Review: System ∞ - Silo (Sarissa Precision)

A snipers wet dream. No not the unpainted Guija, the silo!!!

As always the public health warning goes out to you all letting you know that I was gifted this for free by the lovely chaps at Sarissa Precision.Don't ask me what we'll store in silo's in the future, because I just don't know. However, what watching copious amounts of dodgy sci-fi TV programs has taught me is that in the future there will indeed be silo's. Probably lots of them, storing chemical weapons or Soylant Green!

Product description

A bit like the Shipping Containers I reviewed earlier on today, Silo's are something many gamers like to have on their sci-fi themed boards. Like all the other Sarissa Precision scenery this is a laser cut and etched kit. The Silo kit comes with 20 pieces. Comprising of 2 end plates, one blank and one with a hole for a hatch. This is the same hatch construction found on the various Habitation Pods, and comes in 4 parts. There are 8 side walls, one with an etched hatch door, which has a further piece to be glued onto the surface around it and another comes with cut out pin holes for attaching the silo ladders when the silo is deployed on its side. There is also the 'long ladder' for when it is standing up, which comes in 3 parts, 2 side rails and 1 ladder section. There is also a 3 part floor stand for when it is lying on it's side. When lying down its length is 7.5", its width and 2.5" and its height 3.25". When standing up its height is obviously 7.5" and its width and length is 2.5, or thereabouts.


Usefulness 8 out of 10

These are useful as they can either provide a really nice length of wall terrain when lying down to block LoS. Also while lying down they provide a good low level raised firing base, but crucially without any covering terrain. An interesting gaming option. But, of course these speak strongest to my inner sniper. That part of my psyche the wants to head shot people from a mile away and listen to death from above. Lets be honest, it's as small little snipers nests that these will get the most use. And if you want to keep your board low level cluttered with some obvious snipe spots these are great. However, too many of them and you'll be wishing you'd taken more snipers than your opponent. Just remember everything in moderation people.

And here we have a silo taking a rest.

Character 7.5 out of 10

Again, I really like the boxy and angular tube shape. Again I guess it won't be to everyone's tastes, but trust me when I say this, they're way better than any Pringles tube silo's I've ever made! Lying down they look like a fuel tank, and standing up water tanks or maybe even grain silo's. As with the rest of the range, there's a nice blank canvass quality to them.

Detail 7 out of 10

There really isn't very much of it truth be told. Apart from the very nifty little hatchway that you get on the pods and the hatch door with the outside frame that needs gluing on there isn't much to it. With the ladders on the silo when it's standing up though it does look very sleek and modern. That's surely what you want from a piece of sci-fi terrain, I'm sure with a bit of weathering and a decent paint job though you could make it look as rusty and knackered as you like!

Quality 8 out of 10

Again zero complaints on the build quality. It all snaps together with a very satisfying 'click' and stays snapped together without glue.

Service N/A out of 10

As before, no comment. And I'm sure you all know about the free shipping on orders over £30 by now.

Price 7.5 out of 10

The silo itself costs £7.50 and the long ladder is sold separately at £5, making a standing silo with ladder £12.50 altogether. For a piece of scenery that isn't as modular as the rest of the range or necessarily as versatile that does seem slightly more expensively pitched than the rest of the range. But, by no means bad. The short ladders for the silo lying down cost £5 for 2 as do the support stands for them to sit on. So a silo lying down will cost £12.50 as well. So if all you want is a piece of industrial scenery to block LoS, then maybe the Shipping container is a better bet? I still however love the idea of those silo's standing proud with snipers on them.

Overall 7.5 out of 10

It's not as versatile as some of the other pieces I've shown so far. But in context with the rest of the range it's actually quite a clever piece of scenery. As it stands at7.5" high, it's actually slightly shorter than a two story Pod stack, which is interesting as it means actually with some of the gantry types and certain pod configurations any firing alleys could be seriously cut down if you're clever with your scenery placement. thing is I know one or two unscrupulous sorts who I'm sure are planning single story layouts with lots of bloody silo's... sodding Pan-O players with their visors and sniper rifles!!! I still see a point in these though in the context of the rest of the range, it's just that their uses might not be as varied. Peace out!