Back in 2007 the I95Gamers decided to put on a big scenario game for Cold Wars with three tables of action. The battle we chose was based on the game "Black Sea Black Death" which is the battle for Novorossiysk  and we needed a ton of Soviet Naval Infantry and Soviet Paratroopers. Thus began my journey into the land of Soviet Airborne. I thought I would share some of the things I have run across, as the Soviet Paratroopers did far more in the war than most people think. 

The Soviets were early innovators in airborne operations with men like Mikhal Tukhachevsky. His theories on Soviet Deep Battle saw airborne as a key component to combined operations. Either through striking deep in to the enemy's rear area to disrupt logistics and re-enforcements, or seizing key terrain and even as a diversion to main attack. Soviet large scale airborne training drops of the 1930 put the world on notice of the new way of war. It is sad to say Stalin's purges put Mikhal Tukhachevsky and Soviet Deep Battle doctrine into the ground and the tactics were forbidden to be talked about. In 1941, the German attack struck like thunder and Soviets had not yet recovered from the purges so they had no real doctrine at all.

By Dirty Jon
I needed a real Airlanding Anti-Tank Platoon asset for the British Paratroopers out of A Bridge Too Far, and I found a really good deal on eBay that included both the 6-pounder and 17-pounder box sets. I had been using my regular Late War British models and it just doesn't look cool to have them out there with the Paratroopers, so..... here we go!



The 6-pounders (and the U.S.-built M1, of which 4,242 pieces were received) were initially issued to the Royal Artillery anti-tank regiments of infantry and armoured divisions in the western theatres (four batteries with 12 pieces each), and later in the war to the six-gun anti-tank platoons of infantry battalions. An airlanding battalion had an AA/AT company, with two four-gun AT platoons. The Far East theatres had lower priority and different organization, reflecting lower tank threat. The gun was also employed by Commonwealth forces, in formations similar to the British ones.

The 6-pounder first saw action in May 1942 at Gazala. It made an immediate impact on the battlefield as it was able to penetrate any enemy tank then in service. In the most celebrated action, the 6-pounder guns of 2nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (together with part of 239 Anti-Tank Battery Royal Artillery under command), destroyed more than 15 enemy tanks in the action at 'Snipe' during the battle of Alamein. However, over the next year the Germans introduced much heavier designs into service, notably the Tiger I and Panther. The standard 6 pounder shot was effective frontally at short ranges as shown in the Armour plate experiment, but proved ineffective at extended ranges. It was the 6-pounder gun that accounted for the first Tiger destroyed in North Africa when mounted in the Churchill tank (which was the first western tank to knock out the Tiger I in tank vs tank combat).


I love these guys in Ambush. They get ROF 3, and AT 10 which is very, very good. Springing these on PzIVs or even StuGs can do serious damage with the high rate of fire.


If deployed in cover, they might be able to survive to deal another blow. Being Fearless Veteran, they will be hit on a 5+ in cover and get a 5+ gun save -- a good chance to have a gun or two around after taking revenge fire.

Weapon	Mobility	Range	ROF	Anti-Tank	Firepower	Equipment and Notes
6pdr Anti-Tank Gun	Medium	24"/60cm	3	10	4+	Gun Shield