love the work, 2 things that im noticing. one should be an easy fix. the strap on the k98 is incorrect. up to you if you want to fix it to be accurate, but the straps were placed on the left side of the rifle as seen in the picture within this link... http://www.kirkemmerich.co.uk/wp-content/imagescaler/f869cbefe059730b52206e2e53b8b0b9.jpg ...

other thing. as cool as i think it is to have the machine gunner have the cold weather overcoat, i think he would be out of place. no one else is really bundled up because its cold, but then there is the machine gunner being the only one wearing the overcoat. just my thought. take that for what its worth. but i would like to see the strap fixed. but again, thats up to you since it is your build.

Hi Dave,
if you'd like to do something different, why not a Zeltbahn?

http://www.choiquehobbies.com.ar/revista01/html/rev/zeltbhane.htm
http://moebius.freehostia.com/zeltbahn.htm

good job on the strap. i think it looks much better now.
as for the great coat dilema. that one is tough. if you do both, it almost seems overdone. if you do one, he looks out of place....

i think the greatcoats would add alot of "pizzazz" to the figures just as all of the straps take away from being boring and normal. but at the same time, if i were building this one, i would worry about it being overdone. since its two figures. may not be too bad. id hate to see all of the detail that you have done get hidden though.

i can under stand where your coming from on that. what you could do is add another figure in that also has a great coat to make it look like your not reaching for the ability to make a unique piece.
in my eye, if i were to do one figure looking normal, and the other out of the norm, i would think to myself that i have to do something to make it look like im not setting up a scene to be an exhibition of different uniforms. if you can understand what im saying i know what im meaning. but it may not be clear because im not that good at explaining my thoughts. but, think of it like "this soldier i kept normal, this one i did something else with, and this one is even more different than both of the others". yes, your absolutely right. if its cold. obviously they are going to have different clothing. i personally think that another soldier with the greatcoat may be a thought. i personally think another soldier on top of the tank waiting to get off would look pretty good.

so, just a thought in my opinion. take it how you would like. your work is definatley inpiring me to want to do something like this

edit: a great coat on the runner will work wonders giving the soldier the added effect of running if done right. im sure you plan on giving it a look as if it is blowing backwards. i cant wait to see it.

well, with tunnel vision, originally i would have lined him up directly behind the other. but then i had a lightbulb go off. not that there is necessarily too much going on on the one side, but since there is already one getting ready to dismount on the one side, the other side may be able to get some attention also.
just as the gunner running, the great coat would give a better feel for movement. with the right positioning(almost midair if its feasible for you)you could make it look like he is in midair. the great coat would help give an in depth feel for falling movement.plus, if you were to do mid air, the coat would give good concealment for the support wire? just a thought. i think that would be pretty sweet to see.
mid air is hard to do, but if another soldier is going to be done with a coat, it may be doable. plus with the ability you have for scratch making on these figures, i would see it being possible on this build

i have a great photo example. ill post once i find it


**found the post on here that i put the pictures in. if you go down, you will see a russian soldier jumping from a tank.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/163381#1372298

you may have to copy and paste the link to see it. when i have time in an hr, ill try to correct it

i hate to say it, but the hat has to go. although, you are not done with the details on it, but it just does not look right on a unit going in to a fight. any riders on the tank would have helmets. now, if he were tank crew, i could understand it, but this just does not go well with the rest

here is a figure that i had done a while back. i really liked the look of the way he is setup. for cold weather, the hood under the helmet. perhaps this will give you a couple other thoughts when sculpting the greatcoat.

also, not that it matters to me, but just ensure that the coat is overlaping correctly. ie: left over right, or right over left. im not sure of the historically correct way, but some people may point that out as being a huge flaw if not done correctly.

you have a point about being a little too busy. its almost borderline in my opinion. i think if a third figure is done, placing him on the left side toward the back, jumping off, would balance the diorama. however, the front is wher its getting busy. from most perspectives, the front right is the sweet spot when it comes to viewing. if you do go with that third, which i would personally like to see to show a more dynamis look, i would be placing that figure toward the back where he would break up the barren left side, but at the same time, not clutter the view.

all of the pictures you have been taking, you have been showcasing the right side. if you did that third figure on the back left and took the same picture, he would almost not even be noticed. if more was done from there, then yes, i would definatley think its cluttered. i would suggest taking an extra figure and placing him over there to see what it does to the overall scope of things to see if it would be too much