PEGASUS HOBBIES 1/72 - GERMAN MORTAR TEAMS (Set review and images)

I have to say that the poses from pictures of front view 1,3,5,7 are the standard ones for the set, while the poses from pictures 9,11 are converted, mixing arms, palms and heads from figures included in the same set.

I did not use Preiser accesories due to the fact that I intend to buy another German Mortar set and to convert all the figures with weapons and gear.

Hope you will enjoy the review and the bunch of pictures... and any comments concerning the review or images are more than desired.

Cristian Florescu

PEGASUS HOBBIES 1/72

GERMAN MORTAR TEAMS

Review

Pegasus Hobbies has already accustomed the target groups including diorama fans and war-gamers that use 1/72 figures, with special sets, either through quality or attacking uncommon subjects in the field. This time it tries and also succeeds to treat a quite rare and attractive topic, namely the main German mortars from WWII as well their servants. Of course, it is about Granatwerfer 34 and Granatwerfer 42, two important representatives of a lethal weapon, the mortar, which according to the statistics, it created the largest number of victims in WWII. Except this set, German mortars at 1/72 can be found inside "German Mortar Team" from Armourfast/Hat, which in its turn, is a very good set. In addition, other German mortars are present in sets issued under Esci/Italeri label. These are ridiculous realized, without bipod, the tube being sustained just by the air. An exception makes the mortar from Italeri/Revell "German Elite Troops", which in spite of originating from the Esci ones, is noticeable upgraded.

Furthermore, the set marks a premiere at this company, respectively the use of another material than it was used to manufacture the previous sets, replacing the soft plastic with the hard one. This factor corroborated with the fact that most of the soldiers are delivered with separated hands and heads allow a large amount of customization with the straight result of acquiring numerous different poses.  

On the two grills from the box, there are incorporated twenty-three figures, three Granatwerfer 34 (medium mortar, 81mm), two Granatwerfer 42 (heavy mortar, 120 mm), six ammo boxes for mortars (three for each type) and a campaign phone. On back of the box there are provided just the instructions for assembling the artillery weapons and no information on how the figures must be put together is given. Theoretically and almost obvious, it is the manufacturer intention that the arms and heads that are coming separately to be attached to the trunk which is next to them on the grill. The bayonets and entrenching tools are going to be attached on almost all the soldiers and are individually delivered. For better fixing, the figures have a hole in the bodies, where the just mentioned items must be connected.

At the first view, ten poses are the same, but the gear that they carry makes the first difference between them. In this regard, ten figures have just the belt where it can be attached the bayonet, while the other ten have the "Y" straps, bread bag, mess tin, canteen and gas mask container. To these figures it has to be glued the entrenching tools. The only poses that do not repeat are the officer and two phone operators.

Even though there were provided bases for all the poses, these are not necessary not only for the crouching or crawling soldiers, but also for the standing ones which prove a very good stability. Nevertheless, for this is required to remove the peg located in each figures boot because though it should be affixed to the base. Not often seen at other manufacturers, but distinctive for all Pegasus Hobbies' sets on German army, are the tinte from the soles of the boots. For sure, at some poses the detail is more obvious, maybe it is because the hard plastic or just the fact that there is an abundance of crawling or crouching soldiers with the heels a little raised from the ground.     

Regarding the uniform worn by all figures is the one from the firs part of the war, namely M34 tunic, regular trousers, marching boots and at several poses the shirts are easily perceived. Almost all the soldiers have helmet, the exception being made by the phone operators that wear M34 overseas caps.

Due to the thickness of the uniform, the figures can be used both in warm and colder seasons and even if they are more suitable for the first part of the war, it is possible to use them and for the second half, bearing in mind that this type of uniform continued to be delivered to troops till the end of the war. In addition, these soldiers can embodies both Wehrmacht and Waffen SS units.

Except the officer's pistol, personal fire weapons are completely missing, the figures having just simple bayonets or attached it to the entrenching tool. It also must be said, no more than the necessary number of bayonets and entrenching tools are given, so it must be paid attention not to lose any. Also with reference to the bayonets, these are very nice sculptured, especially the handles and the frogs.

The poses are extremely realistic and excellent realized, nine figures standing, twelve are crouched and two are crawling. All express dynamicity and almost all are totally different than in other sets. It must be emphasized that the soldiers are fitting perfectly to the served mortars; it looks as if they really do what they have to do. Moreover, it is recommendable that artillery to be put together first, and then the poses to be studied and placed near the weapons immediately after there were glued the arms and heads. The procedure is essential for the servants to perfectly match their Granatwerfers and the arms can be readjusted for this purpose until the glue bonds.   

Soldiers bringing closer ammo, adjusting elevation, covering their ears with the palms for diminishing the noise, getting ready to drop on the tube the projectile, all are present here. Between the really impressive standard poses provided, it can be pointed out the ensemble formed by the soldier that forwards a 120 mm projectile and his comrade which prepares to grab it, the soldier which drags a 120 mm ammo box and the soldier which carries two 81 mm ammo boxes.

As it was stressed above, an atypical ensemble inside the 1/72 German soldiers sets, is composed by the two phone operators. While one is holding the receiver close to his ear, the other, with headphones, is writing pretty fast in a tablet, probably the fire coordinates. For giving them a more genuine appearance, it would be advisable to scratch for both of them wires, because these are not supplied. It is not complicated at all, and these can be made of copper or plastic wire, the last material representing a good solution, particularly on account that the figures are of hard plastic. 

