The present figures are test-shots of a new board game, created by Jeff Stein and produced by Pegasus Hobbies which is going to be launched in the next period.
The first two photos features the three standard poses included in the game, the rest of five being conversions (three after the soldier dressed in Waffenrock and two after the soldier wearing the M43 tunic).
For converting them I used Preiser accessories as well two heads from the same source. The operation was facilitated due to the fact that the present test-shots were manufactured in hard plastic.
The figures are painted with Humbrol and oils, namely the faces and hands were washed with Burnt Sienna and shadows from the uniforms were added with Ivory.
I have painted Rommel as a common Panzer Grenadier officer. In fact, I have enrolled all these figures in Panzer Grenadier units, including the two figures to which I have detailed the Waffenrock. The production of this type of tunic was cancelled around 1940 while the Panzer Grenadier units, easy to be recognized after the light green piping, were organized much latter. In spite of this, there are a lot of M35 Waffenrocks wearing the specific Panzer Grenadier piping. An appropriate argument for the existence of Panzer Grenadier Waffenrocks may rest in the fact that these tunics were tailor made, even around the end of war.
The hardest thing was to detail those two M35 tunics to which I added the piping around the collar, cuffs, back of tunic and along the buttons. It is about the tunics where I also painted the braid and French cuffs. Two the other two M35 tunics I removed the braid and I painted without any characteristic feature, except the eagle.
Hope you enjoy them and any comments regarding the figures and preview are more than waited and wanted.
I would also like to thank Mr. Larry Thompson from Pegasus Hobbies for sending me these test-shots.
Cristian Florescu
Scale 1/72
"WWII Board Game" Preview
Produced by PEGASUS HOBBIES
Created by JEFF STEIN
Preview
A new huge board game produced by Pegasus Hobbies and Jeff Stein as the creator and right holder is going to be launched in the next future. In spite of containing a large series of pieces, the present review is addressed only to the three poses of the figures that are part and parcel of the game, more details related to other included components coming with another occasion.
Still, with reference to the board game, it has to be mentioned that it will incorporate various nations taking part at the WWII, requiring in this regard plenty of resources. The troops will be represented inside the game by the same figures, but in order to differentiate them, the colors will be dissimilar.
Moreover, each nation will benefit by a single leader and for fulfilling this task, it was selected one of the most glorious commanders of WWII, the legendary Erwin Rommel, and this figure really looks like the character.
Unarmed, his pose as well gear is inspired from a famous color picture, respectively he wears M43 tunic, M35 officer trousers, long riding boots, officer cap, scarf, goggles and in his hands he holds binoculars.
Likewise, it is not necessary the figure to be Rommel or other general, it can depict any German officer, in a classical stance, observing his brave soldiers and trying to find a viable solution for his units getting through with an overwhelming, motivated and unbound enemy.
Even dealing with only three poses, Pegasus Hobbies attention to interesting topics remarks again, this time in the field of uniforms. It is about M35 dress tunic (Waffenrock), a pretty rare or almost unique item in the field of 1/72 German soldiers, a more than interesting and useful figure, especially for those who want to portray a military parade taking place in the Third Reich.
The soldier is in a classical parade pose and as it was normal, is lightly equipped, having just the Kar98K and the ammo pouches. His uniform is genuine reproduced, without pockets and all the eight front buttons, as well the braid, French cuff, eagle and other small characteristic features being visible. Nevertheless, this figure is quite difficult to be implied in a combat, but except marching at parades, it may be used to guard Reichstag or other important buildings or monuments of that period.
It should be said that the only missing detail of his Waffonrock is the buttons from the back side of the jacket, where it should be six small buttons. Indeed, one pair of buttons can not be seen, being covered by the belt, while the other two pairs are extremely easy to be represented while painting the figures.
The last soldier of the game, the one who holds the StG44 is also a nice and very useful add, in particular for dioramas involving static poses like guarding an ammo depot or a rolling stock, but for sure its use does not restrict just to these themes. The figure is dressed in the late war uniform, M43 tunic, regular trousers, an evident shirt, ankle boots, gaiters and helmet that look as being covered by camouflage canvas. Contrasting with the first two poses, his gear is almost complete, consisting in "Y" straps, accurate ammo pouches, gas mask container, canteen, mess tin, bread bag and shovel without bayonet attached.
Furthermore, the M43 tunic provides the suitability advantage of being painted in Waffen SS or Wehrmacht camouflage patterns.
Analyzing all the uniforms, it may be stressed that these are authentically reproduced and in spite of being just test shots, the details are fair realized, with buttons, eagles, creases and other small things that make the difference in assessing a figure, more than perceptible. The thickness of the uniforms make them proper to be used in warm periods, but in some extent, all the figures, particularly the one dressed in M43 tunic, are suitable and for colder seasons.
Furthermore, the anatomy is great, with expressively faces and without contrasts between the size of the weapons or gear at different poses.
The present test shots were made in hard plastic, but the final product it is reported to be manufactured in soft plastic, using a material similar with the one used by Airfix, so conversions will be harder.
Obviously, taking into account their main purpose, as board game figures, all have bases, but for those who want to use them in dioramas, their bases are very easy to be removed.
Especially the bodies' dimensions and thickness of uniforms, but also the size of weapons and gear make them perfectly compatible with almost all the figures included in Preiser sets, in fact at a first glance, the present soldiers look extremely close to those manufactured by the just mentioned company, a small difference being met at the size of the gas mask container. Of course, matching so good with Preiser means that they go in the same way with products from the long list of other manufacturers of 1/72 WWII Germans, but the best fit with figures encountered in Revell, Airfix and Esci sets.
Through choosing such types of uniforms and gear, maybe it was the creator's intention to highlight the early and late periods of the war inside the game.
Despite being just test shots, the high quality of the present figures exceed not only other soldiers included in various board games, but also troopers incorporated in many classical "figures sets" related to the German Army. A possible explanation for the top quality may rest in Pegasus Hobbies desire to use these sculpts inside future sets, so it would not be a surprise to bump again into these poses and with other occasions.
