FoW: Slovak Artillery - 7.5cm vz.15 Mountain Gun battery

Welcome once more to another tale of a small central European state and its scrabble to establish itself from the ashes of the Czechoslovakian experiment.

Slovakia had a whole raft of issues to overcome when it was all but forced to declare its independence by Hitler and his 'Motley Crue'! One area that Slovakia was relatively well catered for however was in artillery pieces. Relative to the amount of trained crews that were available once the Czechs had all left meant that Slovakia had the luxury of being able to equip its nascent artillery regiments thoroughly due to the abundance of available pieces relative to the numbers of available crew.

One particular artillery piece that saw widespread use, although not perhaps as one would expect, was the Skoda 7.5cm vz.15 Mountain Gun, and the upgraded  vz.28. It is this artillery piece that we will investigate today.

...and as with all things Brushes & Bayonets related we will of course start at the beginning...

Just before the start of the First World War, Skoda had already established itself as one of the worlds most successful manufacturers of mountain artillery pieces, with a number of successes on the export markets. Two lines of mountain guns were created in Pilsen, both differing from each other in performance and weight. Whilst the lighter of the two guns was designed primarily for the export market, the rearmament of the Austro-Hungarian army was given over to a mountain gun of 7.5cm calibres which, on account of the weight of the shell, was able to achieve comparable results to field guns. 

This weapon was referred to as the vz.12 (or model 1912) and was able to be broken down into six parts for transportation, although it was generally transported in four loads. Although subjected to extensive military testing by the armaments commission and despite the admittedly excellent features that the gun exhibited, the military declined to accept it into the establishment because the military commander in chief of Bosnia-Herzegovina believed that it was too heavy and demanded a return to the 7cm calibre that was so well represented in the Austro-Hungarian military, in an effort to save weight.

Skoda dutifully built enough guns for a test battery in the smaller calibre and tested them through the spring of 1914 where they were judged markedly inferior to the 7.5cm gun. This misdirection cost the Austrians dear however as almost a year of the war had been completed before a suitable mountain gun became available.

However, since this weapon had already been thoroughly tested and had met or even exceeded the requirements laid down by the armaments commission they ended up being introduced after the outbreak of the war under the designation 7.5cm Gebirgskanone M.15.

... and so it was that the foresight of the Skoda weapons designers was made manifest and the Austrian army gained a mountain gun that had practically no competition in the world.

The basis for the success of this weapon was a collection of revolutionary innovations. It was mainly an oversized barrel which greatly simplified the unfolding of the weapon as well as improving the cannon stability. The special design of the mount enabled the elevation of the barrel to reach 50 degrees which, thanks to the separate charge ammunition made it possible for shells to reach almost 7km. Thus, the cannon was the equal of most light field guns and was even capable of giving a good account of itself with counter battery fire.

An independently mounted cannon site was utilised, a split gun shield and an automatic recoil regulator. Another innovation that was inspired by Skoda was the addition of the gun shield, The cannon spread over six parts, the barrel, guide cloak, cradle, front carriage, rear carriage and wheels and the gun shield.

A half platoon comprising one cannon with its crew was 'reinforced' with the addition of one horse carrying an ammo shield and another two horses carrying emergency ammunition supplies. The commander of the half platoon was assisted by the shooter, the rangefinder, the charger, the timer, the loader and assistant in directing the guns operations. This was also supplemented by an auxiliary team of ten men along with a further nine horse drovers.

The first M15 guns were delivered to front line units in early 1915 and were delivered not only by Skoda but also to the Hungarians from Rab. Data that determines exactly how many units were produced through the First World War is erratic but is almost certain to exceed 2000 units. In 1916 alone Skoda produced and test fired 611 units.

When the country of Czechoslovakia was established, all of the Skoda 7.5cm vz.15's that had been returned for repairs became the first mountain guns that the new republic's army possessed. The hastily assembled batteries were able to participate in the fighting against the Poles in Teschen and then later on again in the border war with Hungarian bolsheviks. These cannon were used on both sides in this conflict.

