This particular element in the Zvezda Art of Tactic game range was released in 2016, but was actually first made in 2010. It was one of many sprues included in one of the large games Zvezda produced, and at the time buying the game was the only way to obtain these particular figures. Eventually Zvezda released them onto the market as a separate product, which was the last set of figures in this scale that they ever made.

The figures in this game piece consist of a man operating a radio, another holding something we could not identify but is perhaps a bag for despatches, plus a pair of officers. All bar the last man have multiple parts to them, and we really liked all the poses. The last officer is a bit of a surprise, since he seems to have drawn his pistol and is pointing it almost directly skyward in a very relaxed manner. Pistols were mainly for personal protection, and most officers would find little reason to draw theirs at all, much less then fire them in the air, so this is probably a flare gun for signalling.

As always, the sculpting is matchless, with all the detail you could want, down to the tiny badges on the officers’ caps. All wear long boots and have the early war feel that matches with the advertised dates for this set, with uniform being correct in all regards. The same goes for the weaponry, which only amounts to a couple of submachine guns, and even the radio is a pretty good effort.

As with most pieces in this range, the figures can be based individually, as per our photograph, or else grouped together on a larger single base, as seen here. For once this group looks reasonable, though in truth you would only really use this large base for gaming. Nevertheless these are excellent figures beautifully produced, and if they do not offer much not already seen in the hobby, they are still well worth owning, and are a reminder of what Zvezda is capable of now that they sadly no longer make 1/72 scale figures.