Advantages: Great animation, good positions, really impressive work on rain cape and overcoat

Disadvantages: Somewhat "soft" detailing on weapons and kit

The long association of Zvezda of Russia with Italeri is paying off, and compared with the first few Zvedza figure sets these four figures are very impressive. They appear to represent a Soviet "tankoviy desant" – tank assault landing troops" – in action during fall 1944 or spring 1944 or 1945. All four are very well animated, and the facial details of the figures are no longer approximate human ones, but clearly discernible.

One figure is kneeling behind the turret with a PPSh with drum magazine; this figure is wearing the standard Soviet summer combat uniform. A second prepares to leap off with a PPSh fitted with curved magazine, and wears the quilted winter weight uniform. A third man carrying a PPSh with folding stock leaps off the side of the tank. This man is wearing the winter weight uniform but also has an overcoat on over it. Finally, a running figure on the ground, wearing the winter weight uniform but protected by the Soviet rain cape, runs along carrying a DP machine gun.

All four of the uniforms are clearly differentiated, and the rain cape is very nicely done, including the hood pulled down behind the soldier's head. The overcoat is also suitably thin, and the detail is well animated.

Weapons and some of the "kit" tend to be a bit thick, but swapping them with either Tamiya or DML parts should solve that problem.

Overall, these are very nice figures and if mixed with the Tamiya tank riders should give a suitable spring push for the Soviets to the front. Urra!