Due to the pressure for survival that Czechoslovakia faced in 1919 the vz.15's also found themselves mounted on improvised armoured trains and in 1920 were mounted on two river gunboats, proving the universality of their construction. The production of the guns in Pilsen continued unabated and between 1920 and 1927 another 199 units were delivered to the army. The total number of these guns held by the Czechoslovakian army was a very respectable 235 pieces.

Within the Czechoslovakian army the vz.15's were mainly to be found in Artillery Regiments 201 and 202 which formed a part of the Mountain Brigades deployed in Slovakia. Other units that were equipped with the vz.15 mountain guns were a collection of 12 separate artillery sections numbered 251 to 262. Each of them had two batteries and were subordinated to Field Artillery Brigades attached to the Field Divisions.

The Czechoslovakian army thus possessed mountain artillery which most other European countries were not able to boast of. However as the '30's started to unfold it started to become clear that the potential battlefields of the near future did not facilitate the effective use of mountain artillery as Bohemia and Moravia were relatively flat or undulating landscapes. This was reflected in the gradual cutting back of the independent artillery units and a lack of reorganisation and rearmament to keep in line with the rest of the army.

A number of excess vz.15 cannons were then employed in the establishment of newly created Artillery Regiments 13, 14 and 15 as their interim armaments. Whilst these mountain guns could not completely supplant the range of abilities that field artillery had, they could nonetheless adequately fulfill the majority of tasks laid out before them. An interesting note at this point is that the army was intensively practising anti-tank duties using this gun.

By September 1938 the mountain guns were still an important part of the army, and there can be no doubt that in the hands of determined and competent operators the guns were still more than capable of fulfilling the majority of tasks set for them. In times of mobilisation there was also one more, somewhat unusual role, that was assigned to batteries of these guns; that of fortress artillery. Batteries were assembled from the vz.15 guns, which fired from improvised mountings in artillery field emplacements which were thrown up to replace the defensive lines that Czechoslovakia had been forced to surrender to Germany in the Sudetenland.

When Germany occupied the rump of Czechoslovakia they appropriated the majority of the Czech artillery park. The only exception in this instance were the 112 units that were deployed in Slovakia. The German army was well aware of the quality of this weapon and introduced all available units into their rolls as the 7.5cm Gebirgskanone 15(t).

On the declaration of independence Slovakia had a number of units equipped with the 7.5cm vz.15 and vz.28's on their soil. Mountain Artillery Regiments 201 and 202 were both on Slovak soil along with a number of other units. By now you will be aware that Germany took a tithe of weaponry that had been held on Slovak soil as well, and where the vz.15's are concerned Germany took another nine leaving a total of 99 units available for the Slovak reorganisation.

In the reorganisations of summer 1939 a number of the 7.5cm vz.15's were distributed amongst the infantry regiments to fulfil the requirement for direct artillery support whilst the rest were mothballed for future recall if necessary.

Artillery Regiments 1,2 and 3 each had a number of vz.15's organised into a battery of four guns in each. Artillery Regiment 4 had the same except for the fact that its battery was a three gun battery.

In November 1939 the artillery was again reorganised with the vz.15's being withdrawn from Artillery Regiments 1,2 and 4 and instead gathered in Artillery Regiment 3 which had now become the army's mountain artillery regiment with its first battalion being equipped with four 4 gun batteries.

Another final organisation took place in early 1940 with all 7.5cm vz.15's being withdrawn from the newly reorganised Artillery Regiments 1, 2, 11 and 12.

When the campaign against the Soviet Union began it was the Mobile Group under Rudolf Pilfousek that first crossed the border and along with them, accompanying the 6th Motorised Infantry Regiment's II Battalion was a battery of four 7.5cm vz.15's pulled by trucks.

