Crossfire Stocktake – My forces for the Eastern Front

Given the upcoming year long campaign for Stalingrad, I thought I should do a stocktake of Crossfire forces for the Eastern Front. It turns out my collection is insane. Your average gamer doesn’t need this. If you are new to Crossfire then you can get by with a lot less figures; check out How many figures will I need to start playing Crossfire? For the first 10 years of my Crossfire gaming, I only had a reinforced battalion for each of Germans and Russians, backed up by a couple of Pz III Gs and three T-34s. That was more than enough. Then I got some more kit and played my Armour Fest with everything I had, but even that wasn’t really a lot. Much more than you need for a normal Crossfire game but not a lot in the grand scheme of things. Then, um, I guess I got greedy. It is kind of embarrassing.


Soviet Stocktake

Three Soviet infantry battalions plus and uncountable horde of T-34s and other stuff. I may have gone overboard on the Soft skin vehicles. And planes; don’t forget the planes.

Soviet Infantry

Three Soviet infantry battalions – two rifle and one SMG – plus a bunch of specialists.

  • 1 x Russian Rifle Battalion
    • 1 x BC (+1)
    • 1 x Heavy Weapons Company:
      • 3 x HMG
      • 3 x FO for off table 82mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 1 x 45mm ATG with optional tow
    • 3 x Rifle Companies
      • 1 x CC (+1)
      • 1 x HMG
      • 1 x on-table 50mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 3 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1/0), 4 x Rifle Squads, one with ATR
  • 1 x Russian Motor Rifle Battalion (armed with SMG)
    • 1 x BC (+1)
    • 1 x Heavy Weapons Company:
      • 3 x HMG [
      • 3 x FO for off table 82mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 1 x 45mm ATG with optional tow
    • 3 x Rifle Companies
      • 1 x CC (+1)
      • 1 x HMG
      • 1 x on-table 50mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 3 x Motor Rifle Platoons: PC (+1/0), 3 x SMG Squads, one with ATR
  • 1 x Naval Infantry Battalion or Naval Rifle Battalion or Regular Army Rifle Battalion1
    • 1 x BC (+1)
    • 1 x Heavy Weapons Company:
      • 3 x HMG [
      • 3 x FO for off table 82mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 1 x FO for off table 76mm field guns (12 FM)
    • 1 x Specialist Company1
      • 1 x CC (+1)2
      • 1 x Reconnaissance Platoon: PC (+1/0), 4 x Rifles3
      • 1 x Assault Platoon: PC (+1/0), 4 x Assault Engineer Rifles4
      • 1 x SMG Platoon: PC (+1/0), 3 x SMG5
    • 3 x Naval Infantry Rifle Companies
      • 1 x CC (+1)
      • 1 x HMG
      • 1 x on-table 50mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 3 x Naval Infantry Rifle Platoons: PC (+1/0), 4 x Rifle Squads, one with ATR
  • 1 x Guards SMG company6
    • 1 x CC (+1)
    • 1 x HMG
    • 1 x FO for off-table 82mm Mortar (12 FM)
    • 1 x on-table 50 mm Mortar (12 FM)
    • 3 x SMG Platoons: PC (+1/0), 3 x SMG, one with ATR
  • 1 x Soviet Divisional Reconnaissance Company
    • 1 x CC (+1)
    • 3 x Scout Platoon: PC (+1/0), 3 x SMG
    • Command & Control: Good i.e. German
  • 1 x Assault Engineer Platoon: PC (+1/0), 4 x Assault Engineer Rifle Squads, one with ATR

Notes:
(1) My Naval battalion can be a Naval Rifle Battalion (Brigada morskoi strelkovy), Naval Infantry Battalion (Brigada morskoi pekhoty), or a Regular Army Rifle Battalion. Each of these has a different complement of specialists drawn from the Specialist Company. A Naval Rifle Battalion would include the Recon Platoon and SMG Platoon. A Naval Infantry Battalion would include the Recon Platoon and a Flamethrower Platoon (using the “Assault Platoon”). A Regular Army Rifle Battalion would not include any of the specialists.
(2) The Company Commander (CC) of the Naval Infantry Specialist Company is to allow using this formation as a 4th Naval Infantry / Rifle Company.
(3) The Naval Recon Platoon would appear in a Naval Rifle Battalion or Naval Infantry Battalion but not a Regular Army Rifle Battalion.
(4) The Naval Assault Platoon can be used for an Stalingrad style Storm Group, in which case it can be included in any formation. Otherwise the Assault Platoon would appear in Naval Infantry Battalion but not a Naval Rifle Battalion nor a Regular Army Rifle Battalion.
(5) The Naval SMG Platoon would appear in a Naval Rifle Battalion but not a Naval Infantry Battalion nor a Regular Army Rifle Battalion.
(6) Strictly speaking a Guards SMG Company should not have heavy weapons, so no mortars or HMG. I included the standard complement of heavy weapons to give flexibility. It means this company can, for example, be used as a fourth Motor Rifle Company.

