British Commandos in Light Raiding Order and German sentries in greatcoats and light webbing. Here, after literally years of "prodding" are what I have been waiting for - and not, of course, produced by any manufacturers I "prodded". (Example. Wargames Foundry years ago telling me Franco-Prussian "would not be commercial" - look at their FP lists now). Still a prophet never cuts the ice in his own country. These figures are well modelled, well cast and from beneath the base to the top of the headgear 25mm - so 20mm is from feet to eyes; a usual measure these days. I will write about all the samples and draw some of them. If you don't see what you are interested in, send for some samples, address in QMs Stores: British ATC 1. Officer advancing with Colt 45. He wears a cap comforter - called a "headover" these days, with a pistol in his right hand. The holster is on the left of his web belt in a cross draw position. Knees flexed, right foot slightly in advance of his left. Good pose. ATC 2. Radio Operator advancing with sten gun. Earphones on and huge (by today's standards) radio on his back, water bottle beneath it. Sten gun at a belligerent angle. His left hand fingers are just clear of the ejection opening. ATC 4. Private firing Thompson Machine Gun. Lovely moustache and good pose. The Tommy Gun has the more modern "stick" magazine, not the "drum" type. ATC 7. Private crouching with Thompson mg. A good pose, moving forward. Weapon angled slightly upwards. ATC 10. Private firing Sten Gun. The "hosepipe" for 9mm rounds held in the approved manner by a crouching raider. The piece de resistance for me is: ATC 13. Kayak with 2 man crew (resin & metal kit) @ £1.50. A beautiful resin model with metal men (down to the waist who fit into the cockpits in the canoe). They have double paddles in their hands and one has a moustache. They are just the article and the sort of chap commemorated by memorials in Normandy and elsewhere on the coast of French. "Passant - Recueille Toi. Ici 23 Septembre 1941 Premier Commando Allie en Normandie. Ici 6-7 Juin 1944 Luc Sur Mer fut Libere". Translation: "Passerby pause a moment. Here 23 September 1941 First Allied Commando raid in Normandy. Here 6-7 June 1944 LUC SUR MER was liberated". German Sentries AGT 1. Sentry walking with dog (85p). Ideal for my "Cockleshell Heroes" scenario [due in LW 106 or LW 107. Ed]. In the real event the dog did not scent the camouflaged RM Commandos (there is no "e" in "commandos"). Dog is a German Shepherd (used to be called 'Alsatian'). AGT 2. Sentry walking with slung rifle. Helmet, greatcoat and light webbing. Well modelled rifle. AGT 4. Officer walking. Peaked cap, you can see the eagle badge. Overcoat with small automatic holstered on his left hip. Hands behind his back holding a swaggerstick. Ve haf vays of making you play Vargames!" Either a rotten SS man or noble Wehrmacht. AGT 7. Signaller kneeling with field telephone, wearing a forage cap and overcoat - memories are made of this! "What's happened to No 4 target signals?!" References 1. "The Raiders - The Army Commandos 1940-46" by Robin Neillands. Pub: Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1989. ISBN 0297.79426.4 2. "Cockleshell Heroes" by C E Lucas Phillips. Pan paperbacks -several editions - starting in 1957. 3. "The Last of the Cockleshell Heroes" by William Sparks (RMC) DSM and Michael Munn. Pub: Leo Cooper 1992. ISBN 085052.297.8 (Sparks had to sell his DSM to save his home. We don't half look after our heroes in Britain!) [Operation Frankton or "The Cockleshell Heroes" is planned to be published in LW 106, so here is a chance to get your figures and they are very good, before the scenario is revealed]. Back to Table of Contents -- Lone Warrior #105 Back to Lone Warrior List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Solo Wargamers Association. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com