Model Sources for Modern Combat ?

[Iain McGhee]

I picked up a copy of this the other day, mainly to use with the SST playtest rules. I'd like to pick up a couple of smallish modern forces but I've had trouble finding models for a lot of the ones in the book. I'll list what I've spotted, please add any others you know about (esp. Russian and Chinese).

British: Revell do Challengers, Warriors and infantry. Dragon and/or Forces Of Valour have die-cast Challengers and Warriors.

US: Revell do Abrams, Bradleys and older-style infantry. Dragon do diecast Abrams, Bradley (and Linebacker) plus several Hummer versions. Caesar do really nice current infantry (M4s, NVG gear, Barretts but no M249s). Easy do Strykers (basic type, no ATGM or MGS) but I can't find a local stockist.

German: Revell do Leopards, Marders, Fenneks and infantry (inc. KSK). Die-cast Leopards are around too (Dragon)

Chinese: Not a thing, other than aircraft.

MEA: No infantry (old-style Russians would do as Govt. troops), FOV T-72, could always add BTR and M113s plus other mixed Western/Eastern stuff although I'd prefer to stick to the lists as they are.

Russian: No regular infantry, no tanks newer than Revell T-80 (an Eastern European manufacturer does a T-90, or so I've heard, but I've no idea who. Or, more to the point, where I can get a couple). No BMP-3s or BMP-Ts that I can find, some BMP-1 and -2 kits available. Same problem with those as with the T-90. Not on the army list (but the -A version is close enough in stats to the WZ551 that you can use it's data) is the BTR-80, which is (yet again) seemingly only made by a few Eastern-European companies and less than easy to find.


Aircraft and Helos are easy enough to get (I picked up 1/100 scale prepainted kits, by Revell, for £4 each. An A10 and a Hokum. Don't want to use 1/72 aircraft, modern planes being pretty big. Undecided about the helos). The main things I'm looking for are Russian vehicles and infantry, and possibly metal US or German infantry. I'd prefer to go for a US Stryker platoon (if I can source the kits, Heer if I can't) and either Russian or Chinese force, depending on what's available. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=33619

I started a thread a while back with a lot of links in it. Now I've got the rulebook, I'll be updating it extensively.

 

[Mr Evil]

terrorists these are perfect...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Caesar-Miniatures-1-72-031-Modern-Resisters-Terrorist_W0QQitemZ140255576413QQihZ004QQcategoryZ16511QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

seller is very good and evan emailed me when i paid to much postage !!!!

 

[Mr Evil]

and for WW2 germans check these out

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Orion-1-72-72017-WWII-Volkssturm-1945-German-Militia_W0QQitemZ360077511303QQihZ023QQcategoryZ1189QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262

 

[tiepilot1138]

I used to get all the forces of valor stuff at Target, but they've cleared it all out (figures, just in time for the release of MC).

 

[Armydillo978]

I used to get all the forces of valor stuff at Target, but they've cleared it all out (figures, just in time for the release of MC).

Toys R Us carries them as well; though, you won't see the 1/72nd scale ones listed on their web site if you think to check there. We picked up two packs of SS calvary, two Russian Cosacks, and one US Army (9th Div I think) yesterday. They even have a bunch of 1/72nd scale WWII aircraft.

 

[Xorrandor]

Aircraft and Helos are easy enough to get (I picked up 1/100 scale prepainted kits, by Revell, for £4 each. An A10 and a Hokum. Don't want to use 1/72 aircraft, modern planes being pretty big. Undecided about the helos).

I had a 1/72 scale A10 model in my hand, but put it back because I was worried that it would be too big for the table. Has anyone tried it? Is 1/100 too small, or 1/72 too large?

 

[Agis]

Aircraft and Helos are easy enough to get (I picked up 1/100 scale prepainted kits, by Revell, for £4 each. An A10 and a Hokum. Don't want to use 1/72 aircraft, modern planes being pretty big. Undecided about the helos).

I had a 1/72 scale A10 model in my hand, but put it back because I was worried that it would be too big for the table. Has anyone tried it? Is 1/100 too small, or 1/72 too large?

Funny thing, got the same feeling.
I use 1/72 aircraft models for my 28mm (1/56) ground forces and try to get 1/100 or even 1/144 for 20mm!

Works for me! 8)

 

[Mr Evil]

for aircraft i use 1/100 for 1/72 scale games and 1/144 scale for 15mm games... it looks more rigght

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

I've got a 1/72 scale Eurofighter and Apache for my British army. The flying base I built for them is about 10" tall so they're a nice height above the battlefield and it doesn't look too out of place. I think if you're using transport choppers especially it's better to use 1/72.

