Bottom line for me is, I'm getting old, I'm legally blind in one eye so I have no depth perception & my vision is slipping in the other! I just can't be bothered with so much fiddly nonsense that a real kit offers! I had tons of models I was going to build when I retired & sold them all to pick up the FA kits instead. But now, I keep running into these horrid kits! The GAZ was awful with way too many fiddly parts just for, as you say, an undercarriage 99% of people will never see, + 2 tires do not touch the ground! It's a horrible model! F this, my Russians will just have to use easy assemble Italeri jeeps!

I really don't care about how the tracks look on tanks! It was always the worst part of building a tank; putting on that stupid track, (that you had to sew together because melting tabs last about 2 seconds!) & pray you didn't snap off any bogy wheels! I still have nightmares about putting together the ONE Airfix Churchill tank I ever attempted! & forget those multi-part ESCI tracks! I think a reincarnation of the Marque De Sade came up with that nonsense! All I want is a tank, jeep, truck, whatever that I can put together quickly that looks decent! Beyond that I am OK!

On the + side, I finally have my Dingo for Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur for my Market Garden set so I am happy!

A very ambitious project Garrison & good luck with it! Somebody has already assembled jeeps with machine guns mounted. They look great, but need figures. I would never totally replicate Rat Patrol vehicles because as you say, they are not really German vehicles from the war. This is one of those rare times when I would have to insist on historical accuracy for German vehicles to go with the fantasy Rat Patrol! Were I to do it of course!