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*TRANSMISSION TO ALL THE FREE TRADERS OF THE GALAXY*

*BEGIN*
---Good day Gentlemen! This is zcharles from his small independent republic at the edge of the Galaxy. We are proud to show you today this brand new war toy, the fantastic ZULU 1 Main Battle Tank!
This piece of art is the result of many years of military research, as well as a little technological jewel in a galaxy of incompetence. Please have a look to this new machinery and consider its innovations with all the experience of your battle-hardened eyes.

*IMAGES*











*NOTES*
This is a resin tank for 28mm wargaming.
The tank is produced in our small laboratory with few cheap machines, and even if we truly use all our love to cast it, some parts might have small imperfections that the customer can easily clean. Moreover, we are keeping the price of the vehicle the lowest possible with the best quality we can offer. Inside the box you will find a brochure that explains you how to handle and model resin, if you are new to this material.
The tank is packed in two versions; base version and version with weapon sets.
The base version has a 170mm cannon, a removable armed periscope and an unarmed one for the leader, a removable antenna holder, a metallic antenna, the decal set; it’s possible to choose one from three hull weapons (laser cannon, 20mm autocannon, flame-thrower).
The version with weapon sets has three more weapons for the turret (a twin 50mm autocannon, a short 4 barrel laser emitter, a short 360mm siege cannon), two platforms with two 20mm autocannons, a 20mm autocannon, a laser cannon and a flame-thrower for the hull.
The prices (inside the European Union) will be 42,35 euros for basic version; 54,45 euros for versions with weapon sets, plus shipping. For other countries you could have bad surprises with shipping taxes, as you probably already know if you are used to buy around the world.
The site will soon be ready for taking orders. Consider that being this a hobby for us, and being the tank made of 15-20 parts, the rate of production of the tank is quite low, so casting could take its time.

We really hope you like it; the ZULU 1 has been designed for those who can appreciate its realistic mechanical structure, those who - like us - are tired of the ridiculous design of the sci-fi tanks that surround us - with some small exceptions of small resin casters.
Please feel free to comment on the vehicle,
SUGGESTIONS AND IMPRESSIONS ALWAYS WELCOME

Best regards, zcharles.

Imageshack is blocked at work, so I can't see your tank(s). I'm assuming you'll update this post with a link to the website when they're available for sale?

Can't wait to see them.

I would wait to see them. It's basically a Baneblade with no aquilas and slat armor.

Significantly smaller than a baneblade though, I'd say?

Nope. The guy seemingly is trying to be sneaky by having the overhead comparison photo shot at an angle and having the Leman Russ at the front of the "new" tank.

The only thing "smaller" than the Baneblade is the overall height, because they used a smaller turret profile. And even that is a bit misleading because the Leman Russ in the photo is the "old" metal Demolisher, which is a bit beefier in its turret profile than the current plastic one.

I don't understand your tone. Why are you so hostile towards the model, going so far as saying the makers are being "sneaky" in their photography? It's like you're implying something but I'm not sure what.

Dear Kanulwen, it's not a baneblade, really I never had it in my mind while designing. Sorry to see you think that. Obviously I was inspired by many basic modern tank requirements, if that baneblade has a similar shape and mechanics, it means baneblade it's a good tank too.

Bolognesus: yes it's slightly smaller than a baneblade; in fact has the size that a tank should have. I commonly use it as a L-R, except than in a L-R there isn't space for ammo, engine, all systems, and 5 crew. Here it is

Kronk: send me you mail, you'll have the photos man!
I'm now hearing "born to be wild" and your avatar has the perfect rytm with the music

I'm not "implying" anything.

I am saying it is a lackluster kit.
They're trying to market it as a "replacement" for the Leman Russ, and it looks to simply be a generic modern tank kit with laser cannons added in.

Kanulwen, please don't shoot at me man! I'm a wargamer like you, and I'm doing this for other wargamers. You want other photos? You'll have them with a baneblade too. Tomorrow if I find some time, i swear it

 Kanluwen wrote:
I am saying it is a garbage kit.

That's a bit harsh considering Rule Number One is Be Polite.

 Kanluwen wrote:
They're trying to market it as a "replacement" for the Leman Russ

You mean the Baneblade, surely? And just looking at OP, I don't see any 40k-specific marketing.

 Kanluwen wrote:
I'm not "implying" anything.

I am saying it is a garbage kit.
They're trying to market it as a "replacement" for the Leman Russ, and it looks to simply be a generic modern tank kit with laser cannons added in.

DRINK COFFEE NOW..... !

 Manchu wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
I am saying it is a garbage kit.

That's a bit harsh considering Rule Number One is Be Polite.

Yeah, it was a bit harsh. But the point still remains that as a kit it looks unfinished, rough, and like something one could put together from plasticard and a cheap armor kit from Trumpeter models.

