VeryHot: 1/6 scale USMC Rifleman Outfit set for 12-inch Figure - Preview

Besides the Black Action Sniper (see earlier post), VeryHot will also be releasing a 1/6 scale USMC Rifleman outfit set for 12-inch figures. As with all of VeryHot releases since day one when they came on the scene, this United States Marine Corps uniform set will NOT include a 12-inch figure body nor a 1/6 scale head sculpt. And since the U.S. has exited Iraq, it's safe to say that this modern USMC figure looks to be based on the marines operating in Afghanistan right now.

EXCEPT I think the US Marines in Afghanistan would be wearing the Desert variant of MARPAT (MARine PATtern - a digital camouflage pattern in use with the United States Marine Corps, introduced with the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform or MCCUU, which replaced the Camouflage Utility Uniform) instead of this Digital Woodland Camo. And why is he wearing desert MARPAT helmet cover when everything else is in green? I also think that the rifle magazine should have been black instead of silver. That just looks wrong :(

The problem with this set is that it can be easily bashed by combining parts from the PlayHouse and Soldier Story Marine figures and even then, PlayHouse and Soldier Story have better quality parts. That's why I never really go for VeryHot military outfit sets because they are lacking the good stuff which Soldier Story and Playhouse are already producing. This is not bad for a budget set, but unfortunately it is generally inferior to existing offerings already available.

It is also interesting to note that VeryHot which has been releasing a lot of the old Hot Toys military figures have made the dust cover on the M16A2 rifle too big (it's because they based it on Hot Toys design when they used to make military figures). If the dust cover is open, it completely blocks the magazine release button. This is not so with the actual weapon.

Like I mentioned earlier, quite a few mismatches here :( Why is the camouflage cover for the Marine's helmet different from the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (MCCUU) he is wearing? The rest of his gear is also more in line with the Marine's digital desert camo, so why did VeryHot dress this 1/6 Marine in Woodlands MARPAT when everything else screams DESERT!

For a more accurate look at how a 1/6 scale USMC 2nd MEB 12-inch Marine should look like, check out my post of the STGCC 2011 Soldier Story Exclusive USMC 2nd MEB Marine aka USMC SSgt. Nantz figure which is awesome ;) this VeryHot USMC Rifleman set is anything but that, not even a poor second; try a few more levels down.

The only time the US Marines wore mismatched outfits was in the 2003 War in Iraq when they wore Woodlands Camouflaged Battledress Overgarment (BDO) due to the perceived imminent threat of a biological / chemical attack which Saddam Hussein threatened to unleash upon the "infidels". The USMC just didn't have enough Desert Camo BDOs so for the most part of the war,  the Marines wore the Woodlands camouflaged BDOs with their Desert Camo helmet in a hostile desert environment. You can see pictures of these 2003 Iraq War 12-inch Marine figures HERE and HERE :)

I also posted an entry on Generation Kill, a 2008 HBO television miniseries based on the book of the same name by Evan Wright about his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion‎ of the United States Marine Corps during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

A close-up of the USMC Issue MTV Vest with three grenade and magazine pouches, utility pouch, USMC Combat Knife and sheath, two smoke grenades, radio in pouch.

Magazine Dump pouch with cyalume / light sticks

Hydrapak With Tube and M127A Signal Flare (x2) in Pouches

The M72 LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon, also referred to as the Light Anti-Armor Weapon or LAW as well as LAWS Light Anti-Armor Weapons System) is a portable one-shot 66 mm unguided anti-tank weapon. In early 1963 the LAW was adopted by the United States Army and the United States Marines as their primary individual infantry anti-tank weapon, replacing the M31 HEAT rifle grenade and the M20A1 "Super Bazooka" in the US Army.

Although generally thought of as a Vietnam War era weapon which has been superseded by more powerful AT4, the M72 LAW has found a new lease of life in the ongoing (2006) operations in Iraq by the US Army and Afghanistan by the US Marine Corps and Canadian Army. The lower cost and lighter weight of the LAW, combined with a lack of modern heavy armored targets and the need for an individual assault vs an individual antiarmor weapon, make it ideal for the type of urban combat seen in Iraq and mountain warfare seen in Afghanistan today. In addition a soldier can only carry one AT4 a mission, but with the LAW he can carry two. [source: wiki]

And here's the full loadout of the VeryHot: 1/6 scale USMC Rifleman Outfit set for 12-inch Figure. This VeryHot Marine is missing the groin armor for his vest. The MARPAT and M16A4 are always welcome but the mismatch with the helmet and gear just makes this set good for parts and kitbashing but not complete as a USMC rifleman should be. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