Barbarossa Part Two: The Soviets!

If you missed Part One (The Germans), go catch up now! Otherwise, read on:

RUSSIANS
Russian Special Rules appear to be the same as or very similar to Rising Sun (The wave attack wording seems to be tightened up a bit). The tank lists still use offensive doctrine, meaning they are always attacks.

Leytenant Konstantin Samokhin may join a tankovy batalon and replaces the command BT-7 tank team in a BT-7 equipped light tankovy company for 40+ points or he may replace the battalion commander HQ tank in a T-34 tank for +125 points. Either way he gets a spearhead move with the tankovy company he has joined. His real worth come in the form of a re-roll any failed to hit rolls when he shoots with the main gun of this tank. Now that is sweet.



Russian Lists

Tankovy Batalon (Red Army-Confident Conscript and Guards Fearless Conscript) The Tankovy Batalon list in Barbarossa is a T-34 based company, and man are these guys expensive. It's for good reason though, as the T-34 is a beast in early war and the book contains three versions. The base model is T-34 obr 1940 with a stat line of 6 front armor and a AT 8 gun 3+ firepower you can get two of these guys for 430 points. The next upgrade is T-34 obr 1941 it has the same armor stats but a improved gun with AT 9 and 3+ firepower. If that wasn’t enough to smash Hitlerites you can upgrade 3 tanks to T-34/57 with the improved tank gun AT 11 and 4+ firepower. The list allows your second mandatory company to be something other than T-34s  which is necessary. The light tank option contains BT-5s, T-60s, and our old favorite T-26s. A second option is the medium tank company made of T-28s in all their various varieties. The goodies do not stop there as the list allows for a flame tank company of Kht-26 or KhT-130s and also a scout tank company of T-38 (these guys are not recon). The large amount of support choices goes on from there to include almost everything you can think of. AA platoons, rocket platoons, Motorstelkovy platoons, KV heavy tanks, T-35s, artillery, armored cars, and aircraft. You name it and it is there, this is a very solid list you will be seeing a lot of. More on support below.

T-34s yikes! very nasty in early war

Inomiarochnikiy Tankovy Batalon (Red Army Confident Conscript and Guards Fearless Conscript) In late 1941 a few British lend-lease Valentines and Matilda tanks had arrived in Soviet Union, the first batch took part in the battle of Moscow. The list must have one company of Valentines and the second mandatory company must be T-34s or a Light Tank choice. Matildas are an optional third company. As we have seen from the British the Matilda and Valentine tanks in Early War are quite a handful to deal with, and as expected these guys are expensive. The support choices for the Inomairochnikiy are not nearly as extensive but are still quite solid and has everything you need. A few choices are AA platoons, rocket platoons, Motostelkovy platoons, KV heavy tanks, Sappers and aircraft.


Motostrelkovy Batalon (Confident Conscript) Early War Moto-boys do not get the wave attack rule which is that make them slightly cheaper, and you will need the points because this list is all about being able to buy two tank options and still be rated as an Infantry company. The infantry are rifle teams so it's a good thing the HMGs are an optional buy for the company. You must buy two Moto-companies and a third is optional along with Moto-Hmg companies and Moto-Mortar companies. For weapons platoons a cheap 4 tube 120mm Mortar is an option plus a regimental 76mm gun platoon and AAA trucks. With two tank company options that include light, scout, and heavy tanks, plus KV and T34 choices it's a pretty good mix of stuff. The Air and Artillery are somewhat limited but you will probably have used up all your points by the time you get to that.

Strelkovy Batalon(Confident Conscript and Fearless Trained or Conscript) With four different ways to go on the Stelk-mob its a very interesting list. Red Army and Militia units are rated as confident conscript and are exactly the same price. The Milita get no weapons platoon options so I have no idea why anybody will ever use these guys, but here they are (scenario purposes?). The Guards are rated fearless conscript and still have the wave attack, while Red Banner troops are rated fearless trained and do not. Red Banner troops represent the Siberian Divisions that were shipped west for the winter offensives. The Strelk Hq does contain the pioneer and ATR rifle platoon choices that we are used to seeing. The usual suspects of Strelk weapons platoons are all here: submachine gun companies, mortar companies, HMG companies, regimental gun companies, and AAA truck platoons The Strelk AT Gun platoons of six 45mm guns that everybody loves now comes with a bonus. If you purchase the ATG company you may also buy a Komsomolyets detachment of up to 6 armored tractors. These machine-gun armed vehicles are tank teams and are a separate platoon from the guns they tow with the tow-hook rule. So after towing the guns they can drive off and go get into trouble. The Corp and Division support includes the expected aircraft, sapper companies, flame-thrower platoons, and artillery options but also a few unique goodies. The captured Polish armored train is one I will discuss further later, plus a self propelled Anti-Tank platoon of Zis-30s which is a awkward layout Komsomolyet with a 57mm gun attached to the top, these guys pack some punch. The Strelk only get one tank choice but included in that choice is all of the tanks in the book and the heavy rockets and artillery so choose wisely.

Kosmsomolyet ...yes its a tank team!

Soviet Corp support(Confident Conscript unless noted)

KV Tankovy: Any discussion of the Soviets will not be complete without bringing up what is about to be the scourge of all early war: the KV Tankovy. These 255 to 410 point monsters are about to wreck your world unless you come prepared for them. With front armor of 8 or 9 and side armor almost as tough these guys are the King Tiger of Early War. If German players thought the Char-B was bad wait till they get a dose of these fine fellows. Of course, they’re dreadfully expensive, so numbers and maneuver can still win the day!

Heavy Tankovy company: Here is where the land battleships live with all their T-35 multi-turret goodness. With an all around armor of 3 I doubt this vehicle lasts long enough to deliver a blow from all the guns it has. Maybe one good ambush is all you need. Hey at least these guys are cheap. Plus, they look so cool, it's hard to pass them up.

The Artillery and Motorized Artllery Battalions. These Battalions contain the usual mix of up to twelve 76mm and 122mm gun choices in dazzling combinations of guns and points options. Like all early war guns, they're expensive.

Motorised Heavy Artillery Battalions Here you get your heavies 107mm, 122mm and 152mm gun options are available. They have the usual no ambush restriction but you do not have to buy light guns in equal numbers to get here.

Guards Rocket Mortar Battalion (Fearless Trained) Wow the Soviet rocket rules are really getting crazy. You can have up to 12 rocket launchers. The BM-8 counts as 2 weapons firing and if the crew is upgraded they count as 4! That means the "36-rail" rule doubles the teams firing. Then they have the concentrated fire rule which says if you have 21 to 34 rockets firing you get a fourth range in attempt, if you have 35 rockets firing you get 5 range in attempts! Plus don’t forget on a skill test you get rid of those pesky smoke trails. If you have 12 BM-8s, with extra crew, that's 48 weapons firing... and it clocks in at around 250 points... Of course, the BM-8 is no better than a mortar but still!

Captured Polish Armored Train… Boom goes the dynamite..
It has all the Light and Heavy artillery cars that we know and love from the Polish list plus it has the option for a Armored car platoon of five BA type vehicles and a giant strelk company horde. Nice to see an old model get some new use, but it would also be awesome to have a dedicated Soviet train- they had some too!

Other interesting tidbits include the Zis-30 self propelled guns mentioned above, Flame Throwers, BA-10s and BA-20s, air support (Love the Chaika!), 37mm AA, and a Tank Destruction company with a few different AT gun options.

In closing, the Soviets got quite a bit of new cool kit! We're pretty excited about this book, and can't wait to see y'all on the battlefield!