"Alternatives to Battlefront" Topic

I've been struggling with some Panzer IV H's from Battlefront (15mm). These models are composite materials (Resin body, Metal tracks & accessories & Plastic Schurzen plates) and frankly just putting the models together has been a bit of a nightmare. I've found the finished construction is just too weak to handle and I've had to make some adjustments to make these models battle worthy (i.e. so they can be handled in-game without falling apart). I'm happy with the quality & detailing on the Battlefront models it's just their choice of materials and the way they have to be put together I'm not happy with.

So, long story short, I'm looking for another platoon of Panzer IV's from a different manufacturer. I've seen the Peter Pig models (are they all metal? can't tell from the pictures) but can anyone suggest any other good choices in this scale? And what are they made from… not more composite materials please!

BigLee
Blog link

Panzer IV review here: link

Peter Pig aren't on that review, but would probably be my choice – they are all-metal too.

Skytrex gets my vote all metal.
As Dom says Peter Pig nice as well again all metal

An excellent review and very useful although your right its a pity Peter Pig aren't included. I seem to be having similar problems of construction that the reviewer got with the Quality Honours Casting. The Battlefront models I have are fiddly in the extreme and I wasn't at all happy with the finished build.

The Schürzen plates stand at least 2mm from the side of the vehicle and are only attached via a plastic rail & brackets at the top of the model. The result is a nightmare to glue together (the brackets need to be glued on individually, then the rail, then the Schürzen onto that) making the model incredibly weak when finished. I ended up removing the rail & brackets, cleaning the Schürzen off and affixing them directly to the side of the tank. Not perfect but at least the model will remain in once piece during painting!

I kept finding myself wishing the model was all metal rather than resin, metal & plastic. I'm convinced this 'composite' approach made construction harder and weaker. If this model was for display rather than Wargaming I'd persevere and be happy with the excellent detailing. But in a model that will inevitable be handled a lot this approach is just insane.

Ours is all metal. We also do two different types of Shurzen plates (mash as well as plate).

link

Use epoxy glue, and they will be plenty strong.

Much better than superglue for heavy construction.

Schurzen falling off during battle was a real problem – maybe Battlefront have taken reaility a little too far?

Another vote for Skytrex here, or Peter Pig.

Strange how the same old names keep coming up.

Pat

I use Old Glory for mine. They work pretty well. I think almost all of my 15mm WWII vehicles are old glory with a couple of exceptions.

I too use and prefer Old Glory tanks. The price is right!

mjc

Less so in Blighty….

Alternatives to Battlefront? Wow. Now that's a concept. Has that idea ever come up on TMP before?

Mash, Paul?

picture

Allen

Re: Battlefront Pz IVs. I don't have these, but IIRC the skirt armor on these tanks is actually canted inward towards the bottom. the actual armor skirt was attached to a "sawtooth" rack at the top, as well as brackets at the fenderline, making it cant inward. Perhaps the reason they are so delicate is because as constructed, they should be glued at the fenderline?

Damon.

Also re: Old Glory. SOme are hit and miss. The 75mm Shermans are pretty dire IMHO, with the turret grossly underscale. I has also bought a bunch of Pz IIILs and didn't care for them, though the BF IIIMs are larger and not that much better (they have indistinct detailing on the engine deck FREX). OTOH, I think the OG SdKfz 251Cs are just fine.

Damon.

"Less so in Blighty…."

Yeah, but you can buy Peter Pig for a reasonable price -- so count your blessings.

mjc

I do, and indeed I do – Piggy tends to my first port of call. If I was States-side, OG and an army card would win unless it was a particularly terrible model (hello Shermans….) but in the UK the price differential's massively smaller, so I ignore price and shop pretty much entirely on quality. Peter Pig often wins that scrap, with a lot of Battlefront vehicles, and odds and ends from others, especially QRF's more recent offerings.

We are trying to work on both price and quality. Several more new releases just coming online.

Geoff (off to work out how we can now make mash screens to meet Paul's comment…)

Makes perfect sense; what better to stop those nasty bangers…?

I also use and sell BattleHonors Quality casting range. i got in a shipment of specialty infnatry (engineers, tank hunters, etc) and landing craft to take to the Hurricon show on Thursday.

I can only assume you are trying to build the PzIVs from the platoon box? Because I have some of their PzIVj from blisters, and the shurtzen on those attaches right to the fender, with some spacers on the inside bottom part that attach to the sides of the hull. Quite simple and durable.

But then the ways of Battlefront are varied and mysterious.

That reminds me--you can still get the old metal, one-piece schuertzen in the Battlefront special order catalog:

PDF link

A lot of people have developed their own simplified mounting systems (just using sections of sprue, for example) for the plastic ones, as well.

Allen

I would be afraid to use the schurzen as intended in the BF plastic mode.
One naturally picks a tank up on the side, and that would give too much stress along glue joints.
I just glued them right to the tank.
Sometimes a good model does not make a good gaming figure.