BT-7 Fast Tankovy Company (SBX20)

BT-7 Fast Tankovy Company (SBX20) includes five BT-7 Tanks with optionall AA MG & one Tank Commander sprue. Once the Soviet infantry had broken through the enemy lines, deep operations began. These called for tank and cavalry forces to advance rapidly to take objectives up to a hundred kilometres (sixty miles) or more behind the front, surrounding the enemy and destroying them. For this role the Red Army looked at a tank designed by an American, Walter Christie, and like the T-26, built unlicensed copies in huge numbers as the BT series of fast tanks. Check out the BT-7 Fast Tank Company in the online store here...

Rising Sun Rising Sun brings you into the Soviet Union’s wars with the Japanese and Finns on its borders in 1939. Take command of the Red Army’s tank forces, infantry or cavalry forces as you throw the Japanese back into Manchuria or fight the stubborn Finns to expand the Soviet border. Learn more about Rising Sun here...

The thing that made the Christie design attractive for this role was its speed, both cross country and on roads. Its mobility came from a novel suspension system of large rubber-shod road wheels mounted on long coil springs. This allowed the wheels to absorb he shock of high-speed cross country travel, and when the tracks were removed, allowed the tank to drive at high speeds on roads. While an interesting idea, the impracticality of taking the tracks on and off the tanks in a combat situation meant that they never tried it in action. The second model (obr 1933) was more conventional with just a single turret mounting a 45mm gun and a coaxial machine-gun. Typical of Soviet tank design, the 45mm gun was one of the most powerful tank guns in the world at the time. The original Vickers design mounted a low-velocity 47mm gun. While this was as effective against machine-gun nests, its anti-tank performance was woeful, especially compared with the Soviet gun.

The BT-7 fast tank was an improvement of the BT-5 design. It fitted a redesigned slopped turret, a welded hull and a more powerful engine. The overall effect was increased armour, while the tank remained as manoeuvrability as the earlier model. It also retained the excellent 45mm obr 1938 gun, giving it plenty of anti-tank punch! Designed by Evan Allen Painted by Mark Hazell

The BT-7 in Flames Of War
Armour      Name  Mobility  Front  Side  Top  Equipment and Notes  Weapon  Range  ROF  Anti-tank  Firepower  BT-7 Standard Tank 1 1 1 Co-ax MG, Fast tank, Limited vision, Unreliable. 45mm obr 1938 gun 24"/60cm  2 7 4+

Fast Tank Tanks based on Christie’s design are built around exceptionally powerful engines and flexible suspensions and can really move when the throttle’s opened up. Fast tanks can move up to 32”/80cm At the Double. However, they still only go 12”/30cm during normal movement.

Limited Vision In order to pack more into small tanks, some tank designers reduced the crew to a minimum and severely limited the number of vision devices. Thus, the tanks require the commander to operate as a somewhat vision-impaired gunner as well. Tanks with Limited Vision add +1 to the score required to hit when shooting any weapon except an AA MG at targets that are entirely behind a line drawn across the front of the tank’s turret before they rotate their turret to face the target. Tanks with Limited Vision must rotate their turret to point straight ahead when they move.

Unreliable Whether poorly designed, unsuitable for the conditions, or requiring more maintenance than current supply considerations will allow, these vehicles have a significant chance of breakdown when pushed too hard. If an Unreliable vehicle attempts to move At the Double, roll a die. On a roll of 1 the vehicle becomes Bogged Down.

The BT-7 Fast Tankovy Company Rush Forward