The very name Stalingrad has become synonymous with military folly and
political arrogance. Its capture by the Wehrmacht was a crushing defeat,
both militarily and politically, for the Red Army. The 6th Army was a
highly experienced key element of Army Group South. In late June 1942 it
rolled eastwards as part of the summer offensive to capture the vital
oilfields of Baku and secure the city on the Volga that bore the name of
the Soviet leader.
The 6th Army was the acme of German military might and on paper it
should have easily overwhelmed the defenders of Chuikov's 62nd Army.
However its commander, General Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus, lacked
field experience. His army would pay the price. Stalingrad was a new
type of battlefield and it would test the mettle of attacker and
defender to the very limit, all the while the thermometer plunged.
This Battle Craft title also looks at four pieces of military hardware
that were involved in these legendary battles. Innumerable T-34's, which
often rolled off local assembly lines unpainted and straight into battle
took on the Stug III assault gun as it supported troops fighting for
mere meters of territory. Overhead, in the frigid air, deadly V, Ju87
Stuka and Yak 9s, were locked in battle for air superiority over the
shattered remains of a once vibrant city.
The Quartermaster section provides the modeler with an insight into the
development and operational use of the four chosen vehicles and aircraft
that were involved in the Battles of El Alamein. A selection of
historical and contemporary photos and illustrations feature alongside
stunning showcase builds, providing the modeler with subjects to whet
the creative appetite. It also features details of model kits and extras
that can really help the modeler bring military history to life.
