Please read this event guideline in full so that everyone is on the same page. If you are in violation of the authenticity guidelines, you will not be able to participate until issues are corrected. If the authenticity violation is so bad that it can not be corrected, you may be turned away at the gate without a refund. Please note this is reserved for egregious violations (wrong tunic without any suitable replacement, PPS43 without a suitable replacement, completely unauthorized impression, etc..) and should not be an issue if you read and follow this document.

 

This event combines higher authenticy standards with an immersive combat experience to create something that is too rarely found in Eastern Front WWII reenacting. When everyone is working towards the same goals, with the same guidelines, we can create uniformity and cohesion across all the participating units to create a truly immersive experience; allowing you to feel like you are taking part in something much larger  - rather than just burning powder at a reenactment. This event is designed for those who strive to get their impression right and live the life of the soldier for a weekend.
It should be every reenactors goal to represent what was correct and normal for a particular campaign, not seek out the the small exceptions. Remember, this is a private event, not a public battle.

 

All participants must have correct glasses or wear contacts. Hair and facial hair must be of period correct style. All participants must be over the age of 18.

 

No modern vehicles will be permitted at anytime anywhere, except the parking lot.  This means if you can’t carry it into registration, out of registration, and then to your sector, where you will be digging a fox hole, building defensive positions in and around the factory, then leave it at home.  

 

SOVIET RIFLE STANDARDS

 

All Soviet Rifle reenactors will be portraying the 138th Rifle Division, 650th Rifle Regiment in defense of the Barrikady Ordnance Factory. For most impressions, this will not require any serious alterations. Guards badges and any awards, insignia, etc that wouldn’t fit the unit and scenario must be removed.

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This year’s biggest change is that M35 Gymnastiorka (early war tunics) are REQUIRED with either subdued or no collar tabs. M43 tunics will not be permitted!

 

All uniforms and equipment must be original, corrected post-war, or a QUALITY reproduction

Please no poor quality uniforms.

 

Headgear

-Helmets

-Preferred: SSh40, SSh39

-Discouraged: SSh36

-Not Allowed: converted or unconverted post war model Eastern Bloc helmets. For many of these helmets the basic shape is completely incorrect.

 

-Other headgear

-Preferred: Pilotka (must be correct material and star), Ushanka (no post war blue allowed)

-Acceptable: Budenovka (must be quality, no cheap souvenirs), Visor caps (for appropriate ranks)

 

Uniform

Base Uniform:

-Required: M35 Gymnastiorka (Shirt), M35 Hariovari (breeches) (trousers with no back pockets are strongly preferred)

-Not Allowed: M43 Gymnastiorka, striped telyanasha undershirt

-Notes: your gymnastiorka must have a collar liner. Make sure your uniform is the correct material.

If you are buying a new uniform for the event, make sure it is quality (Schuster or Voenspec are good options)

Insignia:

-Preferred:Tunic material subdued tabs, subdued pips, or no tabs

-Acceptable: Dark subdued wool tabs, colored pips

-Not Allowed: Colored tabs

-Notes: Awards must be pre-Stalingrad

 

Winter Clothing:

-Preferred: Telogreika padded jacket and/or trousers (reproduction or converted postwar), reproduction Shinel (overcoat)

-Acceptable: Telogreika (Post-war), Shinel (converted postwar grey), Bekeshka (buttons should be replaced with hooks. Buttons are allowed for officers and for enlisted men on a very limited basis)

-Discouraged but allowed: double breasted coat, shiny postwar buttons

Not allowed: Post War eastern bloc greatcoats that don’t closely resemble wartime shineli

Notes: We will post guides on converting overcoats, padded jackets, padded trousers, and sheepskin coats.

 

Camouflage clothing:

-Acceptable: amoeba camo suits, kikimora camo suits, or white winter suits may be worn over correct uniforms.

 

Footwear

Boots:

-Preferred: Wartime pattern Sapagi with leather or dot soles. Soviet produced low boots with leather or dot soles and correct puttees. Lend Lease Russian Last Shoes.

-Discouraged but allowed: Postwar pattern sapagi with tractor soles or with shortened top and side holes. American Service Shoes type II (cap toes) with correct puttees. German Jackboots. Valenki (not for authenticity but for practicality)

-Not Allowed: American Service Shoe Type III (Roughouts). British Ammo Boots

 

“Socks”:

-Preferred: Winter footwraps

-Discouraged but allowed: Summer footwraps, period correct socks

-Notes: Winter footwraps are warmer and more comfortable in sapagi if you wrap them correctly. You will want to bring spares.

