WW2 Red Army Engineers (and a friend!)

 A few more RKX 3d printed figures today - this is the set of Russian engineers, wearing similar combat suits to the scouts, but with the addition of a crude early version of body armour (or, if you prefer, a throwback to WW1 or medieval breast plates)

Assault Engineering Brigades (Russian: штурмовая инженерно-сапёрная бригада) or Storm Engineer-Sapper Brigades were formations of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command of the Red Army, being notable for their service during the Second World War. These brigades were designed to storm settlements and to break through heavily fortified enemy lines. These units are commonly abbreviated as ShISBr (Russian: шисбр), and are occasionally referred to as "armoured infantry" or "cuirass infantry" (Russian: панцирная пехота). The most distinctive piece of individual equipment used by soldiers of the assault engineering brigades was the SN-42 (Russian: СН-42) steel breastplate.

In December 1943, a procedure was developed for the combat utilization of assault formations. Assault brigades were sent into battle to facilitate key breakthroughs in fortified defensive lines by means of combat engineering and sapping. Success in battle hinged on close coordination with infantry, armoured, mechanized, and artillery units. As soldiers of the assault brigades were not equipped with heavy small arms or their own artillery, they were immediately withdrawn after a successful breakthrough in the enemy lines to limit casualties.

In the spring of 1944 the assault engineering brigades were supplied with ROKS-3 flamethrowers. The 1st, 2nd, 4th, 10th, and 2nd Guards assault engineer-sapper brigades were supplemented with engineer-tank regiments including PT-3 (Russian: ПТ-3) mine flails and OT-34 flamethrower tanks, each composed of three companies with 20 combat vehicles per company.

By May 1945, the brigades pushed through the city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad), with the city falling in a matter of days.

Over the course of the Second World War 20 assault engineer-sapper brigades were formed, performing admirably in combat operations, and especially distinguishing themselves in the storming of cities, which was their intended purpose.

WW2 Red Army traffic regulators, often women like the famous Maria Limanskaya, were vital personnel who used flags and signals to manage chaotic military vehicle flow on crucial supply routes and in liberated cities, ensuring order amidst wartime destruction, with some becoming symbols of Allied victory, such as directing traffic at the Brandenburg Gate. They were part of the Rear Services and Transport Troops, operating under challenging conditions with risks from enemy fire, and were essential for keeping the Soviet war machine moving efficiently. 

Key Roles & Responsibilities

Direction & Control: Used red and white flags, gestures, and sometimes basic signals to guide troops, trucks, and supply convoys.

Logistics: Kept vital supply lines functioning, especially critical during the "Road of Life" in besieged Leningrad and on muddy or snowy roads.

Order in Chaos: Brought a semblance of order to devastated cities like Berlin after the fighting ended. 

Thats all for this instalment - still more Red Army troops marching off the painting desk!