The provision of vz.15's in the motorised forces remained static whilst adjustments to the field army was occurring. Through the first year of the invasion the Mobile Group progressed to a Brigade and then to a Division at the end of August 1941 and whilst the artillery, primarily of Artillery Regiment 11, expanded to keep pace with the growth it seems that the provision of the vz.15's stayed the same until the expansion into a division when the provision of batteries of the vz.15 expanded from one to three, although as the division only had two infantry regiments (20 & 21) it is unclear how the batteries were allocated although later in  Kliment and Nakladal's 'Germany's First Ally' it is noted that each of the regiments had one battery accompanying each, with the third and final mountain battery being an independent divisional asset. These details are supported by the fact that whilst Kliment and Nakladal's book makes a point of stating that the 20th Regiment had a single battery allocated to it, the 'returns' listed in Axworthy's 'Axis Slovakia' makes it clear that there is a tripling of provision within the division as a whole, and further on states that there is a divisional mountain gun battery attached to the mobile division.

This allocation remained static until the Mobile Division was pulled out of the line in June 1942 following the heavy battles along the Mius River. It was put back into the line, going back and forth until finally reaching the Kerch peninsula and occupying Kutajskaja by November '42. When the Soviet offensive started in January 1943 the returns for the Division list it as having eighteen 7.5cm vz.15's on its order of battle.

The following two months was a precipitate collapse as the Soviets steamrollered over the positions successively held by the Slovaks. When the remnants of the Division finally reached the Crimea it is listed as having lost its entire complement of vz.15's (along with just about everything else that needed nuts and bolts).

It was converted to the 1st Infantry Division on 1 August 1943 as a shadow of its former self with the professional officers of the prewar Czech army now being spread too thin between the infantry battalions and the quality of the new conscripts having plunged. It is listed as having a heavy squadron in the division's reconnaissance group within which are 7.5cm guns, although Kliment and Nakladal do not make it clear whether these are original Slovak mountain guns or else newly supplied German field howitzers although Axworthy states that the 11th Mountain Battery had its guns divided amongst the infantry regiments heavy weapons companies.

The mad scramble from the Crimea at the end of 1943 all but eviscerated the 1st Infantry Division with the remnants being collected together south of Tiraspol. By March 1944 the division was considered so unreliable that it was withdrawn from front line duties completely and converted to a Technical Division fulfilling construction work in Romania.

When the Mobile Division was formed in August the rest of the field army was amalgamated into the Security Division, or else sent home if deemed surplus to requirements. The Security Division received artillery from the newly formed Artillery Regiment 31 limited to twenty four 10cm vz.14/19's with all other artillery being sent back to Slovakia according to Kliment and Nakladal. However, once again Axworthy's returns indicate a different story. Whilst they show an absence of all heavier calibres other than the 10cm vz.14/19's, the 7.5cm vz.15's are still present in some numbers. Across the whole division there are a consistent three batteries of four guns each or else four batteries of three guns each which would give a convenient division of two batteries per infantry regiment, reducing to one per battalion.

Attrition in the Security Division accelerated between 1941 and 1943 with a number of anti-fascist officers being appointed, leading to a plunge in morale and increasing numbers of deserters. When the Rapid Division was converted to the 1st Infantry Division the Security Division was renamed the 2nd Infantry Division and then on 15th November as the 2nd Technical Division and transferred to Italy.

The story of the 7.5cm vz.15's did not end there however as the East Slovakian Army, when formed to protect the eastern Carpathian passes included eighteen in its composition and a number also found there way into the orders of battle in the Slovak uprising BUT these elements are beyond my area of interest and so wont be looked at here, suffice it to say that this little powerhouse played an important role in the ability of the Slovak army to be able to hold its own in the field.

So there we have it. Quite an interesting and convoluted little journey for a very interesting and successful little artillery piece. Now we will look at how I went about modelling a battery for my army.

Before we go any further I should also point out that every single miniature in this battery was a Battlefront 15mm Romanian until I nipped off their heads and replaced them with Peter Pig heads to turn them into Slovaks. Either the heads with the Slovak Helmets or else the ones with the Soviet Pilotka Caps and the guns were all taken from a Battlefront Gebirgsjager Artillery Battery although I found out later that I could buy them through the Special Order service. Sadly, with their transition to kiddy plastics I no longer think that these are available. In my opinion this is a MASSIVE loss to the wargames market not to be underestimated.

Anyway, crashing on...

