Heavy Weapon loaders?

John Secker · Post by **John Secker** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:12 am

I have just started to paint UK-71 (Desert Individual Heavy Weapons) but I am a bit puzzled by the figure mix. I have a dozen HMGs (Vickers) - these have a single gunner moulded on the base with the gun. There are also eighteen mortars (probably 3"), again each with a single figure on the base. Apart from these there are nine anti-tank riflemen, fifteen Bren gunners, four officers kneeling pointing, six observers prone with binoculars, and six 2" mortars modeled with two men on each base.
So my problem is, where are the loaders for the Vickers and the 3" mortars? I have 76 figures in all, so I don't think I am missing a sprue, but maybe the mix is wrong? The catalogue picture doesn't show loaders - the Vickers gunner and the mortar man are operating solo, so probably I have the right figures, but it does seem odd. Is it the same with other UK Heavy Weapons packs (Sikh, Paras etc)?

Cav Dog · Post by **Cav Dog** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 2:52 am

I've always been puzzled by this as well. The paras and Aussies are the same way, no loaders for the mortars or vickers MGs. I guess they are half crew served weapons.

I think these are older sculpts though. The newer models are better about including at least two crew for the crew served weapons.

Here is what I did with my Aussies:

Here is a lonesome Red Devil:

The spotter looks better than no assistant gunner/loader at all. The kneeling pointing figures work well too as #2s.

I used the old UK44 for the heavy weapons with my regular British infantry. They are not as detailed and slightly undersized compared to the individual figures but at least you get full crews for MGs and mortars.

John Secker · Post by **John Secker** » Thu Feb 19, 2015 4:53 am

OK, thanks, that's useful. I did get UK-44 for my western European theatre troops, but those are the old castings with 2-3 crew and the gun all in a bit of a "lump". Also you only get four guns in the pack, which is expensive if you have enough mortars etc, you just want the Vickers. At least with UK-71 you get a dozen HMGs. I'll mount them along with the binocular guys and the kneeling officers, just to put a few extra figures on a base. A single gunner just looks wrong, he could never haul the gun and ammo around all on his own.

6mmwargaming · Post by **6mmwargaming** » Sat Feb 21, 2015 12:00 pm

I think its a problem across most of the packs as you don't get enough heavy weapons crew. Of course you can buy extra packs to get extra crew..

Cheers
Kieran