Official 1:18 Military Toys Thread (21st, BBI, FOV, etc)

[Jesse James]

I'm ETO fan so I actually dig the Americans Vs. Nazi's routine, however some British and Russians would certainly spice things up, and to say that we're short on Germans is nothing short of an understatement.  I saw the BotB figs at TRU during their first blitz and that was it.  Never seen them at WM and obviously never saw a German figure in a store unless it was online somewhere.

The Japanese ARE a step in the right direction, and that's what makes me hopeful for Brits and Russians.  If they covered the main groups, I'd be happy.  Some resistance guys (civilians, basically, with guns) would be cool too and I think they'd perhaps have some level of appeal, but it's kinda like Star Wars...

I think they should be redoing the 1st series Germans and U.S., and just continuously mix them in so they're available (especially riflemen), and then sneak these random guys in like SAS, red devils, Russian Infantry, Blackwatch...  Repaint some of the 1st series guys too for Afrika Korps troops and do some N. Africa British (new legs/shorts) and Americans...  The possibilities to do this, and do it cheaply (ala the Marrauders set) is there if they'd take the time to think about it.

I think Russians and British have some appeal, and I think resistance fighters would have some appeal as well, just slightly less broad.  As long as you have the basics out there though with Americans and Germans (and variations of them) then you've got a good base to sneak those odder things in now and then.

[Vator]

BBi Rangers and Infantry have appearently hit TRU in limited quantities...so I guess that constitutes a search tommorow. I'd like to have a few of these, and if I really like 'em, I may pick up one of those BBi Shermans that have been sitting for around a year.

[Jesse James]

There's TONS of **** out right now...  It's unreal, but here's my best possible breakdown.

-Sahara Figures are OUT.  There's only two, but they make bitchin' modern "enemies" with a little work.  Very Arabic looking figures, just need maybe a paintjob.  The headsculpts look nice though for customizing so I'm all geared up to buy an army for the heads to use in customizing and the bodies and such I'm gonna build a nice insurgent force to counter my BBI figures.  May need to (hop0efully if I find them) get more 21st Arab figures then too.

-Merril's Marrauders Giftset is OUT NOW as well...  The set is a Dodge Truck, and COmmand Car, with I believe 4 or 5 figures (I forget total I think 5 though) which are just dark green cast Paratroopers with random heads.  I saw complaints about accuracy of the uniforms but I'm ok with this as-is given it's a mere $40 for the whole set, so you get two vehicles and like 5 figures for that low-ass price.  Nice.

-New RC Tanks in 1:18!  This is a first, but they're around $80 I've heard...  I saw them tonight but they were up high so I didn't get a good look nor buy any.  Too pricey this month, but maybe lay-away next time I'm down.  There's a Panzer and the armored Personnel Carrier that was out.  They look pretty nice to me though especially the Panzer.  I just got a Panzer but I'd take an RC one in a heartbeat.  I hope they make a different frequency Sherman to kick its ass!

-Battle of the Bulge figures...  Supposedly these are pegwarming for some people, but not me.  I saw the first sign of them recently around here but so far we only have Marines in droves.  There's also paint variants I hear.  Like one German has a black helmet, the German Tankers come in white, field green/grey, and autumn camo patterns...  Dunno if there's differences on the US guys or what.

-Japanes Infantry...  I'm hearing variants on these too!  Green and Brown uniforms.  DId the Japanese wear green AND brown?  I had no idea...  I'm less familiar with the PTO than ETO.

-BBI U.S. World War 2 figures OUT...  Dunno about availability Vator, but the Paras seemed a bit scarce.  I htink we'll see more but the pegs are just a bit full rather than these being "limited".  I think that's a rumor because they're just currently hard to find.  Those BBI repaint Marines were a bitch to find too at first but now they're like flyshit.

There's like 3 infantry and 2 Paratroopers (sans jump gear) all set to go for a nice heavy D-Day landing.  Look to be the best troops for "D-Day" fans, ever.  And BBI loads you with gear too sot hat rocks.

-BBI Para's w/Jump Gear...  These hit and went most places but I still see them some, sot hey're around too.

Lots of great stuff out there though right now...  I even see some of the fightersthat never showed up here because the shelves are clogged with OLD fighters like P-47's and choppers galore.  Like i saw a night fighter and tropical camo ME109 tonight for the first time.  Yay (I'm done with planes).

So there you go...  Tons of stuff, no $$$, and some of it's as big a bitch to find as Star Wars figures!  Oh yeah, and then there's Star Wars I can't afford and/or find.   Life's a bitch ain't it?

[Jesse James]

Long time with not a lot of news...  Basically stuff is still trickling out slowly in some areas, and in other areas it's an F'n deluge of great stuff. 