The first thing that I normally do when putting together a battery once the guns are built is actually to actually paint all of the crew that serve the guns and where my Slovaks are concerned this obviously took a bit of work so let me take you through it all!

So, where painting all of the crew is concerned its a relatively simple affair. They are done the way that I do them to look good from about 5ft away. Scrutinise them from up close and all of the flaws in the painting will probably slap you in the face although they probably hold up until you get about 2ft away.

The first step is to prime the miniatures and as with most of my other historical stuff, I prime with a black etch primer. You can buy these from any hardware store but the 'etch' in the primer ensures an exceptionally strong substrate to the acrylic layers that will go over the top.

The lions share of the work done on WW2 miniatures is the main uniform and where the Slovaks are concerned, after a somewhat lengthy research period, I decided to ditch the recoloured photos from the past and go with the uniform colours that all of the re-enactors in Czechoslovakia are using at the moment. In my experience all of these re-enactment guys are anal about accuracy so I would trust their opinions a lot more than raggedy amateur recoloured old photos.

My base coat was done with Vallejo's 887 Brown Violet for the deepest layers of the uniform. The first highlight, which presents the largest overall surface area that will be seen at the end was done with MIG's 113 Khaki Green No3 (Brit 1939-1942) with the final highlights along all of the raised edges being completed with MIG's 058 Light Green Khaki. This covers all of the cloth uniform and the puttees.

The helmet has a single coat of 50/50 mix of Vallejo's 897 Bronze Green and Vallejo's 887 Brown Violet with the blue helmet band having a basecoat of Vallejo's 925 Intense Blue, highlighted with a 50/50 mix of Vallejo's 925 Intense Blue and Vallejo's 943 Blue Grey. The little Slovak crosses are all hand painted with thinned down Vallejo's 820 Offwhite.

Everything else is relatively quick and simple after painting the uniform.

All of the Canvas bags and straps have a basecoat of Vallejo's 921 English Uniform applied with block highlights of AK Interactive's 3072 M-44 Uniform Green Ochre Khaki whilst the leather belts and ammo pouches are basecoated in Vallejo's 045 Charred Brown and highlighted with Vallejo's 983 Flat Earth.

The boots are any matt black whilst the Gas Mask Tins are basecoated with Vallejo's 980 Black Green and highlighted with Lifecolor's UA224 Olive Drab Faded Type 2.

The rifle bodies are basecoated with Vallejo's 826 German Camo Medium Brown with the highlighted grain lines painted with Vallejo's 981 Orange Brown. All metal work is painted black first and then highlighted with Molten Metals Steel. The rifle straps are basecoated with Vallejo's 880 Khaki Grey and highlighted with a 50/50 mix of Vallejo's 880 Khaki Grey and Vallejo's 819 Iraqi Sand along the edge of the strap.

Where the skin is concerned you can paint it how you please but personally I use one of AK Interactive's paint sets for 'Flesh and Skin Colours' and I've never looked back!

All of the bases are actually really simple. I buy all of my bases from Tony at East Riding Miniatures. Hes a bit of a legend and REALLY helpful. They are all laser cut MDF which allows for easy scoring of the base surface. This scoring ensures that the tile grout and the miniatures that are fixed to the base have something more to help them bind.

I then glue the miniatures to the scored surface and apply a thin layer of tile grout over the top. Once this is dry I glue a layer of one of my sand mixes over the top. Generally speaking I create my own mixes for base coverings as I REALLY don't like a lot of the crap you buy from the shops. Its generally speaking far too gaudy in colour or uniform in texture for my tastes.

I like the generally fine sand BUT I like to have lots of the little stones in there so I can pick them out in different colours and create some contrasts with the dirt on the bases.

Once dry the whole base is given a basecoat of Vallejo's 826 German Camo Medium Brown and given a heavy drybrush of Vallejo's 814 Green Ochre.

All of the little stones on the bases are then given a basecoat of Vallejo's 995 German Grey and roughly highlighted (to create a jagged uneven texture) with any lighter grey of your choice but personally I go with Vallejo's 992 Neutral Grey.