 

Field Gear

Belt:

-Preferred: Leather or leather/canvas economy

-Acceptable: Lend Lease

Mosin Pouches:

-Preferred: Wartime leather

-Acceptable: DDR reparations, canvas

-Not Allowed: Kirza

Canteens:

-Preferred: Wartime aluminum or glass or DDR reparations

-Acceptable: repainted or stripped postwar canteen

-Discouraged but allowed: unmolested postwar puke green canteen

-Note: We will be making a guide on converting canteens

Mess Kits:

-Preferred: Wartime or repainted/stripped post war pot type mess tin

-Acceptable: Wartime or repainted/stripped post war kidney type mess tin

-Discouraged but allowed: unmolested post war puke green/brown mess tins, captured German mess kits

-Note: We will be making a guide on converting mess tins

Grenade Pouches:

-Preferred: RGD-33 style pouch

-Not Allowed: f1 style pouch

Meshoks:

Preferred: reproduction wartime meshok

Acceptable: postwar meshok in wartime configuration

Not Allowed: veshmeshok (straps and a pouch on the outside)

Platsch Palatka:

Preferred: Leather or handsewn grommets

Not Allowed: metal grommets

Notes: May not be worn as a cape if it isn’t raining

Gas Mask bags and Entrenching tools:

Must be wartime or prewar pattern. No post war models

 

COLD WEATHER/CAMPING GEAR

While authentically freezing to death at a recreation of Stalingrad would be incredibly authentic, our insurance says we must discourage it.

-Cold Weather Gear: A coat (shinel, telogrieka, bekeshka, etc) is an absolute must. Winter long underwear and winter footwraps are also highly recommended.

-Camping: Soviet doctrine involved two pieces of camping gear: Your overcoat and your Platsch. It is possible to combine these and still be fantastically warm. However, we are allowing unintrusive vintage/military camping gear and wool blankets as long as it is kept out of sight when not in use. No modern sleeping bags or anything like that.

-Foxhole tips: While you might find yourself sleeping in a wide variety of fighting positions, the general rules for keeping warm are the same. Try to insulate yourself off of the ground/floor. Straw or your overcoat are the best for this. Covering your fighting position with your Platsch is a good way to insulate yourself. Placing a candle inside of a tin can is a good way to add some heat to a covered position (be careful, obviously). bunker stoves or small, concealable fires are also very useful in warming a cold position.

 

WEAPONS

ENSURE ALL WEAPONS ARE UNLOADED PRIOR TO BRINGING THEM TO THE EVENT

There is to be absolutely NO gunfire between 20:00 and 8:00 (8PM to 8AM).

 

Weapons: M91/30, PPSh41, M1891, SVT38/40, MP40, DP-28, Maxim, M38 (for appropriate roles only), TT-33/M1895 (for appropriate roles only).

All weapons must be in correct configuration for 1942 and match your position in your unit.

 

*No PPS43 or M44’s.

*Gas guns may be Maxim’s only

*Grenades must look like the real thing. No bottles or Easter eggs.

 

RATIONS

All food must be in period correct containers or packaging, like butchers paper, wax paper, or reproduction wrappers or bags. All liquid must be in period correct containers. No modern beverage containers allowed. (ie: Mountain Dew or Gatorade)

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at ohiofactoryevent@gmail.com. If you are unsure if you meet the standards, let us know and we can help make sure that you do. It is better for everyone to fix a potential problem now, rather than at the event. We want as many people as possible to be able to participate and are willing to help out if you need it.

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SOVIET NAVAL MARINE STANDARDS

 

All Soviet Naval reenactors will be portraying 92nd Naval Rifle Brigade or Volga River Gunboat flotilla crewmen in defense of the Barrikady Ordnance Factory. any awards, insignia, etc that wouldn’t fit the unit and scenario must be removed.

 

All Uniforms and equipment must be original, corrected post-war, or a QUALITY reproduction

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Headgear:

Helmets: SSh40

Naval Ushanka’s: Must have correct stars

Naval Cap: No post war caps or post war scripts

 

Uniform:

Black and white telyanasha: no light blue stripes

Edit: Originals were a very dark blue. Lack of repros of the correct color mandate that we allow the closer color of black.

Navy Blue Jumper: Must have red stars and correct, large rate patch. No converted USN jumpers.

