The Soviet armies

The Soviet army during World War II covers the entire conflict in Eastern Europe. Among the five major nations, it opposed the Germans in the eastern part of its territory as soon as the pact between Stalin and Hitler was shattered. But it also fought the Japanese at the end of the war. You will therefore naturally have two possible opponents with this nation.

You will be able to design various types of armies depending on the period of the war you want to explore.

Early war features numerous, inexperienced troops on the Eastern Front—for example, the Leningrad campaign, followed by the German siege.

Modeling Choices and Combat Zones

Explore urban combat in Stalingrad with troops mixing veterans and new recruits—all within a chaos of urban ruins where combat is fought door-to-door, meter by meter. This is great for creating numerous rifle platoons alongside support from heavy weapons and light mortars to bolster your troops, with tanks playing only a minor role in these urban engagements.

The Kursk Offensive, with its tank battles, is the perfect pretext to create a heavily mechanized army. Building defense zones for tanks hidden behind pre-built earthworks makes for a stimulating thematic table project. Your gaming partner will also be able to build a heavily mechanized German army, ready to try and gain the upper hand.

The push to Berlin features regular and veteran Soviet troops. They oppose what remains of the desperate German forces. These defenders include undertrained youths and terrified civilians scattered across Eastern Germany’s countryside.

Fighting in Berlin highlights the remaining veterans commanding squads of inexperienced soldiers, the latter fanaticized by years of Nazi ideology presenting them as supermen.

The Soviet army makes you a promise, and this supplement delivers on it: you will finally be able to create “your ideal Soviet army”—the one you will enjoy playing and watching capture objectives.

Presentation of the Supplement: Armies of the Soviet Union

This 110-page book guides you through building your Soviet Union army. As always in an army supplement for Bolt Action, the book opens with the reasons for collecting the Soviet Union. What follows covers the nation’s historical context to help you choose your favorite period on the front. This background will also guide you in selecting the right troops for your army.

The Soviet armies Types

The rest of the supplement presents several possible army types within the Soviet army.

Red Army

This is the classic foundation of the Soviet army. It operated on all fronts of World War II and is often called the “Hammer of the Proletariat.” Composed of soldiers from the socialist proletariat, this force brings together diverse and particularly numerous troops. Its equipment offers a wide selection of tanks as well as vast numbers of artillery pieces. In the early war, it consists mainly of inexperienced or regular troops. This is the most common setup found in Bolt Action armies.

Paratroopers

Looking to build a Red Army made up of veterans and regular troops? If you want a low-mechanization force, the paratroopers are made for you. They embody the true spearhead of Soviet forces; sent in to quickly secure objectives, they pave the way before the bulk of the Red Army arrives.

Naval Brigades

Composed of sailors, these troops were tasked with defending Soviet ports under German siege. With their navy blue uniforms, they visually stand out on a gaming table. Their camaraderie makes them a resilient force composed of regular or elite units. Their equipment is better suited for dense urban combat where each squad must primarily rely on itself. Furthermore, this troop type has recently become available from Warlord Games with magnificent miniatures.

The NKVD

This force is composed of Soviet fanatics dedicated to Communism. Their role was not to achieve battlefield glory. Early in the war, they forcibly drafted peasants into the Red Army and ensured that no soldier retreated in front of the enemy. From a modeling standpoint, their unique uniform offers an exciting painting challenge. You will get to paint distinctive blue trousers, capes, and peaked caps. On the gaming table, the NKVD adds a truly striking visual presence.

Partisans

These staunch Communists are under-equipped and operate directly behind enemy lines, notably using civilian vehicles for battlefield mobility. Their ranks gather World War I veterans, idealistic youths, and hardy peasants—all taking up arms to actively fight the German invader.

With this type of troop, you will have more opportunities to play heavily narrative scenarios. Ideal for creating ambush situations or intense guerrilla skirmishes, they provide a great pretext to explore the Frontline game mode.

In terms of rules, Partisans only offer inexperienced units. If you build this type of army, I advise upgrading all officers to veterans with the maximum number of attendants to reflect a degree of historical reality.

Special Rules for The Soviet armies

In the army book, you discover all the new faction rules for Soviet armies.

The Great Patriotic War

When you fail a morale test following the loss of a unit, you re-roll the result and apply the second outcome. This represents the resilience of your troops in combat. This rule applies to infantry, HQ, and artillery.

For the Motherland!

When an inexperienced unit is activated and carries one or more pin markers, if an enemy squad is present within 12 inches of it, roll a D6. On a result of 4+, one pin marker is automatically removed, and you then take the activation test as normal. This rule will encourage you to field inexperienced squads in your army lists.