Soviet Cavalry

I’ve only got a few stands of Soviet cavalry. Mounted cavalry isn’t really a Crossfire thing.

  • 1 x Weakened Cavalry Squadron (Mounted)
    • 1 x CC (+1)
    • 2 x Sabre Platoons: PC; 3 x Rifle Squad (Mounted)
    • 2 x HMG on Tachanka

Soviet Artillery

I’ve got a gallery for My Russian Artillery including actual artillery (field guns, howitzers, infantry guns), mortars, anti-tank guns and anti-aircraft guns.

  • Forward Observers (separate from those embedded in infantry formations)
    • 2 x FO for off-table 120mm Mortars
    • 3 x FO for off-table 76mm ZIS-3 field guns
    • 3 x FO for off-table heavy artillery
  • Mortars
    • 4 x on-table 82mm mortars
    • 2 x on-table M1938 120mm mortars
  • Field guns and howitzers
    • 3 x 76mm ZIS-3 field guns1
    • 3 x 76mm obr 1927 regimental gun
    • 4 x 122 mm obr 1938 howitzer
    • 1 x 203mm obr 1931 Howitzer
  • Anti-tank guns
    • 45mm ATG Platoon: 1 x PC; 3 x 45mm obr 1942 anti-tank guns
    • 57mm ATG Platoon: 1 x PC; 3 x 57mm ZIS-2 anti-tank gun
    • 76mm ATG Platoon: 1 x PC; 3 x 76mm ZIS-3 field guns1
  • Anti-aircraft guns
    • 2 x 37mm Anti-aircraft guns
    • 1 x 12.7mm Anti-aircraft gun

Notes:
(1) The same three 76mm ZIS-3 field guns appear twice, once as field guns and once as anti-tank guns

Soviet Tanks

I have a bunch of Soviet tanks. Tons of T-26s and T-34s.

  • 13 x T-26 tanks organised as follows:
    • 10 x T-26 tank
    • 2 x T-26 twin-turreted tank
    • 1 x T-26-4 (or T-26A) 76.2mm Artillery Tank
  • 2 x BT-5 tanks organised as follows:
    • 1 x BT-5 Tank
    • 1 x BT-5A 76.2mm Artillery Tank2
  • 2 x BT-7 Tanks
  • 9 x KV tanks organised as follows:
    • 1 x KV-2 Tank
    • 2 x KV-1 Platoons: 4 x KV-1 Tanks
  • 2 x T-60 Scout Tanks
  • 1 x T-70 Light Tank
  • 23 x T-34/76 tanks organised as follows:
    • 2 x T-34/76 Company1
      • 1 x T-34/76 Company Commander
      • 3 x T-34/76 Platoon: 3 x T-34/76 Tanks
    • 1 x T-34/76 Platoon: 3 x T-34/76 Tanks
  • 13 T-34/85 tanks organised as follows:
    • 1 x T-34/85 Company 1
      • 1 x T-34/85 Company Commander
      • 3 x T-34/85 Platoon: 3 x T-34/85 Tanks
    • 1 x T-34/85 Platoon: 3 x T-34/85 Tanks
  • 4 x IS-2 tanks
  • Lend Lease Tanks
    • 2 x Churchill Mk IV Tanks3
    • 1 x Valentine Mk IX Tank
    • 4 x 76mm M4A2 diesel Sherman Tanks

Notes:
(1) I have 10 interchangeable T-34/76 and T-34/85. Same vehicle body but different turrets.
(2) BT-5A was the artillery support version with 76.2mm howitzer
(3) Churchill Mk III and IV were sent to the USSR as part of lend lease. One of my vehicles is actually a Churchill Mk VII Tank. Unfortunately the Mk VII was only used in North Western Europe and wasn’t used in the east. But I had the model laying about and painted it. Only then did I realise it was the wrong mark for the Eastern Front. I’ll treat it as a Mk IV.