Black wool trousers

Bushlat (Pea Coat): Must have 6 buttons

Enlisted Men's overcoat: Single row of buttons

 

Footwear

Boots:

-Preferred: Wartime pattern Sapagi with leather or dot soles. Soviet produced low boots with leather or dot soles and correct puttees.

-Discouraged but allowed: Postwar pattern sapagi with tractor soles or with shortened top and side holes  German Jackboots

-Not Allowed: American Service Shoe Type III (Roughouts), British Ammo Boots

 

“Socks”:

-Preferred: Winter footwraps

-Discouraged but allowed: Summer footwraps, period correct socks

-Notes: Winter footwraps are warmer and more comfortable in sapagi if you wrap them correctly. You will want to bring spares.

 

Field Gear

Naval Infantry Equipment consisted of a mix of army and naval equipment

Belt:

-Preferred: Black Naval leather with wartime buckle or brown leather or leather/canvas economy

-Not Allowed: Post war naval belt buckles

Mosin Pouches:

-Preferred: Wartime black or brown leather

-Acceptable: DDR reparations, canvas

-Not Allowed: Kirza

Canteens:

-Preferred: Wartime aluminum or glass or DDR reparations

-Acceptable: repainted or stripped postwar canteen

-Discouraged but allowed: unmolested postwar puke green canteen

-Note: We will be making a guide on converting canteens

Mess Kits:

-Preferred: Wartime or repainted/stripped post war pot type mess tin

-Acceptable: Wartime or repainted/stripped post war kidney type mess tin

-Discouraged but allowed: unmolested post war puke green mess tins

-Note: We will be making a guide on converting mess tins

Grenade Pouches:

-Preferred: Naval blue or army RGD-33 style pouch

-Not Allowed: f1 style pouch

Meshoks:

Preferred: reproduction wartime meshok

Acceptable: postwar meshok in wartime configuration

Not Allowed: veshmeshok (straps and a pouch on the outside

Platsch Palatka:

Preferred: Leather or handsewn grommets

Not Allowed: metal grommets

Notes: May not be worn as a cape if it isn’t raining

Gas Mask bags and Entrenching tools

Must be wartime or prewar pattern. No post war models

Maxim Belt Bandoleers

May be used on a limited basis. Their use is questioned.

Captured bayonets

Their use is widely documented

 

COLD WEATHER/CAMPING GEAR

While authentically freezing to death at a recreation of Stalingrad would be incredibly authentic, our insurance says we must discourage it.

-Cold Weather Gear: A coat is an absolute must. Winter long underwear and winter footwraps are also highly recommended.

-Camping: Soviet doctrine involved two pieces of camping gear: Your overcoat and your Platsch. It is possible to combine these and still be fantastically warm. However, we are allowing unintrusive vintage/military camping gear and blankets as long as it is kept out of sight when not in use. No modern sleeping bags or anything like that.

-Foxhole tips: While you might find yourself sleeping in a wide variety of fighting positions, the general rules for keeping warm are the same. Try to insulate yourself off of the ground/floor. Straw or your overcoat are the best for this. Covering your fighting position with your Platsch is a good way to insulate yourself. Placing a candle inside of a tin can is a good way to add some heat to a covered position (Be Careful, obviously). Bunker Stoves or small, concealable fires are also very useful in warming a cold position.

 

WEAPONS

ENSURE ALL WEAPONS ARE UNLOADED PRIOR TO BRINGING THEM TO THE EVENT

There is to be absolutely NO gunfire between 20:00 and 8:00 (8PM to 8AM).

 

Weapons: M91/30, PPSh41, M1891, SVT38/40, MP40, DP-28, Maxim, M38 (for appropriate roles only), TT-33/M1895 (for appropriate roles only).

All weapons must be in correct configuration for 1942 and match your position in your unit.

 

*No PPS43 or M44’s.

*Gas guns may be Maxim’s only

*Grenades must look like the real thing. No bottles or easter eggs.

 

RATIONS

All food must be in period correct containers or packaging, like butchers paper, wax paper, or reproduction wrappers or bags. All liquid must be in period correct containers. No modern beverage containers allowed. (ie: Mountain Dew or Gatorade)

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at ohiofactoryevent@gmail.com .If you are unsure if you meet the standards, let us know and we can help make sure that you do. It is better for everyone to fix a potential problem now, rather than at the event. We want as many people as possible to be able to participate and are willing to help out if you need it.

 

 

GERMAN HEER

 

All participants must portray 305 Infantry Division 576 Infantry Regiment II Battalion or Pioneer Battalion 294. All Germans must portray Heer - there were no SS troops in Stalingrad.

