Review: Finnish Staff and Support Weapons
WarModelling, founded in 1997 under the name Fantassin Miniaturas, produces some of the finest ranges of miniatures on sale today. These include the most extensive range of 15 mm miniatures dedicated to the Napoleonic Wars available on the market, featuring more than 1,600 different figures, as well as a range based on the First Carlist War and the 1898 Spanish-American War with a total of 300 figures, initially destined for the Spanish market but which have also been surprisingly successful abroad.
They have recently completed one of the most extensive top quality ranges of 20 mm (1/72) miniatures based on the Second World War, featuring the principal Axis Countries and the Allies, as well as some of the lesser powers such as Finland or Poland. This collection makes up a total of 900 figures in all, a number which will be added to in the future.
During the Continuation War (1941-1944) Finland was co-belligerent with Nazi Germany, and dependent on food, fuel and armament shipments from Germany. The country did, however, retain a democratic form of government. During the war Germany and Finland were united by a common enemy, the Soviet Union, yet Finland kept her army outside the German command structure despite numerous attempts to tie them more tightly together.
Finnish Jews were not persecuted, and even among extremists of the Finnish Right they were highly tolerated, as many leaders of the movement came from the clergy. Of approximately five hundred Jewish refugees, eight were handed over to the Germans, a fact for which Finnish prime minister Paavo Lipponen issued an official apology in 2000. The field synagogue operated by the Finnish army was probably a unique phenomenon in Europe.
Approximately 2600 to 2800 Soviet prisoners of war were exchanged for 2100 Fennic prisoners of war from Germany.
When the Finnish Army occupied Russian East Karelia between 1941 and 1944, several concentration camps were set up for Russian civilians. The first camp was set up on 24 October 1941, in Petrozavodsk. Around 4,000 of the prisoners perished due to malnourishment, 90% of them during the spring and summer of 1942.
During World War II, Finland was in many ways a unique case. It was the only country which fought successfully against both sides under the same leadership. It was the only European country which bordered the Soviet Union in 1939 and was still unoccupied in 1945. Of all the European countries fighting in World War II, only three European capitals were never occupied: Moscow, London and Helsinki. It was a country which sided with Germany, but in which native Jews and almost all refugees were safe from persecution. It was the only co-belligerent of Nazi Germany which maintained democracy throughout the war. It was also the only belligerent in mainland Europe to do so.
Contents
The review sample sent was a boxed set of Finnish Staff and Support Weapons, unpainted and cast in white metal. The set contains 16 different figures, 1 animal, and 3 weapons at 20mm scale.
The Good
These are very well-done figures with no large amount of preparation needed. There were no obvious moldlines and no flash to be trimmed. It is also quite nice to see an often-forgotten army represented in miniature form.
The Bad
None.
The Ugly
None.
Scale: 20mm
Cost: €19.50
Rating
