Post by CmdrKiley on Oct 16, 2008 12:49:07 GMT -5
I picked up a few sets of 1/48th scale plastic troops by Tamiya earlier this week while checking out a new local hobby shop that specializes in model kits. I remember Mark Thuerer of Fictional Reality recommending some of these in his review and playtest of the game.
To my surprise I found the figures to be very compatible with AE-WWII figures. Not only do they share the same slender 'realistic' build, but the height difference was almost negligable. Furthermore, while assembing the figures, I started to get a bit creative and use some of the extra bits from my AE figures and found the parts quite interchangeable.
Last night I was assembling my 1/48th scale Soviet Tank Troops. I was able to pick these up at my FLGS for around $12. Quite a bit of figures for the money. Unfortunately there are no SVT-40 rifles in the set, just PPSh SMGs a pair of LMGs and a pair of Maxim MGs. However, I built several of the running figures without weapons, as to being the unarmed portion of a conscript squad. The smgs, were being saved for figures I was going to assign as Starshina and Officers. I was able to make a few head swaps and hand swaps with my pewter AE bits and thus make another Politruk. Also used the spare SVT-40 arm from my Guards pack, which fit quite well on a plastic figure.
Digging around in my bitz bin a little deeper I was able to come up with enough parts to get a good Psi-Cannon trooper started. I found a nice weapon, I think from a Heavy Gear weapons upgrade, that didn't look to hi-tech yet unusual and looked like it could be fired over the shoulder. I mounted it on a suitable figure (which had a cloak very similar to the artwork). I still need to drill some holes in it and route some piano wire. Then I got a Hasslefree male head mounted on it. The bald head was perfect, but there are no ears, so I'll have to sculpt the headset like in the artwork.
While I was in the customizing mode, I ended up taking an extra PPSh and ammo pouch adding it to a Copplestone Casting Boshevik Heroines figure, the second one from the left. Her cigarette holder was all bent up and damaged, so I cut it out. Put in a spare SMG from my AE bitz and a plastic ammo pouch and she's now an officer for my Soviets.
To my surprise I found the figures to be very compatible with AE-WWII figures. Not only do they share the same slender 'realistic' build, but the height difference was almost negligable. Furthermore, while assembing the figures, I started to get a bit creative and use some of the extra bits from my AE figures and found the parts quite interchangeable.
Last night I was assembling my 1/48th scale Soviet Tank Troops. I was able to pick these up at my FLGS for around $12. Quite a bit of figures for the money. Unfortunately there are no SVT-40 rifles in the set, just PPSh SMGs a pair of LMGs and a pair of Maxim MGs. However, I built several of the running figures without weapons, as to being the unarmed portion of a conscript squad. The smgs, were being saved for figures I was going to assign as Starshina and Officers. I was able to make a few head swaps and hand swaps with my pewter AE bits and thus make another Politruk. Also used the spare SVT-40 arm from my Guards pack, which fit quite well on a plastic figure.
Digging around in my bitz bin a little deeper I was able to come up with enough parts to get a good Psi-Cannon trooper started. I found a nice weapon, I think from a Heavy Gear weapons upgrade, that didn't look to hi-tech yet unusual and looked like it could be fired over the shoulder. I mounted it on a suitable figure (which had a cloak very similar to the artwork). I still need to drill some holes in it and route some piano wire. Then I got a Hasslefree male head mounted on it. The bald head was perfect, but there are no ears, so I'll have to sculpt the headset like in the artwork.
While I was in the customizing mode, I ended up taking an extra PPSh and ammo pouch adding it to a Copplestone Casting Boshevik Heroines figure, the second one from the left. Her cigarette holder was all bent up and damaged, so I cut it out. Put in a spare SMG from my AE bitz and a plastic ammo pouch and she's now an officer for my Soviets.