One of the things I like about the hobby is to trawl various companies and drop their products together as a hodgepodge that somehow works together. So I’m usually on the lookout for things, and that’s how I got hold of Mantic’s Flatbed Truck Kit.
The kit is exceedingly simple, with only a few components, laid out below:
It does include a couple of option parts, such as side barriers to turn a flatbed into a more reasonable pickup — I find the flatbed looks very strange. It also comes with a light bar to turn it into an emergency vehicle, either a highway repair truck or maybe a police truck. And also a LMG.
What I really like about this is that it’s exceedingly easy to put together. The cab is in four pieces, and as you can see, there’s practically no flash that needs to be tidied up, thanks to the way they molded the pieces. The details here are not bad, not top-of-line but more than adequate.
Details on the undercarriage is really sparse but then again these are more scenery pieces than anything, so they work well enough.
Assembly is quick and the only real thing to watch out for is that the axle is a bit longer than necessary, nothing a little snipping won’t solve. That will let the wheels sit tight against support, and works wonders in making this already nice kit better. Once together, it looks quite good:
How does it measure up against GW minis? Well, here’s a Terminator Lord squatting on top of one. Looks quite good.
And here’s an older shot of a bunch of Cultists riding one.
Overall, I find this quite a good addition to any stable, even if your game system doesn’t allow for civilian transports. It’s ubiquitous enough to be anywhere, and no distinguishing marks to restrict it. From modern to sci-fi, there’s usually a place for it, even it’s just scenery to get shot up over. I’d say it’s a good buy.