Sunday, December 12, 2010

FiB British Review

Next up from FiB are 15mm 1940 British

EWB1 1940 British Rifle Platoon.

My blister contain 41 figures consisting of:
27 x riflemen in 5 poses, 3 x NCOs with rifles, 1 x Officer with pistol, 3 x Bren teams, 1 x Boys ATR team, and 1 x 50mm (2 inch) mortar team.

THE GOOD.
- Again, this is a quality product. Well packaged and crisp detail as well as minimal flash.
- White metal is of very high quality. Very strong.
- Face and hand detail is very good. Hands are very well scaled and all hands have 4 fingers and a thumb.
- Uniform detail is accurate and very well sculpted.
- The 'Brodie' helmet is the best I have seen from ANY company out there. It is very symmetrical and scales well for 15mm.
- Pack, bayonet and scabbard, shovel and gasmask pack are very well detailed.
- Again these mix well with most BF figures.

THE BAD.
- Not many poses. Also, would have been nice to see few figures with bayonets.
- Head size is a wee bit large, no worse than early BF sculpts.
- Lee-Enfield detail is lacking on some figures and a few are a bit too short.
- Most water bottles are too small and lacking in detail.
- Not the best Bren gun I have seen in 15mm but not the worst, built more for strength than accuracy.
- Figure bases are small. May not be a real issue but there are no team bases supplied either. FOW bases are easy to find though...

BOTTOM LINE: 36/40. These are the best EW Britsh figures I have encountered so far. Highly Recommended!

Accuracy 8/10 - Great overall detail. Water bottles and rifles bring down a 10/10.
Variety: 9/10 - Believable poses but repeats bring down a 10/10.
Quality: 10/10 - Strong metal, good packaging, good casting.
Scale: 9/10 - Mix well with BF. Large heads bring down a 10/10.

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EWB2 1940 Early War British 3" Mortars.

My blister contain 12 figures and 4 x mortars consisting of:
4 x loaders, 4 x ammo carriers, 3 figures covering their ears and 1 x Officer with binoculars.

THE GOOD.
- Again, this is a quality product. Well packaged and crisp detail as well as minimal flash.
- White metal is of very high quality. Very strong.
- Face and hand detail is very good. Hands are very well scaled and all hands have 4 fingers and a thumb.
- Uniform detail is accurate and very well sculpted.
- The 'Brodie' helmet is the best I have seen from ANY company out there. It is very symmetrical and scales well for 15mm.
- Pack, bayonet and scabbard, shovel and gasmask pack are very well detailed.
- 1-piece 3" mortar is an excellent cast. It has a sight and well sculpted elevation mechanism.
- Great poses! The loader is actually dropping the round down the tube, no need to build him up or pose on a crate. Excellent ammo carrier.
- Again these mix well with most BF figures.

THE BAD.
- Aside from one figure, all of the weapon teams are exactly alike. Not really any different from most other companies out there but...
- Head size is a wee bit large, no worse than early BF sculpts.
- Most water bottles are too small and lacking in detail.
- Some figure bases are small. May not be a real issue but there are no team bases supplied either. FOW bases are easy to find though...
BOTTOM LINE: 37/40. These are the best EW Britsh mortars I have encountered so far. Highly Recommended!

Accuracy 9/10 - Great overall detail. Water bottles bring down a 10/10.
Variety:9/10 - Believable poses but repeats bring down a 10/10.
Quality: 10/10 - Strong metal, good packaging, good casting.
Scale: 9/10 - Mix well with BF. Large heads bring down a 10/10.

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EWB3 1940 Early War British Vickers HMG.

My blister contain 12 figures and 4 x HMGs consisting of:
4 x gunners, 4 x ammo loaders, 4 x spotters.

THE GOOD.
- Again, this is a quality product. Well packaged and crisp detail as well as minimal flash.
- White metal is of very high quality. Very strong.
- Face and hand detail is very good. Hands are very well scaled and all hands have 4 fingers and a thumb.
- Uniform detail is accurate and very well sculpted.
- The 'Brodie' helmet is the best I have seen from ANY company out there. It is very symmetrical and scales well for 15mm.
- Pack, bayonet and scabbard, shovel and gasmask pack are very well detailed.
- 1-piece Vickers MG is well done and even includes a cooler water can and hose.
- Gunner figure is well done and grips the handles of the HMG well (he is molded with the grips so the weapon would need these added if stand alone. He is constructed in such a way as to be able to use as a binocular officer as well. In fact, this is the same figure from the mortar teams.
- Again these mix well with most BF figures.

THE BAD.
- All of the weapon teams are exactly alike. Not really any different from most other companies out there but...
- Head size is a wee bit large, no worse than early BF sculpts.
- Poses work but are pretty hum-drum and stiff.
- Figure bases are small. May not be a real issue but there are no team bases supplied either. FOW bases are easy to find though...

BOTTOM LINE: 38/40. These are the best EW Britsh Vickers teams I have encountered so far. Highly Recommended!

Accuracy 10/10 - Great overall detail.
Variety: 9/10 - Believable but dry poses bring down a 10/10.
Quality: 10/10 - Strong metal, good packaging, good casting.
Scale: 9/10 - Mix well with BF. Large heads bring down a 10/10.

Troy

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