Absence of Radio

Command vehicles can become command units for free, but in return, their range of influence is restricted to 6 inches instead of the usual 12 inches.

Other Special Rules

The book offers four additional special rules that accentuate the historical accuracy of this faction. These include the rule for the famous IL-2, considered a true flying tank, while the “Not One Step Back!” rule illustrates the brutal nature of Red Army command. All these additions greatly enhance immersion during your games with the Soviet nation.

Additional Options for The Soviet armies

In the supply section, you will find a few extra options. For 20 points, the Victory Banner bearer grants a +1 bonus to morale rolls if the banner is visible to the unit taking the test and is within a 12-inch radius.

SN-42 body armor reduces the roll to damage by 1.

Skis reduce movement penalties caused by ice or snow. Finally, you will find guard dogs and stats for demolition charges.

Soviet Troops That Stand Out

In the Armies of the Soviet Union supplement—as in all Bolt Action army supplements—we have standard squads made up of about ten riflemen and one or two light machine guns.

However, there are options that stand out from the ordinary. While it is difficult to list them exhaustively, here are a few:

The Tank Rider Squad

Armed with submachine guns, this squad literally travels on a tank and can operate directly from it. Ideal for an army relying on deep movement and assaulting well-defended positions.

Naturally, only one unit per tank is allowed. They can be either regular or veteran troops—the choice is yours.

To me, this type of squad is iconic and will give your Soviet army that unique “something extra.”

NKVD Squad

Here, it’s all about squad style. Equipped with blue trousers and easily recognizable peaked caps, an NKVD squad can support a political commissar, for instance, within a rifle platoon. Their Fanatic rule reinforces their resilience under enemy fire, which is by no means negligible.

People’s Militia Squad

For scenarios set in a city, these inexperienced squads are ideal. Armed with rifles, Molotov cocktails, and their Tank Hunter ability, they can certainly give cold sweats to an opponent running a StuG III through the narrow streets and ruins of Leningrad or Stalingrad.

Sailor Squad

As with the NKVD, their look is what sets them apart first. Between navy blue uniforms and sailor caps, these troops truly stand out.

On the table, they are hardened fighters who are very tough to break. They can also be given anti-tank capabilities. Historically, they were found defending cities harboring military ports.

For a Bolt Action player, this force is the ideal excuse to set up a thematic table—a perfect opportunity to build a harbor urban area with dry docks, cranes, shipwrecks, and warehouses.

There is a vast array of other possible options for building your Soviet army, and I invite you to explore this supplement in depth.

Soviet Artillery

The Soviet army offers a variety of artillery pieces: light, medium, or heavy howitzers paired with spotters to make these weapons highly effective.

There are also a few gems, such as the M-30 Heavy Rocket Launcher, which delivers the firepower of a Katyusha for 46 points at Inexperienced level giving your army a cool Soviet flavor and an impressive striking power.

On the anti-tank gun side, this nation has nothing to be ashamed of: you can equip your artillery platoon with heavy or even super-heavy AT guns. There are also numerous light and heavy autocannon options.

Soviet Tanks

In popular imagination, Soviet tanks are often reduced to the T-34, popularized by World War II movies and documentaries.

However, this ignores the rich variety of armor produced by the Soviets during the conflict.

T-26A / B Light Tank

This early-war light tank is inspired by the British Vickers 6-Ton. Despite its light 7+ armor, its low cost makes it easy to field an early-war Soviet list.

While this force may lack heavy equipment against German Panzers, deployed in large numbers, its anti-personnel potential will cause real problems for your opponent.

The B version mounts a light anti-tank gun, making it an excellent budget tank hunter option.

BT-5 / 7

Following a similar concept but with better 8+ armor (and equipped with a light howitzer in the 7A version), this tank can also wreck infantry squads. Backed by regular or even inexperienced squads, you can achieve a mobile, fast, and numerous army.

With its Fast rule, the BT-7 version equipped with an MMG and carrying Tank Riders becomes a formidable armored assault group. Once on site, the tank becomes essential fire support for your veteran assault team.

T-34/85

The German heavy tank hunter! Equipped with a heavy anti-tank gun and 9+ armor for a reasonable price (225 points at Regular), the mid-war T-34 is a great choice for an army geared toward hunting heavy German armor.

To recreate the Battle of Kursk or the Red Army’s assault on Germany, this iconic tank is a must-have.

In my opinion, you need at least two per armored platoon, operating in tandem with the main mission of destroying late-war German tanks like the Tiger I.

