Greetings... Just getting back into building dioramas after a... ahem... long time away from the hobby... Was wondering what general opinions are out there on the best figure kits... My only experience is with the Tamiya kits some 20 years ago or so, primarily because they were readily available way back then... Now I'm older, wiser, able to afford, and have a DSL line and a credit card... So the modeling world is my oyster! Essentially, I have a concept for a diorama bouncing around in my head that will require about 5-8 WWII German soldiers and 2 Americans... The scene that I want to set is likely to involve some serious reworking of the poses... Can you suggest a brand of figures that are better suited to some serious cutting and puttying... I intend to work in 1/35th scale... And I am not at all afraid of doing some sculpting where needed... Just want to start out with good quality figures...

DML / Dragon are a good place to start.

Davinator,
Welcome to Armorama. This is DEFINITELY the place to be! Great members and lots of good information! I agree with Matt. Dragon/DML has a great variety of figures, nice detail, and easy to work with, especially when varying poses, cutting, etc. Hope this helps.

DML is the best bang for the buck, But if you want the very best detail you would have to look at the resin figure which would range in price from @ $10-20 per figure or two. Check out Great Models Webstore they have very competitive prices on all makes and brands.

I am so glad I stumbled onto this site... Posted a question, left the room for a few minutes and viola! Three answers already! I love this place!

As long as I am here... Has anyone worked with the Tamiya Willys Jeep kit? I am primarily interested in the engine compartment detail as my concept involves a broken down jeep, hood up on the side of a road... I expect to add details, spark plug wires etc, but would like a good starting foundation...

http://www.cueballweb.com/~worktop/reviews/willys_assembly.html

It is pretty fair, you can always move on to a photoetched set for it, or a resin replacement but I would say the new Tamiya kit is good base to start. Beware of AMS! ( Advanced Modelers Syndrome).

The Tamiya kits are pretty decent - easy to get. Figures are ok if they are the newer ones.
Go Warrior, or Dragon for figures, VP's are ok but run a bit large in scale.

The Tamiya jeep is a nice one, don't even think of the Italarie jeep

I'm a Wolf and Hornet fan.... specially the white metal Hornets...mjummy !

While is good to buy expensive figures that have detail and nice poses and they re unique after building a lot you d find it a lil weird to pay 10-20 $ for a single figure, and if you desire 5-6 in the dio you pay over 70-80 $ only for the figures. While maybe you have the ability to pay for them i always look the hobby also from the poin of view that i started to model. I mean scratch on my own, use stuff i have convert cheaper thing to get exercised also . So Dragon has several kits with figures in any occassion and era so they will satisfie you . Not all of them are good and some kits are very bad. But my suggestion would be to check a mixture of Dragon and Tamiya figure kits toi haveat hand and 1 or 2 resin or metal figures in each dio to highlight the project . Of course if you work in small dios or vigniettes that they dont have big tanks or other points o interest 2-3 good figures will do the work . The tamiya jeep is a good one the Italeri not so much avoid it. I believe that Tamiya with some scratch detail will do the job perfectly without PE or AM sets .