Painting Challenge XVI: Winter War Soviet MMG's & Mortar Teams

Fresh off the painting desk are two new Medium Machine Gun teams for my Winter War Soviets, and they’re wonderfully chunky little beasts. Each team is manning the PM M1910/30, the Russian take on Hiram Maxim’s immortal design, mounted on the distinctive wheeled Sokolov carriage. With its broad stance, solid shield, and unapologetic industrial look, this is a weapon that doesn’t mess around and dares the enemy to disagree.

The story of the gun itself is a fine example of Russian pragmatism. The Maxim had already proven its lethality across the world, but the Soviets refined it into something brutally reliable. The M1910/30 update improved sights, strengthened components, and standardised production for a Red Army that expected to fight in appalling conditions. The Sokolov mount, complete with gun shield, reflected lessons learned the hard way: crews needed mobility, stability, and at least a sporting chance of not being immediately shot while doing their job.

Then came the Winter War, where theory met the indomitable Finns. In the forests and frozen lakes of the Karelian Isthmus, these Maxims were often dug in low, their wheels partially buried or removed altogether to reduce silhouettes. Crews camouflaged shields with whitewash or snow-covered cloth, and firing positions were carefully sited to dominate narrow approaches through woods and villages. Ammunition had to be kept warm to prevent stoppages, and gunners learned to balance sustained fire with the brutal reality of freezing metal and exhausted men.

Also completed this week is a Soviet light mortar team. The main Soviet 50mm mortars used in the 1939/40 Winter War were the RM-38, RM-39, and the more common RM-40, all part of a series developed for infantry support, though they were complex and proved underpowered because the shell contained less high explosive than some hand grenades. They had a maximum range of around 800 meters, but the effective range was much shorter, generally around 100-400 meters. Later in WWII the 50mm was phased out in favour of heavier models such as the 82mm, which had a much more useful maximum range of 3000 meters. 

Painting these teams really drove home how central weapons like this were to Soviet tactics during the conflict. They’re not flashy units, but they’re the backbone: defensive anchors, ambush enablers, and morale breakers all rolled into one oil-soaked package. On the tabletop, they’ll do exactly what the real ones did, lock down ground and punish movement.

Painting Challenge XVI: Soviet Winter War Infantry

This year’s project for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge marches straight into the deep snow of Northern Europe and the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland. The action took place, as the name suggests, in the winter of 1939–40. Once again, I’m painting the Russians, while Ray takes on the Finns. All of the figures for these first units are from Parkfield Miniatures, although later units may include specialist reinforcements drafted in from other ranges. One of the real joys of this period is that it gives us a second use for all the 28mm winter terrain we’ve already built for last year's project, Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow. 

Historically, the Winter War began in the uneasy aftermath of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, when Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union calmly agreed on who would menace whom. Stalin, peering nervously at maps, decided that Finland’s proximity to Leningrad was intolerable. The Finns were newly independent and understandably unimpressed by Soviet demands for territorial concessions. Diplomacy collapsed, and in November 1939, the Red Army rolled across the border in what Moscow insisted was a defensive measure, and everyone else recognised as an invasion. 

 

What followed took place in some of the most brutal winter conditions ever endured by modern armies. Temperatures dropped to –30°C and below, turning weapons brittle, engines temperamental, and exposed skin into an invitation to frostbite. Soviet planners expected a swift victory, assuming that mass, armour, and artillery would quickly overwhelm a small, lightly equipped opponent. What they hadn’t factored in was Finland’s near-mythical familiarity with its own landscape. Forests, frozen lakes, and endless snow weren’t obstacles; they were tools. Finnish units moved on skis, vanished into tree lines, and struck where Soviet formations were weakest, turning the environment itself into a weapon.

 

The war’s narrative divides neatly into two acts: the Soviet disaster and the Soviet recovery. Early operations saw Red Army columns funnelled along narrow forest roads, where Finnish troops cut supply lines and isolated units using “motti” tactics, breaking larger formations into smaller, doomed pockets. The results were humiliating and costly. By early 1940, though, the Soviets adapted. Leadership improved, artillery was concentrated, and sheer industrial weight was brought to bear against the Mannerheim Line. Finland fought with extraordinary determination, but numbers and firepower eventually told. The Moscow Peace Treaty ended the war in March 1940, forcing Finland to give up territory while retaining its independence, a bitter compromise, but one that stunned the world.

