Small Scale Military Headquarters

I have read a couple posts about finding Enthusiast grade packaged as Action grade. Is there an easy way to tell the difference between enthusiast and action grade. I never see enough on the shelves to do a head to head comparison
Thanks

Only licensed dealers online and some hobby shops can carry/order the Enthusiast series products. At Target and TRU everything FOV is going to be Action series. An easy way to tell the difference is the color of the box. The Enthusiast box is dark gray/black and the Action series box is a lighter tan/green color.

As far as Enthusiast stuff in Action boxes, it happens but very rarely. If you find a vehicle that is heavily weathered and not just the simple black wash the action series gets then that may be a Enthusiast version. I got a King Tiger like that, it had the same weathering as the Enthusiast but was an Action series model. It did not come with the Enthusiast version accessories though some people have gotten those once or twice as well.

well usually enthusiast is like twice as much. But in the case of mixed up packaging, enthusiast has more weathering and is also heavier ( becuase of the extra diecast ).

* ....... another way to tell , is if you see any x-tra accessories like you'd see w/ Enthusiast Series stuff. *

* Example :
-------------> A couple a days ago while just browsing @ TARGET , "doo dee doo dee doo" , and happened to wonder and wound up in their "toy dept" ,.. I discovered an M3 Grant , "British" , El Alamein 1942 .

Nicely weathered w/ all accessories + a "spec. data" collector card , taped in the back behind the tank , in an Action Series box. Just like you'd see if it were an Enthusiast Series version. *

* So , I bought it ! ... $19.99 + Final Checkout after tax = $21.29 *

Mitch v MG

Ok, there is of course the obvious difference in packaging, per haps I can rustle up a pic or two...



Action





Enthusiast


Ok, if I did that right, you should be able to see both types of packaging. If I did it wrong, you'll see little red X's that will look a lot alike. From those pictures the differences in detail might be hard to notice, it's more prominent on vehicles, but that's what I found. It was just a bonus that I could find the same product in both versions.

The vehicles will have much more weathering in Enthusiast, as well as more accessories. I notice also that most Action Series vehicles have plastic antennnas, while Enthusiast get metal, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Sometimes Action will have metal antennas.

As for who sells what... That's anyone's guess, and the lines get blurred all the time. Both my local TRU and Target have Stug III's boxed Action Series, but TRU's is equipped with stubby plastic antennas, in a smaller box with only one soldier and few accessories, while Target's is in a larger box, with metal antennas, lots of accessories and several crew/riders. Good luck figuring it out! I've seen Enthusiast crammed into Action boxes with their extra accessories taped to the back wall also.

The tough part is finding a particular Action piece. Enthusiast are all over the net, but if you want a specific Action model that's not in a store near you... That get's much harder to find! (i'd say more, but I'm being good and waiting for my six months to be up so I can post an official "I want" thread in the BST forum...)

MV

MG-42 wrote:* ....... another way to tell , is if you see any x-tra accessories like you'd see w/ Enthusiast Series stuff. *

* Example :
-------------> A couple a days ago while just browsing @ TARGET , "doo dee doo dee doo" , and happened to wonder and wound up in their "toy dept" ,.. I discovered an M3 Grant , "British" , El Alamein 1942 .

Nicely weathered w/ all accessories + a "spec. data" collector card , taped in the back behind the tank , in an Action Series box. Just like you'd see if it were an Enthusiast Series version. *

* So , I bought it ! ... $19.99 + Final Checkout after tax = $21.29 *

Mitch v MG

>>> P.S. :
----------------> This was the first time I had ever encountered something like this.

* I think it's just another way for FoV to sell off their excess stock. *

* ....... but for the most part , Action Series vehicles look like they just rolled right out of the factory.

Ruger wrote:(i'd say more, but I'm being good and waiting for my six months to be up so I can post an official "I want" thread in the BST forum...)

MV

I am in the same boat waiting for 6 months

Thanks for all the responses. I am in the transistion of collecting diecast cars and Sportspicks to more of the 21st Century and FOV so I am trying to learn the ropes