(Commercial) 28mm 'State of Emergency' Range/Winter '79 chat

[The Gray Ghost]

Do you know when you will have the store restocked?

[Mike Bravo Minis]

Arlequin - we've fixed the Bobby to L4 based on feedback elsewhere, but I think we'll have the Civvies etc with the Mk3.   And yes, I think the razor will come out for the ones for my own collection but gave left the sculpts as they are as others might like the character (and W79 is all a bit if silliness anyway so 'anything goes' to a degree...)

Gray ghost - the W79 codes will be restocked once I've started shipping out all the new sculpts to the bravogogo backers.  I took them off as the new Brits have hackles so I'm resounding the original 5 to match. 

The AU and Cold War codes will be released  for pre-order shortly, with delivery end June (in time for July 4th maybe.)  The Soviets will be a BravoGoGo effort to get more VDV and Spetsnaz completed - aiming for a total of 16 VDV and 8 Spetsnaz initially.

[Arlequín]

Arlequin - we've fixed the Bobby to L4 based on feedback elsewhere, but I think we'll have the Civvies etc with the Mk3.   And yes, I think the razor will come out for the ones for my own collection but gave left the sculpts as they are as others might like the character (and W79 is all a bit if silliness anyway so 'anything goes' to a degree...)

Yes I'd guessed some flexibility was needed. Troops preparing for and on deployment to N.I., became 'hairy men', so they wouldn't stand out so much in civvies... a rule which could easily apply in the '79 scenario. Add-in the Territorials, or units gone rogue and you would certainly have something akin to the Hair Bear Bunch. In all the variations work and a file or green-stuff will alter any that don't fit to individual taste.

Regulations aside the guy with the beard has bags of character, I think he's actually my favourite out of the lot.

Bren vs. L4 is small beans really, there would be no real difference other than aesthetics. Changing the L4 mag to the Mk. III's banana mag shouldn't be too much trouble and painting wood instead of black fixes the rest.

In my mind I was seeing 'regulars' and 'territorials' with Maranyl-fitted SLRs. 'Regular' police with walnut-fitted SLRs out of stores, Hobby-Bobbies with No.4 rifles and both with Mk. III Brens... that's my mental image though and everyone's mileage will vary of course.   

Have you any plans to do police with 'vests' with MP 5, AC556 and/or HK33, a la RUC? Historically the RUC began with Sterlings and SLRs, but soon bought-in the afore-mentioned items (I'm guessing UK Police would do likewise in this scenario). It would add some diversity and help depict the progressive fascist foxtrot (guns for specialist officers only > armed officers on routine patrol to support beat officers > guns for all).

      

[Mike Bravo Minis]

RUC are on the hit list (err, poor use of words...) so will think about how best to kit them out.

Also fancy doing a pack of Irish Army too as I quite like their look (at least the guys on the border anyway) and they'd make for an interesting base for a W79 faction.

[Arlequín]

RUC are on the hit list (err, poor use of words...) so will think about how best to kit them out.

   

Presuming you plan on dual-use for them, if you go for the Ruger/HK/MP route, then they would fit for a mainland Police Support Unit/Special Patrol Group/CTU/Maggie's Boot Boys type unit, when compared to the run of the mill 'armed beat bobbies' you have so far.

The RUC cap was virtually the same as the 'UK' style one, just slightly higher in the headband part iirc... in 28mm you would be hard-pushed to tell the difference.

Separate heads are also a way forward, there are so many options across the board...

As for the Irish, I don't know... that would be one for the '79 hard-core. If contemporary to the British troops you have, as far as I recall, they were virtually identical. Only when they picked up the Steyr AUG and their Kevlar helmet (whenever that was) did they become markedly different. As far as involvement in UK affairs outside of NI, you might as well choose the Dutch, Belgians or French though, with equal legitimacy.  

Edit:- The obvious faction being ignored are the Americans. They did after all have a number of bases in the UK, have their own agenda and so forth. While ground troops would be a stretch, Rangers, SEALS and Green Berets, and of course CIA, would be interesting models in the Late '70s/Early '80s.   

[Mike Bravo Minis]

As for the Irish, I don't know... that would be one for the '79 hard-core. If contemporary to the British troops you have, as far as I recall, they were virtually identical. Only when they picked up the Steyr AUG and their Kevlar helmet (whenever that was) did they become markedly different. As far as involvement in UK affairs outside of NI, you might as well choose the Dutch, Belgians or French though, with equal legitimacy.  

Edit:- The obvious faction being ignored are the Americans. They did after all have a number of bases in the UK, have their own agenda and so forth. While ground troops would be a stretch, Rangers, SEALS and Green Berets, and of course CIA, would be interesting models in the Late '70s/Early '80s.   

'89 for the Steyr I think.  I figure the Irish will be an easy conversion from the Brits (head swaps, adjust the uniform a bit, change the pockets on the flak vests).  LR/FN FAL probably indistinguishable in 28mm?  I'll end up doing this for me, so may as well stick them in a mould for others.

As for the Yanks, well we have Anton's mid 80s US about to go on pre-order (with plans to back date them with head/weapon swaps).  Admittedly a different style to Robi's W79 ones but at table distance, could do a job if you think the Air Bases would have beefed up security.  Might look at some of those particular troop types you've called out if I look at Central America (still undecided on that).

[Arlequín]

Well security was beefed up with just the Greenham Common protesters, so arm the Provisional CND and I'd imagine the U.S. would have to up their game too. They'd use USAF personnel and Marines in the first instance, the latter to be replaced by the Army subsequently.

I was thinking Rangers/Snake Eaters (USAF Police and SF also wore berets) et al for more deniable ops within the UK actually... something HMG would not be happy with, but could do little to stop, things being as they 'were'. I would imagine though that U.S. uniforms might not be the way to go for those on reflection. 

Central America is a different ball game obviously, one which Carlos is more suited to comment on... the obvious thing is that temperate combat clothing and tropical will look quite different on a figure.

I wasn't going to give in to this, but now all sorts of ideas are rolling around in my head... thanks for nothing. 

[Mike Bravo Minis]

So finally Wave 1 has been cast, and the first ones off look generally fine, so these will be whacked into production moulds asap.   I'll be ordering enough stock from the master moulds to send to the BravoGoGo backers.  Wave 2 is still being sculpted, hoping to get picks of the paramilitaries this weekend.



Wave 1 comprises: 16 Fusiliers, 4 bobbies, 2 detectives and 6 armed civilians, Iron Lady, & Wild Goose Mercenary

[monkeylite]

Can't help feeling you might need a Summer of '16 range.

[Ray Earle]

That's a lot of lead. 

[JArgo]

Can't help feeling you might need a Summer of '16 range.

I was thinking the exact same thing!

[commissarmoody]

Can't help feeling you might need a Summer of '16 range.

I have been makeing cracks about this even before the vote came out.   
It would give me an excuse to pick up some modern British troops.

[tomcat51]

Can't help feeling you might need a Summer of '16 range.

I thought of the W79 range as it all happened as well, .