This is why I hate Wal-Mart having much of anything to do with a line, and pretty much having exclusive control on distribution.  I pray Star Wars never sees the day that only WM would carry it.  We'd be doomed at that stage.

Anyway...  My area is still mostly Marines, however I did notice a new thing here and there...  and I use "new" loosely.

First the Nightfighter ME-109 started surfacing here and there...  That means about jack and **** to me, and jack just left town.  The plane looks really neat, and it's black of course, and it even makes me wonder what a neat repaint A-Wing in the SW line would look like in black, but whatever... 

Anyway, planes aside I didn't see a whole lotta new stuff of late...  Still no Japanese Infantry that I really want to build a massive army with.   Still no Battle of the Bulge either unfortunately.  I did find some Sahara figures though!  Yay!

My buddy Ryan (SLC) has some for me, and these were bought as an early b-day gift tonight so I'll have a couple.  They're ****** quality overall unfortunately because they're prone to breaking, but they would make really great figures for:

-SAS customs...  The British "Desert Rats" kinda guys.  Very cool potential there.

-Modern "enemies".  You could really manage some modern enemies, friends, allies, or even civilians out of these.  The figures lack swiveling biceps though, so holding a weapon is NOT an option.  That's what really sucked about them.

-Star Wars fodder...  The outfits scream Star Wars, and would easily repaint to accomodate a number of SW background characters.  I've always felt arab-styled clothing would fit into most any scene from Coruscant to Tattooine.  They're good fodder.

The downsides to both Sahara figures are:

-Likenesses are NOT even close.  If that's Matthew McConnehey (sp), the supposed sexiest man alive, then I'm apparantly a close 2nd.  And the guy from "That Thing You Do" (the costar of Sahara and comic relief I guess) looks REALLY neat for a sort of 1970's haircut dude.  Big sideburns and stuff.  He's really neat, but both heads are a bit large...  Not too bad, but like they look awkward on say a Capt. Antilles body, but on a bulkier figure they'd look cool.

-No Bicep Swivels...  Unfortunately no arm swivels so the arms aren't nearly poseable enough.  They have ball/socket shoulders, and even the cut joints at the thighs for great leg poseability, but the arms need that extra point to really make these the perfect fodder.  Some work and someone may get that joint working, but really I'd dump the thigh joint for the bicep swivel. 

-Brittle/Fragile...  Kinda like the Army Of Darkness figures as far as how easily they break.  My one figure's wrist broke right out of the packaging!  I didn't even touch it, it just broke.  Amazing.

And I'd also say that 21st's sculptors could've hidden the wrist joint at the bracelet, the top of the sleeve or some such, but htey instead chose to put it right about mid-forearm.  Weird.

Oh, and no accessories but a 2nd "wrap" head, and a stand.  Neat to get a 2nd head for certain, ****** to not get a gun.  Hell, pack in an AK-47 or something just to make it more appealing.

Nice paintjobs, neat concept, possible fodder for future release as "arab enemy" figures for a modern line, but missed marks in the arm articulation mostly.

Enjoy... 

[Jesse James]

BBi Rangers and Infantry have appearently hit TRU in limited quantities...so I guess that constitutes a search tommorow. I'd like to have a few of these, and if I really like 'em, I may pick up one of those BBi Shermans that have been sitting for around a year.

Still none of these here Vator...

I did see the Merril's Marrauders set for the first time.  For $40 (I think) you really got a lot.  I've heard a whole lotta bitchin' about the figure's quality and for the most part it's legitimate beefs on a basically complete inaccuracy ala Cmdr. Gree but the Marrauders have basically Market Garden uniforms on.  I see the point, but for an exclusive where you get the 1.5 ton Truck and the Dodge Command Car (general purpose) and a pile of accessories and gear...  That's not bad considering the price and all that stuff.

Hate those Para's headsculpts that are "screaming" and stuff though.  Just f'n stupid looking.  21st needs tot ake a page from BBI and tone down the animated faces.  The Japanese and Marines suffer from the gritting, grunting, grimacing, screaming, and general looks of constipation.  Some are really comical.

[Jesse James]

http://www.21stcenturytoys.com/area21/articles.asp?newsID=126

Big huge great glorious fantabulous news at 21st's website "Area 21".  You have to be a member to access but it's worth signing up to look.

There's a slew of "new" Battle of the Bulge figures coming.  They mostly utilize the parts of the previous figures and previous headsculpts but they do use new gear too.  A longcoat US Rifleman FINALLY is on tap!

