Hare reports to Boyar: Fascists spotted

While visiting my usual plastic crack dealer (Fasma Models in downtown Athens) I came across the new Zvezda Art of Tactics kits. Russian and German Recon teams and German motorcycle combinations. They are truly excellent kits and especially the Russian recon team covers a subject not seen before in plastic. All are multi-part models (the figures are 3-4 pieces each) and have exceptionally life-like poses. One minor peeve is that they are all armed with PPSh submachineguns. No rifles, scoped or otherwise, or machineguns. The figure with binoculars (perhaps the best of the whole bunch) could have any kind of weapon placed on its back, so a sniper conversion would not be too hard. Still, some variety would have been welcome. The figures were painted in one of the "Amoeba"-style camouflage pattern as seen in kamouflage.net. You can also paint them in white or the other available Amoeba patterns. Lovely figures and highly recommended.

If the figures are great, the bike is truly a masterpiece. The sculpting is the best I've seen from Zvezda and everything fits together perfectly. Some Mr. Surfacer was used to hide seams, especially where the arms join the body) but that's a minor problem. HaT and Italeri have also motorcycle combinations (although the Italeri ones are more suited to the African theater of operations) but this simply blows them away. There is nothing more I can say about it. For a bit over 3 euros, they are a steal.


So, thank you Zvezda for some more excellent models. I can't wait for the Russian motorcycle and the Naval Infantry set due to come out soon. I'll be sure to get these as well. Now, if only they would make a 1/72 Aerosan model... But that's wishful thinking.

That's all for now from sunny yet chilly Athens and the Greek Geek household where everybody is (once again) ill.

Works in progress

With the young master being ill almost every week (yeah, we pay for daycare and he spends 2 workdays a week at home) I can't paint as much as I like. Sure, the compressor for my airbrush is quiet, but my workspace is right next to the little one's bedroom. So, I glue and fill and sand and hope that his immune system will help me finish some of this stuff soon.


I have some Italieri Shermans and Priests all ready for paint. Some small seams need sorting out but it won't take me more than half an hour with a cotton bud and some nail polish remover. The Italieri T-34 was another story entirely as the amount of filler can demonstrate. Stay away. Italieri has been hit and miss lately and this is (unfortunately) one of the misses. The other T-34 needs no introductions. Although part of the gun assembly is damaged (Revell or Matchbox must have done something wrong to the mold) it fits together like a dream and its a great kit. People might complain that it's 1/76, but I can live with that.


The contents of this box are familiar to all of us. The lovely Airfix Matilda (with small modifications to help it appear more suitable for the fields of France in '40), 5.5" gun and assorted tractors. I still haven't finished the 25lbr but I think I'll be done with it before the week is through.



Here are some more figs and guns. Italieri PaK-40s with crew (Italieri) and a SHQ Neberlwefer and crew. After I'm done with the ratmen, they will be next on the paint block. I have the trucks waiting to carry them ready for almost a year now. And finally the Irregular ratmen and some GW rat swarms. The Irregular figs "paint up well" as does a lot of Irregular's stuff. And they are cheap. So, no complains.

That's all that's cooking in Athens this windy and chilly evening. Apparently, fall, if not winter, is finally setting in.