Kit guide · USA and Allies

LVT-4 Buffalo Amtrac kit guide

An honest guide to the Warlord Games resin and metal kit: what's in the box, how resin builds differently from plastic, painting, and where the real vehicle fought.

Nation

USA and Allies

Role

Amphibious tracked carrier (amtrac)

Material

Resin and metal, supplied unassembled and unpainted

Price at Warlord Minis

$68.99 CAD
as of October 29, 2026

What's in the box

From the manufacturer's product page. Check the box when you open it.

• One LVT-4 Buffalo Amtrac, in resin and metal
• Order dice
• Waterslide decals
• Game accessories

The real vehicle, briefly

Warlord's product page describes the LVT-4 as the most numerous version of the LVT, with over 8,000 produced, and notes its rear ramp door, which let troops get out at the back instead of climbing over the sides. It lists the vehicle's use by the US Marine Corps in the Pacific, by Commandos crossing the Scheldt estuary, and by British, American and Canadian troops crossing the Rhine in Operation Plunder.

For Canadian players, the Scheldt is the obvious use. Veterans Affairs Canada's record of the battle includes photographs of Buffalo amphibians carrying troops across the Scheldt in October 1944. Our sister site has the history: The Battle of the Scheldt, October-November 1944.

Build plan

This is a resin and metal kit, not plastic, so the build is different from our plastic kit guides.

1. Wash the resin

   Resin parts can carry mould release, which stops paint and glue sticking. Scrub them in warm soapy water with an old toothbrush, rinse, and let them dry fully.

   Build photo slot: Wash the resin
   Reserved for our own photo of this step. We don't use stock or AI-generated build photos.

2. Clean up flash and casting blocks

   Trim thin flash with a sharp hobby knife. Remove larger casting blocks with a fine razor saw, then sand the surface flat. Sand resin wet, and wear a dust mask: resin dust shouldn't be breathed in.

   Build photo slot: Clean up flash and casting blocks
   Reserved for our own photo of this step. We don't use stock or AI-generated build photos.

3. Dry-fit and fix warps

   Check that the hull halves and tracks sit flat before you glue anything. A slightly warped resin part can usually be eased back into shape after a short dip in hot (not boiling) water. Hold it straight while it cools.

   Build photo slot: Dry-fit and fix warps
   Reserved for our own photo of this step. We don't use stock or AI-generated build photos.

4. Glue with superglue, and pin metal parts

   Plastic cement doesn't work on resin or metal. Use superglue (cyanoacrylate), and add a small pin of brass rod for heavier metal parts so they don't snap off during games.

   Build photo slot: Glue with superglue, and pin metal parts
   Reserved for our own photo of this step. We don't use stock or AI-generated build photos.

5. Prime and paint

   Resin and metal need a primer before paint. Treat a Commonwealth Buffalo like any other Allied vehicle: a base vehicle colour, then mud and water staining on the lower hull and tracks. Check reference photos for the unit and theatre you're modelling.

   Build photo slot: Prime and paint
   Reserved for our own photo of this step. We don't use stock or AI-generated build photos.

6. Decals and finishing

   Gloss-coat the decal areas, apply the waterslide decals with a setting solution, then seal everything with a matt varnish before weathering.

   Build photo slot: Decals and finishing
   Reserved for our own photo of this step. We don't use stock or AI-generated build photos.

Tools that help

A sharp hobby knife, a fine razor saw, sanding sticks or wet-and-dry paper, superglue, a pin vice drill with brass rod, a dust mask, and a decal setting solution.

Where it fits on the table

A Buffalo is for scenarios built around water: a canal or river crossing, or a landing on a muddy bank. It needs infantry to carry. For a Canadian or British force, it sits alongside the other Commonwealth transports we cover: the Universal Carrier and the Kangaroo APC. Check your army book for how it's fielded in your game.

US/Allied LVT-4 Buffalo AmtracThis kit. SKU 402413005.View at Warlord Minis →

Tabletop Frontline is run by Warlord Minis, which sells this kit. Kit details are from the manufacturer's product page and are written in our own words.