Comrade! (Part 17)

This is a Warlord Games Soviet ZIS-3 Divisional Gun. Crap pictures though - apologies, it seems it's too dark in the mornings (My typical opportunity for doing so) for photo-time.

In-game it can fire as both an Anti-tank gun AND a light howitzer. (Most guns of this size typically are classed as either-or.) This all metal kit was crisply sculpted and only had one glaring issue - game rules have it as being crewed by four men, yet the gun is sold with only three!? (Not very good planning on Warlord's part.) Lucky I had a spare infantry-man from my plastic Winter troops set to fill in!

The painting was easy - both gun and crew were a breeze to get done and fit in well enough (The metal crew are all Summer uniform, not Winter like the rest of my army but o well.) with the rest of my army. I based the whole thing on a CD, used my usual basing medium, made sure to leave indents for the crew bases so I can remove them as casualties are taken and added snow effects and some foliage. The logs are some very nice finds by my son whilst out with his Mum walking the dog. These too were painted and look okay as a makeshift log-barrier thing.

Fellow with the shell at the back is the plastic addition to thew crew. Some hand manipulation and a crappy looking artillery shell made from a toothpick and he'll do. 

Tried to add red & white stripes the to the ranging poles. Pretty shoddy effort though. 

Unlike most of the rest of my force, this base is not entirely covered in snow, to account for the crew running back and forth with ammo, etc.

Was very tempted to add some sort of white-wash camo to the gun too, but felt it would just melt in with the base-colours so stuck with basic Soviet green.

I promise better pictures will be forthcoming once I have an opportunity to get out when the lighting is better. But rain and storms are on their way to Northern California so that might be a while yet.

Finishing up this gun means I only have my tank to go and then be able to call this army the mythical "Fully Painted". Which rocks muchly. The tank is currently about 75% completed and I hope to have it done and posted here by next week, in time for my Mum's visit from Blighty when painting time will be near non-existent.

Hope everyone's staying warm out there!