It’s an understatement to say the Partisan army list has limited anti-tank options. Although the Partisans do have access to a wide range or German and Italian armor, any vehicle must be taken as Inexperienced and suffers from Unreliable. Meaning that any time you want to fire with an armored vehicle you have a -1 To Hit modifier for being Inexperienced and any pins add an additional pin (you’ll be firing at a -2  if you take any fire and that is only if you manage to pass your order check on Inexperienced moral at -2!). Add the modifiers for moving, shooting at long range, cover and your armor has no chance of putting steel on target.

You have the option for a light AT gun (no medium or heavy), so good luck dealing with anything bigger than a medium tank. You can take an AT rifle team but that has the same problem as the light AT gun. There is the option for a  PIAT team but that 12″ range is a serious issue. And that leaves us with one last option – the bazooka team.

With a 24″ range, a +5 Pen. modifier and Shaped Charge, the bazooka team packs more punch than a light AT gun and a longer range than the PIAT. All that and it’s only 60 pts. for the Regular team (10 pts. more than the light AT and 20 pts. than the PIAT).

The only issue is, where do you get the model for a Partisan Bazooka team? Turns out, you need to make your own. Luckily my stash of Warlord plastic kits had the answer. By combining no less than four different kits I was able to create a rather dynamic Partisan Bazooka team. The build used:

• Soviet Infantry (Winter) – Running torso and legs.
• Blitzkrieg German Infantry – Walking torso and legs, helmeted head, arm with slung rifle
• German Grenadiers – Unhelmeted head
• US Marines – Bazooka, bazooka ammunition pouch and bazooka firing arms (any kit with a US weapons sprue will work)

With the components selected I got to work. Knowing that the two figures would share a base, I use 40mm round bases for all of my two-man weapon teams, I had to be careful not the build the two models too close or too far apart. It is important to strike a balance between showing the two minis as a team but at the same time making sure the model is not too crowded. With the two models set in place, I added a layer of basing material before priming.

I ended up creating a screaming, charging bazooka gunner being followed closely by an assistant carrying more rounds and scanning the horizon for targets.

With the two models set in place, I added a layer of basing material before priming.

When painting the model I followed a simple earth tone color scheme. I wanted to provide contrast between the two miniatures on the base while at the same time proving a unified look. I also used colors to draw a connection to where the uniforms might have come from before winding up in the hands of these partisan fighters. The use of browns and green are an indicator of the possible Soviet and German origins of the uniforms. There are many accounts of partisan and resistance fighters using equipment from those they fought against (either captured or stolen) and would be no surprise to have a mix of Soviet and German uniform colors in a Partisan force.

The webbing and sling on the assistant are the same color as the belt of the gunner and the pants of the assistant match the bedroll of the gunner as well. By using the some of the same spot colors on the two models you can capture the connected nature of the team.

It is always rewarding to create a new model out of nothing but the bits you have leftover. By using several Warlord plastic kits I was able to create an entierly new model – one that I could not aquire anywhere else.