Small Scale Military Headquarters

It is sitting on my CPU as I type

Certainly one of the best tanks in the FOV line, and probably in 1:32. Well worth the purchase!

yes, but. And as I say this I know I am saying it against the fact that there isn't anything better out there unless you want to pay $70-300 a tank.......... the camo is soooooooo weak on some FOV units. There I said it. The weathering? wonderful. Detail? amazing.
But as I get back into my love of ww2 armor and I see all the choices they had avaliable to put on these units and then what I get (seriously look at the newest Jagdpather's camo IN the brochure then what ya got.) I mean all the ambush, oxide tri-camo reticulated tortoiseshell camos out there for the taking... HELL NOT EVEN A DAK UNIT SO FAR. (yes I know jagdpanthers were no in N Africa)
I am NOT saying the application or realism of the camo is weak or badly done. I also do not mean that the winter camo or tiger tanks look bad either. Heck the majority of FOV units are pretty damn good except the Jagdpanthers . Maybe thats what is stuck in my craw.
Look at the same year release wirblewind and it camo...wonderful, it matched the camo of the newest Jagdpanther release IN THE BROCHURE. But when I saw it in the store, there was absolutely no difference that my could discern from the other 2 I already owned, hell even the commander figure was in that "So what do I got to do to get you in one of the high powered armor plated babies today?" car salesman arrogant pose. Not a thing to make me say ....oooh i need that. And I don't. I don't own it yet. I cannot justify spending $40-50 on another tank to take up space if FOV is going to ship out a unit with a slight change in the color of the camo , and it isn't close to what was advertised. I am not even going to get into the re-boxing of a King Tiger that I already have sold now with the addition of riders, that I will never own which sucks cuz I want the riders...but I got the tank already thanks. And BTW, do we really need this many King tiger versions when we don't have a brummbar (or any SPG for that matter unless you count FIVE stug releases, or is it 6?) or numerous UK or Soviet units in the collection yet?) Repainting the same model year after year and calling it NEW isn't going to get me buying. Hell, I can repaint these things. I need either another variant or a really special camo scheme, how about a captured soviet paint scheme? A greyhound, M10 wolverine, hellcat, priest or firefly?
But alas 5-7 re-paints and maybe 3 new models (taking the shurzen off a stug doesn't count). Every Jagdpanther looks the same to me. I guess I am not looking hard enough, but when I stare at that wonder full green and yellow camo in the brochure and the see at a Gelb and green splotched unit in the store? I feel somebody had to rush it out the door.

I will leave you with this:
Imagine a diecast metal...heavy...weathered.....hetzer
working mg and periscope and camo net or foliage extra in the enthusiast edition

Ok
A nice Black and Tan UK or US open top...excellent detail and crew with detail matching that of the howitzer set.....M10 Wolverine tank destroyer...


A Russian Green and brown, muddy with huge white line and a giant red star and marching rhino emblem on a massive IS-1 ,2 or 3 "Josef Stalin" heavy tank

This is the one I got and a excellent model at that!

they are excellently modelled. I just wish they would put out a action series version so I can do a re-paint without ruining a limited run version like this one in the auction. Even the 21st century ones are OOP and I don't want to ruin those either......sheesh

The big thing that has kept me from picking up any FOV is some of the little details. I was examining a couple of Stugs at TRU yesterday - one with skirts and the other without - and what really bothered me was being able to see the little clips on the axle stubs that allowed the road wheels to snap on, and the visible screws in the ends of the idler wheels. That bugged me so much for some reason. I simply don't want to see stuff like that unless I pick up the vehicle and closely examine it. Sitting at display it should look unblemished by such things. I guess its also the reason I won't buy aircraft with painted-on panel lines.

It really sucks because of a) the models available from FOV as opposed to 21st, and b) all the extra bits that come with even the Action series.

well.... you are also looking at TRU stugs which are not the enthusiast version and are considered "action series" grade, so the details and weathering that would help in those areas are not there. i will post some shot of the enthusiast grade stugs and the respective areas you inspected and I will see for myself if that is the case with both version.

While seeing those parts is annoying it is pretty easy to do some weathering and minor customization to make it un noticeable (sp? long day cant spell or type well )

IRT cabe

I was just looking at your Stug repaint pics and I see the little clips in those wheels. Is that an Action or an Enthusiast?

And I have heard folks talk of getting Enthused product in a box marked Action before - do they mean the whole thing is the higher grade or do they mean they are getting the extra gear tossed into the Action box? I recently did buy an FOV Schwimmwagen which was marked Action but had the brick wall, playing card, gas cans, guns, etc whereas all the other Action boxes just had the car and driver. The vehicle itself didn't look physically different paint- or finish-wise.