By Anthony "Anfernee" MasonAnfernee here. I am back again with another great product great. Today's review is on the Rubicon StuG III Ausf G.
Like all Rubicon kits, it's a multi-sprue plastic kit with a plethora of options available, including the ability to make the StuG III Ausf G as either early, mid or late war variants or as the dreaded, StuH 42. This includes 2 mantlets and 3 different muzzle breaks to pick from, as well as optional Schurzen and much, much more.
The kit comes in 3 plastic sprues, with an instruction guide and transfers, all in a very pretty box. The box art is great, showing a StuG III passing a burning Sherman on a hillside with a light sprinkling of fresh snow on the ground. The back of the box has a great box of text giving you the history of the StuG III and it's usage during WW2. The plastic used in Rubicon kits is quite a strong plastic, so make sure to take care cutting the pieces free.
The instructions are easy to follow, showing you which parts distinguish it as either an early, mid or late war StuG or as a StuH. The instructions may ask you to drill a hole or two if you decide to place the spare roadwheels in certain locations but this is not necessary. The kit includes the standard trapezoid-shaped mantlet or the later Pig's head mantlet. I went with the trapezoid mantlet and made mine as a StuH 42 to give me something different to the two Warlord StuG IIIs I own. The tracks are the same one piece style that Rubicon has used for all their kits (at least the ones I have had the pleasure to put together).
There are three different L/48 cannons for the StuG variant, each with a different muzzle break. You could easily switch these in and out with the StuH 105mm howitzer barrel, to give you the option of running it as either tank for your games of Bolt Action. There are two different gunshields available for the MG34 and the stowage rack on the back is optional. The roadwheels can be mounted in a few different locations for additional variety.
I've painted my StuH 42 up in plain dunkelgelb and added a heap of extra stowage. The great stowage rack on the back begs for including a host of extra gear for the crew. The kit comes with some spare tank links, but lacks any crew or extra stowage. My tanker is a spare from a JTFM kit I had. Rubicon is releasing a stowage kit very soon, so that will help solve that problem and some of their future kits are promising to include crewmembers.
The details are good. While some of the molded on tools are a little flat, the grated track guards are a great addition. Over-all the kit has a heap of optional parts and really only loses a point for lack of crewmen, which often can make a vehicle stand out amongst it's peers. I'd give the Rubicon StuG III kit a hefty 9 out of 10. It's a great kit, and if I didn't now have three StuG/Hs, I'd happily add more to my line-up.
"Anf" is a long-time gamer from Down Under, who currently focuses his hobby time on Bolt Action.
With an equal love of rockets and Ice Hockey, he constantly explores weird and wonderful army lists in his
never-ending quest to collect them all.
