Re: Alternative SG II APCs

Another source of sg2 armoured vehicles is the Roco Minitanks line;
these
are HO (1/87) or 1/72 scale (I can't recall which) vehicles, mostly
modern
European vehicles.

They work as big 15mm scale vehicles, and they might work (some of them)
as smaller 25mm vehicles (I only have 15mm figs personally). I have
several West German Marder A2 IFV/MICVs right now, with the tracks
removed
and Das modelling clay GEV skirts installed. I'm using them as Size 4
IFVs, carrying 12 troops max. The Roco Minitanks are around Cdn $7-8.

Another source, not ready made like the Roco or the toys but good, is
any
line of 1/72 armour kits - I have an Airfix model of a Brit Scorpion
light
tank presently, also modified into a GEV, with some extra bits added to
make it look 'different'...These are around Cdn $5-6.

I look for foreign vehicles, which for me here in Canada means European
units, usually...no use using Yank vehicles, an M113 with a hoverskirt
is
still an M113 - they're too damn common. The South African military also
has some interesting rare vehicles, if I can find models, and there's a
bunch of Japanese tank models at the local hobby store that're
interesting. (Real Japanese tanks, not magna...)

There's always scratch-building, if you're feeling adventurous...I just
started a light recon vehicle/FAV, using styrene bits and leftovers from
commercial kits. It's based on a description in Drake's 'Sharp End'
Slammer's book, a vehicle with independantly-powered wheels on the end
of
long out-rigger axles, independantly sprung for greater off-road
ability.
It should make an interesting model - very spidery, with those long
axles.
Scratch-building is dead cheap, of course - styrene rods, sheets and
beams
can be found at any model-train store, and if you build any kits at all
you can use leftover scrap bits from them...

You can do exactly the same thing with bigger scale models for 25mm
Stargrunt - I think 1/35 is the scale you want. 

(There's actually a South African wheeled heavy artillery vehicle that
would make a very cool sg2 centerpiece - it already looks SFish. Can't
recall the name...I've seen 1/35 models of it, but no 1/72.)

Later,

Brian (burger00@camosun.bc.ca)

On Mon, 23 Mar 1998, Stuart Murray wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> For those SG II players like me who like to use APC but hate to paint
them
> here is another source of pre-painted APCs.
> 
> I just picked up a Galoob Battle set M113 APC.  however, it is not a
M113,
> it is an 'Amtrack' marine amphibious APC (I've forgotten the correct
name
> for this APC).  Pics available on Galoob's site.
> 
> The APC is mouled in greeen plastic, not too gfarish, however,  a wash
with
> dark ink/paint won't hurt it too much.  Detail is excellent for a toy,
it
> is around 5 inches long by 3 wide by two and a half/three high.  I
could go
> on abit here but considersing this is a toy Galoob have pulled out all
the
> stops here, upper deck detail is crisp and plentiful.  The driver
turret
> opens, as does the turret (the turret mounts an auto grenade launcher
and
> SAW, plus a rather oversized GMS (actually you get a red plastic
missile to
> fire from it, no arguments about line of site there !).  the rear
dorsal
> hull hatch is moulded in one pice and opens, as does the rear drop
> downhatch, interior detail is fine too.  Overall detail is crisp and
> surprisingly good foa  kids toy, Presonally i think this is begging
for
> superdetailing, perhaps using the half turret crew and kit from
Geohex,
> plus some parts from a 1/32 kit for interior detail.
> 
> As for relative scale, the interaior is scaled such that a GZG 25 mm
fig
> would have plenty or head room, a Grenadier FW troper also can stand
> upright, i think a GW fig may scrape its head and have to stoop a
little.
> 
> Critisiscms:	It comes with whells which elevate it slightly above the
> tracks, however, as the thing is screwed together these are no problem
to
> remove.  The paint job could have been better, however, as this is a
kids
> toy I guess I cant be too picky.  No other real problems with it.
> 
> Cost: the best bit ! I paid ten buck for mine at Toys are Us.  If you
can't
> get one locally Galoob do mail order in the US.
> 
> Conclusions:	For me there are not enough tracked APCs in GZGs
repetiore so
> this is ideal, especially as it is very 20th C so it can easily
represent
> older technology (I'm curently planning to use mine as a Colonial
Marine
> transport which has been superceded by the M577 APC.	The tracked
carrier
> looks more able to carry something really heavy like my heavy PA unit,
or
> even as a mortar carrier as the top hatch opens up).
> 
> BTW I am not a Galoob salesman, but as anyone who has seen the Aliens
> APC/dropship will know Galoob seem to have hit upon the ideal scale to
get
> into the market for little soldiers APCs.  As an aside, I can't help
but
> wonder what the folks who buy GW Rhinos, and the like, will think when
they
> see these at half the price of the GW stuff, plus they are 'painted',
plus
> they are more detailed, AND they don't look like a shoebox on tracks !
> 
> Enough rant,
> 
> Stuart.
> 
> 
> Stuart Murray
> 
> Department Of Molecular Genetics
> Albert Einstein College Of Medicine
> 1300 Morris Park Avenue
> Bronx
> New York 10461
> 
> Tel: (718) 430 4289
> smurray@aecom.yu.edu
> 
> 
>