Commando Miniatures - New Releases

[Mustasha Pasha]

From Commando HQ

We are pleased to announce the release of further figure packs in our Retreat from Empire (1960/70s) range of 28mm miniatures
http://www.commandominiatures.com/index.html

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British Infantry Fire-fight – 4 figures in “belt order” and combat poses, standing firing SLR, kneeling firing SLR, standing reloading Sterling, throwing grenade
Price £5.25

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British GPMG team – 2 figures, standing with GPMG, No 2 advancing with spare ammunition packs
Price £2.50


The Red Wolves of Radfan. These fierce warriors could hit a Maria Theresa dollar at 50 paces with a single shot from a Mauser '98 and proved an implacable opponent for British troops in the Aden Protectorate between 1958 and 1967. The figures can be used for the Aden Emergency, for the concurrent civil war in neighbouring Yemen or as Adoo warriors during the conflict in Oman during the early 1970s. Four figures in fighting poses, standing firing rifle, running firing pistol with slung rifle, kneeling firing rocket launcher, standing with raised rifle.
Price £5.25.

SAS Conversion Pack E-19 Price £4.00
Converts up to four figures into SAS Borneo Long Range Patrol
4 x SAS heads (with beards and long hair)
4 x Bergen back packs
2 x Sheathed machetes
2 x Armalite AR 15 riflles - can be used to replace SLRs in open handed figures

All items available via our website
http://www.commandominiatures.com/quartermasters-stores.html


We are currently in the process of expanding our range of accessories, weapons, back packs, alternative heads etc. These will be available on the website shortly.

Commando One

[Arrigo]

I really like them even if I have still to get some Borneo ones first, but I suppose the British troops can be mix and matched. This year is not the best miniature year of my life, but having meet several people who fought in Borneo and having attended a lecture on Aden from Jonathan Walker something has to be done... I need to have a Mike Clapp figure for a RN Landing Party...

 

[Sterling Moose]

Would these work as Aussies in Vietnam?

[carlos marighela]

Would these work as Aussies in Vietnam?

No.

[Sterling Moose]

No.

Care to elaborate?

[v_lazy_dragon]

I think there are a few details off regarding their use as Aussies - I'm certainly no expert - but the webbing isn't quite right, and neither is the bush hat. Also IIRC the Aussies used the M60 rather than the FN MAG... but, painted up in Jungle Green for Borneo, I recon they'd make good enough proxies (albeit with a slightly B-movieish 'inaccuracy' tinge). If it's Aussies in Vietnam you're specifically after though, TAG do some as do Eureka (although I've been told they are tiny) and Force of Arms (who I believe are currently out of production) 

[carlos marighela]

Care to elaborate?

1) The weapons are wrong. No use of the 'Sterling' SMG by Australians and the GPMG/FN MAG didn't come into service in Australia until the late 1980s, before that the M60 was the section GPMG. If you can live with a machinegun that looks quite unlike the actual gun used, then I'd point out that belted ammunition was almost invariably carried in a basic pouch, an old Bren pouch or covered by using the black plastic inserts to the otherwise useless air mattress. Figures walking around with yards of shiny brass draped around them Mexican bandit style is not an image one would generally associate with Australian infantry.

2) The webbing is wrong. The British Army in this period used a mix of '44 pattern webbing and '58 pattern . Australia used a webbing pattern copied from the US M1956 pattern, quite a distinctive difference, especially the bum bag at the back.

3) The uniform is wrong. The hats aren't quite right and Australians were either wearing a high GP boot or, early on the AB ankle boot with canvas gaiters.

4) Probably the standout issue, is that outside of the wire Australians rarely if ever had sleeves rolled up. For a variety of reasons, camouflage being one sleeves were always rolled down on operations. Actually they were on exercise and for weapons training into at least the 1990s. I suspect that's still the case.

There's no need anyway. If you don't fancy the small but reasonably accurate Eureka Australians then I understand that FoA do a very good range for Vietnam.

The tribesmen look quite reasonable save for the bloke waving a rifle in manner that could only be executed by someone who has never actually held a rifle before. I might pick some up. The bit I find strange is this range seems to be all bits and bobs. One packet of Indonesians, one packet of tribesmen for the Radfan. Oh well praps it's still early days.

[Sterling Moose]

Good to know

[has.been]

Is there any chance that as part of your retreat from empire initiative you might be persuaded to do the French in Indo-China?   Pretty please.

