Thanks for the information. I am interested but will probably wait until GHQ does these at some point.
There are two reasons for this.
One is that Heroics and Ross are 1/300 and not 1/285th so there will be a slight size distortion. You may or may not notice it but for me, I probably would notice the slight difference. If I was doing Heroics and Ross vehicles then I'm sure they would be fine.
The other is that GHQ is second to none in terms of quality at this scale. I have requested that GHQ do a Sherman detail set. It would be nice to maybe have some detail/spare track sets for some other popular WWII tanks and maybe some modern as well. I would love to have some spare tracks, roadwheels, and other "baggage' for the Pz III, Pz IV, Panther, and T-34 series to name a few.
Pete - Binpicker, Out!
Spare track units
Moderators: dnichols, GHQ, Mk 1
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John Secker
- E5
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- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:19 am
- Location: Warrington, UK
Hmm. I would describe myself as a GHQ fanboy but ... If you take a 6" (15cm) track link, the difference in size between 1/300 and 1/285 is about two hundredths of a millimetre. Not only do I not think you could detect that, I don't think GHQ or anyone else manufactures to that sort of tolerance. In fact general stowage is one of the few things I do buy from H&R, precisely because variety is what you need in clutter, and GHQ don't make enough.
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pmskaar
- E5
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 5:45 am
Spare Track Links
Of course people are free to do what they want with their models. I do accept that it may be a while before GHQ does these. Here are some additional points I will make.
1. I went to the Heroics and Ros site. I could not find any pictures of these. For me, the term track links is too generic without describing what tanks they are for. What type of tanks are the links for? You should be able to tell the different types apart even at 1/285th scale.
2. Generally, I will not mix two or more different manufacturers vehicles together in the same unit. In line with that, I would have to see how well detailed these track links are to determine if they would have the detail needed to fit with the great vehicles that GHQ makes.
3. To answer John Secker's post about the difference in scale between 1/285th and 1/300th being close enough. I would say it depends upon the manufacturer as much as anything. One can see this in the different sizes of 6 mm infantry by different manufacturers and how many sizes of figures there are in just 1 scale.
Those are my thoughts. Maybe GHQ can put my suggestion of a Sherman detail kit into production in 2015 with some other tanks to follow.
Pete - Binpicker, Out!
1. I went to the Heroics and Ros site. I could not find any pictures of these. For me, the term track links is too generic without describing what tanks they are for. What type of tanks are the links for? You should be able to tell the different types apart even at 1/285th scale.
2. Generally, I will not mix two or more different manufacturers vehicles together in the same unit. In line with that, I would have to see how well detailed these track links are to determine if they would have the detail needed to fit with the great vehicles that GHQ makes.
3. To answer John Secker's post about the difference in scale between 1/285th and 1/300th being close enough. I would say it depends upon the manufacturer as much as anything. One can see this in the different sizes of 6 mm infantry by different manufacturers and how many sizes of figures there are in just 1 scale.
Those are my thoughts. Maybe GHQ can put my suggestion of a Sherman detail kit into production in 2015 with some other tanks to follow.
Pete - Binpicker, Out!
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Mk 1
- E5
- Posts: 2383
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:21 am
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
For those who are interested, I came up with a way of making my own loose links several years ago. I did this for some battlefield wrecks I wanted to have to toss around my battleboards. I mean, can you really have a 1944 eastern front battle without a few burned out trucks and a couple smoking tank hulks strewn about? And what's a smoking tank hulk without some track run off of the sprocket or idler and laid out along the ground in front or behind?
So here's what I did. I took some aluminum foil, I folded it over 4 times, being careful to keep at lease one edge straight and crisp. Then I cut it into a thin strip (with a cut on one side, and the folded edge for the other). The folded edge holds the foil together well enough that it stays as one strip that is 4 layers thick.
Then I took some needle-nose pliers with grip teeth, and gave the strip of folded foil a squeeze. This left a clear imprint of the grip teeth in the foil strip, forming horizontal patterns. Voila! At this scale, for a wreck, well it was an instant strip of track. Easily formed to any shape you'd like. Just paint and use.
I'll try to dig up one of my wrecks and take a pic to post up in the next day or two ...
So here's what I did. I took some aluminum foil, I folded it over 4 times, being careful to keep at lease one edge straight and crisp. Then I cut it into a thin strip (with a cut on one side, and the folded edge for the other). The folded edge holds the foil together well enough that it stays as one strip that is 4 layers thick.
