You know, it really depends on what you are modeling. I'm a former tank commander, and think the "texturing" you speak of to be a little unrealistic in 1/35 scale. On some vehicles, there is definitely a "cast" or "textured" surface that appears when the steel is sand cast, but in 1/35 scale, it may or may not be apparent. Your best bet is to look at the real thing, either in a museum or in photos. In aluminum vehicles like the M113 or M551, there's almost no discernible "texturing" apparent on the real thing, so you wouldn't see it in 1/35 scale. Same goes for many other modern AFVs. In the case of rolled or pressed steel armored plate, like that found in armored cars, there won't be much texture either at 1/35 scale. So take a look at the subject to determine what might appear in scale proportions.
VR, Russ

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You know, it really depends on what you are modeling. I'm a former tank commander, and think the "texturing" you speak of to be a little unrealistic in 1/35 scale. On some vehicles, there is definitely a "cast" or "textured" surface that appears when the steel is sand cast, but in 1/35 scale, it may or may not be apparent. Your best bet is to look at the real thing, either in a museum or in photos. In aluminum vehicles like the M113 or M551, there's almost no discernible "texturing" apparent on the real thing, so you wouldn't see it in 1/35 scale. Same goes for many other modern AFVs. In the case of rolled or pressed steel armored plate, like that found in armored cars, there won't be much texture either at 1/35 scale. So take a look at the subject to determine what might appear in scale proportions.
VR, Russ

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You said it Russ. But If we built things truly to scale the models would be uninteresting so some "exaggeration" is needed to bring life to the models otherwise they would just be lumps of plastic but people do take it to extremes.

How do you feel about scale anti-slip coatings? I think the roughest texture I've seen is on IDF vehicles, US vehicles look like heavy grip tape. But some products, if you scale it to 1/1 would have grit the size of the first joint of your thumb. On most 1/35 vehicles it would probably look like just a raised pattern in the paint but again to bring interest and life to a tank you would need to, and I hate to say exaggerate, but that is what you have to do.

You said it Russ. But If we built things truly to scale the models would be uninteresting so some "exaggeration" is needed to bring life to the models otherwise they would just be lumps of plastic but people do take it to extremes.

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You said it Russ. But If we built things truly to scale the models would be uninteresting so some "exaggeration" is needed to bring life to the models otherwise they would just be lumps of plastic but people do take it to extremes.

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As someone who paints some figures. In that hobby it is an understanding that painting generally falls into one of two styles, Lifelike or Caricature. I think military vehicle/aircraft modelling is the same, it depends upon the builders style.

I was just thinking how manufacturers are increasingly putting a texture on certain plates but it seems like they only do so on vertical surfaces. I saw how the Meng KT has texture on horizontal plates too. Is there a reason why I have not seen this anywhere else or perhaps it is so faint that I didn't even notice? Are the manufacturers just lazy/cheap or is there a reason that most texturing is only done so on vertical surfaces? Should I be texturing my horizontal plates most likely using the common cement/putty mix stippled on?

Even towards the end of the war as their factories were being bombed I don't believe that the germans, known for their engineering, would have tolerated such poor quality control.