WWII Germans from Ykreol

Another new set from Ykreol is Germans in ponchos.

They are mid to late war soldiers, like several previous offerings they are all in the prone position.

These are one piece 1/72nd scale soft plastic.

The size of these figures fits well with the Caesar Miniatures WWII German sets.

Since almost none of the Caesar WWII German sets have any prone figures these are a nice addition to them.

I use them for wargaming and intend to integrate these Ykreol figures with several sets of Caesar Miniatures.

I particularly like them as loaders for machine gun crews, observers for artillery and tripod mounted machine guns and as mortar crewmen. www.ykreol.com

Thanks to my friend Yves for sending these to me.

More Berlin Germans

More of the Ykreol German defenders of Berlin set. This guy has a pair of large wire cutters.

This prone figure has a pistol in his hand. Figures are 1/72nd scale soft plastic.

Another figure with a satchel.

Prone figure with rifle. The undercuts on these figures is very good.

Prone figure with dagger. Many organizations issued daggers and other knives to their members as signs of rank or membership.

I got these figures from my friend Yves from http://www.ykreol.com/

Battle of Berlin Figures

Since I have been working on the Battle of Berlin since about 1973, this is a set that I was very happy to find. It is the Ykreol German Soldiers, Berlin 1945.

They are 1/72nd scale soft plastic one piece figures. This one has a panzerfaust.

This is another of the all prone sets from Ykreol.

This figure is carrying a map case. Carrying messages was critical in the days before fax machines and digital communications.

This figure with shorts and the parted in the middle haircut and arm band is probably a HJ boy. Many of them took part in the battle. My good friend Yves sent me these figures and I am very grateful. Modern warfare is very dangerous and so troops often lay prone to avoid being hit by gunfire or shell fragments.

This set is only one of many all prone figures, including some sets that dead and wounded troops. Visit Ykreol at www.ykreol.com or ykreol@hotmail.fr

More Union

More 1/72nd scale soft plastic Union troops from Ykreol.

Some have rifles, or a bag or just appear to be crawling along. Getting water was a big deal and often the only way to get it was to crawl away and fill your canteen.

Crawl forward and resupply the troops with ammo.

Lay in wait for a potential prisoner to come along and threaten him with your sword bayonet.

Soldiers had many reasons to crawl around or lay down but we don't get too many figures in that pose.

A soldier reading a map while he observes the enemy from a distance from on top of a hill.

Nice pack on this rifleman.

www.Ykreol.com is the place to look for these figures and more.

Prone Union

My dear friend Yves at Ykreol was kind enough to send me this set for review. It is Northern soldiers from the American Civil War.

The set is 1/72nd scale soft plastic. The figures are all prone. This figure holds a telescope.

While the set says Northern, most will work for Southern too. This guy with the floppy hat would make a great Southerner.

The standard bearer is an excellent figure and the flag and flag pole are wonderful. There are almost no 1/72nd scale prone figures for ACW. They work well for dioramas and wargames.

This soldier and dead horse is a nice vignette. In the sieges and often when in reserve solders often laying down in the grass or behind a wall.

A good set and I highly recommend it. More photos tomorrow.

Pegasus French

The new Pegasus WWII French 1/72nd scale Infantry set has hit the stores.

This is the production set color, a bit darker than the ones that I showed earlier but the figures are the same.

Painted examples of the Pegasus set. They are very nice as you can see.

The box art shows painted examples of the figures. The French fought hard against the Germans but the combination of technology, and tactics brought about their defeat. It was no lack of courage. These figures are worthy of the men they represent.

In the Battle of France in WWII the French lost about 100,000 dead and 200,000 wounded. That's a lot of casualties in only seven months.

Hobby News

I spoke to Caesar Miniatures and they assured me that they will do more World War Two sets in the future and more modern sets too. They still plan on doing a H60 set this year, but won't say what it will be!

The HaT Tank Riders are almost ready. The set I got was a pre-production set and I suspect the real set will be some other color than sea foam green.

Pegasus have a My Favorite Martian set in the works that will be about 60mm. It will feature Uncle Martian in is space suit with antennas and his little space ship.

Pegasus has also got their When Worlds Collide space ship very near to store shelves. It looks great and will work as a WWII era rocket ship too, it will stand on end and is about the size of a 1/72nd scale V-2 missile.

Zvezda has a WWII wargame on the market and the game pieces are in some cases 1/72nd scale figures and equipment. They include German and Soviet Infantry and a Soviet 37mm AA gun.

Orion has announce a set of a quad water cooled AA machine guns in 1/72nd scale plastic. It looks great.

Pegasus WWI and WWII French are in stores now here in North America. They are really great figures and fit nicely with the Airfix and Caesar WWI / WWII French Infantry.

Martian War Machines

My MacDonald's Batman Mantis Torpedo Happy Meal toys are being transformed into War of the Worlds Martian War Machines based on the H.G. Wells novel.

The upper saucer is painted copper over the former black and yellow plastic. The lower black legs were painted Satin Nickel. I did three companies nine each. I added one HQ saucer in Satin Nickel matching the legs.

Martian War Machines, 30 strong.

Nine war machines, three platoons of threes. Martians do everything in threes.

Martian War Machines prepare for war. I just got word from Twilight Creations that their Bag O' Martians will be delayed until the middle of next year. That will delay the attack. For now.

Soviet Tanks

I like the various poses in this set. The HaT Soviet Union 1/72nd scale soft plastic figures.

Two Mir T-34/76 HO scale tanks with HaT Soviet Tank Riders.

There are enough figures on one sprue for about three tanks. Soviet troops often really bunched up on a tank.

Four Ivans on a tanks hitch a ride towards Berlin.

HaT Soviet Tank Riders

HaT 1/72nd scale Soviet Union tank riders. Tank commander in the turret of a 1/87th scale Mir T-34/85 tank.

These jaunty Ivans are seated on the same tank.

The Soviets built almost no transports for the infantry. So most troops had to walk or would sometimes catch a ride on a passing tank.

As officer crouches on the back of the tank hull.

While these sets are called tank riders they include tank crewmen and while the Soviets usually used men from attached submachine gun battalions to assault along with the tanks, it was not atypical for other troops to hitch a ride whenever they could.

HaT Tank Riders

HaT is making a series of WWII figures who are intended to be riding on tanks.

These WWII American Army soldiers are 1/72nd scale soft plastic. Most are armed with M-1 carbines, along with a selection of other weapons, including a bazooka, BAR, Thompson, and Grease Gun.

These are tank troops from the Soviet Union. Like the Americans, they are useful for tank riders.

Some have tanker helmets and most are regular infantry.

The details are very sharp, and deep. These should be easy to paint, and are flash free.

I will have photos of these on actual tanks soon.