Kit guide · Germany

Tiger I Ausf. E (plastic) kit guide

An honest guide to the Warlord Games plastic kit: what's in the box, the build decisions to make early, painting, and what it pairs with on the table.

Nation

Germany

Role

Heavy tank

Scale

28mm (1:56) plastic

Price at Warlord Minis

$47.99 CAD
as of October 25, 2026

What's in the box

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

• One plastic Tiger I Ausf. E
• Pintle machine gun and commander options
• Assembly guide
• Decals
• Damage markers

The real vehicle, briefly

The Tank Museum at Bovington records 1,354 Tiger Is built. Each had an 88mm gun, two 7.92mm machine guns, a crew of five, about 102mm of armour and a weight of 57 tonnes. It first fought on the Eastern Front, then in North Africa and every other major European front. The museum also notes it was unreliable and caught fire easily, which is worth remembering when you paint battle damage.

Build plan

1. Wash and sort the sprues

   Wash the sprues in warm soapy water to remove mould release, let them dry, then check the parts against the instructions before you cut anything.

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

2. Lower hull and running gear

   Clip parts close to the part, not the gate, and clean the nubs with a sharp hobby knife. Dry-fit the lower hull and tracks, then glue. Let the running gear set fully before you handle it.

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

3. Upper hull and details

   Add the upper hull, then the small details: tools, lights and machine guns. Leave the most fragile parts until late so you don't snap them off while handling the model.

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

4. Turret and options

   Choose whether the commander is in the hatch and whether the pintle MG is fitted before gluing the turret top.

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

5. Prime and paint

   From 1943, Tigers were usually painted dark yellow, often with green and brown camouflage sprayed over it. Winter whitewash suits the Eastern Front. Use photos of a specific vehicle and unit; Tiger 131 at The Tank Museum is a well-documented, much-photographed example.

   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 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

Sprue cutters, a fresh hobby knife blade, plastic cement (thin and thick), tweezers, and a decal setting solution. That's enough for this kit.

What it pairs with

Tiger I Ausf. E heavy tank (plastic)This kit.View at Warlord Minis →Heavy Metal - German Armour Support BundleTiger I plus Jagdtiger, Elefant, StuG III D and Panzer 38(t).View at Warlord Minis →German Veterans Infantry PlatoonGerman infantry to escort it.View at Warlord Minis →Afrika KorpsIf you're building a Tunisia 1943 force.View at Warlord Minis →

Unit profiles and points come from your game's rulebook and army lists. We don't reproduce them here.