Bandua have been making a great series of pre-printed wargaming terrain. We’ve covered medieval and viking sets, and now it’s the turn of the WW2 range, which promises to be a flexible and widely used set at home on many a table.
Thanks to Bandua for sending these out for review!
First Impressions
On opening the European Village 28mm MDF model kits from Bandua Wargames, I found myself a little overwhelmed. The kits had arrived mostly intact, with only a few of the smaller components shaken loose from their frames in transit. Nothing was broken or missing however, which spoke well for the resilience of the MDF kits.
One of the first things that hit me was there were no assembly instructions. This may not be a problem for the seasoned MDF hobbyist, but it did present some initial confusion. What really drew my eye was the excellent quality of the printed textures on the external wall pieces. The high-resolution imagery is excellent. Each house has a unique internal wall design on one side and an external wall design on the other: exterior walls are dramatically outstanding with minute details such as mud splatters, grime streaks, and creeping plants. The textures really make the buildings look authentic and weathered—just perfect to create a realistic tabletop look. You do have to be a little careful with which side is presented on the inside or outside when there is an option to do so, because you don’t want a bush growing out from the wall on a second floor – or maybe you do. Who am I to judge?
Assembly
It proved to be quite involved to assemble the kits. With no instructions provided, I had to resort to using trial and error to assemble everything. Assembly wasn’t necessarily that complicated; it’s just that without a guide, it proved a bit more trying than it should have been. Dry fitting was essential. Basically, what I did was pull out two 2’ x 4’ folding tables and laid out all 3 buildings as they lay on the sprues, then assembled them one at a time.
Now going back and looking at the photos, I realize that each house kit came with enough parts to create the base house along with a few ruined sections. My initial impression was that each house came with walls that could swap out for either fully intact or partially destroyed. Maybe I am just an idiot and in the minority, but I think either a clear instruction sheet or a detailed 3D spinning image on Bandua’s site showing the completed kits from all angles would have been incredibly helpful.
These would eliminate much of the mystery, especially for hobbyists who may be MDF kit novices like me. It was a bit of a chore, but once the proper placement of the pieces was figured out, they went together without a hitch. The tight fits and accurate cuts made it a most satisfying build, even though it took a few hours to complete.
Conclusion
Once fully assembled, the European Village looks great. The finished buildings look great and include a sense of realism from a distance that will enrich any gaming table. These would be most suited for 20th and 21st-century wargames like Bolt Action or Chain of Command. Their weathered textures and architectural designs render them quite fitting for ultra-modern settings as well.
The European Village 28mm MDF model kits by Bandua Wargames would be a very welcome addition to any wargaming collection, especially when trying to fill tables for tournaments or for multiple games. When mixed in with other terrain, like trees, roads or fences, I think these kits have a really great chance to shine. While the lack of instructions does add a certain degree of frustration, the high quality of the materials, the complexity of the designs, and their versatility make these kits well worth it. With just a few improvements in the area of user guidance, these kits would be taken to an even higher level; as they are, though, they’re a great option for knocking out terrain quickly.
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