 

[Mr Evil]

agreed anything that needs to land needs to be in scale, end of the day all these minatures are just pretty tokens.. so no hard fast rules i spose...

 

[Xorrandor]

agreed anything that needs to land needs to be in scale, end of the day all these minatures are just pretty tokens.. so no hard fast rules i spose...

I was just looking for opinions. I don't have a ton of experience with moderns (or aircraft minis in general), so I figured I'd ask those wiser than I in these matters.

I was thinking 1/72 for helicopters (since they might land), and 1/100 or so for aircraft (they look smaller because we're concerned about the perspective from the ground, right? ). But you don't want the aircraft looking like toys, and then some of them like to land, and ...

 

[Mr Evil]

tour find 1/100 scale aircraft look more right than 1/72.... especialy in ww2 games...

 

[Rick]

Revell have withdrawn the Fuchs, Luchs (I think), Marder and Warrior models. Ace models is a great Ukrainian kit manufacturer, and easily sourced these days. I usually trawl through the Hannants website as it lets you search by category or manufacturer and they do get a lot of kits in. Also try Liberation Miniatures as a good source of 20mm metal figures.

http://www.hannants.co.uk/

http://www.rhmodels.com/

 

[Lorcan Nagle]

My LMS has a couple of fuchs and luchs, but no warriors or marders. I did manage to nab two REvell uparmoured Warriors off eBay the other day, so between them and my BFevo ones I should be OK on that front, but I'm not lookign forward to tracking down APCs for my planned German army...

 

[Rick]

I've just started a German Army too, it's been difficult, but I've managed to track down 4 Marder 1A3 models, and thats by searching most net model shops, ebay, etc. In a couple of cases I got the last 1 in stock.

As an alternative, there is also Herpa minitanks. They do the old Roco line, but are in 1/87 scale so do look a bit small next to a Revell model. BUT they are the only company that do a model of a wolf or gepard. They are also a touch expensive, but probably as detailed as Revell. Then there's always resin kits, if you're willing to pay for them.

http://www.ontracks.co.uk/index.php?page=catalogue&cat=1341

http://tracks-n-troops.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=917ff898a2b7c930d22ff2b1cd434038

http://www.matadormodels.co.uk/new_kits.htm

 

[Iain McGhee]

Thanks for the help guys , I've been doing a bit more checking since my first post and found a website for a company called Modelhobbies that have a good range of models from a wide range of companies. I had a look at the Liberation figures, but I'm not all that fond of a lot of them. Might well look fine once they're painted up. Probably order a few and see how they turn out. I did notice that they did French troops, which could be easily convereted to Chinese. They'd really only need the handle on the FAMAS removed for one version of the Q-95(?) or reduced for the other. At that scale the uniform's close enough.

It looks more likely that I'll forget about modern forces and pick up a copy of WAW. Much easier to get cheap-ish models and figures for all the armies. Besides, I'm not entirely comfortable with playing modern forces with all that's going on in the world at present. Conversely, I'm fine with modern warfare PC games (CM:SF, GRAW esp) :?

 

[Iain McGhee]

Aircraft and Helos are easy enough to get (I picked up 1/100 scale prepainted kits, by Revell, for £4 each. An A10 and a Hokum. Don't want to use 1/72 aircraft, modern planes being pretty big. Undecided about the helos).

I had a 1/72 scale A10 model in my hand, but put it back because I was worried that it would be too big for the table. Has anyone tried it? Is 1/100 too small, or 1/72 too large?

The A-10 is about 6" or so long in 1/100. It looks OK next to 1/72nd scale armour. Given that most aircraft will pass over the table in a turn or two, it's only a marker anyway. I might even go for 1/144 for combat jets (several Typhoon/JSF/A-10 models, even a Berkut that I'd use with Su27 stats since it looks so cool)The KA-50 is about the same size, most other gunships would likely be about the same. I'd perhaps go for 1/72nd for transport helos (if I bother with them) since they might look a bit odd landed if they're not the same scale as your other stuff.

 

[Rick]

I did notice that they did French troops, which could be easily convereted to Chinese. They'd really only need the handle on the FAMAS removed for one version of the Q-95(?) or reduced for the other. At that scale the uniform's close enough.

Actually, Iain, hold off on that purchase for a little bit. I noticed that Caesar Miniatures will be releasing some modern french troops in 1/72 plastic, so that might be a better way of getting your figures. Check out the Caesar website, no piccies yet, however.

http://www.miniknight.com/caesar.htm

Well worth the look, as they have some new stuff coming out this year that looks very good for modern wargames.

 

[Iain McGhee]

So I see, but it looks like they're dropping some others. Like the US troops I picked up a box of. Typical of the way my luck runs, you should see my dice rolling