Rubicon 1/56 Panther. What's your thoughts on it.

[The-closet-gamer]

I've just got my Panther this morning from ebay and looking in the box I'm presently surprised with it. It reminds me of the Armourfast kits. It has as few a parts as possible to aid quick building and the detail is not to shabby. I think it has potential. But the price does put me off a little when compared to Tamiya's 1/48 kits. Ok it's 28mil scale but Tamyia does have more detail for slightly a bigger scale. And with the after market kits can add greater detail. Don't get me wrong, I really like the kit as I think it's awesome. It's just for the same price I think I prefer the Tamyia kit. And yes I understand one is a scale model and the other is an in scale gaming piece. And I can take in account the expense of producing an injected styrene kit especially when it's a new company.

What do you guys think. Do you like their kits. Do you think they are adequately priced for a plastic kit. Who am I kidding cause I know I'm going to buy more.

[gameclassy]

I currently have 3 Rubicon kits which I use for wargaming. I really like them. I believe they are on par with the Warlord/Italieri kits. First I don't want 1/48th scale, because on the table for wargaming they are frankly too big for any game using LOS rules. Secondly I don't want a hundred pierces for my tank. If I did I would buy 1/48th scale. I love that tracks are one solid piece.

As for the Panther, in Bolt Action, especially if your are playing competitively, you'll never see one, as the point cost is too high. I question why they even made one in plastic. I like Rubicon, because they put out tanks that have never been in 1/56th plastic, and I feel they are putting the pressure on Warlord.

[The-closet-gamer]

Just after I posted this topic I remembered Italieri did a kit for Warlord. Do we know what price/detail is like. I'm surprised it's only now that mainstream plastic manufactures are only realising the potential for a 28mil range.

I think the reason for this post is just to reassure me that I'm doing the right thing as I'm a hard core military modeller and in the old days I'd would have looked at this kit with a questioning raised eyebrow like commander Spook when Kirk once again brakes the Prime Directive.( I'm physically unable to do that or wiggle my ears or touch my nose with my tongue. Physically I'm a bit boring ) I'd have looked at it and made a comment on it being a bit s**t. How times have changed.

[Westfalia Chris]

I've recently purchased a Rubicon Panzer III to go with some Perry DAK infantry. I've already got a number of Tamiya Panzer IIIs for my Eastern Front Mid-War Germans (mainly large-ish Harlequin/BTD 28s), and I would say the ease of assembly while maintaining a pleasing level of detail and good proportions justify the price.

I guess it depends on the figures alongside which you want to use the vehicle. I think it may be a tad bit too small for BTD, but well-suited for Perry figures.

[The-closet-gamer]

I built a few BTD tanks for a friend years ago. Bleedin awful. They are more 1/48 especially the Tiger which I personally think it was just the Tamiya kit but modified for spin casting. It the only one that has exact(ish) detail of a Tiger (identical to Tamiya's) where the others just felt like it was a case of here's a photo, now study it for a couple of minutes. Now I'm going to take it away and you'll build a master and put all the details in place from memory. And yeah I think you've hit the nail on the head with what minis you use. They would look to out of place with say Crusader's 28mil. What about Westwind's minis with the Rubicon kits as they seem to be somewhere between 25 and 28mil.

[Truscott Trotter]

I have Blitzkreig, Warlord and JTFM all excellent 1/56th kits with 5 or less parts and heaps of detail. All resin with warlord having some metal bits
Rubicon look nice but are 50 piece kits
I want mine for wargaming not modelling

[The-closet-gamer]

While we're talking about Warlord just remind me is Bolt Action now part of Warlord. I don't know what it is but the Warlord sdkfz 251 it doesn't look right. It feels as if someone has grabbed hold of the top and bottom of the kit and stretched it. That is if they have super human powers and can manipulate matter.  It just looks wrong and the 250 look a bit off. Or is it just me.