Mars Figures Lido Bridge, we look at two aspects of Mars figures. First, we share Tom black’s problem with his pirates. Second, we look at the Lido pontoon bridge, an item not rarely seen.
Mars Figures Lido Bridge Mars Pirates
New Mars Figures
The set has eight poses they are as follows
- Officer with pistol out.
- Advancing with rifle across his chest
- Standing firing sniper scope rifle
- Kneeling firing rifle
- Standing firing Schmesier
- Running with Schmeiser.
- Standing firing heavy machine gun
- Bent over so his back can be a rest for the heave machine gun.
The last figures are interesting and I would like to hear about it from our WWII military experts explain it more.
Lido Pontoon Bridge
The pose w MG resting in other shoulder while other fire is part of normal training and or practice used by Germand MG teams .So is correct depicted and well represented plus great addition to plastic figure as has been done in metal plenty time.
Both suppose to have special gloves to able grasp hot barrels and able swap it when hot.
can not see if done as figures have poor deep details.
Yet in the wrong part.
The machine gun firing pose has a extra Rifle never assigned to then.
MG crews never carry extra rifle neither have cumbersome gear.Rest figures look good in poses but helmets are odd looking in some poses wo look likeAmericans helmets.
A common defect made by many manufacturers .
MP 40 are poor done and once again over represented in many poses .
my thoughts
Thanks for showing us the Lido pontoon bridge–that’s a really sharp piece!
I agree Pontoon is the best so far I see in and more nice done accurate than Marx
I had try over years to get several to extend it.
no luck
I wouldn’t think anyone would be surprised about scale issued with Mars figures as this has been an issue many times before. It’s a shame the hobby is in such straights because Mars has been able to gather a following due to the dearth of quality, affordable figures on the market. I myself recently purchased a set of the German Naval Troops and two Sets of the Luftwaffe Field Division as I was able to get them at a discounted price. The sculpting, while never particularly good on any Mars figures, was actually not all that terrible on either of the sets. The worst thing about them was definitely the color. Both sets came in a sort of Blue Grey that might be mistaken for Light Grey at first glance. I unfortunately will need to paint the figures because that color is mediocre for the German Naval Troops and pathetically abysmal for the Luftwaffe Field Division. A Green Grey, Bocage/Normandy Green, or Dark Grey all would have been acceptable. Complicating matters worse for the whole situation is that Mars seems dead set on making mediocre German figures the new standard. It is such a shame when CTS, Conte, Airfix, Matchbox, Marx and others all made more memorable (if not always authentic) Germans. In particular, I really long for more WWII figures from Conte. They were of peerless quality and in colors that actually made sense. I can’t wait for his Romans to come out as well. Long live quality toy soldiers.
Rather than spend money on quantities of second rate figures, why not buy fewer QUALITY figures like old Marx or Plastic Platoon. Austin Miniatures are a very good buy also. Wish he’d do more.
I do not buy Mars at all.
even some figures are acceptable. They are wasting time and material in poor designed figures and set with poor historical detail .
Plus they are mass produced so will be around x decades from now.
The prices is higher that AIP that are much better.
So no quite cheap at all x such quality.
my thoughts
Brian,
I do buy plastic platoon and have hundreds of vintage and recast Marx figures. I want to support Mars because I know they try. It is just disappointing to see them fall flat as they often do. The Austin Marines and Japanese are going to be great as well.
Some kinds of plastic or polymers shrink more than others upon cooling off. It’s really odd they would be in the same batch though. Definitely a quality control issue for Mars.
The most common comment I get about Mars is ” hey these are not bad at all, I like them”. I have sold over 30 of each of the Mars WWII sets with only one complaint and with most buyers very happy with their purchase. As for here in the US Marx, MPC & Lido made their Germans in shades of gray while in Europe Airfix, Atlantic, Dulcop & Matchbox made their Germans in shades of bluegray or blue. So the colors of the Mars figures fit right in. It seems like it is the same few people who continue to look for faults while most toy soldiers are very happy with the Mars sets. I have worked with Mars to reduce the retail price to $21.50 per set which will make them even more attractive to collectors. I understand why collectors like the Conte sets and as popular as WWII figures are right now I do not understand why Conte has not run the molds. The big expense is making the mold with cavities costing up to $4,000 each. Once the mold is made the cost to run it is not that great as witnessed by Victory Buy running the old Marx, BMC, Payton, Plastic Toys & Novelties, Lido and Tim-Mee molds HERE IN THE USA which costs more. Hopefully the new Mars sets will be here by the end of the month.
