SG15-HW2 – Generic heavy weapons crew in berets

Here we have a group of gun crew in action.  This pack of GZG figures stems from the time when Jon started issuing them in the current style, with 2 each of 4 different poses.  We have:

2 kneeling spotters with a pair of magnoculars ready to spot for enemy positions or observe the fall of shot

2 standing loaders with box of munitions

2 kneeling loaders with a different box of munitions

2 kneeling gunners in firing pose

 

 

The three kneeling poses are all slightly different, which is satisfying, especially as it would have been easy to use the same basic figure with only slight variations in arm position.  The figures are on the shorter side compared to more recent GZG releases such as the new NAC troops or colonists.  As the gun crew are likely to spend their time with heavy weapon mounts rather than mixed in with other figures, this probably doesn’t matter much, especially as most of them are kneeling down anyway.

The quality of the moulding is good apart from the face of the gunner in firing pose.  This had a rather pointy nose and slightly odd features, and was also hard to clean up because of the arm position.  Happily the arm position also means that it’s not easy to see the face when the gun crew are in action!  Overall, little flash and mould lines were small and easily removed.  The style of the figures is noticeably different from more recent GZG releases, especially on the faces and hands, but when painted and viewed from normal gaming distances the blend together well with the rest of the army.

All the gun crew are wearing sturdy boots, basic uniform/fatigues (no map pockets on the legs or shoulder pockets) and berets.  I’ve chosen to paint mine as wearing some sort of pull-over tank-top thing, possibly a lightweight body armour waistcoat, but you could easily leave it the same colour as the rest of the uniform and it would look fine; the way it’s been sculpted leaves either option open to you.

 

I’ve painted them to match my OUDF troops who are currently sadly lacking in firepower compared to their NAC rivals.  GW Goblin Green uniform and Humbrol Leather brown boots and I’ve given them sand-coloured berets; I was going to go for green the same as the uniforms but decided that I’d rather give them something a little different.  I considered a different colour such as blue or red, but decided that the sand was more in keeping with the natural green & brown of their clothing.

Overall grade for these figures: B

These figures are great as gun crew but just as useful as technical staff; the one with magnoculars could easily be used as part of a command unit instead of a gun crew and those with boxes/crates could work well as vehicle crew unloading equipment.  I can just see the kneeling gunner as a mechanic with his hand hidden inside the engine hatch of a vehicle.