Small Scale Military Headquarters

I was curious to see how the numbers fall for both the Action and Enthusiast lines from FOV.

I discovered Action first, through mass retailers, and only came to learn of Enthusiast later online. I have since purchased both, and have stumbled around enough to see that there aren't always all that many differences, sometimes one retailer's Action Series is different from another's, and sometimes not all that different from the Enthusiast version. I've even seen Enthusiast pieces boxed into Action series boxes with all their extra accessories Scotch taped to the blister pack on the back wall of the box (mind you, it was a slightly damaged Enthusiast piece, but still)!

So let me know what you think, and why. I'll chime in with my own observations a little later, I don't want to taint my own poll!

MV

I get either/or. It really depends on what I find, and there's been several instances where I lucked out and found an enthusiast piece packaged as an action grade item. Sometimes, however, the particular vehicle I want is not avaliable in action grade, so I go with the Enthusiast version. Enthusiast versions usually win hands down, however

I am with Tman, i almost usually prefer the enthusiast grade. On some of the pieces there really isn't that much difference. I have found this to be the case with the Lee, Stuart and many of the modern AFVs. On the early M1 and M2/3 I really don't like the heavy mud/dust that has been airbrushed on.

WWII armor, especially eastern front, is where the enthusiast grade really shines. I have seen the Tiger and King Tiger at Target and I think they are laughable next to my enthusiast grade pieces. Of course, saving $20 is always nice!

olifant wrote: WWII armor, especially eastern front, is where the enthusiast grade really shines. I have seen the Tiger and King Tiger at Target and I think they are laughable next to my enthusiast grade pieces. Of course, saving $20 is always nice!

So, what you're saying is that I need to go ahead and get the T-34... And then somehow explain how it is that it ended up in modern day Iraq with all my other stuff. Makes sense. I suppose whatever forces brought the WWII Nazi desert forces, could have brought some Russian stuff as well... I'm willing to allow that a Panther could be used as reserve for Iraqi forces, and perhaps a Stug IV, and an Opel Blitz... Maybe a Stug turned into a recovery or engineering vehicle... Why not a T-34?

Alright. You talked me into it. Fine I'll get a T-34. I hope you're happy.

MV

I love listening to someone other than myself justify their purchases! Just give in and start collecting the WWII stuff. I swear you will be okay, just get help if you ever start buying the "homies" stuff from WM.

The "homies", 'cause I was actually thinking that I could buy the figues and turn them into dead and wounded. Would that be wrong? 'Cause I also thought some of those wrestling figures would work...

MV

You won't be disappointed with the FOV T-34 as its one of the better tanks they made. Besides, Iraq had a number of its military vehicles supplied by the former Soviet Union as both new, second hand, and third hand, as did many other nations in that region. A T-34 thus would not be entirely out of place. In fact, Syria used a few German Panzer IVs supplied by the Soviet Union during the Six-Day War in the 1960s.

There was a link to a website posted on this forum a long while back that showed pictures of all the interesting "junk" US forces have come across during their invasion and occupation of Iraq. Everything from WWII British Churchill tanks, American Sherman and Chaffee tanks to the odd piece of WWI French armor and everything in between!

I prefer both Action and Enthusiast but sometimes it all depends.

I prefer the action grade because I can always upscale it to enthusiast grade myself. And the ones I do so are unique. The FOVs are of course essentially the same apart from incidental damage and errors that may occur on an individual basis.

It depends on the vehicle. Some like the winter scheme PZ IV are worth the extra 20 bucks to me. Others like the US M141 HIMARS multiple missile vehicle I can weather on my own so I got it from Target. Same with the Lee and Stuart.

The degree of weathering seems to vary on Enthusiast vehicles. The Eastern Front Tiger with riders I bought a few months ago is Enthusiast grade as is my Jagdpanther but they have only the lightest of weathering where the PZ IV has tons.

Some of the accessories that come with the Enthusiast vehicles are useful as well such as the guard post and crossing arm. So really it just depends on the particular model to me.

I prefer the Enthusiast series just due to the extra accessories you get + the added detail in the weathering.

* Also because the first tank I saw at my local hobby shop was the Matilda in this series back in 03' , so I had to have it. *

However I did get an Action series Matilda a year later , and I was quite pleased w/ it too.

........ but IMHO , you can't beat the weathering detail in this series , compared to something that looks like it just rolled right out of the factory.

Mitch v MG

I just wish FOV would already stop using such crappy plastic for weapons. I think they won't let them out of the factory unless the MG's and rifles are bent to hell. Even the hairdryer and hot water tricks don't fix all of them. They are getting better with the figure sculpts, such as in the German prisoner and US medic sets but the guns....

I suppose enough time has passed that I can chime in without worrying about throwing off my own poll numbers.

I'm that guy. The one who answered the poll saying that I prefer the Action series FOV.

In all actuality, I'll take what I can get, not everything gets released in Action. As has been mentioned, I like to "play" with my tanks, be it add accessories, weather, paint, or modify into something completly different altogether. For this, both the price, and the fact that they start out more of a "blank slate", favor Action series pieces.

I'm not a big fan of pre-weathered, as what they choose to weather with, might not work with what I've got planned for modelling. Besides, quite a bit of the weathering on some pieces just looks like my pieces after a month without being dusted.

I also don't care for FOV's modern metal antennas. What's with the huge thing at the end? I have had mediocre luck with making my own, and they still look better than either the plastic (not hard) or metal FOV ones.

So, all in all, like most here, I have a bit of both. I just wish that Action was as easy to find on the net as Enthusiast. Sometimes it's all I want/need, and paying an extra $20 for something that I don't like quite as much kinda gets to me. Many times it's cost someone the sale, as I find myself just plain unwilling to go through with a purchase I already feel bad about.

MV

A little of both. I generally prefer the enthusiast grade, especially when I can get good deals, but I don't shun the action grade, I usually pick up at least one when something new shows up at Target/TRU, to me the action series represents a great value that has excellent potential for customizing, especially with weathering and that sort of thing. For those of you who insist on the enthusiast series only, there is a guy on ebay who auctions off enthusiast pieces that have "less than perfect" boxes, usually busted out window panes, crushed corners, and that kind of thing, but the models themselves are undamaged, the opening bids on these are usually very low, but the bidding can get a little crazy, still... you can sometimes get really good values if you're not too picky about box condition. If I can find a link to this guy I will post it up for anyone who might want to take a look.

ostketten wrote: For those of you who insist on the enthusiast series only, there is a guy on ebay who auctions off enthusiast pieces that have "less than perfect" boxes, usually busted out window panes, crushed corners, and that kind of thing, but the models themselves are undamaged, the opening bids on these are usually very low, but the bidding can get a little crazy, still... you can sometimes get really good values if you're not too picky about box condition. If I can find a link to this guy I will post it up for anyone who might want to take a look.

Thanks. Please do post the link. I'd be interested in watching those auctions, I bid, but never win...

MV

Thanks. Please do post the link. I'd be interested in watching those auctions, I bid, but never win...

I believe it was these guys... http://stores.ebay.com/C-and-C-Toy-Empo ... 2QQfrsrcZ1 Lately they seem to have switched their focus to 1:32 customs, probably more money to be made there, I dunno...?? At any rate, they don't seem to currently have any of the "damaged box" stuff up for auction, maybe their source dried up.

For FOV metal antennas I just snip the round part at the top off with my trusty wire cutters. They are like that so junior doesn't stick it in his eyeball or something like that.

Alright, who's the wise guy? If you're going to vote that choice, you at least have to post why!

MV