Tank Crew Minifigures & Build Ideas
A tank on its own is a model. A tank with a crew, a commander and some infantry beside it is a scene. This guide covers how to choose a tank, how to crew it, and three scenes to build around it using vehicles and figures we sell.
The short answer
Buy the tank first, then size the crew to it. The Modern Main Battle Tank ($39.99) is the centrepiece option: a green armored model with a long smoothbore cannon, sensor turret, antennas and chain tracks. Stock is limited, so check the product page.
Crewing a tank model
The Modern Main Battle Tank has an unmanned sensor turret, so there is no open hatch to seat a figure in. That is fine. Crew figures stand beside and in front of it, which is how most tank displays read anyway. Use three to five: a commander slightly apart, a driver or technician near the front, and one or two infantry for scale. The Modern Military set ($24.99, 12 figures) gives you a modern cast to choose from.
Other armor in our range
- Modern Main Battle Tank ($39.99). Long cannon, sensor turret, grenade launcher details, rear slat cage armor.
- 8-Wheel Armored Vehicle ($32.99). Rotating turret with dual machine guns, rear entry ramp and side missile launcher. The rear ramp makes it a troop carrier, so infantry can dismount beside it.
- Mini Armored Tank ($7.99). A small tank in several variants, for background vehicles in a larger scene.
Check each page for availability. More vehicles are in vehicles.
Three scenes to build
- Checkpoint. Tank angled across a road, a barrier in front, two guards and a commander. The tank sets the scale and the guards give it a reason to be there.
- Convoy. Tank leading, the 8-wheel vehicle behind, infantry walking alongside. Keep spacing even and the road straight.
- Dismount. The 8-wheel vehicle with its rear ramp down and infantry stepping out, the tank covering from a short distance.
For ground and cover, see how to build a realistic battlefield diorama base, and for finishing touches, how to weather your builds.
Budget
- Tank and crew, $64.98. Main Battle Tank ($39.99) plus Modern Military set ($24.99).
- Armored pair and crew, $97.97. Add the 8-Wheel Armored Vehicle ($32.99).
Common mistakes
- No crew. A lone tank reads as a model, not a scene.
- Too many figures. Three to five is enough. More hides the vehicle.
- Ignoring scale. The tank is brick-scale, so check it against your figures before building a base around it.
Where to start
Pick the tank, add a commander and two infantry, and build the checkpoint. Browse military for figures and read how to build a military diorama for layout.