Adding the hull-mounted flamethrower seems like an interesting option to emphasize its “destructive” nature, although this 40-point option is admittedly a bit pricey.

The T-34/85 also fits perfectly into a Soviet Bloc army in Konflikt ’47, especially if fitted with a flamethrower!

IS-2

When looking at its stats, one can see the Soviet answer to the Tiger I: 10+ armor, a heavy anti-tank gun, medium machine guns, and an optional turret-mounted heavy machine gun.

However, it suffers from a slow reload, making it less efficient than a Tiger I, though it is slightly cheaper. To get the most out of this late-war machine, running two would be ideal, but its high point cost doesn’t make it very cost-effective in that setup.

If your army is purely focused on main battle tanks, it is a good choice; otherwise, it is too expensive for its effectiveness on the field.

Katyusha

This iconic Soviet vehicle is featured in both new starter armies. Known as “Stalin’s Organ,” this mobile rocket launcher can grant a clear advantage in combat. However, its slow reload time limits its overall performance. To counteract this limitation, taking a second or even a third rocket launcher makes sense if you opt for an anti-personnel force focused on area saturation.

Coupled with two static mortar teams, the effects on the battlefield will undoubtedly be devastating.

The mobility of the vehicles adds another layer of complexity for your opponent trying to destroy them, especially if you position them behind cover.

Allied Tanks and Vehicles

You can equip your armored platoon with Allied tanks: Shermans, M3 Stuarts, Matilda Mk IIs, or Churchills. These tanks were available to the Soviet army and played a full role on Eastern European battlefields.

This further expands the tactical options for your Soviet army.

The New 2025 Soviet Miniature Sprues

Warlord Games is offering new, highly modular plastic sprues. They provide a wide choice of equipment and adapt well to various army themes, allowing you to assemble the four corps presented in the new book (with the exception of the Partisans).

Assembly options are plentiful: political commissars, Mosin-Nagant snipers, anti-tank rifles, or NCOs with PPS submachine guns. You will also find DP-28 light machine guns, anti-tank dogs, and captured German Panzerfausts.

These sprues also include camouflage capes, perfect for painting various patterns. The plastic molding detail on these new releases is truly impressive.

New Medium Mortar Team

The miniatures are made of resin with very crisp detailing, while the mortar itself is metal. You will need superglue to assemble everything, along with a bit of trimming and sanding to clean up flash from production. As always with Warlord, quality control is conducted, and you get the first name of the person who packed your box.

The mortars are beautiful and interesting pieces. I invite you to check out the mortar article here [mortar article].

In the army book, the mortar team costs X points, with an optional 10-point addition for a dedicated spotter. Consider building the spotter using a miniature from the new Soviet soldier sprue and adding a camouflage cape to easily distinguish them on the battlefield.

The New Medium Machine Gun Team

As with the mortar team, the medium machine gun miniatures are resin, and the detail is—unsurprisingly—very clean, allowing you to create a nice diorama.

Technically speaking, medium machine guns are on par with what most armies get.

To defend an area, block an advance vector, or establish a tactical defensive perimeter (for example, around where your artillery or mortar battery is deployed), this type of team is very useful.

The New Soviet Command Group

This option is not included in the two new Soviet starter armies—unlike their inclusion in the German Rattenkrieg starter army, for instance. That is a slight shame, though you do get an extra sprue of soldiers compared to the Germans.

In my opinion, this extra box is essential.

First off, the political officer with his whistle makes a very convincing Company Commander or Political Commissar, depending on how you paint him.

The soldier equipped with a PPSh makes a great Platoon Rifle Commander.

The female soldier searching through her satchel works perfectly as a Field Medic.

Finally, the radio operator is ideal as an artillery platoon radio chief.

The detail is crisp, and the resin miniatures are very well executed. The poses differ from the standard sprues, introducing nice variety to the soldiers you field on the table.

For players who already have a Soviet army, this small blister pack is still worth acquiring to refresh existing models.

Final Thoughts on the Soviet Army

In summary, the Armies of the Soviet Union supplement is exceptionally rich for Bolt Action. Whether you are drawn to the thematic diversity of its troops (Sailors, NKVD, Partisans, or Tank Riders), the quality of the new highly modular sprues, or an armored vehicle pool far broader than it appears, this faction offers formidable tactical and visual flexibility.

From the clash of armor at Kursk to urban wars of attrition, this army offers multiple playstyles. All that’s left is for you to pick your era, build your miniatures, and head to the front line for the Motherland!

Going further

Painting Soviet troops is simple!