BG Counters 32: ZIS-30, BA-20M, BA-30 & FAI-M, & BA-27 & BA-27M

[Vinnie]

37a ZIS-30:
The ZiS-30 was one of a few hastily designed armoured fighting vehicles created by Soviet industry shortly after the German invasion during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. In August 1941 Grabin's design bureau at the Gorky plant no. 92 mounted the 57 mm ZiS-2 (Russian Ordnance Note 9) gun onto the chassis of a Komsomolets artillery tractor (Russian Vehicle Note 46.1). Only around 100 were produced.
For its era, the ZiS-2 gun was one of the most powerful dedicated anti-tank guns available.
The mounting on the Komsomolets was relatively simple, essentially cutting out the driving area enough to allow the carriage to be placed into the hole, and then cutting off the rear of the carriage so it did not overhang the back of the tractor. The result left the gun with a relatively wide angle of fire, but swinging it to its extremes placed the breech well off the side of the vehicle. Wooden running boards on either side of the rear deck could be folded out to provide working area for the gunner and loader when the gun was swung in this fashion.
Although the drivers were protected under light armour, the gunner and loader were protected only by a light gun shield on the front of the breech. They were completely exposed on the sides and rear, and the relatively high profile of the deck made them easy targets.
† The crew is treated as unprotected through the vehicle side and rear turret covered arc.
† The Main Armament may not Bounding (First) Fire as indicated by "*MA:No Bnd(F)F" on the counter.

 

[Vinnie]

38a BA-20M, BA-30 & FAI-M:
The BA-20M was an improved version of the BA-20 (Russian Vehicle Note 38) where the rail antenna had been replaced with a whip antenna.
The BA-30, developed at the NATI Institute, was hoped that it would be an improvement on the off-road performance of the previous BA series. Based on the chassis of the NATI-3 half-tracked transporter, its armoured hull was fully welded like the BA-20.
The tracks on the BA-30 used 4 small and two large wheels, along with one return roller which was also incorporated on the NATI-3 and GAZ-60. When used in snowy environments two skis could be added to the front wheels. The BA-30 was noted for having good performance over varying terrains.
It was fitted with a 71-TK-1 radio with its antenna on the hull, armed with a 7.62 DT machine gun, while the vehicle needed manning by a crew of three.
Only a few BA-30s were built and tested, with some taking part in the Winter War of 1939 between the Soviet Union and Finland. However this armoured car was not approved for mass production as it was felt to be too heavy compared to other lightly armoured cars.
The FAI was built on the chassis of the GAZ A car, a licensed copy of the US Ford A. This chassis was the major weakness of the FAI. Most commercial car chassis were not powerful enough to move a useful amount of armour or firepower on the battlefield. The Germans were known to get round this particular problem by designing a car chassis that was intended from the outset for both civilian and military vehicles and which was used successfully in at least one German armoured car family of this period. However, armoured cars based on commercial car chassis were, for the most part, road-bound, thinly armoured and lightly armed. The FAI was a typical example of this class of vehicle with a single 7.62 mm DT machine-gun in a revolving turret. The armour was sufficient to stop most shell fragments and small arms fire, but could not withstand any kind of cannon or heavy machine-gun fire. It was also very vulnerable to mines.
The FAI was built in relatively small numbers before being replaced by the very similar BA-20 (Russian Vehicle Note 38).
The FAI and BA-20 series had a few advanced features. They were of all-welded construction in an era when very few AFVs were welded. Also, they had cork-filled tires to enable them to retain mobility even if the tires were penetrated.

 

[Vinnie]

38b BA-27 & BA-27M:
The BA-27 was a Soviet armoured car, manufactured from 1928 to 1931, and used for scouting and infantry support duties early in the Second World War. The BA-27 was a heavy armoured car, having the same turret and armament as the first Soviet tank, T-18, manufactured at the same time: the main gun was a modified copy of the French 37 mm Puteaux SA 18 cannon, and it was supported by an additional machine gun.
215 were built between 1928–31. In active service, the BA-27 was given to all reconnaissance units previously equipped with WW1-era armoured car models.
The chassis proved too fragile in practice, as it was derived from the FIAT F-15 lorry. The last batch was subsequently based on the Ford Model AA truck chassis, which was still found insufficient. 20 vehicles were later taken over and based on a new three-axle Ford-Timken truck chassis at Repair Base No.2. The BA-27M, as it was known, was a source of inspiration for future models, including the BAI-M. By June 1941, 191 BA-27s were still in service, but mostly stuck to roads since their off-road capabilities were limited, and both protection and firepower were found insufficient. Some were however captured and briefly pressed into German service.