New set of 1/35 figures, German Infantry in Bastogne, 1944
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/master-box-german-infantry-bastogne-1944
This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/master-box-german-infantry-bastogne-1944
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Looks like a good set, but also another “pointing arm” for the parts box. Please,manufacturers, stop, or at least, slow down making “pointing Germans.” In nearly every case, it’s a waste of a pose, and seems like an un-inspired way to show action, without really showing any action. Do better.
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I knew this would come up. I don’t mind it. I think about how many times it comes up in combat. Pretty often. Even in civilian life - Go get him, Molly! But what I would really like to see is different pointing hands - the “knife edged hand” or the thumbs down pointing hand. Variation is always nice. It sucks buying a whole set of resin hands just the get the one that you want to use,
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Point taken. 
I get that it’s a common gesture, but my emphasis is that it’s usually a waste of a pose, again, action without showing “real” action.It seems almost lazy to include it so often. It’s an attention-grabber that fails to deliver. You almost HAVE to look at a pointing figure. And then…that’s it. He’s a bystander choosing targets. There’s pointing guy, (I’m pointing at a fictional pointing guy) in most cases, 25% of the “cast,” of figures, and he’s just pointing out all the useful, interesting other poses in the box, contributing next to nothing himself. Like a combat butler. “This way to the war, Sir, please fire there. No, there!” Imagine the same metric applied to a figure tying his shoes coming up as often. Happens every day, sometimes several times a day, in life. I just don’t need that many shoe-tyers in my bunker. Yes, I’ve also bought a set of heads, or even figures, (Not pointing guy!) just for the one expression or pose. Remember though, “many hands make light work,” so those extra hands are probably going to sort out the parts box at night. Agreed,variation of the pointing hand actually would be nice.
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Smart companies could offer alternate arms, like one holding a wine bottle, or moving a chess piece while seated in the middle of a town square crowded with Panzers.
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Moving a chess piece…EPIC. I’m checking my parts box for balloon-sculpting arm poses.
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Yeah, you don’t see that pose ever. Makes sense that ICM did it, they think out of the box, Masterbox and Miniart as well. My own tale of woe and deliverance: When I first got the Tamiya German Infantry kit in 1971, none were pointing, but I was so disappointed. They were just really bad toy soldiers, but what really got me down was that the running MP40 gunner on the box art looked so cool. The figure was a horror, not even salvageable. Died on the cutting mat. So, many years later, I decide to kitbash it, and you would not believe it, but with all the German figure kits, out there, like NO ONE made a figure even close.So I was buying multiple kits for suitable parts, and also, because, hey, buy more kits. Then ICM issued this mortar kit, and the one running figure suited it perfectly, just arm swaps needed. But not….pointing ones, like the other guy in the set. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/icm-35715-mortar-sgrw34-with-crew--1451193. I’d still like to see if a scan of the 1969 box art could be 3d printed.
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My guess, looks like you’re using the Bronco “God’s Blessing” set as well. Cool.
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I didn’t discover it until I started the dio. The chaplain is a paratrooper figure with an arm from who knows where. I have it now, plus I ordered the above ICM set from to get two sets of clasped hands. The one guy with the sweater needs no converting. He can be a museum visitor. (long story) And the standing soldier with his hands on front of him can be another,
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I bought this kit, started it, and realized, the figures don’t come with bandoliers, as per box art, but the figures have straps sculpted on that go nowhere: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb35241-shootout--1572763, After a fiery letter to-the-editor at Masterbox, (not really, just a heads up) I ordered this kit, which is totally useful all around, has bandoliers, and 1 flak jacket figure, for me a bonus https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3595-jungle-patrol--148060 and this one, https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb3599-patroling--131215 for the bandoliers, gear, poses, and to try my hand at modeling flak jackets, because, as a former Marine (also in the Bravo field, 0311) it is my sworn duty to turn plastic figures into combat-ready Marines whenever practical.
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A bit of chopping and putty work could change pointing guy into a firing pose.
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Masterbox have done this with a few of their kits, so they are capable of doing it.
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