 

Uniform

Tunic: M36 or M40 STRONGLY Encouraged. M42 tunics only allowed in very small numbers (there is some photographic evidence for small numbers of this model tunic but its use MUST be kept to an absolute minimum) Absolutely NO M43 tunics or later models.

-Tunics must have white (infantry) or black (pioneer) waffenfarbe.

-No distinctive insignia for units that were not present (for example; cuff titles).

-Permissible Awards: Wound badge, Close Combat Clasp, Iron Cross, Infantry Assault Badge, Eastern Front Medal (basically, no post 1942 decorations should be worn).

 

Trousers:

-M37 or M40 trousers in Stone Gray or Field Gray

 

Undergarments: This event will likely be extremely cold, winter weight underwear will be extremely helpful.

-You will want to bring extra socks

 

Boots:

-Jackboots PREFERED

-felt boots are acceptable but not preferable

-low boots (without leggings) are acceptable but not preferable

 

Headgear:

-Helmet M35 or M40 (should be a single decal)

-M34 Schiffchen

-NO M43, M42 Field cap, or Bergmutze

 

Winter clothing:

-M37 or M40 greatcoat

-Mouse Gray Parka

-German or Soviet Sheepskin Coat

-Toque

-Scarf

-Earmuffs

-Rabbit fur and other padded German winter liners.

 

Camouflage:

-Zeltbahn shelter quarter ONLY

-Russian Amoeba cloth helmet cover permissible

-NO other camouflage, not even splinter helmet covers!

 

Equipment:

-Belt

-Applicable ammo pouches

-Y-straps

-Shovel

-Bayonet or sidearm

-Breadbag

-3/4L Canteen (1L allowed for medial impressions)

-Mess kit with fork/spoon

-Gasmask canister

-A-frame

-Zeltbahn

-NO post 1942 equipment

- In short bring standard infantry/pioneer equipment as per your impression. This is the perfect opportunity to bring out your A-frame. Do not weigh yourself down with too much gear that you won’t use. The terrain will be exhausting enough and many original photos show guys wearing fairly light combat loads. You will be eating in the field as your unit finds or makes time.

 

Weapons

ENSURE ALL WEAPONS ARE UNLOADED PRIOR TO BRINGING THEM TO THE EVENT

There is to be absolutely NO gunfire between 20:00 and 8:00 (8PM to 8AM).

 

Permissible weapons:

-K98

-MP38 or MP40

-MG34

-MG42 (ONLY if it is the correct first model with the early cocking handle) many of these were being field tested in Stalingrad.

-PPSH 41

-SVT40

-G41

-Luger

-P38

-There is a variety of other sidearms that may be used, basically if it is pre-1942 and was used by the German army is probably acceptable.

-NO PPS43

-NO G43

-NO other post 1942 weapons

-GAS GUNS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED (they must be properly tuned and are limited to use in vehicles) If it squeaks or pops, leave it at home.

-Grenades must look like the real thing. No Easter eggs (unless black plastic modified to actually look like egg grenades - no colorful eggs painted black) or bottles.

 

Eyewear

-Glasses must be period correct frames

 

Hair
-Must have a period correct haircut and facial hair

 

RATIONS

All food must be in period correct containers or packaging, like butchers paper, wax paper, or reproduction wrappers or bags. All liquid must be in period correct containers. No modern beverage containers allowed. (ie: Mountain Dew or Gatorade)

 

BEDDING

-A grey wool or army pattern blanket is highly recommended. It was standard practice to issue out 2 blankets in winter thanks largely to the disastrous winter of 1941.

-Period correct sleeping bags are acceptable.

-There will be a heated area to recover in if the cold is too much to bear but it could get crowded.

-ABSOLUTELY NO modern sleeping bags or other modern cots or gear will be allowed and whatever bedding you do bring will have to be carried in.

- If you do want to carry in extra gear know that there is NO set up period so you will be doing it in play and under fire.

-Each unit will be assigned a position you can drop your gear there but it is possible for your position to get overrun so any gear left there may be inaccessible until retaken or other arrangements are made. Remember there is no walking dead so you can’t just walk through enemy lines to go get the extra ammo you left in your pack.

Thank you for reading this wall of text. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at ohiofactoryevent@gmail.com . If you are unsure if you meet the standards, let us know and we can help make sure that you do. It is better for everyone to fix a potential problem now, rather than at the event. We want as many people as possible to be able to participate and are willing to help out if you need it.

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