"Walmart 1/144 Tank Questions" Topic

Coming to the party late, I have some questions about the New Millenium WW2 tanks. Are they still generally available? Only about half of the stores I've check have them, & the ones that do have a very limited stock.

Also, has there only be 12 tanks made? Here's a list I've found of the tanks: link
No Russians, & only 3 US?

Thanks

They are produced and marketed as toys. TOYS. Not models for wargaming. Be happy with what is available, and expect no rational releases in the near future. The only thing you can expect new will be something rare and glamorous.

I feel your pain. I collect and game with the 21st Century WW2 plames.
They have Spitfires, but not in Battle of Britain camo.
They have more Me-262 paint variants than you can shale a stick at, but no 109s.
Ki-84s, but no Oscars.

It would be nice to see the wargamer catered to, but we are not. They sell sexy little toys for the impulse buyer, or the kid who does not know any better, nor cares.

They sell sexy little toys for the impulse buyer, or the kid who does not know any better, nor cares.

I agree with you John. But if the impulse buyer or kid don't really care what the toy is, then perhaps we need to start flooding 21stCT with requests for that ME-109E and Oscar. They are supposed to be coming out with U.S and German half tracks and I think the Ford and Opel trucks.

As far as WalMart goes, it is pretty much a hit or miss situation. I have four SuperCenters within easy driving distance. One of them carries the 1/144th stuff. They have more Brumbar's and Tiger II's than Germany ever made, and just recently put out a box of P-47 C/D's. I bought six of those. Unfortunately the 1/144th stuff disappeared from the other three. It may make a reappearance in them or not. You just never know.

They also run in series. For example they did a regular version of the Sherman, then a camoed version of the same and then I believe a two tone version. Once done, however, they dont seem to reissue once they have gone through the "versions". It is usually best to get what you think you will need up front.

Scale varies on them. Though listed as 1/144th the vehicles are usually closer to 1/160th with some 1/150th and some a mixture (the Priest scales out differently from specs in length and width). Some mix with little problem with Dragon, WTM and some of the other true 1/144th stuff. I especially look forward to the next run which will have the German 251, SdKfz 7 and US M3 halftrack at a minimum already shown.

Different WalMart stores get different mixes of items so not consistent and was told they dont get further shipments unless items sell. So if you are unlucky and as mentioned your store gets a bunch of Brumbars and Tiger IIs which dont sell they wont restock even with different vehicles!

Aircraft are more consistent in 1/144th scale and their two new P-47s are really great!

These tanks quickly become a bad deal, if you spend a lot of time and gas, haunting WalMarts looking for them.

OTOH, you can pick them up on-line, and save yourself the hassle.

link

A better option is probably World Tank Museum. Same scale, better quality, slightly more expensive, but can be bought in packs 5 of the more common tanks. I love my WalMart tanks, but life is too short to be chasing after them, like they were diamonds.

You can buy WTM at thewarstore.com

What and how many are you looking for?
I have 200 of the things, and quite frankly I don't need them all.
I have more Jagdtigers (where 1 model represents 3 Tanks) than the real German Army ever built.

And seriously, John, what you play with are toys as well.
And the notion that game makers are on a better schedule than toy makers makes me giggle with the absurdity of it.

Giggle away. I am distinguishing between stuff marketed like GI Joes and "serious" wargaming stuff. I never said that I did not play with toys.
I will stack Battlefront's "schedule" against 21st Century's.

If 21st Century had their act together, they would know that a mixed pair of Spitfires in BoB livery paired with a 109 would sell like hotcakes. Why, I really think they could increase sales by … 5%!
As would P40s with Flying Tiger markings versus Oscars or Ki-27s. Or both.
I am not daft enough to suggest Finnish Brewster Buffalos versus Russian I16s. Although, who knows? As far as WalMart or Toys R Us are concerned, a plane is a plane. That cannot be any more illogical than my local WM having 16 pairs of Yankee Spitfires versus Me-262.