I've gleaned some more up to date intel on the exact nature of some of this year's FOV, 1/72 releases :
GERMAN PANZER IV AUSF. 4 FV85051
FORCES OF VALOR ( april 2008 )
GERMAN SD. KFZ. 251/1 & 75MM PAK 40
FV85210
FORCES OF VALOR ( april 2008 )
U.S. M3 LEE - TUNISIA, 1942
FV85211
FORCES OF VALOR ( april 2008 )
RUSSIAN T-72
FV85215
FORCES OF VALOR
GERMAN TIGER I (EASTERN FRONT 1944)
FV85304
FORCES OF VALOR ( end of January, 2008 )
U.S. LANDING CRAFT LCM3
FV85042
FORCES OF VALOR ( march, 2008 )
RUSSIAN T-34/85
FV85418
FORCES OF VALOR ( no date )
GERMAN KING TIGER & SOLDIERS
FV85701
FORCES OF VALOR ( april, 2008 )
Like all of you, I'm most interested to see the Panzer lV. This is a new product from FOV, and like most FOVs in 1/72 it could be brilliant OR it could be a duck ! Let's hope that it's one of the better ones. A generic mark lV would certainly steal a march on Dragon, and collectors and War-Gamers would buy them up by the bucket load !
The 251 ( probably the same mould as the Stuka Zu Fuss .... so a D ) + 75mm AT gun sounds like a good combination if it has a TRUE AT CREW ! If FOV have just stuck some previously available soldiers in a box with a new version of their 251 D and a brand new moulding of a 75mm A.T. gun, then they are offering collectors a Curate's Egg ( good in bits, bad in others ! ). I didn't buy their offering of the boxed US half-track and 105mm howitzer because it was offered on this basis! I don't want to have to pay for a bunch of badly-posed, badly cured, badly-based soldiers whose weapons point any which way, but forward !
FOV, make a set which works by listening to collectors who buy your products! Have a crew which can be carried in the 251, or a crew which is dismounting + a crew which is ACTUALLY FIRING the 75mm A.T. gun, not hiding behind it, or skirting it in the box diorama !
Let's get real, FOV !
Nice to see a U.S. version of the Lee. Now we can all set up " Sahara " scenarios ( who'll play the Humphry Bogart part ? )
The rest of the FOV stuff can wait for comment until it appears.
How many of you would prefer to see FOV products which addressed the wishes of the collector ? I'm sure that you all have little bug-bears which you'd like to see them take note of in order to accommodate your wishes !
Cheers,
MoMo
( ALL dates and product numbers COME FROM " DIECAST DIRECT " SITE. )