Martian Metals ID Help

[SgtHulka]

Okay, this is a long shot, but I thought I'd try.

I've found about sixty old 15mm Martian Metals figures that I'm getting ready to paint. I plan to base them on Azhanti High Lightning counters (not the real counters...printouts from the ffe site). From the Stuff of Legends site I've been able to identify that I have "Adventurers #1" and "Adventurers #2". Now the question...

I've got 15 guys all dressed the same. They're wearing hard suits, fully-enclosed spacesuit style helmets with wide faceplates, backpacks, and from the back packs runs a power line to a rifle. Some of the guys are standing with the rifle to their shoulder, some are kneeling, some are holding the rifle across their chest and advancing. Two are in the exact same hardsuits, but are holding a different rifle with a top-loading magazine to their shoulders. Finally, two are wearing the same suits, but instead of rifles are holding pistols, also attached to the power packs via power cord.

What are these guys? I would guess Imperials dressed in Combat Armor and armed with Gauss Rifles if it wasn't for the power packs. Could it be Imperials dressed in Combat Armor and armed with laser rifles? Or am I mis-identifying the combat armor...i.e. should it be battle dress with fusion guns? Judging from the Azhanti High Lightning counters, though, fusion guns are pistol-sized.

I'm guessing the magazine loaded guns are LAGs.

Does anyone remember these figures? Can they tell me which pack they came out of?

 

[GypsyComet]

Not offhand. If they look like Boba Fett, they're the Darrian set (the only one of the troops sets I have), otherwise, dunno.

 

[WendellM]

Are the rifles kinda big and boxy? I think those might indeed be Imperial Marines with P/FGMPs (I had a set once).

------------------
Wendell (IMTU tc++ tm !tn !t4 !tg ru+ ge+ 3i+ c+ jt- au ls+ he)

 

[SgtHulka]

Yeah, the guns are definitely big and boxy. If they're imperial marines with P/FMPG, that must mean they're wearing battle dress, right?

 

[WendellM]

Hey, whadd'ya know? I managed to find them deep in a closet:

I'm pretty sure that is battle dress (required by the PGMP-13 and FGMP-14). One of the scanned figures is carrying the "pistol attached to a power pack" you described. I seem to remember considering him a forward observer with a laser carbine for ranging/designating.

------------------
Wendell (IMTU tc++ tm !tn !t4 !tg ru+ ge+ 3i+ c+ jt- au ls+ he)

[This message has been edited by WendellM (edited 11 April 2002).]

 

[SgtHulka]

Those are exactly them! Awesome, thanks! I guess that means they're pack 2005 Imperial Marines (tech level 13-15).

I'll base them on the battledress/fusion gun marine counters from Azhanti High Lightning. I was thinking the same thing with the pistols...officers with laser carbines, though I'll have to "customize" the AHL counter for battledress. It could also be an officer with a PGMP-14, since that's the same length as a laser carbine. Wow, assuming Tech Level 14 Battle Dress these guys are major ass-kickers. No wonder I bought them when I was 13 lol.

Looking up the FGMP-14, 1000 cm long, the picture on the AHL counters is *way* off.

Now to figure out what the heck the top magazine-fed rifles are.

Thanks very much for your help!

 

[DaveShayne]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SgtHulka:
Now to figure out what the heck the top magazine-fed rifles are.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My guess would be gauss rifles.



------------------
I am increasingly of the opinion that RPGs are by the nature of their creation subjective phenomenon. due to the interaction between game designers, game masters, and game players all definitions, rules, settings, and adventures are mutable in acordance with the uncertainty principle as expounded by Heisenburg. This is of course merely my point of view.

David Shayne

 

[SgtHulka]

I thought Gauss Rifles, too, but according to Snapshot they're only 750mm long, and in the models they're as long as the FGMPs (1000 mm). Then I thought they were accelerator rifles for zero-G boarding actions (since they're marines) but those are only 800mm long. So now I'm thinking they're RAM grenade launchers, which would make sense in a support/mortar roll for the fusion guns. But the barrels look to small for a 4cm projectile.

I think you guys are probably right...gauss rifles with the sculptor taking some artistic license with the weapon length. (though I'm not sure why a marine squad would have 5 fusion guns and 1 gauss rifle).

 

[far-trader]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SgtHulka:

I think you guys are probably right...gauss rifles with the sculptor taking some artistic license with the weapon length. (though I'm not sure why a marine squad would have 5 fusion guns and 1 gauss rifle).<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'd agree, artists don't always go by the numbers, but I can think of one very good reason for one gauss rifle in a squad, "One shot, one kill." Mark's our man, a silent sniper is very handy on the team.

 

[SgtHulka]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by far-trader:
I can think of one very good reason for one gauss rifle in a squad, "One shot, one kill." Mark's our man, a silent sniper is very handy on the team.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Doesn't the Gauss Rifle's projectile travel faster than the speed of sound? If so, it's gonna make a "gunshot" regardless of the lack of powder. Otherwise I would agree.

But I'm also now 90% sure they're supposed to be RAM grenade launchers. I read the various weapon descriptions in Book 4: Mercenary, and the RAM grenade launcher is the only weapon with a top-loading clip behind the trigger guard -- exactly as depicted in the miniature.

 

[far-trader]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SgtHulka:
Doesn't the Gauss Rifle's projectile travel faster than the speed of sound? If so, it's gonna make a "gunshot" regardless of the lack of powder.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, the standard Gauss Rifle fires at supersonic velocity. But with no explosive detonation the weapon is treated as suppressed (Your target knows he's under fire and from where, but its a moot point if your aim is good, and anyone beyond 500M in open areas or 100M in urban/woods won't generally hear a thing). What's more the weapon can (standard for small arms gauss weapons IMTU) be designed with a selectable receiver to fire at subsonic velocity resulting in a truly silenced weapon (though with reduced range, damage, and penetration; won't be heard beyond 25M in the open or 5M in urban/woods). Of course you will want to probably add a flash suppresser too. At least this is what FF&S had to say on the subject in '93, things may have changed since, and anyway you're looking for a more CT canon weapon so I'd say you are probably right about the RAM-GL.