In World War 1 gas attacks were a major concern to soldiers on both sides of "no man's land". This required soldiers to be equipped with gas mask to prevent sickness and even death from the gas. A new set of figures from ICM represents German Infantry with gas makes during the final year of the war.
Contents
4 Plastic Sprues(4 Figures and two sprues of weapons and gear)
Review
A review of the sprues show great looking casting for the four figures included. The kit has the four figures on a single sprues set out like typical model figures, with each figure having two leg parts, a torso, two arms, and separate head. The over all detail on the figures does look to be well done, including molded on belts and straps. The creases and folds in the uniforms looks good as well.
The uniforms on the figures does look to be the later World War 1 style, but then again I am not an expert on these uniforms. On the figures are knee and elbow pads, which I have seen reference to the 1915 uniforms. As for helmets, it is the later style helmet that is included, and it should be noted that 8 helmets are in the kit, four on each weapon sprue. Also on the weapon sprues are plenty of different weapons and personal gear available.
The kit contains two heads for each figure, the ones with the gas mask molded on and a set with no gas mask. This is a nice touch, that allows an option for the builder. The detail on both the gas mask and faces are well done, and either option will look good on the completed figures.
The poses on the figures does look good, with the exception in my opinion that the figure running with the grenades looks a little akward. I do think the figures would look good posed in a trench ready to go "over the top".
As for the weapon sprues, it does look like ICM has included the sprues from the World War 1 German Infantry Weapon and Equipment, based on the second instruction sheet showing part No.35678. These are all very well molded, with crisp and clean looking details.
For the instructions, they look typical for figures, and a great colored sheet with paint references is presented for the figures. Also there is a sheet showing paint references for the weapon and accessories. A little strange is the sheet for the figures references Tamiya and Revell paints, while the sheet for the weapons and equipment has references for Model Master.
Overview
Overall this is a great looking set of figures representing World War 1 German Infantry. The option of the head with the gas mask or not provides for a versatile figures set. Also a great advantage is the inclusion of the weapon and equipment set sprue, meaning it is like two kits in one. Both the figures and accessories are well molded and have nice looking details. I would definitely highly recommend this figure set.
SUMMARY
Highs: Good castings, good details, option of gas mask or no gas mask for heads, and looks like the Weapons and Equipment set has been added to the boxLows: Could not find anything that popped out, but I did think one figure was in an awkward pose.Verdict: Great option for World War 1 figure fans, great details, lots of extra weapons and equipment, highly recommended
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I am an IT Consultant and father, with a passion for plastic models. I mostly prefer 1/35 Armor and 1/48 Aircraft. My main interests are anything Canadian, as well as WW2 German and British Armor and Aircraft. I have been building models since I was a young kid, got away from it for awhile, but r...
Rather than going over the top, they look to be in the process of trench clearing as in the Ludendorff offensive or Caporetto. That guy with the machine gun would be prefect for sitting at the parapet covering the others as the last few Allied troops ran away in the Spring of 1918.
The set has been out for a couple of months now, I picked one up in June at my LHS. It's very nicely done. But, I have a pet peeve with this and other figure sets by other manufacturers. I don't understand the figure posing arrangement. There are three figures that are stationary, like they are waiting to go "over the top" and a third figure in full combat motion. I've noticed this tendency in some other figure sets too, not just ICMs. It will be a hassle to convert the single figure to a "stationary" position, or conversely, very difficult to get the other three into "action" positions. Why do manufactures do this? Are they expecting the Modeler to use the figure individually? The set is still very nice. The gas mask detail is exceptional. It comes with ICM's German infantry weapons set too, which has everything needed to select Individual weapons and equipment.
VR, Russ
It's a bit of a cop out really as they're the earlier release German Stormtroopers set just in gas masks so nothing new really. What they could have done as an alternative (which would have been far more useful) would to have been to release a set containing German, French and British (covering the Empire) heads in gas masks. This would mean that whichever earlier figures you'd got, you could swap heads for a gas attack. I realise that they've put normal heads in as well but it's not really a new set. The poses are a bit duff as well as Russ mentioned. Two are waiting to go over the top, one looks to be firing from a parapet down a trench going on the angle and grip on his MG and one is doing a remarkably weird pose as if bowling grenades. Most strange. You can't really do a lot with this set at all. Just my take on it.
I like the gas mask head set idea as it lets me tailor my earlier unbuilt sets to better fit my thoughts on a possible dio. And yes, I'd guess that the manufacturers do expect us to use the figures separately as desired. I do it all the time as their thoughts aren't mine on placement.
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