In the first few months of the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Germans captured vast amounts of weapons, including the 120mm HM38 mortar. The Germans did not possess a mortar this large, but they were so impressed with the Soviet model that they used large numbers of it themselves, and later produced their own very similar copy.

As always the model in this set is really well done and completely accurate. The multiple parts mean there are no compromises in detail, and the whole thing looks great. All the crew are wearing standard German uniforms including long boots and the tunic, which gives them the appearance of the earlier part of the war, in line with the rest of this range. The poses are excellent, and achieved thanks to multiple parts. We found these fairly easy to put together, and the result is a set of figures that are actually interacting with their weapon – something all too rare in this hobby.

The set is intended as a game piece, so the men do not come with bases, but instead one large base is provided (as seen here). There is space for four figures, so either of the last two pictured figures can be used, and a separate base is provided for the spare. The sculpting is excellent, as are the poses and accuracy, although the arrangement with one large, thick base, does make them stand out from an array of ordinary figures, so it works best as a game marker.