Karl Flavell takes a look at a recent figure set from Dragon Models in 1/35th scale titled ''Battles Of Smolensk & Roslavl ''.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

It's an oldie but goodie, thanks for sharing.

I've been scrounging for the DS clothes from this kit. I can't bite on the whole kit for $25.

Good review Karl and great that you did a build review. These are really valuable. How did all the equipment sit on the figures? In the past I've had problems with Dragon fires where the equipment, pouches etc sits proud of the figures and doesn't hang naturally. I agree about the lack of the extra figure.

Thanks guys.
Pat- There wasn't really any problems with how it sat apart from the guy with the MP40. There are no recesses in his torso or lower half so that the ammo pouch would fit naturally. I found that the ammo pouch seems to be attched with some sort of forcefield as it doesn't mate with the belt at all, just hovers near it. Once the bread bag and waterbottle are on it does hide it to an extent from the back also with the position of his arm but some surgery is required to get it to fit properly. Overall they went together easily but I thought it odd that only one had a recess for his gas mask canister. If one has it why not all three?

Christian- You're right about the price. It does seem expensive for what you get really. I think the only people who'll be willing to part with that much cash are the people desperate for the DS kit as the figures, while nicely done, are near enough the same as earlier ones that DML have released. I noted that the machine gunner is in an identical pose to the machine gunner in the "Approach To Stalingrad" set (just a different weapon) and have now noticed that the rifleman is basically the same as one in "28th Infantry Division Poland". I think the fundamental problem with releasing figures in these sort of "doing nothing" poses is that they will be duplicated easily as there are a limited amount of things/stances when you just stand still. When you think about the hundreds of figure sets launched by DML how many of them could be described as fighting? Not very many at all. Yet newcomers like Masterbox seem to release "kinetic" set after set. I've got a cupboard literally full of DML figures so I'm definitely not anti but they definitely need to get some new blood in their R&D team as they appear to have no imagination at all these days which of course has the knock on effect that less people buy a release because they've already got something similar or the same. What we really could do with would be a set of Germans-one standing firing a Kar 98, one kneeling firing a Kar 98, one prone firing a Kar 98, a prone machine gunner. A set like that would a)be completely different (b) be more appealing (c) open to allsorts of posibilities changing weapons/ legs to the firing torsoes thus creating more possibilities. I've bought several sets of the Artillery Crew 6201 as donor kits. Whilst the torsoes have no webbing, I've swapped torsoes for ones with webbing. There are extra arms in the set so plenty of options to create new figures from something that is role specific. They go from arty to infantry just by a torso swap and by swapping arms about you get six totally different figures. We all do it I just thought I'd give an example. A kinetic figure can be swapped about and produce all sorts of options whereas one standing still with his feet apart? New torso and arms? Still standing still doing nothing

You can get it from the Dragon US Online site for $10.50 with the their moving sale code "final". Plus shipping of course.

http://www.dragonusaonline.com/item_detail.aspx?ItemCode=DRA6791

Early-war figures like these are great to have and I'm fairly happy with the poses. With all of the sea that I've accumulated I often switch arms, etc, and add Hornet after market heads for something different. New poses, on the other hand, would be nice.

Thanks Karl. That's my main gripe with Dragon figures that you have to carve away at them to make the equipment fit.
I agree about the standing around poses too. Useful if you want to pose a figure beside a vehicle to show scale but not very exciting diorama wise

So-so figures. The same old, standing poses. I normally buy every Dragon, WW2 German release., but I'll pass on this set. Masterbox is my favourite manufacturer. Imaginative poses and most sets provide an instant vignette.

Alex, you're right. MB are definitely the most interesting figures these days and seem to spread their releases evenly. If Dragon release something it's pretty much a certainty it's going to be Germans standing about doing nothing. MB however release Germans, Americans, Russians and occasionally British subjects that are actually doing something or even shock horror fighting. They're infinitely more useful if you're a figure builder or want to do a dio that isn't an assembly area. Personally I'd like to see a few sets of British NW European infantry in action ie firing weapons etc as we've not got any really apart from one DML standing figure firing in the Monte Cassino set. I did notice on PMMS a new company called Gecko who are doing a Vickers crew in action and a Vickers section manpacking the weapon. No variation in the figures though as they're all wearing the leather waistcoat which if truth be known wasn't used that much by infantry, mainly support arms. When they're available I'll most likely pick one up to have a look at them as I can't really justify the cost of the Resicast ones, plus they're a little bit small.

You're right, Karl. I've seen the box art for the Gecko, British ,figures they look quite interesting. Dragon need to have a serious re-think for their future 1/35 figure releases. On the other hand........... If only they'd release sets of Gen2 equipment, I'm sure they'd sell very well! To me anyway !!

Those DS clothes came in a lot of the older Dragon releases - I am sure someone would be willing to trade.