Soviet Self Propelled Guns

I have a particular fondness for the Soviet self propelled guns. The SU-152 is scary. The SU-76 is totally not scary, but were universal, so poses an interesting challenge to make them effective on table. The SU-76i were interesting being repurposed German vehicles. And the book behind 3rd Battery of the 1454th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment is a great read.

Soviet Armoured Cars

I’ve just got three Soviet armoured cars. The Soviets started the war with a lot of armoured cars but abandoned them to focus on tanks.

  • 1 x BA-10 Heavy armoured car
  • 2 x BA-64 Armoured car

Soviet Armoured Personnel Carries

The Allies sent some lend lease APCs to the USSR. I’ve got a few. Typically these were used by scouts.

  • 3 x M5 Half-track
  • 1 x Roto Razvedki Universal Carrier Platoon: 3 x Universal Carriers

Soft Skin Vehicles

I reckon You can never have too many trucks even if they aren’t much use in Crossfire.

  • 3 x ZiS-5 Radio Truck
  • 1 x Lend Lease Austin K2Y ‘Katy’ Ambulance
  • 4 x Jeeps
  • 3 x Russian supply carts
  • 3 x Zis 5 3 ton trucks
  • 7 x Stalinets Tractor
  • 3 x GAZ 4 x 6 Truck with oil drums
  • 3 x Lend Lease Dodge trucks
  • 5 x Lend Lease GMC trucks
  • 3 x 4 Horse Artillery Limbers

Aircraft

My aircraft are 1/144th scale and largely unused.

  • 3 x Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik
  • 1 x Lavochkin La-7
  • 1 x Tupolev SB 2M-100 (first production model)
  • 3 x Yak-3 Fighters

German / Spanish Stocktake

I’ve got less German / Spanish kit than I have Soviet. Only two battalions of infantry and maybe half the number of tanks.

German/Spanish Infantry

I’ve now got two German infantry battalions, although admitted one is Fallschirmjäger and doesn’t get many outings. My battalion of normal “German” infantry in field grey is actually from the Spanish Blue Division. You can tell from the shoulder patches, but nobody looks that close.

  • 1 x German/Spanish Infantry Battalion plus friends (grey) including:
    • Battalion HQ and Support Companies
      • 1 x BC (+2)
      • 1 x SMG Squad
      • 3 x HMG
      • 1 x FO for off-table 80 mm Mortar (12 FM)
    • 3 x Infantry Companies
      • 1 x CC (+2)
      • 2 x HMG
      • 1 x on-table 5 cm Mortar (12 FM) [early war]
      • 1 x FO for off-table 80 mm Mortar (12 FM) [mid and late war]
      • 1 x FO for off-table 12 cm Mortar (12 FM) [late war]
      • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC (+2); 3 x Rifle Squad
      • 2 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squad
      • Three rifle squads per company can have Anti-Tank Rifles
  • 1 x Extra German/Spanish Infantry Company
    • 1 x CC (+2)
    • 2 x HMG
    • 1 x on-table 5 cm Mortar (12 FM) [early war]
    • 1 x FO for off-table 80 mm Mortar (12 FM) [mid and late war]
    • 1 x FO for off-table 12 cm Mortar (12 FM) [late war]
    • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC (+2); 3 x Rifle Squad
    • 2 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squad
    • Three rifle squads per company can have Anti-Tank Rifles
  • 1 x German/Spanish “Assault Reserve” Platoon: 1 x PC (+2); 3 x “Assault Reserve” SMG Squads (grey)
  • 1 x German/Spanish Assault Engineer Platoon: 1 x PC; 3 x Assault Engineer Squads (grey)
  • 1 x German/Spanish Recon Platoon on Motorcycles: PC, 3 x Recon Rifle Squad (grey)
  • 1 x Fallschirmjäger Battalion (camo)
    • 1 x Parachute Battalion Headquarters
      • 1 x BC (+2)
      • 1 x SMG Squad
    • 1 x Machinegun Company
      • 2 x HMG
      • 1 x FO for on or off-table 80 mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 1 x FO for off-table 12 cm Mortar (10 FM)1
      • 1 x 75mm Recoiless Gun with optional Tow2
    • 3 x Parachute Companies
      • 1 x CC (+2)
      • 1 x FO for on or off-table 80 mm Mortar (12 FM)
      • 1 x FO for off-table 12 cm Mortar (10 FM)1
      • 2 x HMG
      • 150 mm