Also, a big step forward for army builders.  21st is including extra heads with these figures, extra arms, and coat/snap on accessories (ala the German Rifleman opencoat).  The benefit to us is that we're getting a ****load of army building potential with 2 heads being packed in with the figure, 2 sets of arms, etc., etc...

Hasbro take note, you could learn a thing or two from 21st Century Toys once again because they're showing clear as day how army builder figures SHOULD be done.  Hasbro has the articulation down pat, but they have a lot of ways to make army building something focal for the modern Star Wars line if they adopt these multiple poppable heads and such.  Especially with the ease of which you can pop heads on SW figures these days.

Enjoy!  I know I will.

[Vator]

This is WONDERFUL news indeed, Jesse! It's a dream come true for me...not only do they make great Army Builders, but they also come with a crap load of fodder. Just wow.

So I guess we'll be getting some more Germans too? Perhaps utilizing the Kepi that came with the Kublewagon driver all those ages ago. Oh, or maybe the officers cap? I'll retract what I said earlier about being tuckered out of US-German stuff if they can keep this level of quality up. Outstanding.

[Jesse James]

I'm guessing Germans are on the way.

I'd like to see the Tanker utilized as a Winter White infantryman.  I popped a German Para head onto a Tanker that Ryan sent me and he looks bitchin'.  I've got a little work left to get him some Y-Harness or something and ammo for a gun (Thinking I'll make an MP-40 or rifleman out of him).

As of now though, he has a whitewashed brain bucket, and he looks really neat.    Kudos to 21st for leading the way again.  Hasbro needs to take notes here because they always can improve I've found.

[Nirvana]

I like the second one the most. Hopefully the figs will reach us, but the only place I can buy them around me is the Robinson WalMart. I see alot of fodder, especially in his jacket, and if I pick some of these up, I might have to get started back up on the 305th. Thanks for the headsup, Jesse James.

[Jesse James]

I've not seen much of any Battle of the Bulge figures around Nirvana, did you see BotB or Japanese out your way?

The only Bulge figures I saw was a single closed coat German (Series 1) and a Jeep Driver who lingers because that figure simply sucks butt hard.

The Japanese figures I got were simply by the gracious Ryan helping me out if I recall.  I've never seen a Japanese figure in person, series 1 or 2.  Never seen the series 2 German Battle of the Bulge figures either.

Now Marines...  There's a bunch at Wal-Mart in Delmont and Wal-Mart in Kittanning.  No shortage of Leathernecks here that's for sure.  Sucks because I really would rather have Bulge and Japanese figures.   I don't even have a complete Japanese set at this point.

Oh and no Series 3 Marine repaints either...  This sucks.

[Ryan]

Well Jesse just let me know what you are looking for and I can help you out whenever I can. 

Which reminds me I have to ship those Sahara figs, and that German I got for you...

[Jesse James]

Yo Ryan,

Don't feel bad, I haven't even paid yet so it's not like I'm in a rush for you to get them out to me.  If anything I feel bad because I'm just caught up in the holidays and haven't gotten you paid so please don't rush those to me...

And of course I appreciate the offer for XD help...  Considering I"ve yet to see a single Japanese (Series 1 or 2), and that Battle of the Bulge (Series 1 or 2) figures are non-existant here too, I definitely need the help, haha...  I can't get enough of the 3 Germans really, and I haven't even got a complete set of Japanese figures so far...  I know I don't have the Officer and one other one...  Yet somehow other places have TONS of these figures literally falling off the pegs.

Where are these bastions of toy heaven!?    And why does Pittsburgh only get those goddamn Huey's all the time!?

[Jesse James]

Couple more updates...

First it seems a series of Operation Market Garden Paratroopers is on tap.  The Market Garden mission was, for the unaware, a major military disaster after D-Day, and so far there's one figure in that get-up and the Merril's Marrauders set features Market Garden sculpts with various heads for the Pacific Theater Commando's, which i guess is inaccurate (I know little about MM's).  The 21st guy at the forums has hinted to Market Garden Para's as a series and I'm AOK with that honestly.  It's overlooked too much.

At the same time, the OTHER Battle of the Bulge "new" figures are pictured at 21st's site.

Two autumn cammo German Tankers but with removable hats/earphones, so that's really cool, and the one dude's sporting the Commander's cap, so kick ass.  I hope they're in white too though, I prefer it for BotB scenarios.

There's also a re-issue of the Open and Closed coat Germans with unique paintjobs and markings including their coat's cuff insignia.  VERY cool little detail, adds to the figure, and adds to diversity.  Gear doesn't look different though.  I'd really have liked an MP-40 guy and a closed coat rifleman honestly.

