The little tank that could
Hello again fellow historical war nerds! And what a treat we have today for I am going to build, paint and enthuse about the Panzer 38(t) tank from Warlord Games as seen in your favourite Hollywood style WW2 tabletop wargame, Bolt Action 3E.
The lesson
So real quick I promise but let’s fast talk about the history of today’s armoured lad. The Panzer 38(t) first CHUGACHUGACHUGAD out of 1930s Czechoslovakia. The German army, suitably impressed, went go on then and ordered about 1400 of them. They served in WW2 under German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, and Slovakian command (and more!) until shots from the main gun started bouncing off mid and late war tanks causing production to cease. Shame too as they remained popular with crews for their ease of operation and maintenance. Fun fact, Peru kept these things in service up till 1970, and still, I assume, operates the world’s largest Panzer 38(t) festival featuring tank inspired cupcakes, cosplays, and speed dating. Citation needed.
Rolling out of the factory
Let’s pop the tab on this bad boy and see what’s inside. Oh look, pretty much the same as all other Warlord games plastic tank kits; 2 sprues, destroyed tank markers, decal sheet, and of course what would a Warlord vehicle kit be without the stat card – YEET. There is also the little “packed by” sheet which are always adorable. I like to think of these as little business cards advertising the personal services of the staff member who packed your tank in case you move house and require an extra pair of hands putting things in boxes. Also of note is the exclusion of any order dice. Still not sure how Warlord decides which kit gets a dice and which doesn’t. If you do please, please find me and explain.
So when it comes to assembly the 38(t) deserves a special mention above its peers. This Warlord Games kit went together like peanut butter and chocolate. It just worked. Honestly, I have assembled about 15 Warlord Games plastic sprue kits or 20 odd including duplicates and the 38(t) is by far the easiest assembly I have encountered from this manufacturer thus far. And yet, we stop just short of perfection. Unfortunately this is one of the older kits and as such the sprues are unlabeled. Instead, assembly relies on an annotated photograph of the sprue within the instructions. Make sure to tear this page out for easy reference when working through the instructions. Hardly the end of the word, just a bit of old school faff making the build longer than it needs to be.
Prime time for painting
We have been here before. I am pretty deep into my German army at this point with 38(t) being addition number 31 to my force. I also acknowledge I might have a problem. With storage. All this means I have a tried and tested approach to painting ze lads which I have covered in previous reviews and try to talk less and less about in each new article for fear of plagiarising myself. I also have anxiety over trying to spell the name of the German primer again. You can read my step by step painting guide here where I spell it correctly at least once.
Armed to the (t)
So now we have a playable tank but how does she play? Stats wise we have:
135 points at regular
8 armour
1 turret mounted light anti-tank gun
1 co-axial MMG
1 hull mounted MMG forward facing
What we have here dear reader is a perfectly capable early war tank. Note the exclusion of any of those flavourful rules a lot of those 30s vehicles have like Slow or Slow… Pitifully Slow or Engine is literally constantly on fire so good luck, which a lot of the other vehicles of the era do. With the light AT gun you will be making light work of unarmoured and lightly armoured vehicles which if you are playing early war is most of what you are likely to encounter. Take this fella into a mid or, god help you, a late war game and like any early war tank you will see its effectiveness evaporate like cotton candy in water.
My top strategic tips for the 38(t) are:
● Try not to run over the infantry moving in the same direction you are.
● When firing, ensure the shell explodes AFTER it has left the tank.
● Avoid parallel parking if at all possible.
● As the DVLA would class the 38(t) as a historic vehicle and as such is exempt from the London Ultra Low Emissions Charge. Good for outflanking.
In terms of thematic play the 38(t) is right at home in the invasion of Poland, fall of France campaign, and during the start of the invasion of the Soviet Union in which it lasted up to the point the Russians started rattling up in some very big, very well armoured tanks. The 38(t) also looks right at home in any early war force with its small cannon and riveted construction. Both turned out to be bad ideas later in the war but he’s doing his best, OK? Eagle eyed readers might notice I have painted and based my 38(t) for a desert environment for which the 38(t) never saw action. This is because I was coerced into a North Africa slow grow campaign when I started my Germans and I will be darned if I’m painting a separate German force just to unlock those cool tanks from other theatres and later in the war. Yes, I live in constant fear of the Karma of which I am so overdue.
Commander’s conclusion
It does exactly what it does on the tin. It’s a solid tank with no major drawbacks, appropriately costed, and a fair smidge better than a lot of competition from across factions at the same era. In mid to late era battles it is likely to become a fireball within a turn or two and that’s fine because you are getting exactly what you pay for. As a special bonus it also happens to look really cool in that early war way, and the kit almost builds itself. 9/10 tank commanders recommend the Panzer 38(t).
About the author:
Hasvik is as Hasvik does. Hasvik enjoys wargaming, TTRPGS, and board games, as well as Jaffa Cakes, frogs, and rolling my dice on the floor to intimidate my opponent. Hasvik has no socials and cannot be followed for he travels only the hidden paths.
