Tamiya 1/48th Scale Plastic Troops

[CmdrKiley]

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.

[malkcntent]

We were using Tamiya models for the heavy weapon teams before ours came out. They're stupid-easy to build and totally fit with our scale. I've still got a ton of American and German models I haven't built yet. I should throw them together to have more models.

Definitely post pics! I want to see what you came up with for the Psi Cannon!


-Matthew

[CmdrKiley]

Here are some of my WIP.

Soviet Conscripts

The plastic figures are perfect for Conscript Troops, as the set dosn't come with SVT-40 Rifles, you can make several without any weapons. Note I was able to fit the right arm from a Guards to the Tamiya figure on the left.

Soviet Politruk & Psi Officer

The Politruk is made of spare bitz from the Politruk blister. The parts fit quite well with the 1/48th scale plastics. The resin base is a Dark Age Base Topper Industrial Base.

Soviet Snipers
I took the rifle out of the crouching sniper, I could never get it to fit into his hand right and have it fitted to a plastic figure. I'm still debating making him a sniper or making him my 2nd Psi-Cannon Team Member.

NKVD Psi-Cannon Gunner

This guy is made up of a plastic Tamiya body with a Hasslefree Head and the weapon is made from I think a Heavy Gear weapon I found in my Battletech Bitz Bin. The base is a Wyrd Miniatures Sewer Base Topper. I still need to sculpt a headset around the head (Hasslefree Heads have no ears) and add some piano wire to the weapon.

American Tesla Gunner

This is a Tamiya plastic figure I'm currently test fitting another Heavy Gear weapon on. I still need to build some handles and then add some piano wire to the backpack, which is also a Heavy Gear or Battletech part.

[CmdrKiley]

Officers and Special Heroes


From left to right.
Front Row
Starshina with PPSh SMG by Tamiya
Starshina with PPSh SMG by Tamiya
Soviet Politruk with Pistol and Hand Grenade by Darkson Designs

Back Row
Psi-Officer by Darkson Designs
Psi-Officer (female) by Copplestone Castings
Politruk (female) by Copplestone Castings
Officer (female) by Copplestone Csstings (PPSh added)

The Tamiyas and Darksons fit quite well, but the Copplestones have a chunkier build common with most pewter figures. The Copplestones are from a set called Bolshevik Heroines from their Back of Beyond line. The one on the far left had a cigarette on an extension but it was pretty mangled up. I then took a spare SMG from my Darkson bits and fit it into her hand. Then I added a ammo pouch to her belt on the back.

[CmdrKiley]

Wehrmacht with Panzerfausts


Well ever since the Over the Wire article with the Panzerfaust upgrades for Wehrmacht and Volksturm troops I wanted to have a few figures with these to designate who had them. I got a few in a Tamiya Kettenkraftrad kit.

[xeoran]

Very nice work.

[Darkson]

These are great. They are the same figures we used during play testing. ;D Looking forward to seeing them all painted.

[DFlynSqrl]

Very cool stuff indeed. REALLY like the Psi Gunner.

[wodgerthewobot]

yes yes very very cool

[CmdrKiley]

Here are some more conversions. Been working on the American GI set lately.

OSS Agent

I used bitz from the DD OSS Agent, the Airborne Officer and the Veteran Sgt.

Sergeant

I used bitz from the Veteran Sergeant to complete this figure. The sign is from a Tamiya terrain kit.

Bazooka Team


Prone GI with Carbine


GI with BAR


GI Firing


Radioman

The Radio is from the Sci Tech Starter kit, I think it goes with the Officer figure.

GI with Rifle


Machine Gun Team

[wodgerthewobot]

can you post a link to where you got the models from please

[CmdrKiley]

Tamiya plastic models can be found at most hobbie shops that stock high end model kits.

WWII Russian Infant./Tank Crew - 1/48
Item #32521

WWII German Infantry - 1/48 On Manuevers
Item #32530

British Infantry Set - 1/48 European Campaign
Item #32526

WWII Ger Panzer Grenadier Set - 1/48
Item #32514


WWII US Army Infantry GI Set - 1/48
Item #32513

WWII German Infantry Set - 1/48
Item #32512

I'm sure the vehicles will come in quite useful too when the vehicle supplement comes out for AE-WWII. There's a few models already useful, like the M20, Kublewagen, Jeep, Krupp Protze Truck, etc.

[CmdrKiley]

A little update.

Some progress on the American Tesla Gunner.

I added a spare emmitter array from a Rocket Trooper's Tesla Pistol to the end. The coil behind it is from a weapon grip from a 40k close combat weapon. Then added piano wire. I put in a downed powerline, I got from a 1/48th scale Tamiya terrain pack, into the base.

American Mechanic

I made this one out of a figure from the American GI's at Rest kit and then added arms from the AE-WWII Airborn Officer. With the carbine he's much more WYSIWYG.

[wodgerthewobot]

god bless america and all who wargame in her

[CmdrKiley]

I've been working on finishing up my AE-WWII figures. Many of the ones I started above are finally getting completed. Now I'm working on some vehicles and here's my latest conversion for AE-WWII.

The American Jeep



This is a Tamiya Jeep from the American GIs at Rest set. I replaced the heads with spare AE-WWII heads which I thought gave them some more character. The carbine in the gunners hand is from The Assault Group, I'm replacing the plastic fire arms with pewter ones as they're more durable and fit in better with the existing pewter figures. The .50 cal is from Armorcast and the post is made from a bent paper clip and some plastic strip stock.