====== Panzer Aufklärungs 'Krote' ======

  * Manufacturer: Wave
  * Part number: 9
  * Year of production: 2010
  * Scale: 1/20	
  * Series: Maschinen Krieger / SF3D
  * Kit type: Large scale kit, poseable with polycaps
  * In-universe role: Heavy Armoured Autonomous Walker, //Strahl Democratic Republic forces//
  * Build date: ???

Bought this one from an auction on [[http://www.buyee.com|Buyee.com]] in July 2021. It was listed as unused and unbuilt for a reasonable price (~£30); much better than the scalpers on Ebay (//£100+ in 2021!!!//) were wanting for one.

**Manufacturers images below:**

{{:blog:models:krote_boxart.png?250|}} {{:blog:models:krote_1.png?300|}} {{:blog:models:krote_2.png?300|}}

===== Tools Used =====

TBD

===== Colours Used =====

TBD

===== Background Info =====

The Krote is one of the larger ground vehicles from the Ma.K universe and one of the few 'autonomous' designs - most being crewed by a human operator. The Krote is a heavily armoured bipedal walker which, as standard has a heavy multi-barrel machine gun. A variant of the Krote mounts a 75mm cannon and is referred to as the PaK Krote (in reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.5_cm_Pak_40|real weapon of the same name]] from WW2). A version of this model //was// produced by Wave, but is extremely hard to find:

{{:blog:models:krote_pak.jpg?200|}}

There are also resin/garage kit conversions to make a normal Krote into a PaK Krote, but again, these are expensive:

{{:blog:models:1328856-20006-19-pristine.jpg?200|}}

The Krote also forms the basis of several additional designs:

The //Kuster//, which takes most of the basic Krote design and then ramps everything up a notch, with smoke dischargers, radar and extra details. Wave made at least one production run of this version:

{{:blog:models:wavmk-38_9.jpg?200|}} {{:blog:models:wavmk-38_0.jpg?200|}}

Then, there is the// Konigs Krote//, or //King Krote//, which changes the head/turret design quite significantly, adds a low-slung central sensor/laser pod and mounts multiple missile launchers, with the machine gun relegated to a secondary weapon. It's quite a big model and I've been unable to find any major manufacturer who released one; they all seem to be resin kits:

{{:blog:models:konigskrote.jpg?200|}}

There is a Youtube channel by the model builder [[https://www.jonbius.com/2020/12/11/kuster-building-waves-maschinen-krieger-mode-part-1-assembly-painting-and-dot-filters/|Jon Bius]] who has built and painted a Kuster (//but it's 95% identical to a Krote//). I think it is an excellent example of how good they can look; it's also a really good tutorial for various weathering techniques. I've linked part 1 and part 2 of his videos below:

{{youtube>GiTQjGXv-Ao?large}} {{youtube>q0iWzrhB41A?large}}

I will almost certainly be copying some of his techniques and borrowing some ideas from his painting scheme, since I want most of my SDR (//Strahl Democratic Republic//) army designs to all be variants on the same grey/blue/yellow colour scheme.

===== Box Contents =====

All of the parts sprues in this particular production run are re-used Nitto designs. They have 'Nitto' removed from one side of the sprue, but it remains moulded clearly on the other side! :D

   * Instruction manual
   * Painting guide / information card
   * 2x Bag of multimedia parts
     * 1x Bag of brass rod & wire
     * 1x Bag of springs, photoetched brass, flexible rubber tubing
   * 5x Parts sprues
     * A (Krote), beige, main hull
     * B (Krote), beige, main hull detail parts
     * C (Krote), beige, lower hull
     * D (Krote), beige, legs
     * I (Gans), beige, armour parts, smoke launchers
     * Figure, beige
   * 1x Clear sensor cover
   * 1x Bag of (6) nylon spacers

Box artwork:

{{:blog:models:img_2215.jpg?180|}} {{:blog:models:img_2216.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:img_2217.jpg?400|}} 

{{:blog:models:img_2218.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:img_2219.jpg?400|}}

Instruction manual:

{{:blog:models:img_2220.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:img_2221.jpg?400|}}

Painting guide:

{{:blog:models:img_2222.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:img_2223.jpg?400|}}

Waterslide decals:

{{:blog:models:img_2224.jpg?400|}}

Parts sprues:

{{:blog:models:krote_a_img_2227.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:krote_b_img_2228.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:krote_c_img_2231.jpg?400|}}

{{:blog:models:krote_d_img_2232.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:krote_gans_i_img_2226.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:krote_figure_img_2233.jpg?400|}}

Multimedia bits and other small parts:

{{:blog:models:krote_media_img_2225.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:krote_sensor_img_2229.jpg?400|}} {{:blog:models:krote_spacers_img_2230.jpg?400|}}
===== In-Progress Images =====

TBD