I picked up $112nz worth of FOW Soviet T70’s and SU-85’s for Aaron from Vagabond in Auckland last night. It’s an odd kind of pleasure lugging home a hefty bag full of shiny new blisters you know are destined for somebody else’s army. But I’m such a mad old gamer that even buying models for somebody else is enjoyable (possibly I shouldn’t admit that though).
Still having all those Soviet tanks in the garage did inspire me to assemble the final three German Panzer IV’s I need for my own Tank company. That’s everything built and ready for some ‘bare metal’ test gaming!
I was eyeballing the unopened Soviet blisters on the work table while putting the Panzers together and it was interesting to note the very different design philosophies at work. The German Panzers of WWII look like fine, well engineered pieces of machinery that could have rolled out of some retooled sports car factory. Whereas the boxy, squat and just plain ugly Soviet T70’s and monster SU-85 Assault gun seem like dangerous, oversized farming machinery.
Still there’s no denying the brutish, no-nonsense look of the Soviet models does have a certain unique appeal! I’ll enjoy watching them deploy on the opposite side of the tabletop.