      • 1 x Rifle Platoon: PC (+2); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Panzershrek
      • 2 x Rifle Platoons: PC (+1); 3 x Rifle Squads; 1 x Early Panzerfaust
    • Command & Control: Good
    • Morale: Veteran

German/Spanish Artillery

Like my infantry, my German artillery are actually Spanish.

  • Forward Observers
    • 3 x FO for off-table 75 mm field gun
    • 3 x FO for off-table heavy artillery
  • Field guns and howitzers
    • 1 x Infantry Gun Company:
      • 3 x on-table 75 mm Infantry Gun (grey)
      • 1 x on-table 150 mm Infantry Gun (grey)
  • Mortars
    • 4 x on-table 80 mm Mortars
    • 1 x on table 12 cm Mortar
  • Anti-tank guns
    • 1 x 3.7cm ATG Platoon: 1 x PC; 4 x 3.7cm Pak36 anti-tank guns (grey)
    • 1 x 5.0cm ATG Platoon: 1 x PC; 4 x 3.7cm Pak38 anti-tank guns (grey)
    • 1 x 7.5cm ATG Platoon: 1 x PC; 4 x 3.7cm Pak40 anti-tank guns (grey)
    • 1 x 8.80 mm Flak (camo)
    • 1 x 8.80 mm Pak 43 (camo)

German Tanks

Well, I’ve got some German tanks. What can I say. The German vehicles started the war grey and ended in camouflage, which means I’ve got a lot of duplicated vehicles for 1939-1942 (grey) and 1943-45 (camo).

  • 1 x Panzer I Platoon: 5 x Pz I Tanks (Spanish Civil War camo)
  • 1 x Panzer II Platoon: 3 x Pz II Tanks (grey)
  • 1 x Panzer II Luchs (camo)
  • 1 x Panzer 38(t) Platoon: 3 x Pz 38(t) Tanks (grey)
  • 8 Panzer III tanks and 9 Panzer IV tanks organised as follows:
    • 1 x Strong Medium Panzer Platoon (grey) including:
      • 3 x Panzer III Ausf. J Tanks (grey)
      • 3 x Panzer IV Ausf. E Tanks (grey)
    • 1 x Strong Medium Panzer Platoon (camo) including:
      • 1 x Panzer III Ausf. L Tanks (camo)
      • 2 x Panzer III Ausf. M Tanks (camo)
      • 2 x Panzer IV Ausf. G Tanks (camo)
      • 1 x Panzer IV Ausf. H Tanks (camo)
    • 2 x Panzer III Ausf. G Tanks (grey)
    • 3 x Panzer IV Ausf. H Tanks (camo)
  • 2.5 x Panther Tanks including
    • 1 x Panther turret (camo)
    • 1 x Panzer V Ausf. D “Panther” (camo)
    • 1 x Panzer V Ausf. A “Panther” (camo)
  • 6 x Tiger Tanks organised as follows:
    • 1 x Tiger Platoon: 5 x Pz VI Tiger I Tanks (camo)
    • 1 x Pz VI Tiger I Tank (camo)

German Assault Guns, Tank Destroyers, and Self Propelled Guns

The German turretless armoured vehicles were variously called assault guns, tank destroyers or self-propelled guns. I’ve got some of each.

  • 2 x StuG III E Assault Gun (grey)
  • 3 x StuG III G Assault Gun (camo)
  • 2 x Hummel Self propelled Guns (camo)
  • 1 x Marder I Tank Destroyer (grey)
  • 3 x Marder III M Tank Destroyer (camo)
  • 2 x Ferdinand Tank Destroyer (camo)

German Armoured Cars

The Germans were keen on armoured cars so I’ve got two sets. Early war in grey and mid to late war in camo.

    1 x SdKfz 221 (MG) (grey)
    2 x SdKfz 222 (2cm) (one grey; one camo)
    1 x SdKfz 223 (radio) (grey)
    2 x SdKfz 231 (8-rad) (camo)
    1 x SdKfz 233 (7.5cm) (camo)

German Half Tracks

I’ve got a few half tracks.