[carlos marighela]

Good to know

Figures walking around with yards of shiny brass draped around them Mexican bandit style is not an image one would generally associate with Australian infantry.....  but I ain't saying it never happened 

Most battalions SOP's required that only a minimum of belted ammo was left uncovered or hung off the gun. Enough to good a decent burst when contact was initiated. Beyond the shiny, shiny, shoot me, effect carrying ammo like that has a number of other drawbacks. It gets dirty and it get's snagged in vegetation. The M60 was a pretty bloody ordinary piece of kit to start with.

[Arlequín]

Good to know

He did say 'generally', though there are always exceptions to every general rule...  



The point remains though that on the whole Carlos is right. As for rolled sleeves, skin exposure resulted in more numerous insect bites, specifically, but not confined to, mosquitos, but at some times of the year and dependant on location, it was safe to get your arms brown. Same applied to US forces, but is less easy to tie down by photos to a specific area, as they are more common.

Valid remark on the weapon handling by the 'Bob Marley' figure though... touch of deja vu about this too.  

I'm also concerned that the rocket launcher is likely to severely burn the firer. What weapon is it meant to be?

Like the last releases though, these are a nice range of well-sculpted figures, let down by little errors that can be easily corrected before moulds are made. Not for me, but I'm sure they will be popular.

Is there any chance that as part of your retreat from empire initiative you might be persuaded to do the French in Indo-China?   Pretty please.

 

Red Star were rumoured to be doing this in 28mm, but so far nothing else has come of it, as far as I'm aware.

[carlos marighela]

I'm also concerned that the rocket launcher is likely to severely burn the firer. What weapon is it meant to be?

I'm guessing it's either a four foot length of 2" downpipe or the Mattel Toy Company's version of the bazooka. Quite safe from the effects of back blast when firing Nerf projectiles. 

[Mustasha Pasha]

To reply to some of the points raised.

The webbing is British ’58 pattern. During this period the Australians used ’44 pattern which had been designed for jungle warfare in Burma but was never issued during WW2. Gurkha units also used ‘44 pattern webbing as opposed to the ’58.

The Australians used the Owen Submachine gun until replaced by the M-16 during the Vietnam War. An Australian NCO recounts the tale of being out on patrol, well up country, when an armourer appeared out of nowhere, handed him an M-16, took away his Owen and promptly disappeared again.

The rocket launcher is the Chinese Type 52 which, as many photos show, had a short rear barrel.

As to future developments, all we can say is keep an eye on the website or sign up for the newsletter.

[Arlequín]

I'm not surprised neither the Australians or the Ghurkhas used the original '58 pattern... tropical conditions, or indeed anywhere remotely wet, were not its best elements.

[carlos marighela]

To reply to some of the points raised.

The webbing is British ’58 pattern. During this period the Australians used ’44 pattern which had been designed for jungle warfare in Burma but was never issued during WW2. Gurkha units also used ‘44 pattern webbing as opposed to the ’58.

Well sort of..... Australia never issued '44 pattern webbing, at least officially. Quantities of it were in circulation via those battalions that were serving in Malaya/Malaysia where the RAR battalions drew down on the British supply chain.

Australian battalions in Vietnam were issued with a locally manufactured variation on the USM1956 pattern, which underwent a number of modifications during its life , most of which are not noticeable on a 28mm figure. The most noticeable  difference to British  '44 or '58 being the bum bag at the rear.

Individuals did supplement/ vary this kit with items from the earlier '37 pattern webbing and if they had access, British '44 pattern. There was a bigger ammo pouch based on the '37 pattern pouch but wider and deeper that was popular. Like many others, in the 'eighties I replaced my bum bag with a set of these and I remember our RSM showing us the load he carried as a section commander in Vietnam and his old webbing was made up with the same pouches. Not only were they a better deal than the bum bag which flopped about on your lower back and arse like a stranded whale but they could be worn at the front and you could fit a fair swag of 7.62mm link in them. I still have one floating around the house somewhere, I think.

In the 'eighties just about everything we had was Vietnam war era issue, including quite a few SNCOs and WOs. For bush wear I had pairs of the old baggy British style greens with the single thigh pocket and the tie and buckle waist belt. Anyone who declares those to have been uncomfortable must have spent their lives farting through silk sheets and certainly had never encountered the Australian pattern that superseded them which were both impractical and fucking uncomfortable, the only thing worse being the 'seventies issue shirts with stiff collars. The cool item to have was the 'pixie' shirt but those were rare as hens teeth and usually the few examples were sized for midgets.