A.F.S. G-Pawn Kit Review
Allegiance: Mercenary Army

Kit currently in production from Wave Corporation, available from HobbyLink Japan.

I am pleased to offer a review of the Maschinen Krieger AFS G-Pawn, as currently produced by Wave Model Corporation and obtainable from HobbyLink Japan (click the link above). The kit is the latest in a wave (pardon the pun) of AFS-based releases, each packaged in a box showcasing Kow Yokoyama's splendid art. This particular AFS is the ground based version of the Mercenary Army's Luna Pawn suit, making it a stop-gap design in Ma.K. hardware, as well as a new design recently unveiled to fandom. It differs from the Luna Pawn in a few subtle ways, but the majority of the kit is made of familiar sprues (albeit this time in green plastic). This is clever on Wave's part, by offering a parts breakdown that allows for more variant sprues, the company can offer more varied designs, and Ma.K. fans get more suits into their collection!

So let's start with the box art. Kow's painting depicts a G-Pawn on a limited edition box art design, which I believe commemerates the 50th anniversary of plastic model kits in Japan. More info on this model's unique package/intent will appear here soon...

Once inside the box, we are met with the standard Luna Pawn kit's contents and a new and unique sprue, this time in green plastic.

The new sprue features what some fans refer to as the "sneaker feet", which have a tapered front section. Instruction booklet includes a paint guide, is in Japanese, but easy to follow and well illustrated. The decals are superb - waterslide, clean and crisp.

Assembly was much like the other AFS suits in the Ma.K. line from Wave. Fit part was (for the most part) easy, and the model can even be assebled with no glue, thanks to the polycaps and vinyl-based joints. I chose to glue parts together for this build, and sand seam lines away.

As you can see, no filler is needed - the parts fit very closely together. The only area that gave me trouble was the rear deck part, and I suspect that my lack of understanding of the written Japanese language hindered me.

Because this is a modified-suit design, you have to play close attention to the way this part fits. It does not just "snap" into place like it does on other AFS suits. Note how it slopes and creates a protruding lip along the lowest point:

And also note how it nests "into" the side pieces, the further you travel down.

A small lip is also created along the top sidewalls:

So it should look like this when you are done:

Next up - paint!

Maschinen Krieger © Kow Yokoyama