FoW: New T-34s Put Battlefront on the Offensive
Frost here to confirm that Battlefront has indeed gotten smarter about the market it is up against. The upcoming Soviet Guards Tank Battalion demonstrates an evolution in Battlefront’s thinking.
Previously, T-34s had metal tracks that were often miscast and were prone to chipping. Their boxed sets and blisters offered either a 76mm turret or an 85mm turret, but not both. This put them at a disadvantage to companies like Plastic Soldier, who make an all-plastic kit with both turret options.
Now the playing field has been leveled considerably; for this new kit will feature and all-new plastic track and trim sprue, which is sure to reduce assembly time and paint chipping on the tabletop. The body is still resin, and so it will retain a small amount of heft, something all-plastic minis lack. Even more importantly, the kit now has both T-34 turrets in one kit, along with everything needed to make them swappable. This drastically increases value over their old kits.
So far all of this goes along with my previous prediction that Battlefront would continue making resin tanks while phasing out metal parts in favor of plastic accessory sprues. Who knows if this will be the prevailing norm for the next few years, but it’s certainly a leap forward. The only downside is that it will probably not lower the price, which has not been able to compete well with Plastic Soldier.
So why get these instead? Honestly, I think Battlefront’s miniatures just look better. They have individual personality and details, rather than giving you the same blank chassis every time. In my opinion, they simply give the hobbyist a more satisfying experience. Something can be said for a model that doesn’t blow away in a gust of wind, as well.
And that’s all I’ve got. Tell me what you think about the direction Battlefront is taking things in. So far I’m optimistic, and that is something you should be surprised to see coming out of me.
