Poland 1944

Judge 1: Figures and Vehicle: The model is well built and you've done a good job on the tracks but pay attention to the alignment of the road wheels. The paint is well applied but could be further improved with some tonal variation, it's always hard to make a single colour look interesting. I think you've done a good job of the pin wash with the smaller details standing out. The dust and mud is too sparse on the running gear and lower hull compared to the horizontal areas and the decal doesn't blend into the final finish. It's better to use a lighter colour for the scratches and chips on light coloured vehicles and try and group the majority of them around crew access and maintenance areas. I like the figures but for this late period of the war I would expect to see more variation in the types and colours of the uniforms. They could also benefit from deeper shadows and greater colour contrast for the additional kit such as gas mask containers and blankets. I really like the horse he is very well shaded, overall quite a good job.
Judge 2: Yes, in late 1944 it was unusual to see Russian prisoners. But it seems from the diorama for its German participants it was everyday experience. They do not pay any attention to the prisoners: the Stg.III crew is relaxing on their vehicle, the marching soldiers look aside or down and even the prisoners’ guards (!) look not on whom they’re accompanying, though in a second or two the prisoners’ way will intersect with the soldiers’ way. The scene with Stg.III crew looks natural in itself, it alone could make a good diorama, but being put together with other figures such indifference of the crew looks strange. Some words should be said about the prisoners themselves. As you’ve might seen on photos and in documentary films, prisoners after a battle were marching without belts and with hands down. The presence of belts and raised hands means they were captured very recently, but a peaceful scene of sitting and chatting Stg.III crew shows us there wasn’t recently any fighting. By the way, not only belts were left by generous guards, but binoculars, spare ammo and a holster (may be not empty). Was the holster empty or wasn’t – we have to guess. But empty houses with empty windows look like movie decorations. So the overall impression is – unnatural.
Judge 3: the huts are good, in particular I like the roof and the straw reproduction, but I can see through the roof. Also the windows opened without anything on the back. There are also some little details to review, like the stair of the first hut. Terrain would be more careful; the appearance is more smearing filler than a muddy road. On this type of road the tracks marks are very deep creating two big furrow