"1:56th Scale Gear Krieg WWII Mecha Now Available" Topic

What's the rationale for the mechs in this game? What I mean is, why would someone put legs on a Stuart? I assume the game gives a reason, just interested to read what it is.

Wow…I wonder if I could put the turret from an M8 Scott (75mm howitzer) on it without having to chop it up too badly.
Looks like I just found my Xmas present.

Aside from "it's cool!" (and Gear Krieg is the genre-making Weird War 2 setting), in Gear Krieg these mechs usually function as scouts and support units. They are designed to be transformable, so they can change from road movement mode for rapid mobility to walking mode for rough terrain and scouting. So an AFV like this would move in "driving" mode until it needed to move into an urban area, forests or other rough terrain, and then it would transform into walker mode.

As an example, in one game I played, set in Normandy, a US player used his mech in "driving mode" to drive cross country and flank the German player behind the cover of bocage, and then changed to "walking mode" to stand up behind the bocage and then shoot at the Germans, getting essentially a soft cover bonus. He did the same from behind walls, giving him a "hull down" bonus against return fire.

I could also envision the usefulness of such an AFV in a choked urban combat setting where standard wheeled and tracked AFVs would have limited mobility -- an AFV that could traverse this kind of limiting terrain could bring an advantage. Imagine an SU-74 type assault gun that could cross rubble to bring direct fire support into play for an infantry attack.

And life imitates fiction -- here's an interesting article that discusses some combat walker ideas under consideration by real world weapons systems designers:

link

But again, it also boils down to -- but it's cool and fun!!
Cheers!

@frankfey, the kits are available through Company B and soon some online distributors, so if you have the M8 kit turret from Company B, it should fit. I'll ask them to check.

So an AFV like this would move in "driving" mode until it needed to move into an urban area, forests or other rough terrain, and then it would transform into walker mode.

Thanks SBminisguy -- not to be too much of a stick, but wouldn't the greatly increased size of a stuart with huge legs make it less manoeuverable in close terrain, not more manoeuverable?

It's not a Stuart. The hull is actually much smaller. Narrower and shorter. This is really a two man tankette. The turret is also about 1/2 the size of a Stuart turret, although a standard Stuart turret would also fit the model.

Think of the mechs as recon or scouts.

It's not actually a Stuart, it's a little smaller than a Stuart, but the design is patterned after it. When DP9 created Gear Krieg it was intended to be the WW2 back-story for Heavy Gear, and all the mech designs "feel" very much like that period. But again, it's mecha in WW2 -- so despite any rationalizations I may provide, it's all about what appeals to you in a game.

@frankfey, I spoke with Brent at Company B and he says that you could easily fit the M8 turret on it, but would have to increase the size of the hole on the upper deck of the kit.

The kit, btw, comes with parts for an open-topped M11A1 command walker as well as the turreted M11A3 combat walker -- in both walking and driving mode. Also, since the legs attach via nice deep sockets to the hull you don't have to pin and glue to assemble the kit. You could even not glue the legs on, and swap out the driving legs with the walking legs during a game.

Cheers!

Thanks, I'll definitely be ordering at least one for now. They should work really well with the new Disposable Heroes: Point Blank rules from Iron Ivan Games. (Shameless Plug :-) )

payday cant come soon enough.

Any idea with the scale with the Dust Tactics vehicles?

They are the same Height as the Dust Tactics Mechs.

Image Courtesy of Agis Neugebaur

link

The General Early and the Valkyrie are both great models !! I've seen and handled them personally. ;)

What material are they made from?

ASAIK they are resin and smaller details in metal.

Great fun models. Ludicrously impractical but nevertheless fantastic products!

Outstanding y'all! That would be awesome for NUTS!: War Without End.

Will Company B make an M-12 Longstreet? Its the Early's heftier big brother. I have four DP9 15mm Longstreets adorned in British colors and Polish 1st Armd Div decals. I believe thats enough for a platoon in Flaming Gears of Wierd. Anyhoo salut y'all!

Bruce the Texas Grognard

Great looking models

Further to the above, given all the resources needed to produce one of these rascals you would probably want something with a little more firepower in the turret – but a great kit nonetheless

Any chance of a pic of these things next to a JTFM vehicle? I have always been saved from buying JTFM vehicles until I had to live on oatmeal by not having any minis in a matching scale. Now I own Dust Tactics and would be sorely tempted to have them ride into battle in style.

See:

1/56 SdKfz 250 plus Valkyries

link

Shot with some JTFM models:

As for the firepower, we have an assortment of add-on weapons coming. Anti-Walker bazooka, rockets, lasers, all available soon in the add-on weapon sets.

The Early in particular will also accept any of the Stuart Turrets offered through Company B.

As for the Longstreet, it's always a possibility. We have master models already completed for the Italian LC1A, Japanese Shi-Ki, British Cavalier. Masters are in progress for the Russian G-27. Once all those are out the door next year, we can see if folks want the Longstreet, followed by more of the Heavy German Vehicles.

I'd like to see the Italian LC1A and the Russian G-27 in 15mm too.

Nice! Thanks for the pics.

The General Early and the Valkyrie are both great models !! I've seen and handled them personally. ;)

Does WWII Guy like them too?

Yes he does Paul, or whichever reincarnation of Paul you are….. Sorry this crossed over into your thread Brent but it seems there's a problem with class on the other team's side as well….. Whats next dirty words at 50 paces…..

Yes I do ! I helped to cast the batch. Please go ahead and check the IP address while you're at it I working with Jeff so it'll be his to save you the trouble.

Peter Keir

Make sure to spell it correctly.