ok - I'm ok of my league here

[salemsam]

I stasrted reading a few of the posts and find - I'm way out of my league here with the modifications most of you are making to your tanks and the cost. I was just looking spend a modest amount on a few tanks to play with the wife and kids and when friends come over.

Well here goes - Is it possible to spend around $100 a tank ( have to buy 4) and get a good tank or am I wasting my time and money? I see there are FOV and VS tanks in that range but also the VS pro ( can't find what the difference is) in 1/24 scale and then there are some airsoft tanks in 1/16. and then there are the one with metal parts - which I assume would be better?

recommendations - ideas - pointers - any and all help will be appreciated

Sam

[Reaper332]

Hi Sam,
I have FOV, Vs Pro, Heng Long 1/16 and Tamiya 1/16. If you can pick up H/L's for the money you want to spend then thats the way i would go the small tanks are ok ( FOV and Vs Pro's) but you cant do any up grades to them and you will find once you start you wont be able to stop I have only been doing tanks for bout 9 months and I started with stuff knowledge now I have quite a few not the best looking but as good as I can do. So to sum up if you can afford 1/16 then gothat way you will be happier in the long run.
Cheers Ken

[tapkoote]

Salesman
I'm new also, my first tank should get here next week i hope.
from what I've read, I'm getting the Mato Bulldog with metal upgrades.
I don't expect the smoke or the air soft cannon to work long, if at all.
I just want mine to cruse around with, but with your crew, you'd want to be ready to up grade
the gun system. And with small ones, IR would be recomended.
You might be money ahead to start with IR tanks, I'm sure the folks here will give good advice.
Who knows some one might chime in with a family plan.
tap

[NoBrainer]

This all comes down to what you want I think.

If you "just" want some fun, buy the Heng Longs with IR and run them stock. Or paint them so they look a little bit less plastic. Or paint them the way your kids want them. But always have them in shape, so that when the kids or wife want to play, you can just go out and play.

I would go just IR and not BB. Set up some small boxes, let the kids make some windows and and color them. Drive around and "kill" each other. Swap teams and have fun. Or else your going to be alone with this hobby.
If some of them wants to paint there tank, let them paint it.

If you have a big garden, be sure to get rid of tall grass or branches or any other thing that can get caught in the tracks. If you can run inside, the maintenance is way less.

Then.....probably....you will get hoocked and "need" a new tank. This tank you can do stuff with. Still, don't touch the others.
Because when you start with modifying and painting, it will probably take some time. In that time you will need the other tanks to work and to be played with.

Just my toughts.

[Tankbear]

Hi Sam,

Don't be put off, the forum is full of people from just want to play to modellers who have been into it for many years.

I would recommend the heng long IR versions very good fun and you can play them straight out of the box (well once battery is charged). Some come with metal upgrades which people will say really required for outside use. To be honest I've run the basic plastic versions out on the lawn and it is fine, plus the plastic versions are much quieter than the metal ones.

Ian.

[salemsam]

Thanks for all the feedback. What I gather so far is - go with the 1/16 scale over the 1/24 as future modifications can be donen to the larger scale - right? I found some 1/16 HL tanks for just over my limit but it that's the way to go then a few dollars more is not too big a deal in the long run.

It also sounds like IR is the way to go? Is there a problem with the airsofts going bad - life expectancy? I take it that the airsoft can later be turned into IR when the airsoft goes bad?

I also noticed a All metal sell for about $50 more. Is the additional money worth it buying factory upgrades or getting the standard ones and making custom upgrades with aftermarket parts?

I buddy of mine where I used to work is a master modeler and builds tanks - I'll have to talk him into a paint job

[Tankbear]

Nothing wrong with the airsoft, I found after the initial novalty I just didn't put BB in it. If you buy IR from the start it will come with recoiling barrel also which is more realistic. You can add IR to the airsoft later if you wanted that route.

Buying the Pro Version with the upgraded metal is the cheaper option than doing it afterwards. The metal tracks are reasonable quality, metal gears are hit and miss quality.

Ian.