Then I took some needle-nose pliers with grip teeth, and gave the strip of folded foil a squeeze. This left a clear imprint of the grip teeth in the foil strip, forming horizontal patterns. Voila! At this scale, for a wreck, well it was an instant strip of track. Easily formed to any shape you'd like. Just paint and use.
I'll try to dig up one of my wrecks and take a pic to post up in the next day or two ...
-Mark 1
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
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Mk 1
- E5
- Posts: 2383
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:21 am
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
Now, as to mixing models by various vendors ... well honestly I do it all the time. Never had a gamer refuse to use one of my units as a result.
How far to I go in mixing? Most often I try to use one vendor for a particular vehicle. So for example my 1942/43 US heavy TD platoons of M3 tank destroyers (half-tracks with 75mm gun) are all GHQ. But my light TD platoon of M6 "Fargo" tank destroyers (Dodge light truck with 37mm gun) are from another vendor (GHQ didn't offer them at the time I put the unit together). But those M6s have GHQ artillery and armored infantry figures in them as crew.
It is fairly common form me to use different vehicles from different vendors, depending on who makes what at the time I put the force together. My modern French force has Leclerc tanks from GHQ but logistics support vehicles from UK vendors. In my WW2 French unit and my WW2 Italian units I even have armored car squadrons with the SAME vehicles from multiple vendors, just because in those cases they seemed to work. I don't necessarily recommend that as a general approach.
With infantry I often mix vendors, even on a single squad stand. I think we do ourselves a disservice if we insist that all infantrymen should be the same size. I'm a little particular in that I don't like the truly giant figures (some of the GHQs like the US Vietnam or Paras, or some of the Scotia figures). But for the rest, if they come out at different sizes I don't sweat it too much, after all I have a good friend who served as a platoon leader in Iraq -- he is 6'6" tall, and his platoon sergeant was 5'3". If they could stand side-by-side on the parade ground I figure I can put my GHQ and H&R figures on the same squad stand!
How far to I go in mixing? Most often I try to use one vendor for a particular vehicle. So for example my 1942/43 US heavy TD platoons of M3 tank destroyers (half-tracks with 75mm gun) are all GHQ. But my light TD platoon of M6 "Fargo" tank destroyers (Dodge light truck with 37mm gun) are from another vendor (GHQ didn't offer them at the time I put the unit together). But those M6s have GHQ artillery and armored infantry figures in them as crew.
It is fairly common form me to use different vehicles from different vendors, depending on who makes what at the time I put the force together. My modern French force has Leclerc tanks from GHQ but logistics support vehicles from UK vendors. In my WW2 French unit and my WW2 Italian units I even have armored car squadrons with the SAME vehicles from multiple vendors, just because in those cases they seemed to work. I don't necessarily recommend that as a general approach.
With infantry I often mix vendors, even on a single squad stand. I think we do ourselves a disservice if we insist that all infantrymen should be the same size. I'm a little particular in that I don't like the truly giant figures (some of the GHQs like the US Vietnam or Paras, or some of the Scotia figures). But for the rest, if they come out at different sizes I don't sweat it too much, after all I have a good friend who served as a platoon leader in Iraq -- he is 6'6" tall, and his platoon sergeant was 5'3". If they could stand side-by-side on the parade ground I figure I can put my GHQ and H&R figures on the same squad stand!
-Mark 1
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
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CG2
- E5
- Posts: 457
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 11:38 am
- Location: UK
I agree. I have a large collection of Heroics and Ros from before I found GHQ and I have to say that they vary greatly in quality. Some get close to GHQ standard but many don't.
However, Heroics and Ros has a much greater range than GHQ so I will use GHQ if it's available but I will use other manufacturers where the item is close to GHQ quality or I don't see much chance that GHQ will produce that item any time soon.
However, Heroics and Ros has a much greater range than GHQ so I will use GHQ if it's available but I will use other manufacturers where the item is close to GHQ quality or I don't see much chance that GHQ will produce that item any time soon.
CG2
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piersyf
- E5
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:59 pm
- Location: Melbourne Australia
GHQ's wonderful attention to detail...have you looked at the tracks? Most are simply horizontal ridges. Perfectly adequate for our scale, and entirely generic. If you know how to etch brass, you can make miles of it really cheap and add it to stuff as much as you like.
