Wednesday 4 March 2009

Rebel Minis - 15mm Earth Force Marines PREVIEW


Dropship Horizon
is delighed to share with you a preview of Rebel Minis forthcoming range of 15mm Earth Force Marines.

Rebel Minis 15mm
Earth Force Marines

These space grunts are the first of a complete range of Marines in vacc / environmental combat suits which will include NCOs/platoon leaders, support weapons and snipers (pictures will follow soon).

15mm Earth Force Marine 'Grunts'
from Rebel Minis

What can I say? A squad of troops that tell a coherent story in complimentary and natural advancing poses, wins me over every single time. Bloody Marvellous!

There's something really down to earth about these figures. The mini's in the photos exude the gritty feel of the universal grunt of the future. I don't think they would look out of place as C21st futuristic troopers on Earth, tumbling out of a hover APC on Mars or moving forward in Mudd Eisley under the protection of plasma cannons on their Untra-tech Grav MICV.

To this 70's teenager, they are very reminiscent of classic Traveller Sci Fi, and that appeals to me at a deep level. I must admit that I'm really tempted to purchase hordes of Rebel's new Earth Force Marines when they are available, give them GZG's new Ultra-tech GRAV armour and warm up STRIKER the Traveller based futuristic mass combat rules for a complete nostalgia-fest.

Nevertheless, these minis will be perfect for FWC, Ambush Alley and the obligatory space corridor guncrawl. Did someone say "Bughunt?"

Mike also plans a complimentary range of Sci Fi AFV's and a corresponding gunship. An opposition force is already in the works, I've seen the greens and you will be pleased!

Keep an eye on DROPSHIP HORIZON for information on further figures in the range and forthcoming release dates.



Cheers

Mark

12 comments:

  1. Very nice looking troops. Not too sure about the one no wearing his helmet, but other than that they are top notch. It only takes a day or so for things to get shipped from Rebel to my house so these are a no brainer for me.

    Jeff

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  2. I actually like that miniature. Great character n'est pas? When GZG released their armed Vacc Suit packs there was some demand for figs without helmets.

    Mike tells me there will only be 2 of these in a pack of 20 so you won't be left with screeds of them they if they are not your favourites.

    Cheers
    Mark

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  3. Those figures are awesome ! Thanks for posting.

    Vulture

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  4. Love these figs. These are the sorts of future infantry I really look for. I agree that they have that Traveller feel to them. I am also not too keen on a guy in a sealed suit, in an action pose without a helmet.

    It would be nice if alternate heads were supplied for those figures withput helmet so yu had the option.

    Any hints on what the Opforce is like?

    -Eli

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  5. Size comparisons, please! :)

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  6. Yes, I would like to see the one without the helmet with a separate head, so it can be posed in any attitude desired, e.g. looking left, right, forward.

    Figures with a separate helmets would be nice as well, so the same can be done with them, for variety.

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  7. What neat looking figures - I'm already seriously tempted by some of Rebel's modern figs as well, and his international postal rates take a lot of beating!

    How do Rebel and GZG compare, size and heft wise with each other? Have you posted a comparison I perhaps have missed?

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  8. Striker is to be revamped to eventually fit the upcoming release of Traveller5. Some preliminary discussion is being conducted at ct-striker Yahoo Group in case you are not a member.
    I'm curious why people think there will be 'infantry' in the future armed forces.
    Cheers
    Greg

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  9. Hi Greg

    Thanks for the heads up. I was a member of the group a while ago when the terrain section of Striker III was still representing somewhere in the Stevenage area. Have joined again to find some lively and very interesting debate. Cheers!

    Infantry? Why not? It's my future history, just as much as the original classic Traveller portrayed a future where a character with a military speciality came out of the armed services with Knife & Fork 1 but no basic rifle/weapons skills.

    Infantry are cheap, low maintenance and versatile. There may be a future where infantry are replaced by automatons, even nano-'soldiers' or virtual wars are fought using banks of operators on computer terminals. Where even tanks disappear because airpower is king, but that's the beauty of Sci Fi.

    Technology is not always supreme - after WW1 armour pundits declared every soldier was going to have his own individual 'tank' in future wars. Still waiting for that one.

    Cheers
    Mark

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  10. I agree with the Traveller feel. I bought the Earthforce set & plan to paint them them IISS scout blue. Their alien sets have a Zhodanish feel to them & I'm to use them as Zho vacc suits & armour with a few props from my scrap pile.

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  11. Kinda late, but I'd like to point out that in many ways tanks and such are LESS used in modern warfare than in earlier times... Its not unreasonable to think that infantry will always be used, as they always have been. Like someone said, Infantry are cheap, versatile, and low maintenance. Robots can't ever replace the idea of infantry entirely.... sure, the other side might send out a robotic infantryman that is just as cheap, versatile, and low maintenance as a human (although thats BS, there is no way it will be as cheap and low maintenance, and versatility..... probably not), but if its coming at me, I'd send all my robots at it AND get as many guns as possible and give them to humans. Whichever side stops using people is at a serious disadvantage. And what if you don't have the economy to make robots? Point is, robotic infantry replacing humans is a fantasy. What about using only vehicles/air power? why don't we only use vehicles and airpower today? Because infantry is cheap, versatile, and easy to maintain, and the big thing is they aren't WORSE than tanks and planes; infantry with AA weapons can take down airpower. AT weapons can destroy tanks. Tanks are vulnerable to infantry. Airpower can't hold ground/take ground. Infantry are more precise... don't blow the building with hostages up, send the infantry in! don't bomb the village you are defending, send the infantry in!

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