers were inexperienced and lacked training at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Stalin's ruthless purge of officers of the Red Army in 1937 had denuded the organisation of…

The standard Russian medium mortar of the war was the 82-PM-41 or 82mm battalion mortar Model 1941. This served alongside the otherwise similar 82mm Model 1937. Both were very effective and accurate weapons with a range of about…

The ZiS-3 was a truly multi-purpose weapon that was used as artillery and as an anti-tank gun by the Red Army. The Germans came to know it well and a dubbed it the 'Ratsch-Baum' ('crash-boom') for its distinctive sound.

By the…

The red army used the venerable Maxim Model 1910 as its medium machine gun throughout the war, the very same weapon that had served the Tsarist army in world war 1. It was a capable weapon that could be tripod-, sledge- or…

Soviet Army (Winter) HQLike the soldiers they commanded, many Soviet officers were inexperienced and lacked training at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Stalin's ruthless purge of officers of the Red Army in 1937 had…