 Kanluwen wrote:
They're trying to market it as a "replacement" for the Leman Russ

You mean the Baneblade, surely?

Read what the OP said. He "regularly uses it as a Leman Russ replacement".

And just looking at OP, I don't see any 40k-specific marketing.

Oh?

*TRANSMISSION TO ALL THE FREE TRADERS OF THE GALAXY*

*BEGIN*
---Good day Gentlemen! This is zcharles from his small independent republic at the edge of the Galaxy. We are proud to show you today this brand new war toy, the fantastic ZULU 1 Main Battle Tank!
This piece of art is the result of many years of military research, as well as a little technological jewel in a galaxy of incompetence. Please have a look to this new machinery and consider its innovations with all the experience of your battle-hardened eyes.

That pretty much reads to me as a 40k-specific marketing, especially the "galaxy of incompetence"(which I will wholeheartedly admit I chuckled at).

I've said my piece though. I'll leave it alone. Best of luck with your endeavours, Zcharles! Sorry for being a bit too harsh.

So much hate, I think it looks fine, it's definitely significantly smaller than a Baneblade, at best Macharius sized. It's a 28mm scifi-ish tank, I don't get the hate just because it's not looking like a church on wheels.

Kanluwen modified his statement so we can drop any talk of hate.

Meanwhile, I do agree with him that it's a bit bland compared to GW and FW tanks. Hopefully, its pricing will reflect that.

42,35 euros for basic version; 54,45 euros for versions with weapon sets, plus shipping

Yeah, no. I'm sorry, but compared to many other garage company resin kits your tank looks only marginally better than a shoebox with guns. I don't think huge featureless surfaces can cut it on this market anymore.

For that price, it's cheaper than a Land Raider for a similar sized vehicle and no more expensive than a very steampunkish Forgeworld Leman Russ. If one were running a decidedly non-gothic IG type (e.g. Elysians or some 3rd party IG like Wargames Factory) and wanted battle tank support, this would certainly fit that look better than basic Russ tanks.

uh, what's with hating on everything on Dakka from third party peeps. It's a hobby, not a church to the one true god. geez.

Nice kit.

Yeah, I don't understand all this hate.
I saw the birth of this tank, I've seen the many attempts to cast its parts. The price is reasonable, taking in account that Italy is one of the nations that has the highest fiscal pressure (21% vat). Alce Miniatures has also to cover all the costs of the masters and of the prototype's casts, so for now it's not gaining anything.
I'd like also you to note that in Italy there is not such thing as Kickstarter, so it's a miracle that this tank has seen production.
This is a good product for the customers that understands how real tanks and warfare works, even if sci-fi-ish.
If you don't like the tank and you don't want to buy it, fine, you are not forced to, but please don't spit over months of sacrifices of money and time over a project that has seen a lot of love and dedication from wargamers like you.

Peace&Love,

Augusto.

 xcasex wrote:
uh, what's with hating on everything on Dakka from third party peeps. It's a hobby, not a church to the one true god. geez.

Nice kit.

If you spend any time at all in News and Rumours, you'll see an awful lot of positive posted about any number of third party releases. People don't criticise just because it's not released by GW... quite the opposite, in many cases.

If you like the model, great. If others don't... that's entirely up to them. People have differing opinions on what constitutes a 'good' model.

For my money, this tank is competently done but a little bland. it could use some more detail, and some more substantial weapon mounts. And the size is awkward... too big for a Russ, and too small for a Baneblade.

It's an excellent size for a battlewagon and has a footprint like a land raider.

It's not covered in detail, but as a generic tank, that is it's strength, not it's weakness. It presents more of a canvass for either artwork or adding 'bits' for GW or other games.

I'm rather taken with it myself.

If you spend any time at all in News and Rumours, you'll see an awful lot of positive posted about any number of third party releases. People don't criticise just because it's not released by GW... quite the opposite, in many cases.

Well. yes, I do spend time there
this time, in particular, it was criticised for being a baneblade-something-or-other.

If you like the model, great. If others don't... that's entirely up to them. People have differing opinions on what constitutes a 'good' model.

Naturally, yes. but that's not what the now edited comments were spewing forth vitriol about.

For my money, this tank is competently done but a little bland. it could use some more detail, and some more substantial weapon mounts. And the size is awkward... too big for a Russ, and too small for a Baneblade.

but, what implies that it needs to be for a GW game what so ever? it feels like such a red herring that third party kits are only usable for a GW game.

for a rather similar situation, take your own conversion and sculpting work, you post a thread about selling off some of your surplus, and instantly someone starts spewing forth undeserving comments consisting of vitriol, pure and simple, would you take it as criticism -- which it isnt -- or would you start feeling disheartened?

in this case, the producer isnt deserving of vitriol for making a likeness remark, that's just innane and rather childish, it does nothing for the hobby, the fora or the community at large. it's just vitriol for vitriols sake.
I can understand the heavy remarks in say, the legendarion thread, but this? it's a 1/56 very generic looking tank.