The sides of the bases are now painted Matt Black. I never used to bother with this BUT I've really gotten into the clean precise look this lends to the bases. I love it now.

Now we come to the final stage of the bases which is the covering. The static flock that I use is my own mix. I go for something that approximates the dead and dry grass you find on the Steppes with perhaps a little more green in it than usual. This allows an overall base aesthetic that can be used the length of Europe in my opinion.

To provide the final textural boost to the bases though I use a variety of clumps. I had a LOT of problems finding ones that I felt were suitable but after a couple of years I came across a company called Tajima Miniatures whose self adhesive tufts are without a doubt the best I have ever found. I use there stuff by the bucket load now, in great variety.

These all add to the final colour and texture of the bases of this army.

Now that the bases and the miniatures are all squared away the only thing left to do is sort the guns themselves out...

So the painting of the guns is where the real complexity begins. I should also point out by the way that I have opted not to apply mud and spattering weathering to these artillery pieces as I kind of really like the clean look of them. They do have plenty of knocks and rusty battered parts which adds to the scheme but that is where I have chosen to draw the line.

The main paint scheme of the guns is done by airbrush using my MIG Aircobra for the Priming and Basecoating and my Harder & Steenbeck for all of the shading and highlighting as my H&S has a 0.15 needle and provides a hell of a lot more control... but the MIG is just SOOOOO easy to clean it just makes sense to use it where I can...

The Airbrushing steps are as follows:

i) The model is primed with a Matt Black Etch Primer

ii) The basecoat is Tamiya's XF-58's Olive Green

iii) The first highlight is LifeColors UA221 Khaki Olive Drab applied in a panel highlight fashion

iv) The second highlight is LifeColors UA224 Olive Drab Faded Type 2 applied as above but a bit lighter and gathered in along the edges and prominent areas

v) The third highlight is a 50/50 mix of LifeColors UA224 Olive Drab Faded Type 2 with LifeColor 01 White. This is applied sparingly just along the edges and prominent areas.

So that's the airbrushing complete and don't be overly concerned if your third highlight was too heavy as the next step will, if done correctly, tone the whole contrasted effect down.

vi) Now we apply the Filter over the whole thing to unify the colour aesthetic and clip the contrast a little. I apply MIG's Filter 1506 Brown for Dark Green.

vii) Once dry wipe of any serious excess from where it may have pooled but otherwise leave it untouched.

viii) At this point I apply the first layer of Varnish. It doesn't really matter which varnish you choose so long as it fixes the Filter layer as its an oil based layer.

Once the varnish is dry its time for the next layer which is where the real depth starts to come out.

ix) Over every detail laden part of the model apply a Wash. I use AK Interactives Wash 075 Wash for NATO Camouflage Vehicles. Don't be shy with this step. Slap it on aplenty! Then leave to dry for a while.

x) Once its dry use cotton buds (cue tips for you Yankees out there...) and use a gentle white spirit to wipe away the excess leaving great detail and shadowing around all of your detail areas and a general lowering of the overall chroma luminosity. Personally I use Winsor & Newtons Artists White Spirit as I had a bad experience with normal white spirit and a non etch primer. I have no wish to repeat the disaster!

xi) Once the whole piece is dry to the touch apply another layer of varnish to fix everything in place.

... once all of the actual painting steps proper have been squared away the last thing to do on the miniature is actually the rusted patches. For this just use an old kitchen sponge and dab on Vallejo's Panzer Aces 302 Dark Rust along the edges of the gun shield and other edges and spots across different patches of the model.

These Dark Rust elements then have the heaviest sections lined with Vallejo's Model Color 819 Iraqi Sand. These lines need to be very fine but also work well to work in as actual scratches into the overall paint scheme.

The very last thing that needs to be done with the painting is the wheel rims which are painted  with LifeColor's UA733 Tire Black and highlighted with Vallejo's Model Color 995 German Grey.

Varnish one final time with a super matt varnish and that as they say is that!

Remove from workspace and attach to the finished bases at your leisure!

Go play... and don't forget your bayonets! :D