Okay, I admit these are great figures. Normally I don't like assembling figures. I say to myself, "If I want a kit, I'll buy a kit." In this case, the arms still have gaps no matter how much I cut the peg down. And they are difficult to paint—painting each piece, being careful not to swamp the parts with paint. But enough complaining. These are beautifully sculpted, well proportioned, researched, etc. But what I really like—the look like what I think WW1 Russian soldier should look like. The running poses are perfect, the officer with binoculars has an air of Tsar Nicolas, the marching soldiers look like contemporary photographs. I've waxed romantic several times over Zvezda figures, but these are deserving.
A few other points—this is the first tree and cow I've painted. The tree is a twig spraypainted white and striped with gray/black to create a poplar. I like the way it looks, poplars seem Russian to me. Maybe its because there was a grove in Bondrachuk's "War and Peace."
The cow is an example of how this hobby makes you research crazy. I didn't know what species of cattle would be found in Prussia/Silesia. I'm aware of the black/white jerseys common in the US but wasn't sure. I googled and found the most common European cow is the Dutch Red Pied. With this hobby you find yourself researching regiment facings, insignia, cows, soil colors, tree species, and color of tile roofs. I guess that's what makes us nerds. Huzzah!
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