Given that GHQ's range of all new PzIV's have no teeth on the drive wheels, to me they have fallen below the standard of CinC with that model. At least the others have teeth on the drive wheels.
As to mixing, I'm like Mk1. I pick the manufacturer I like best for a vehicle and try to stick with them. Where I haven't, I keep manufacturers separated by company (unit, not maker). I tend not to mix H&R with GHQ or CinC unless I have to. My LVT4's are H&R. As to accessories, H&R are fine for generic stuff. Oil drums, spare tank wheels (for M60's), packs and tarps...
The vehicle here is CinC. GHQ don't make an M3 halftrack with straight sides. The canvas roof is a separate piece. Much better than GHQ's offering, except for the .50cal. So, this command track is CinC, with GHQ accessories on rear and fenders, GHQ gun ring and MG, and H&R tarp/tent down the side.
I have this. People who wait for GHQ to make it for them don't. That's the bit that I don't get, ignoring perfectly good alternatives out of brand loyalty. Each to their own I suppose.
Given that GHQ's range of all new PzIV's have no teeth on the drive wheels, to me they have fallen below the standard of CinC with that model. At least the others have teeth on the drive wheels.
As to mixing, I'm like Mk1. I pick the manufacturer I like best for a vehicle and try to stick with them. Where I haven't, I keep manufacturers separated by company (unit, not maker). I tend not to mix H&R with GHQ or CinC unless I have to. My LVT4's are H&R. As to accessories, H&R are fine for generic stuff. Oil drums, spare tank wheels (for M60's), packs and tarps...
The vehicle here is CinC. GHQ don't make an M3 halftrack with straight sides. The canvas roof is a separate piece. Much better than GHQ's offering, except for the .50cal. So, this command track is CinC, with GHQ accessories on rear and fenders, GHQ gun ring and MG, and H&R tarp/tent down the side.
I have this. People who wait for GHQ to make it for them don't. That's the bit that I don't get, ignoring perfectly good alternatives out of brand loyalty. Each to their own I suppose.
There is no right or wrong, only decisions and consequences.
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pmskaar
- E5
- Posts: 2196
- Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2005 5:45 am
Spare Track Links
Hi Piersyf
That is a very nice halftrack. Well done. I think the GHQ halftrack detail kit was a great idea and would like to see more of this kind of thing from them.
Also, I am in total agreement with you about the new Pz IV series from GHQ. When they announced that they were coming with the new Pz IVG and the others, I was excited. When I received mine, I was disappointed, especially in the drive sprocket issue but their are some other issues as well.
On the plus side, the tracks actually have great detail but this is offset by the lack of teeth in the drive sprocket and the other issues. Like you, I feel that this was a step back for GHQ and would love to see these done to the standards that we have come to expect from GHQ. The Panzer IV was the workhorse of the German army and I would love to see this model done proper justice. If anyone wants to know what other issues there are, you can PM me.
The GHQ Panthers and Tigers on the other hand are really excellent and the tracks even have a pattern on them, not just the raised ridges that most of them have.
Mk1 - Great idea on using aluminum foil.
This is an interesting discussion and while we might not agree on everything it is still good to see what other people have to say and see what they are doing.
Pete - Binpicker, Out!
That is a very nice halftrack. Well done. I think the GHQ halftrack detail kit was a great idea and would like to see more of this kind of thing from them.
Also, I am in total agreement with you about the new Pz IV series from GHQ. When they announced that they were coming with the new Pz IVG and the others, I was excited. When I received mine, I was disappointed, especially in the drive sprocket issue but their are some other issues as well.
On the plus side, the tracks actually have great detail but this is offset by the lack of teeth in the drive sprocket and the other issues. Like you, I feel that this was a step back for GHQ and would love to see these done to the standards that we have come to expect from GHQ. The Panzer IV was the workhorse of the German army and I would love to see this model done proper justice. If anyone wants to know what other issues there are, you can PM me.
The GHQ Panthers and Tigers on the other hand are really excellent and the tracks even have a pattern on them, not just the raised ridges that most of them have.
Mk1 - Great idea on using aluminum foil.
This is an interesting discussion and while we might not agree on everything it is still good to see what other people have to say and see what they are doing.
Pete - Binpicker, Out!