Eero Okkonen has a knack for making parts behave in ways their designers probably never expected, and this Barraki Carapar #8918 Assault Wagon / Megatronius is a wonderfully weird little example. Inspired by the Renault FT, the World War I light tank that helped define the classic turret-on-top tank layout, Eero’s version isn’t trying to be a museum replica. Instead, it feels like something that rumbled out of a Miyazaki daydream and straight into the Mysterys Nui conflict.
The proportions are what sell it first: squat, compact, and just a little bug-eyed. The Renault FT influence is clear in the tall stance and central turret, but the build leans into LEGO charm rather than historical grit. That’s a smart call. Early tanks have this odd, almost toy-like awkwardness to them, and Eero captures that without making the model feel flimsy or goofy.
What really grabs me is the mash-up energy. The title nods to Barraki Carapar, and there’s a chunky, crustacean-like attitude baked into the whole thing. The turret especially looks more creature than cannon, which gives the vehicle a personality beyond “small tank with gun.” Eero’s builds often blur the line between character, machine, and sculpture, and this one parks itself right in that sweet spot.
I also appreciate how neutral it feels. This isn’t a heroic good-guy tank or a menacing villain machine. It’s the kind of oddball armored wagon that could plausibly serve any faction, which makes it feel like part of a larger world rather than a standalone model. That worldbuilding through shape language is hard to do, and Eero makes it look easy.
It’s compact, clever, and just strange enough to be memorable — exactly the sort of plastic contraption I’d happily watch trundle across a tabletop battlefield while making tiny engine noises under my breath. Not that I do that. Much.
Build by Eero Okkonen on Flickr.
