Recently I added the Rubicon Panzer IV D/E to my backlog inventory. It can be found on Kick Ass Mail Order for the astonishingly low price of $23.50 USD. Funnily enough, I had initially bought the kit for its decals. I have found Rubicon decals are vastly superior to Warlord decals in terms of durability. This is particularly important to people with fat fingers like me as I tend to tear them on occasion. The decal sheet included is also pretty extensive and can be used to markup multiple vehicles. Having the extra decals on hand is pretty handy when 3D printing vehicles is a pretty normal thing. As an aside, the only way to get said armored vehicle decals is through a model kit. They do not sell them separately.

So after pillaging the decals for my 8-Rad and Panzerjager I (one) I ear marked the tank for an addition to my Blitzkrieg/ Barbarossa Germans. It then went into my backlog stash only to be dragged out several weeks later. The kit contains parts to make a Panzer IV D or Panzer IV E. The Panzer IV D was used during the invasion of France and the early parts of the invasion of the Soviet Union. The E variant began manufacture in October 1940 and were ready by the time Barbarossa kicked off. It was designed as an infantry support tank, which is very apparent as it sports a short, low velocity 50mm main gun. As I selfishly wanted to have the versatility to use it against French and Russian forces I decided to build mine as the D variant. I also have a pipe dream of painting a full platoon of early war Panzer IVs, so there will be more. Give me that sea of panzer gray! I have along way to go as my sea is currently a puddle with two vehicles completed. A man can wish.

I love Rubicon model kits. I have been a strong supporter of Rubicon models since they stormed onto the wargaming scene. For me they hit the sweet spot on the detail/ durability scale. They are half way between modeling kits and hardy wargaming pieces. Rubicon kits almost always contain parts to make multiple variants of the base vehicle. Some models can be made as two variants with the clever use of magnets (this isn’t one of them unfortunately). Additionally, as there are so many parts included inevitably the leftovers get put into the parts bin for later projects. If I am looking for a plastic kit I will buy a Rubicon ten times out of ten over any competitor’s offering. The value for the money and accuracy are undeniable. For $23.50 USD this kit is a steal especially when you compare it to the Warlord Games resin and metal offering which is the other mainstream 28mm Panzer IV D. The Warlord may edge out the Rubicon in physical heft but also in monetary heft clocking in at $45.50 USD. That’s almost two times the cost of the Rubicon.

In Bolt Action

For Bolt Action the Panzer IV D listing is lumped in with the B, C, E, and F variants. The D offers a light howitzer, co-axial medium machine gun, and hull mounted machine gun. It comes in at an armor damage value of 9+ which is expected as it’s a medium tank. It varies from 140, 175, and 210 points for inexperienced, regular, and veteran respectively. It’s a good, bog standard tank with a light howitzer. Some may say it’s a bit over-costed as it only packs a light howitzer but the points are paying for the armor 9.

In Chain of Command

In game terms the Panzer IV D is a pretty solid piece of equipment for early war German platoons. It’s available for use from January 1940 to December 1943. It is the last Panzer IV to fall on support list 5. It has a lighter armor of 4 reflecting the D model’s relatively light armor. The Germans knew this was an issue and the E variant included some armor add ons. The 50mm gun gives it AP 5 and HE 6 which is pretty respectable for digging out infantry. It has the co-axial medium machine gun and hull mounted machine gun and has an average movement rating. I haven’t used it in a game yet, but for a list 5 tank it seems like a good support option especially given most early war tanks are relatively thin skinned so it’s AP 5 can shine.

The Sprues

Thoughts on the Build

One thing to remember about Rubicon kits is they are made of ABS plastic. You need to be sure to use a glue that will work with ABS. I used AK thin cement and it worked like a charm.

Putting the kit together was pretty straight forward. The parts had minimal mold lines and were well formed with no miscasts. As usual the kit contained many optional parts including crew and stowage. The instructions were well diagramed and explained. I only ran into one or two spots where I had to assume the orientation of a part as it was on the backside of the pictured model.

I am a stickler for tracks. This kit offers easy to assemble, accurate tracks and road wheels. The track assemblies attach to the hull with a lug on every road wheel, return roller, and the idler wheel and drive gear. This connection is both sturdy and ensures you have the right placement of the tracks.

My one and only complaint is pretty minor. The fit on the turret cheeks was not seamless and there were some small gaps. This issue is pretty common on plastic tank kits. The issue is easily remedied with a quick application of green stuff or sprue goo.

At the time of writing I have already added some storage to gussy the tank up a bit and give it the “lived in” appearance. The next steps will be to paint her up and add some decals.

Conclusion

Over all the Rubicon Panzer D/ E is a great kit and lives up to the high standard Rubicon has set. I recommend it to anyone looking for an early war panzer IV. I am looking forward to painting this one up and using it in some games of Chain of Command and Bolt Action.