Monthly Archives: January 2012

Eureka Miniatures: SEAL Team Six, USMC Force Recon

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Following on from my post/review of Eureka Miniatures Modern USMC, I’m posting up some photos of the rest of the figures I got in that batch. I picked up two sets of the SEAL Team Six pack, to give me a slightly larger force that I could use in more flexible ways in my miniatures gaming. One thing that I noticed about these figures when I was checking them out on the web is that despite being officially called “SEAL Team Six” (which should be NSWDG, or DEVGRU, or even something else as I’ve heard they’ve had another change of name recently) – these figures would work just fine as Australian SASR, US Army 75th Rangers, and I’m sure quite a few other modern Special Ops and Special Forces units including 1st SFOD-D (aka Delta Force) as well though they are notoriously much more camera-shy than SEALs. With this in mind, I won’t be painting them in AOR1 or AOR2 camouflage (the ones that look like USMC MARPAT – digital camo) but in Multicam, which everyone uses anyway (including DEVGRU). They also come with helmet optics, but they’re so small (and separate parts) that I didn’t bother photographing them. I’d have liked the weapons to be sculpted as HK416s instead of M4 SOPMODs, but that’s probably being too picky at this scale, and besides, the M4s are more universal.

Eureka Miniatures SEAL Team Six

Eureka Miniatures SEAL Team Six

Kosta has done a good job on these sculpts once again, right down to the cut of the pants being recognisable as Crye G3, including the integrated kneepads. If he does any more of these sorts of figures, it might be nice to see the AC cut make an appearance as well. Regardless, they (and checking out the Frenchmen) made me realise that none of the USMC figures have kneepads.

I also picked up Eureka’s USMC Force Recon figures, initially thinking that I could simply mix them in with the other USMC figures. On closer inspection, the uniforms and gear are too different, as the FR figures kit visibly dates from the early 2000’s. They’re still very nice figures, and I’ll most likely use them alongside, but as a separate unit. I’ll probably paint them in 3-colour “coffee stain” desert BDUs rather than the MARPAT of the more modern figures. In retrospect, I should have gotten 2 sets of these, since they’d work better for me as three fireteams, but I’m not too keen on paying postage for one small set of miniatures…

USMC Force Recon: Front

USMC Force Recon: Back

USMC Force Recon Sniper

USMC Force Recon Sniper

With my large order of all of their Modern USMC and SEAL figures, Eureka also sent me along a free sample of a related range: 1960-80s US trooper in MOPP gear. It’s a nice enough figure. The uniform doesn’t have the same amount of detail, but as he’s wearing a MOPP (aka NBC) suit, it’s to be expected. I guess the old-style M1 metal helmet gives the figure a wider range of years the figure could fit into, I can’t help but wish he had a PASGT helpet instead. If he did, I’d buy up a bunch of these guys as they would fit in decently from 1985-2002.

1960-80s US trooper in MOPP gear with M60 Machinegun: Front

1960-80s US trooper in MOPP gear with M60 Machinegun: Back

Overall, my buying experience with Eureka was very pleasant, with fast service and excellent product. The figures would work as their own group of 40k Imperial Guard for those so inclined, but be warned they’re close to “real” 28mm figures, so they’re a bit smaller and slighter – also known as more realistically proportioned.

Next week, I’ll hopefully be picking up some of their La Legion figures, so I guess I can get some more FR as well then to pad out the fireteams…

Eureka Miniatures: USMC

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I’ve had my eye on picking up some modern miniatures for awhile now, as it intersects nicely with both my interests in Modern Military, 1:6 Moderns, and of course, Miniatures. Since I haven’t actually played anything for dogs ears, it’s been a low-ish priority, but I recently found out about Eureka Miniatures‘ new-ish moderns. Since Eureka is local, just across town, and the owner, Nic is a great guy (who probably doesn’t remember me since it’s been years), I immediately did nothing since there was always something more pressing to pay for. The week before Christmas, I finally got off my arse and rang them to place an order, which I got, expresspost,  in 2 days. Such a nice change from overseas orders taking weeks to arrive.

One thing that does bother me about Eureka’s site is that the pictures are generally pretty small and not shown all that well. I figured since I’ll be painting these suckers up soon, I’d take some pictures and put them all up to show the figures off in their bare metal glory and give them a simple review. It’s really quite odd since Eureka have quite a nice gallery of painted figures, which for some unfathomable reason aren’t linked from the individual models in their online store.

The castings are crisp and clean, no flash, and just a slight mould line. You will have to trim a slight bit of metal off the bottoms of their bases in order to get them to stand up straight, but this is simply a matter of running a knife or file along the bottom for a couple of seconds. The sculpts are great as well. Kosta has done really well here, including lots of small details. ACOGs and Reflex sights are easily identifiable, weapons look good, and he’s clearly taken the time and care to understand what the equipment is and does, unlike way too many sci-fi miniature companies that have started to stick rails on everything but seem to have no idea what they’re for…

In short, excellent sculpts and excellent castings.

Now, for the good stuff – The pictures!

(Pictures all link to the appropriate pages on Eureka’s Website)

Eureka Miniatures USMC Officer and Marksman armed with M21: Front

Eureka Miniatures USMC Officer and Marksman armed with M21: Back

Eureka Miniatures USMC Fireteam Patrolling: Front

Eureka Miniatures USMC Fireteam Patrolling: Back

Eureka Miniatures USMC Fireteam Advancing: Front

Eureka Miniatures USMC Fireteam Advancing: Back

Eureka Miniatures USMC Fireteam Firing: Front

Eureka Miniatures USMC Fireteam Firing: Back

So those are the USMC figures. Eureka kindly provide a simple paint guide so you can purchase the appropriate Vallejo paints to paint them up as Kosta has. I’m not that excited by the M249s all using different ammo sources (we know they can use a loose belt or a STANAG magazine, but really, box feed, please! The USMC set is also available as a Squad Deal, which is the way I picked up the entire range.

Next up I’ll get the SEAL set and the Force Recon Marines organised.

Probably worthwhile as a disclaimer – I have no association with Nic Robson or Eureka miniatures, aside from having bought figures off him and had a chat with him in the past. I paid RRP for these figures and there is no Quid Pro Quo for my thoughts on them. Judge for yourself via the pictures if you’re in the market for Modern USMC.

edit – I thought these figures could work just as well as US Army, but decided to ask someone in the know. After asking an online aquaintance,  US Army MAJ (Ret) Will Rodriguez who is still very much in the loop on these things, I got the following response:

“At this scale it’s very difficult to tell a difference between these Marine and Army figures.  The paint applications will probably be the most determining factor.

The biggest giveaway that these are Marine figures is the fixed stocks on the weapons though the US Army was using a large number of fixed stocks through 2005.  The vests were the earlier IBAs which aren’t so molle intensive as the more current versions of body armor.

The Marine Spartan vest and Army IOTV are almost indistinguishable at this scale.  The rest (helmets, pouches, boots, uniforms) are not detailed enough to definitively say what branch they are.”

After hearing that, I’m very tempted to pick up a second set of them so I can paint one up in UCP/ACU to represent the US Army and the other in MARPAT for USMC. Hmm.. I might end up doing that with my next pay. Oh, I’m supposed to paint these guys up as well!