There's also a new US guy in either the Officer/Tanker's jacket or the Mackinaw coat, with 101st markings.  He has the tilting-head Paratrooper figure's head, and a folding stock carbine which is cool but I THINK they weren't in use after D-Day or drops in general, but rather guys who wanted a carbine got a solid stock.  I could be wrong though.

The other head is the Pvt. Wilson Para head which is my probably all-time favorite XD headsculpt.  Another great rifleman and great diversity added to the US ranks.

The US Bulge figures are going to be one of the most diverse and varied lines 21st's done...  Cool to note too that with all these extra torso's potentially being packed in with figures, and if you have leg/lower torso's around, you could really flesh out your ranks with just buying one figure.  I know I have some fig parts aroudn I'm going to use.

Cool stuff, and 21st is rockin' the figure market it seems by just mixing/matching parts FINALLY.  Smart business move.  Hasbro should learn from this and make wise part swaps like this.

[Jesse James]

21st Century's "Area 21" has some info on the upcoming Platoon line...

Yes, you too can own your own Tom Berrenger(sp) figure now!    And Charlie Sheen, and Willam Defoe...  And others. (Johnny Depp too folks)

Now, what does this mean?  Well, the likeness of the Sahara figures was...  eh.  I've seen worse, but I've seen WAY better.  These could be hit or miss but some early images had leaked a while back I believe and the Berrenger sculpt looked absolutely incredible, down to every deep scar.

For you customizing fans, how cool shall it be to make  Willam Defoe IMperial Officer, or Tom Berrenger bounty hunter, right?  Right. 

Here's the release info though...

Hopefully pics soon!

For those who may not already know, 21st Century Toys Inc. secured a licence to produce a series of vehicles and action figures from the award winning film PLATOON. In a recent breifing from 21st Century Toys earlier today, AREA-21 was updated with the progress of the Platoon project. Fans have been eagerly awaiting to hear more details about this exciting line of new vietnam era figures and vehicles. Today AREA-21 has some answers for you!

The burning question from fans has been centered on the Action figures themselves and the question has been raised asking if these will be all new figure molds, head sculpts or what exactly? AREA-21 is pleased to announce that the Platton figures will be ALL NEW from the toes of the boots to the tops of their helmets! -That is right fans you heard it here first! Fans will be excited to learn that your favorite characters from the film have been faithfully sculpted and reproduced into a 1:18 scale action figure, capturing the likeness of Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Johnny Depp and others.

The good news doesn't stop there! Each new 1:18 scale PLATOON action figure will feature all new articulation points in the construction. These promise to be the most poseable, highly detailed action figures to have ever been produced by 21st Century Toys. AREA-21 will be the first to update you with more information and release dates on this exciting new product line as soon it becomes available. 21st Century Toys has not confimed an estimated shipping date at this time.

I'm really stoked to pick these up.  I've resigned myself to only collecting WW2 vehicles, and all figures.  No tanks from other eras, no planes at all really unless it's just something uber special, but with the line's figures expanding in diversity I'm ok with just focusing on them.

BTW, further proof that small companies are paying exorbitant fees for licensed stuff...  If you think it's cheap securing the likeness rights to Johnny Depp, or Willam Defoe, think again...  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I've seen a number of items 21st has had to pay a license fee for...  Everything from the name Dodge to a historical character's likeness to a specific plane's noseart.  You'd be A-freakin'-mazed what these can cost, and they're costing a lot to an incredibly small company compared to Hasbro.

There's guys out there that will tell you Hasbro does the best they can what with their licensing to LFL and all, but I say to you that if a company as small as 21st is incurring many licenses, and at very high costs, and still getting us the utmost high quality toys for less, than Hasbro (a publicly held corporation and #2 US Toy Company) can do better with its Star Wars line.  I'm sorry, people just don't seem to see that other companies out there, 1/10 Hasbro's size, do a lot more with a lot less. 

The Platoon line's been a long time coming, so I'm stoked for this.  I must have a Charlie Sheen Imperial Trooper...  I must.

[Jedi Idej]

Now, what does this mean?  Well, the likeness of the Sahara figures was...  eh.  I've seen worse, but I've seen WAY better. 

Saw two different characters at Wally World... They kinda stink. I was hoping I could use them as custom fodder, but their noggins are noticeably too big for the current crop of Star Wars figs. On the plus side for collectors of movie toys or Sahara, each pack comes with a second interchangeable head of the character.

These were either a rush job or sent to market as-is because they didn't want to waste any more resources. On the back of the card we're  beckoned to collect all the figures. What's pictured is a small, hard-to-see publicity photo or movie still of three of the actors. I didn't see a figure of the woman on the pegs so I don't know if it sold or they haven't gotten around to producing one.