There’s something of an arms race on here at Warlord Games HQ, as staffers race to build and paint their tanks in preparation for the upcoming Achtung Panzer! megagame. Head of Finance Colin Stone has decided to up the ante opting for a mighty Soviet IS-2, applying the old financial maxim that big numbers = better results (particularly when talking about main gun calibre!). Colin – tell us how you did it!
Colin: I figured that since we’re only getting one tank each for the megagame, I might as well make mine a big one, and they don’t come much bigger than the IS-2! It’s got plenty of armour and a whacking great gun – hopefully I’ll be able to pick off smaller enemy tanks with ease. I just hope nobody brings any of the German ‘big cats’ to challenge me (I’ve got some bad news for you Colin –ed.)…
Assembly
The first step for me is always to lay out the sprues and identify all the parts with the instructions. This allows me to make sure I’ve not got any missing or damaged components, and I understand where everything is on the sprues for when it comes to building – there’s nothing more frustrating than hunting around for ‘part 42b’, only to find it’s on the other sprue!
Always follow the instructions in order – never be tempted to skip ahead to a more interesting or simpler stage; that way madness and mistakes lie! In this case, I began with the tracks. It’s important to make sure that you get them on the right way ‘round, and you can do this by making sure the pattern on the tracks goes in the same direction all the way around the run!
The track assemblies and upper and lower hull all go together nicely, which means it’s time to start adding the little fiddly bits! These rear tow cables can easily go pinging across the room if you haven’t made sure their hooks are securely glued down first!
The turret assembly is relatively straightforward, but it’s important to make sure you thoroughly scrape any mould lines or ‘flash’ off the top rim of the vertical panels so that the roof panel fits properly. The handles and hooks can be quite fiddly, so going slow and using a pair of tweezers is definitely advisable.
Painting
I started off with a base coat of Army Painter’s Army Green primer spray, before applying a wash of Dark Tone across the entire tank. Then, the armour panels received two thin coats of Vallejo Russian Uniform Green, leaving the dark wash visible in the recesses and corners of the tank.
The tracks were nice and simple – Matt Black – and I also painted the pintle-mounted machine gun black before highlighting it with Army Painter Gun Metal. Transfers were added using Humbrol Decal Fix to set them securely in place, and once everything was fully dry, I went to town with AK weathering powders around the tracks, and hull front and rear. I also used their rust effect around the turret rim, to help get my IS-2 looking properly well-used.
Finally, a coat of Army Painter Anti-Shine Matt Varnish, and my IS-2 was complete – nice, quick, and simple, and (hopefully) absolutely terrifying on the tabletop!
Colin Stone is the Head of Finance at Warlord Games, and (naturally) this also means he’s in charge of our Events team! Often found at wargaming shows the length and breadth of the country, or amassing a truly staggering horde of Epic Battles troops, Colin would also like to inform you that his tank is bigger than yours!
IS-2 Heavy Tank
What do you do when you are told to upgrade an already giant metal monster that took a whole new generation of tank to actually deal with? You make it bigger and make it louder. The IS-2 is that very same beast, made as a competent replacement for the KV series and it was a far better-designed machine than its predecessor.
It had thick frontal armour and a huge 122mm gun, despite its size; the weight is comparable to that of the German Panther. The IS-2 was intended as a breakthrough tank so it was given a weapon suitable for such a task; and it broke through gloriously, right through the German lines and into the heart of Germany itself
Achtung Panzer! Soviet Tank Force
The Achtung Panzer! Soviet Army Tank Force allows you to deploy five iconic Soviet tanks to take on the enemies of the Motherland. The trio of no-nonsense T-34/76 medium tanks with their great balance of mobility, firepower, and protection are more than ably supported by the monstrous KV-1/KV-2 and IS-2 heavy tanks which pack a serious punch and bring massively thick armour to the table, giving your platoon a great ‘breakthrough’ capability for your T-34s to exploit.
In addition to these five awesome plastic vehicles (and a fantastic set of characterful stowage items), the included Soviet-specific Asset cards, plus Datacards for 20 different tanks (allowing you to field an even greater range of Soviet armour!), Tank Ace and Ace Skill cards, game tokens and markers along with mounted and dismounted tank crew figures give you everything you need to tackle the foes of the Soviet Union. Za rodinu! Za Stalina!
Also Available
The perfect way to jump into Achtung Panzer! on the side of the Soviet Union, the Achtung Panzer! Soviet Collection nets you both the Blood & Steel starter set and the above Soviet tank force, along with a set of Soviet tank crew included for free! The crew are also available separately, for added customisation whether it be for Achtung Panzer! or Bolt Action.
