RAFM Cyclops Land Wheeler product review

[Chairface]

I pre-ordered the Cyclops from RAFM several weeks ago and was pleased when the model arrived 3 days after it shipped. The metal components were fairly clean with the exception of the smokestacks. They could have been cast a little more cleanly. The lines needed quite a bit of attention and I wasn't fully satisfied with them when I was done. The gun, well it's tiny. I considered making a substitution, but decided to go with the original gun. After all its not the size of the gun but what you do with it. I love the shape of the boiler and would encourage RAFM to make it available separately for converters.



The resin hull also needed some work, above and beyond normal resin cleaning. I actually had to carve slots into the resin in order to place the rear wheel, which I thought was a bit odd. I would be interested if it was just on mine, or if this was a common flaw in the model. It wasn't that big of a deal however, easily taken care of.

Painting was quick and easy. I like how it turned out for the most part. Looking at the pictures I see a few places that need work. My only concern with the model were the rivets. I would have preferred to see larger rivets spaced farther apart. The rivets are very small and clustered. A few different angles:











Here are a few size comparison photos - Ironclad Steam Carriage and a Foundry fig.:





Over all I am very pleased with the model. I have a few quibbles - the extra work on the resin, the quality of casting on the smokestacks. The rivets could be larger. The gun could be bigger. I was surprised that the Cyclops is so much smaller than the Ironclad Steam Carriage. It looked bigger in the advert. But it is very characterful and will look great in my Dutch VSF army. The few problems that I have with the model are far outweighed by the overall "coolness" of it. It is a great start to the Ares Rising line of VSF vehicles, and while I would suggest a few changes for the  next Ares Rising release, I recommend the Cyclops.

[Burnt65]

Looks great!
Can't wait to meet it on the table!

[Sterling Moose]

Nice work Dave.  Mine have the same issue with the rear wheel.  I'm waiting for a dry weekend to get the dremel out to carve some of the body away so that they fit.

[Fuzzywuzzieswiflasers]

Its a nice model but looking at the size of it compared to the foundry figure methinks its scale is more 15mm than 25/28mm. Pity

Still looks good though.

cheers
Fuzzy.

[Chairface]

Can't wait to meet it on the table!

Me too Keith. I don't think that it will be too hard for you to take out.  

Nice work Dave.  Mine have the same issue with the rear wheel.  I'm waiting for a dry weekend to get the dremel out to carve some of the body away so that they fit.

Good to know. Kind of strange eh? But ultimately not a big deal.

Its a nice model but looking at the size of it compared to the foundry figure methinks its scale is more 15mm than 25/28mm. Pity

I think that you could use it for smaller scales (It would look impressive with 15mm), but it is definitely usable in  28mm. I think that the idea is that there is room for a single crew member. It's almost more of an armoured calvary man than an artillery piece.

[Servitor of RAFM]

Thanks for reviewing the product Chairface. I will take into account your remarks for future work.
There was some problems in the early stages with the model. Namely the stacks and boiler being destroyed in a moulding accident and having to be reworked.  Keep in mind that it was modeled using RAFM's colonial troops for scale, not Foundry. And you are right it was never intended to be an artillery piece but rather a command type vehicle.

[Thunderchicken]

Nice work Dave and thanks for the review. 

[Chairface]

Thanks for reviewing the product Chairface. I will take into account your remarks for future work.

Thank you for responding! It is a pleasure to get feedback from the manufacturer. I know that I appreciate RAFM's presence on LAF and your interaction with your customers. I hope that you didn't take my criticisms too harshly. I very much like the overall model. There are just a few things that I would have done differently.

There was some problems in the early stages with the model. Namely the stacks and boiler being destroyed in a moulding accident and having to be reworked.

The boiler turned out beautifully! Like I said, please make it available as a stand alone piece.

Keep in mind that it was modeled using RAFM's colonial troops for scale, not Foundry.

Understood, but I think that this was perhaps a mistake. I have many RAFM colonials in my collection, but they are just too small in today's VSF marketplace. I have minis from a variety of manufacturers in my Dutch VSF army - Hinterland, Copplestone, Foundry, Perry, HLBSC, GW, Redoubt, and yes, a few RAFM's, and all dwarf the RAFM models. I would scale future releases to your Modern Day Hero's line. Anything that looks right in 28mm will not look out of place with 25mm models, but the reverse isn't necessarily true. It really makes sense that you would want to reach the largest market possible with your products.

And you are right it was never intended to be an artillery piece but rather a command type vehicle.

Which completely fits with what I'll be using it as. I'd love to see a version with an open hatch so a command figure could look out and survey the situation.

Again all in all an excellent model from a company that I very much enjoy. I spend far too much money at your table at Hotlead every year. I look forward to future releases.

[Mancha]

I like the model because it's such an atypical design.  It's too bad it's so small though.  (Although given its size, it might make sense that it has such a small weapon.) I might add some sort of undercarriage to mine when it arrives; just to make it look as if a human could fit in there.  And on that note, I wonder when it will arrive?

[YPU]

I think a sitting gunner could fit just behind the front turret, plus perhaps a driver/stoker behind him. It would be cramped and crowded, but what do you expect?

[WarGameGuru]

That's kinda cute.

[Chairface]

I think a sitting gunner could fit just behind the front turret, plus perhaps a driver/stoker behind him. It would be cramped and crowded, but what do you expect?

I figure thats whats going on, although I would surmise that there is room for one operator/stoker/gunner. And Mancha, when you get the model infront of you I think you'll see that there is room for at least one human. 

[Sterling Moose]

Anything that looks right in 28mm will not look out of place with 25mm models, but the reverse isn't necessarily true

Excellent point.

[Jonas]

ok, mine arrived today and this time they really did arrive... Well it is kind of small, but I think it is ok, but will be hard to use the 4 man crew needed in Gaslight

It will be a great light armour tank, utilising speed instead of firepower or armour.

[Chairface]

Well it is kind of small, but I think it is ok, but will be hard to use the 4 man crew needed in Gaslight

One human driver and 3 small automoton stokers then.

Glad it made it. Did yours also have the problem with the rear wheel?