The contrast between the two armies is part of what makes the Winter War so compelling, both historically and on the tabletop. The Soviet Union had vast resources but suffered from rigid doctrine, poor preparation, and an officer corps hollowed out by purges. Finnish forces were outnumbered, under-equipped, and often improvising—this is, after all, the conflict that popularised the Molotov cocktail—but they had experience, initiative, and morale in abundance. They were defending their homes, their freedom, and a way of life. 

As you would expect, my soviet forces consist of a lot of infantry. I have started with a Platoon HQ unit and two light machine gun squads. I have several more primed and waiting in the wings, along with some support weapons and some armour. 

Why I keep the same hobby resolutions

Every January brings the same familiar questions for tabletop wargamers and miniature painters: What do I want to achieve this year? How many miniatures will I paint? Will I actually play more games? And perhaps most importantly, will I still be saying the same things next January?

In this accompanying video, I take a relaxed and honest look at my New Year’s hobby resolutions for 2026, which, somewhat suspiciously, are almost identical to the ones I set last year. Not because I failed to keep them, but because they worked. Rather than chasing grand, unrealistic goals, I explain why I treat resolutions as a personal hobby mission statement — ambitious enough to be motivating, but realistic enough to survive contact with real life.

The video explores three core resolutions. First, painting more miniatures — not in terms of raw numbers, but by maintaining momentum, completing projects, and keeping the painting desk active throughout the year. Second, playing more tabletop wargames, supported by keeping a long-running Battle Log to track games played, outcomes, and trends. While 2025 was a strong year for wins, it didn’t include as many games as hoped, making this a key focus for the year ahead. Third, I talk about developing the YouTube channel itself, reflecting on the growth of the community, the importance of conversation and feedback, and plans to produce more battle reports and discussion-led content.

This isn’t a productivity lecture or a motivational speech filled with unrealistic promises. Instead, it’s a friendly, inclusive hobby conversation aimed at historical wargamers, miniature painters, and tabletop gamers who want to enjoy their hobby more consistently without turning it into a source of guilt or pressure.

If you’ve ever set hobby goals with the best intentions only to abandon them by February, this video offers a more forgiving, sustainable approach — one that values enjoyment, progress, and community over perfection.

Happy Christmas

Every December, as the paint dries a little slower and the dice start behaving like they’ve had too much mulled wine, I like to pause and look back at the year we’ve shared as a wargaming community. This year’s Christmas message on Miniature Adventures TV is something truly special, because 2025 has been one of the most exciting and transformative years the channel has ever had, with subscribers nearly doubling in a year. An extraordinary surge made possible entirely by the enthusiasm and encouragement of hobbyists who enjoy the same mix of history, painting, modelling and tabletop gaming that brings this whole channel to life.

In the video, I take time to reflect on how this growth happened, from posting far more content, such as YouTube Shorts, to engaging with the lively comments and conversations that follow each upload. The best part of the year hasn’t just been the numbers, though; it’s been the collaborations, friendships and shared hobby moments that emerged from meeting viewers, creators and fellow enthusiasts across the UK. That sense of community has given the channel more energy than ever.

2025 has also been packed with unforgettable milestones from the UK historical wargaming scene. Salute was as vast and inspiring as ever, overflowing with demo games, new miniatures, and painters who make the rest of us question whether we’re using the same brushes. Partizan continued its reputation for stunning, historically rich layouts that spark ideas for whole new projects. Warfare grew once again, filling Farnborough with gamers, clubs and creators showing what makes the hobby so vibrant. New releases, updated rulebooks and an influx of new players made 2025 feel like a golden year, full of momentum.

This video also looks forward to 2026, where even more shows, collaborations and video projects are planned. Next weekend, I will be undertaking my annual ritual of discussing New Year's resolutions and laying down my own ones for the new year. But as we wrap up this year, the message is simple: thank you. Your support makes everything possible. Here’s to a joyful Christmas and a new year full of paint, dice, terrain and tabletop adventures.