Figure Review - USMC Rifle Platoon

The ANZAC figures are lovely, but in all honesty I couldnt play a main Australian force and still be impartial! So, I'm starting with a USMC platoon which I got from Olympian games the other day (Aus$40).

This is the official Flashpoint Miniatures pic, which has used Flames of War bases.

First impressions:
Good quality figures, dynamic poses, moderate levels of flash so some cleaning up required. Figs are quite detailed, including the obligatory helmet containers, bandoliers and crisply detailed webbing.

What you get: 45 figs - thats Aus$0.89 per figue - good value for such detailed figs

All in hemets unless otherwise specified

Leader standing with arm raised, M16 x 2
Leader standing and pointing, M16 x 3
Medic (no weapon) x 1
Radio Operator talking on radio, M14 x 1

Marine, standing and leaning forward in firing stance, M16 x 4
Marine, braced in standing firing position, M16 x 4
Marine, walking sighting over M16 x 3
Marine prepping grenade, M16, x 3
Marine walking forward, bare head, M16 ready x 4
Marine walking M16 x 3
Marine, running with M16 ready, x2
Marine, patrolling with M-79 blooper x 3
Marine, kneeling and firing, M14 x 3
Marine, patrolling, bare head, M14 x3
Marine, patrolling, M14 x3
Marine, standing and leaning forward in firing stance, M14 x 4

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The figs match the USMC platoon organisation - 3 rifle squads, each with three 4 man fireteams and a squad HQ of 2 men, plus a Platoon HQ of 3 which makes it quite distinctive. Note that the USMC dont have M60 MGs in a rifle platoon (unlike the US Army or ANZACs), they are retained in the Company Weapons Platoon. To offset that, they are 'Gung-Ho' and can reroll morale tests during assaults.

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The downside:

I'm not really keen on the "Marine, walking sighting over M16" pose, but then again, thats only 1 pose out of the lot and 3 minis in total so not bad at all. The bare headed faces also look a bit bit or overly featured, but on bare metal its hard to tell (and not that I am a wonderful facial features painter anyway). Overall, only two very minor negative aspects to some good figures.

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Now to start cleaning up the flash and get them prepped!

Emperor Norton I of America

Bizarre characters of History:

Norton the First, by the grace of God Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico

Proclamation of 17 Sep 1859:

"At the peremptory request and desire of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I, Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last 9 years and 10 months past of S. F., Cal., declare and proclaim myself Emperor of these U. S.; and in virtue of the authority thereby in me vested, do hereby order and direct the representatives of the different States of the Union to assemble in Musical Hall, of this city, on the 1st day of Feb. next, then and there to make such alterations in the existing laws of the Union as may ameliorate the evils under which the country is laboring, and thereby cause confidence to exist, both at home and abroad, in our stability and integrity.
NORTON I, Emperor of the United States"

http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/norton.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_I
http://www.kudzumonthly.com/kudzu/mar02/Emperor.html

Tea - Milk or Lemon?

an age old question indeed...

Earl Grey gets Lemon. English breakfast gets Milk. Green tea gets neither and shouldn't truely even have sweetner.If you ice black tea, it should have lemon, even it's a milk-getting variety... however, iced thai tea has sweetned condensed milk.... that hits the spot!

If having milk, does it go in before or after the tea?

The answer is purely scientific old Boy!

http://www.stashtea.com/tt111298.htm

Officer Qualities!

What a fantastic quote!:

"An Officer should be comely, spratly and above all else, confident in his own dress and bearing.

He should, where possible, eat a small piece of meat each morning with molasses and beans.

He should air himself gracefully when under fire and never place himself in a position of difficulty when being shot at.

He should eat his meals comfortably and ahead of his soldiers, for it is he who is more important tactically on the battlefield and therefore he who should be well nourished.

His hair should be well groomed and if possible he should adorn a moustashe or similar facial adornment.

When speaking to his soldiers he should appear unnerved and aloof and give direction without in any way involving himself in the execution of arduous or unofficer like duties.

He should smoke thin pantellas except when in the company of ladies when he should take only a small gin mixed with lemon tea.

He should be an ardent and erudite gentleman and woo the ladies both in the formal environment and in the bedroom where he should excel himself beyond the ordinary soldier with his virulent love making prowess.

These I say to you are the qualities of an Officer that set him apart from the lay person and the common soldier"

Lieutenant General Hubert Worthington
Commander In Chief
5th Royal Indian Mountain Division
Bombay
12 December, 1907