  • 1 x Sd.Kfz. 251/10 (grey)
  • 9 x Sd.Kfz. 251/1 (grey)
  • 1 x Sd Kfz 251/17C (2cm) (camo)
  • 1 x Sd Kfz 7/1 mounting the 2cm Flakvierling 38 (Quad 2cm) (camo)
  • 2 x Sdkfz10 (1t) Half Track (camo)
  • 1 x maultier half track (camo)

German Soft Skin Vehicles

I believe You can never have too many trucks even if they aren’t much use in Crossfire.

  • 2 x Opel Kfz 68 Radio Truck (one in grey; one in camo)
  • 1 x Opel Blitz Ambulance (grey)
  • 3 x Opel Blitz 3 ton truck with oil drum load (grey)
  • 3 x Opel Blitz tankers (grey)
  • 19 x Opel Blitz 3 ton trucks (16 grey; 3 yellow)
  • 1 x Kubelwagon (grey)
  • 1 x Horch Kfz 15 Car (camo)
  • 3 x German supply carts
  • 7 x Steyr Kfz 70 Truck (grey)
  • 4 x RSO tractor (grey)
  • 3 x Krupp Kfz 70 Truck (grey)
  • 4 x 4 Horse Artillery Limbers

German Aircraft

My aircraft are 1/144th scale. I’ve used a Stuka a few times.

  • 1 x Dornier DO-217
  • 1 x Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4
  • 1 x Heinkel He 111 Bomber
  • 1 x Junkers Ju-88 Bomber
  • 2 x Junkers JU-87 Stuka Divebomber
  • 2 x Messerschmitt Bf 109

Neutral

And I’ve got some stuff that is usable by all…

12 thoughts on “Crossfire Stocktake – My forces for the Eastern Front”

  1. Bravo! More than enough for a divisional level game of WW2 Spearhead if you desired it. Probably require a larger than usual wargames table though.

    Reply
  2. It seems you won’t stop until you can actually recreate the Red Army in 1:1 🙂

    Happy new year!

    Reply
    • Tempting. Challenging. But tempting.

      Sadly the Red Army is a merely distraction. (Did Hitler think of them like that?) I need more Conquistadores and Portuguese Explorers and the uncountable hordes they faced in the Americas, Africa, and beyond. I need to paint my Kiwis for the Italian Campaign. I should get my painted Peninsular War figures on table. And my Italian Wars on table again (two games so far). My Wars of South American Liberation have been neglected for a couple of years … I’ve got Argentina and Chile covered but should I get Bolivar’s army and his Royalist opponents? And I never did fight the Roman conquest of Iberia … actually I need to finish my Celtiberians to do that. So many armies. So little time.

      Reply
      • By the way, I find your interest in the wars of South American liberation fascinating, being an Argie myself 🙂 As I’m sure you know, San Martin is called “el libertador” here and is one of our most important… — I want to say “procer”, not sure about the translation… “founding father” is not exactly it — and in most cities any big avenue will be called Libertador. He is the one important figure of our history everyone agrees on admiring (regardless of current political leanings, which make other big men of our history more controversial).

        Unlike people from the US, who have a wargaming tradition with their own struggle for independence, we Argies don’t tend to see our wars of liberation from a wargaming perspective. But maybe we should!

        Reply
        • I’m a big San Martin fan. For me he stands head and shoulders above the other liberators. He had a continent spanning strategy. That worked. Cared about the welfare of his troops. And put the needs of the people above his own. A true military genius and hero.

          Personally I think the Argentine war of independence definitely warrants wargaming interest. Which is why I bothered painting the armies. I’ve just struggled on a good set of rules. I know other Argies do wargame the Wars of Liberation. Or at least one does although he is based in Texas now and his interest spread into Chile. 😉

          And I’d love to do something with the 1806 British invasion of the River Plate. A real poke in the eye for the British. Hmm, I could probably do this with Peninsular British and my existing Argentine and Spanish troops. One to consider.

          Reply
  3. That’s a superb collection (and really does remind me that Crossfire is probably the solution I’m looking for to my WWII/Modern Company Level rules quandary).

    Reply
    • It has to be said … you don’t need a collection this size, or anywhere near it, to play Crossfire. I’m just greedy. 🙂

      Reply

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