I’m very happy with the Mars pirates I got from Kent. I didn’t notice the scale issue, but it would give the pirates a bit more variety, than having exact duplicates. Had the pirates been in a lighter color like green, tan or gray, I think the details would show better. Witness how much better the deatils show on the zombie pirates.
The Lido pontoon bridge is an excellent accessory…but no, can’t get more into WWII, than the few pieces I got 15 years ago.
I love the Mars Zombie Pirates and will get a set very soon. I think many of them will make Great Fantasy figures to add to my Fantasy Army. I like the quality of the figures and the scale. I hope they keep out weird and wonderful figures in the future. I haven’t seen any for sale yet, Are they out now or soon?
The grey color used by Marx in Germans is not correct at all.
Other makers doing then in grey color is to match blend with previous made.
It was a myth wrong choice made by old makers and continued today.
The germans standard colors in infantry were very different .Some early colors 1939/41 were close represented by BRITAIN detail line and Airfix//Matchbox.
The grey used by Marx.lido MPC,CONTE,TSSD and others is wrong.
If like x fun and match w vintage is ok.
If want x realism or historical accurate.It is not correct;Period.
German navy infantry units dress in royal blue.?o black.
Others as airforce land personnel and paras use blue mix w green or camo
No grey colors.
Navy used white in summer as well.
Light brown or dark tan was used by Mediterranean and African units/armies.
This is same wrong depiction of doing Russian in red or reddish colors because they represent the communist armies and US marines/army in dark Oliver green colors never used in WW2.
My thoughts.
Yes Erwin and the Marx Heritage powder blue is an awful color for Union infantry. That does not mean that there is not nostalgia associated with the color or that people don’t like it. My comment in the previous post, which Kent so kindly dissected, was merely to point out that the newest Mars sets have more of a light blue than a grey hue. As such, I doubt there are many parties who would prefer light blue to medium or dark grey for Germans. In regards to your comment on German naval troops, I agree. I painted mine in Dark Blue. Mars would be much better off making sets of Russian WWII forces as there is much greater need for variety and numbers for Russian forces than there are for the Germans. My German forces are over two thousand in number and don’t really need to grow any further (not that it’s stopped me from buying them).
Alex I wasn’t even referring to your comment.
I just give my opinion in overall mistake colors as happen to read other comment.
But I will respond to yours now as u mention me.
Werever nostalgic or not
New makers (AIP, accurate,Imex,BMC,Hing fat ,EXF and others)least don’t do Union in powder blue now.
While they still do German in odd grey colors.
I know Is hard to keep happy every adult children today but at the end are “toy soldiers “.
While many or most US collector like same as nostalgic old vintage not historical alike or wrong done colors figures werever is produced or done today .
Others like the figures in just grey or tan cream colors to be painted over as AIRFIX did their napoleonic sets thinking in European buyers who most then often paint then over
In my personal like I dont care much color figure unless too bright color or white were detail got blurred.
That is all …
best
I meant i hope they keep bringing out weird and wonderful figures of all kinds in the future.
In my view .Those pirates are a direct base of pirates Caribbean ,just with minor variation to avoid direct copy and right violation.
A typical makers to go along practice with out legal issues.
PAPO,PLASTOY SLEIGHT!? all did same with alike LOTR fantasy series poses .
I consider the pirates sets mars far superior to any else done .Either using other artist or they get better along with non WW2/Modern sets that come so ugly bad done in most sets with few exception poses .
The modern set have the all time the odd anatomical poses and longer legs else issues that had not been corrected yet!!!.
About two pirates small .
Is not common see it among makers do two scales in one set /mold halve …
I think the pirates short two poses are taken as just short person .I can go along with them if buy it .The figures have still same volume and head size approx .So no quite another scale in my personal view ,just not same high.
I don’t think in group of 8 person all are exact same high all time.
Yet in Marx we got a set of 7 Arabs with one clearly made in smaller scale as less volume body ,it have same weapon as other but smaller and head much smaller-This was a typical odd scale(54mm!?) figure made for a set of 60/65 mm scale .
So not first time disparity in scale in same set is made .
