I recently purchased the box of Special Operations troops from Warlord Games, one of their Project Z boxes.
And here is the first, easy critique to make is that there is 8 models in the pack, for what was the same price as three times that many in a Wargames Factory box. This change has also had flow on effects for the kit, but lets have a look at what is inside anyway!
I am off to the land of pedantry for the next bit, so I apologise in advance...
Ok, so the above image is the sprue you get. On it, are 8 sets of legs, 8 torsos, a variety of heads, three "groups" of weapons- M16, AK and SA80 plus derivatives. There is also an RPG, and an AT-4. Those familiar with other Wargames Factory kits will know the overscaled versions of their weapons (thick barrels etc), but that is a known quantity, and isn't a big issue.
The weapons themselves have a variety of variants, including the LSW version of the SA80, which is nice. The sets do come with underslung grenade launchers, weirdly the M16's UGL is not the common M203, but rather the AG36. Curious choice.
Weapon wise, the kit is lacking in a Light Machine Gun, a minimi/M249/PKM would be great to provide a "proper" fireteam.
For my set of 8, I decided to make a full squad of the "Not Russian" Green Men from the Ukraine conflict. This meant that I would have a squad of 7, equipped with AKs, except for 1 with an RPK and another with a RPG. I gave them all balaclavas over their faces with green stuff too.
 |
| The whole squad |
The issue which presents here, is that there are only 8 left arms. Want to use the "A" right arm more than once? You can't, you don't have a left arm for it. And even worse, there are two arms which are specifically for the rocket launchers. So don't want an RPG? Too bad! Get your converting tools out!
And most crucially, there are two bodies marked with the letter A. But only one A left arm. So even if you are being a good boy scout, building exactly what they want you to build, you can't.
Plus they are all in the "standard" Wargames factory pose:
 |
| Pictured: A good pose, but not for all 8 men |
 |
| Similar poses.... |
 |
| The RPG gunner is lovely tho |
So, I had to convert. This is where I got to with my guys:
 |
| NCO, note the left arm used to be the one holding the AT-4, but with a new hand provided from another plastic kit. |
 |
| A repose, so they won't all be looking in the same direction |
So none of that is a big issue, I mean, I love converting and would have probably converted them anyway. I think, in the initial planned release of these models from Wargames Factory would have been like their other boxed sets, 3 sprues of men, plus an additional sprue of "cool bits". I think that last sprue would have had all of the extra things I dream of (more left arms, LMGs, Sniper Rifles etc).
But we will never know now....
So how do they paint up?
Overall, I am pretty happy how they ended up, the detail on the models are consistent with the quality I expect from the Wargames Factory plastics, so from that perspective, I am happy.
So, would I buy them again? No, I don't think I would. Why? Well, I am a stickler for Modern combat and equipment (See Skirmish Sangin!), so would prefer probably to buy from others and get accurate modern combat teams.
But, if you want a pan-country modern military unit, perhaps some form of Expendables/A-team type unit, then these guys would probably be a good fit for you!
Lastly, I had a spare man from the unit, so converted a version of the Punisher, from his latest comic incarnation:
 |
| Converted (same issue with arms) |
 |
| Painted front |
 |
| Painted back |
Pooch