I remember when BME had these kind of threads where vitriol reared its head from time to time, the solution was to actually enforce a "this is a community of friends" rule.

Strictly subjectively speaking, it's a nice kit, like someone said its more of a conversion testbed or in my own thoughts, a piece of scenery.

sidenote: dont gak on peoples efforts just because you feel entitled to do so, see the effort that went into creating it, the optimism and creativity that brought it to fruitition. it's a hobby after all.

 Pacific wrote:
DRINK COFFEE NOW..... !

This made me crack up

Honestly I don't really get the demand for super ultra detail on every surface of a model. Where is the room for conversion or free-hand painting?

That is actually the very problem I have on my baneblade conversion now. It's an awesome model in itself, but I'm actually finding it hard to find enough space to put the style of bits on that I want.

Now, the price I think is a bit high for a 'basic' tank, but I don't at all agree with most of the criticism voiced in this thread about this tank.

 xcasex wrote:
but, what implies that it needs to be for a GW game what so ever? it feels like such a red herring that third party kits are only usable for a GW game.

A model produced by itself, without a game system of its own, is going to be evaluated based on what people can use it for. For me, and I suspect for many others on this forum, the only potential use for a tank kit is as a stand-in for a 40K unit.

So yes, we're going to base our opinion of it on how well it fits a niche in that setting.

for a rather similar situation, take your own conversion and sculpting work, you post a thread about selling off some of your surplus, and instantly someone starts spewing forth undeserving comments consisting of vitriol, pure and simple, would you take it as criticism -- which it isnt -- or would you start feeling disheartened?

I saw nothing in this thread that I would have called 'vitriol'. I've certainly had more scathing remarks levelled at some of my conversions.

It is easy though, when you see something as being good and don't understand the criticism, to take negative comments as being harsher than they actually are.


I would also suggest that the more somebody builds up their own work, the more critical people will be if the end result doesn't quite live up to that build up. If this had been presented in the P&M section as somebody's scratchbuild, it would have received a much more positive reception. But as a commercial release, it will be compared to other similar kits and people will point out where they feel it is wanting. Not because people look down on it for not being GW, or because they just want to gak on people's work... but simply because being a commercial release means that people will evaluate it based on their own expectation of a commercial level of quality.

It looks like a good little generic tank - and would likely see use in a lot of the different generic sci-fi rules that are out there.

For 40K - it would be a good fit for a Tau-allied Human army. More advanced looking than the Leman Russ, while still maintaining the tread-head nature of an IG list. Painted up with some converted guardsman and some Tau Allies - they would look sharp IMO.

There are a lot of other games though which it would be more at home in - granted, this forum is somewhat 40K centric (might want to make a post over on TMP as there is a large collection of generic rules gamers over there).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
BTW - one of the complaints that I often hear from the other old guy gamers is that they are generally annoyed with GW's take on tanks (and others who follow suit). They would like to see a tank with large expanses of empty space...since you often find that on real armor. It is a lot easier to add stowage after the fact than to file it off to begin with.

It's a little bland, and the side sponsons are really poorly done and just look unfinished. The turret is excellent, as well as the little resin details. The back end is well done. The basic shape is pleasing.

Were it $30 or $35, I think it would be a very compelling product, a good base to add detail onto. At $71 USD for the complete kit; less shipping, it's a very tough sell. I think you picked this price since it's midway between a Baneblade and LRBT in size; but it's simply not in their class for quality. I think you either need to bring the price point down to the generic tank that it is, or substantially raise the sculpting detail up to the premium level that other kits offer.

On the other hand, all those open spaces would allow you do to a really striking paint scheme, I suppose. Really the sponsons and the price are the only dealbreakers for me.

Ehh it looks ok to me

But not $71 ok in agreement with Ouze.

Not only are you competing with whatever gw is doing, but you also got things like DUST or even good ol scale kits like Tamiya who have some lower prices


This topic reminds me of those 3rd party "Chimera Compatible Kits" that cost more than the chimera itself

Meh. Let the invisible hand of the market take care of it, I'd say. If the kit is that terrible, it will soon vanish by the simple virtue of nobody buying it. The producers will end up losing their money and all you people will get to enjoy that wonderful warm glow of "I told you so".

if it's between the Baneblade and Leman Rus sizes then wouldn't it be good for one of the Malcador variants?

Vintersorg wrote:

If you don't like the tank and you don't want to buy it, fine, you are not forced to, but please don't spit over months of sacrifices of money and time over a project that has seen a lot of love and dedication from wargamers like you.

Why do people post on an open forum if they don't want feedback?