I recently contacted Eureka by phone and ordered a sampling of every model in the range. Unlike many companies where you buy models in packs, at Eureka you can order individual models, handy when you want to buy exactly what you need for your army list! At the moment their range includes 8 riflemen, 4 Owen Submachine gunners and two Bren light machine gunners. Though pictures of the "greens" for these models are all over various Facebook groups these days, I thought I would post pictures of the actual models and give you an idea of what the quality of the final project looks like. You can see pictures of the riflemen in the pictures above and below.
As you can see in these pictures, the detailing on these models is impressive. There are lots of crisp little straps, folds, and pouches to help guide painting. I like the detailing on these guys so much I am planning to brush on the Army Painter Strong Tone "Dip" when painting them. While I like the Strong Tone, I rarely use it because it requires a certain level of detailing for the dip to collect in. If a model is too "flat" you end up with models that look dirty and shading that is not smooth. It speaks volumes about these models that I believe they are perfect for the Strong Tone product.
You can see pictures of the 4 SMG soldiers below. They are carrying the distinctive Owen Submachine Gun that Aussie forces used when jungle fighting in the Pacific.
World War 2 would not be what it was without machine guns and the last models in the range are a pair of Bren gunners.
Though I have ordered from Eureka in the past and have always been happy with their products I have to say that I am particularly happy with this model range. The figures are historically accurate (often based upon and posed directly from pictures of Aussie soldiers) and impressively detailed. There are few subtle mold lines to be cleaned up from the casting process but these are thin, small and are easy to remove.
Here is a closeup of a rifleman. You can see the minor mold line running down his side and leg. Of the large numbers of models I got in the mail, this was the worst cast mini of the bunch and that is saying something!
Now you might say 8 riflemen, 4 SMG troopers and two Bren gunners are hardly a full model range, and you would be right. Eureka announced the release of new models via their Facebook page this week and as you can see we are getting a sniper team, an artillery observer and a LT. From what I understand this is only the beginning, there are plenty more models to come.
Now that I hold these models in my hands it is easy to see the quality of the workmanship of the range and the casting. I am finding it VERY difficult finishing what I need to get done for the upcoming Bolt Action World Series; instead, I want to bust out my jungle greens and get stuck into these fantastic new models. If you would like to know more about these great models please contact Eureka miniatures directly because I do not believe they have made their way onto the Eureka Website yet.
Until next time...
Old Man Morin
