Introduction:

Assault Models recently released a pair of 1/35 scale figures depicting Russian Army troops in Syria. After publishing the first review on Armorama (link), this report covers the second figure of the pair - Soldier, Russian Army, Syria 2016-2018 (AM-35020).

Review:

The kit comes in a top-opening plastic box that features an image of assembled and unpainted miniature. The box contains a zip-lock bag securing six resin pieces:

- complete body with legs,
- left arm,
- right arm,
- both hands with binoculars,
- head,
- backpack.

The pieces are perfectly cast in grey resin. I found no air bubbles or seam lines, with all the details superbly delivered in scale. Casting blocks are large, but easy to remove using sharp side cutters. After the part cleanup, the assembly process was straightforward. Some patience is needed when dry-fitting the arms to the torso and hands with binoculars to the arms. These pieces feature protrusions and indentations in corresponding parts which facilitate optimal alignment.

The figure represents Russian Army soldier in the current Ratnik garb and gear. Over the uniform, the figure wears 6Sh117, a tactical MOLLE vest with various pouches attached. The large patrol backpack is supplied as a separate piece in this set. As for the communication equipment, this figure sports latest generation of communication and observation gear by Radioavionica, coupled with hand held laser range finder binocular. This binocular is designed for long-range ground surveillance and target geo-location. The figure also wears 6B51 knee and elbow pads, as well as 6B47 helmet.

It is not easy finding correct designation of all the equipment pieces, so Russian military experts reading this review are welcomed to comment and correct any mistakes on my part. However, with all the reference photos I gathered on the internet I can definitely confirm the figure looks very accurate. Moreover, the miniature was initially designed for the Russian Army, which is probably the best guarantee of its authenticity.

Assault Models produces their miniatures using 3D scanning technology, obtaining a digital image of the scanned person. The digital image is then refined, scaled and 3D printed, providing a 1/35 scale copy of the real person… can the figure get any more realistic than that?

Conclusion:

Soldier, Russian Army, Syria 2016-2018 (AM-35020) is a very impressive kit from Assault Models. The figure is perfectly cast in resin with superb details on the uniform and equipment. The figure is easy to assemble and provides an authentic representation of a current-day Russian soldier.

Together with its pair (AM-35019), the miniature team surveying the perimeter and relaying the data to the mission headquarters can easily provide a focal point to various vignettes featuring Russian military vehicles.