I’m wonder what happen to CHINTOY since last Indian set made x conquest pre-Columbia era period made not other set done/announce in almost 4 months.
Hope the odd choice of making staff non action set did not kill their profit .
Their figures are very well done .
my thoughts
I just happen search just a bit and find out Mars is manking some sets x future.
here are they …
https://www.drumandflag.co.uk/collections/toy-soldiers-1-32/coming-soon?sort_by=price-ascending
Thanks for the info Erwin, Mars have a large and interesting line of figures in 1/72 scale so hopefully they will transfer these into 1/32 scale. Yeah i hope Chintoys bring out more figures soon. I brought several sets of there Ancient South American figures and they are really Great looking figures. I get what you say about Copyright but i really like the Mars Zombie Pirates and i will get a set as soon as i see some for sale. Perhaps it was the copyright laws that stopped those Blue Box Orcs and Knights from coming out a few years ago, I still think its a great shame they never came out as they were great looking figures and i was eagerly waiting for them to be available for sale, Nevermind.
I agree that it is a great pity that the Blue Box Orcs and Knights were never released. Imagine high-quality fantasy figures mass-produced, inexpensive and widely available in big-box stores. I think they would have sold well and really helped introduce more kids to the hobby. The ToysRUs fantasy bucket of figures was nice, but the mix of figures with just one or two representatives of different fantasy types, a high percentage of sorceresses, and no discernible “sides” probably limited its appeal – but that said it was around for several years and I assume sold lots of units. The Dollar General Halloween skeleton warrors and mummies are fun and always seem to sell out. I wish some of the discount store buyers would show some imagination and bring us more of these toys.
I totally agree Daniel, Perhaps one day our Fantasy figures dreams will happen? We shall see.
Darren the orcs and knights from the BLUE Box did certainly appear to be base in LOTR.
Yet I do nothing was related..
I think they just stop producing it for not interst as not idea if was a good sale after Target close contracts.
They produce the nice 10 poses sets or modern soldiers and in less 6 month they were taken off market by Target stores who had given then a 8×8 space .Thst brake off purchase nd space rent from Target to BB was main idea fact x they did not invest producing the sets along with closing of TRS company.
BB sold to Target and TRS.
With Walmart they got disagreement and not business since 2009.
I think maybe the sets will appear else by others as mold they did will need be sold hope this happen.
Best.
Fair enough Erwin, I certainly hope they do appear one day? That would be Great.
I always take Mars with a grain of salt and look before I buy. Usually, most of the poses are passable and usable – personally, I weigh whether the benefit of the “good” poses outweigh the downside of the “bad” poses. And, of course, is it an era I really collect? I wouldn’t pay the prices some folks ask for Mars figures so always search for a bargain (yes I’m a bird when I collect – “Cheap, cheap!”- actually want to get the most bang for my buck). I buy some Mars – pass on others. This set I might go for.
As for realistic colors? Well, years ago, when many of us were growing up and TV was in black and white the Germans were gray (of course, so were the Americans and Brits LOL); but as Erwin has said, folks like Marx, MPC, and others set the standard color for Germans as gray in different shades. That became the standard, even though the actual color of German uniforms was different. American GIs were green – even though during most of the war they wore shades of khaki and brown. Gee, remember metallic and sky-blue “Marines?”
We really didn’t care as long as the troops went together more or less. I still feel that way with my unpainted figures. I KNOW that only the British jackets were red and that their Artillerymen wore blue jackets in the ARW, but having all my Brits being red in my play time helps me differentiate at a glance who’s who.
Now, I’m a painter so the color they come in doesn’t matter to me as long as they blend pretty well. One of the things that bugs my toy soldier OCD is with the recent issues of ACW figures. Ironically, most of the Recent issues (of new and old molds) of Confederates go pretty good together while Union figures run the gamut of shades of blue. It drives my OCD crazy to see Union troops not as uniform as their Confederate opponents when I know it should be the opposite. But if I really want a more realistic scene I’m not going to leave them unpainted; I’m going to get them out, get out my references and paint them as accurately as I can.
Otherwise, if their compatible I’m happy to just set them up with my old Marx, Airfix, MPC, and even Conte and TSSD Germans and have at it. And if the colors don’t match – we have great paints these days that stick better to plastic than we had when we were kids. I’ll spray them a neat color to match. JMO