Another soldier on the phone is met in another  Pegasus Hobbies set  entitled "Waffen SS - set 2", but it is an officer dressed in a camouflage smock and the phone that he uses is a different type than the one presented here. A phone operator with the same type of phone like the one included here, which in fact is operated by a woman, can be discovered in "Germans in Berlin 1945" by the same manufacturer.

Pegasus Hobbies deserves appreciation due to the fact that it has carefully studied the market offer and it has identified the gaps from sets embodying German soldiers in WWII. It also has succeeded to bring a fresh breeze in the field, a good example being the campaign phones, but not only them, the list being much longer.

The officer stance, even if quite classic, it is impressive and can be one of the greatest in the scale due to the educed dynamism and force, completed and underlined by his facial expression, with his mouth wide opened. For sure it depicts the prototype of the German officer yelling orders to his troopers. And the rest of details are very well realized and in full accordance with reality, he does not differ too much from the rest of the troop. As it was previously stressed, it is the only figure having a fire weapon, namely a pistol. In addition, he has binoculars and it can be added a bayonet, an useful weapon in war for various purposes, but not often met at a German officer.  It is possible to be present, especially at an officer who enjoys playing with the knives.

Thanks to hard plastic, all the poses effortlessly can be converted based on needs or imagination of set owner, but the harder, even not impossible; it is the conversion of the soldiers covering their ear with the palms. In fact, the operation is not so much required to them bearing in mind the differential gear as well the opportunity to emplace them in different positions in relation with the mortars.

The uniforms are very well replicated, being visible a lot of details, but concerning the equipment, a small discussion can be made, based on the fact that none of the figures have ammo pockets. These maybe have deliberately been un-reproduced by the sculptor, taking into consideration that there are reference pictures illustrating mortar servants without ammo pockets, especially those that served at heavy mortars. Nevertheless, there are much more such images featuring this important equipment element of any soldier engaged in combat. 

If it desired, the issue can be simply solved using the Preiser ammo pockets that glue very strong due to the fact that both these and the figures are made of hard plastic. Furthermore, accessories from the just mentioned manufacturer may be used for better endowing the present soldiers and even they can receive fire weapons from the same source. It has to be taken into account that the weapons from Preiser looks a little smaller on these figures, but the difference is very slight. In addition, it must be underlined that the arms from this producer are inadequate because their uniform is much thinner than the one present here.

The bodies are very well proportioned; high aspect and facial expression are very realistic and well sculptured. There are no differences between bodies and gear and flash is insignificant and can be dealt extremely easy. Bearing in mind that it is a highly manufactured hard plastic set, it was almost obvious that excess of plastic is not at his place here.

This time, the hard plastic used to fabricate these figures accepts very well the paint and gives it a matt appearance.

Even a little bit taller, lining up to the tendency in the scale, registered after 2000, the soldiers from this set are compatible with figures from various producers of German soldiers dressed in M34 tunic. The compatibility is best achieved with figures included in "German Soldiers"/Italeri "German Infantry", Revell "German Armoured Infantry", Atlantic "German Infantry", Airfix  "German Infantry" and most of Preiser sets with reference to the German army in WWII.  

The figures form these sets may be used without hesitation on the same dio, the differences in size being minor. 

Nevertheless, taking into consideration the size of heads, bodies, uniform and gear, the set is perfectly matched with Hasegawa's "German Infantry Attack Group", which is also manufactured in hard plastic.

As it was specified in the first part of the review, another set dealing with the same subject is the one from Armourfast/Hat, entitled almost just this on, namely "German Mortar Team". In spite of a name similitude, the differences between the two sets are quite big, not only form the point of view of figures, but also of uniform, the soldiers being dressed in the late war period style, camo smocks and gaiters.  The Armourfast's set is a pretty good one and includes only 81 mm mortars, less detailed than the ones from Pegasus' set, but almost identical in size. To put together these figures is difficult and not very recommended if there are not mixed soldiers from a great number of producers.

With reference to the mortars featured here by Pegasus Hobbies, both types are highly detailed and definitely some of the best in the Braille scale. Taking into account that inside the box there are five mortars and on the other hand, in general these types had a crew of five, an 81 mm mortar remains without personnel. This can be used with servants from other sets, especially those from Esci"s "German Soldiers" and "Afrika Corps Soldiers".

Throughout various niceties, what sets apart these mortars is the fact that they are detailed and on the other side of the base plate, details that theoretically can not be seen while are set on a diorama, but it honors the manufacturer.

In order to increase the charm of the set, there were integrated several accurate ammo boxes, three for each type of mortar, provided separately from figures. These are a pleasant and useful adding for any diorama including such weapons in action. Their utility is enhanced by the fact that several sets having 81 mm mortars do not include and the ammo boxes.  In addition, the set incorporates only correctly shaped and fine detailed projectiles.

"German Mortar Teams" represents a special set from many points of view, the quality of details and poses as well the fact that the treated subject is not pretty frequent in the scale contributing to its value. Moreover, it must not be ignored the used material, the hard plastic offering the possibility of plenty of conversions and "improvements" to the figures, the equipment and gear from Preiser being recommended in this regard.

Another good piece of news comes for non combat diorama fans, since the set includes a bunch of unarmed and un-geared poses, perfectly suitable for such dios.

And not in the last time, these soldiers are perfectly fit to serve not only mortars, but also the large amount of artillery pieces that comes without crew such as Ace's German guns range.