"What Will Infantry Troopers Look Like In 2050 AD???" Topic

If you were to pick out 28mm figures that approximate your vision of what they will look like, what figures would you pick?

If you feel there are no options that fit your vision of such troops, are there good images of what those figures should look like?

CC
TMP link

They would looke like this:
picture

They would looke like this:
picture

You bastard! You got me. : )

Personally, if I had to pick a 28mm minis line, I would say the Pig Iron minis look closest in my opinion.

For what environment? And what's the mission? 0-grav environment? Nuclear Wasteland? Desert? Amphibious landing? And are we talking 1st world/NATO troops, 2nd World/FSW troops, or 3rd World troops?

1st world troops would probably be equipped with night vision, some kind of heads-up display with satellite uplink giving them real-time intel, topographical info, etc. uniforms would offer some protection against non-conventionals, would have reactive camouflage, probably reduce heat signature. Armor would be something like a dragon-skin type of armor: reactive and designed to protect key body areas. Weapon would be able to fire a variety of ammunition, from standard rounds to mini-rpgs, to grenade-like remote cameras and the like. There might even be some kind of primitive 'powered' element, designed to make battle-rattle less heavy and give troops more stamina. MREs would have some kind of easily accessed and consumed stim-element (gum, lozenge).

3rd world troops would probably look much like the best of them today: they'll have body armor, some night vision, a rugged weapon/weapons, light kit, perhaps some kind of garage-made ECM device (satellite phone that can listen in on troop conversations or jam/listen in on spyplanes, etc.)

So, for 28mm figs, anything from Copplestone's troopers to the Pig Iron stuff would work for first world, and 3rd world could use any "modern" or Nato/Warsaw (1970s-1980s) type figure (so TAG, for example).

I agree Pig Iron's Heavy troopers with more leg and arm armor and padding with extra food water and ammo on one of those 4 legged robots seen on other discussions, I would rather have 65lbs of armor in a fight then food and more then 200 rounds of ammo, but I fight in 100lbs (37% of my body weight)of armor 2 times a week anyway so I might be a bit off on what other people can fight in.

By 2050 people will have recognized my inherent genetic superiority and will have created large armies of clones using my DNA. So I would imagine they will look like this:

picture

Pictor, you make me glad that I'll probably be dead by then.

I'll be the voice of doom and gloom and say that perhaps we'll have another world war and possibly a nuclear holocaust by then and recommend any of the miniatures that represent post apocalyptic scavengers.

Given the price tag on such well equipped troops I suspect that the equipment will be completely camoflaged by the Nascar style sponsors logos.

Wait a minute…. we're only talking like 40years.
The basic infantry soldier's overall look has not changed much between today and that of WW2.
I don't suspect there will be a substantial difference in how they will look come 2050.

Go with Mongoose's Combat Evo or just go with any Modern-esque Infantry and paint them a dull gray to emulate the new fancy pixelated camo. Maybe add a greeblee or too for some GPS or some form of advanced commo. Otherwise… there's not much difference.

*shrugs*

This perhaps? picture

Considering articles such as these, I think Pig iron isn't far off.

link

picture

link

However, I suppose this one wouldnt be far off.

picture

Interesting (and nice to see) how many of you keep recommending Pig Iron!

link
TMP link

They are very close to my vision of troops a generation or more from now. However, I find it interesting that others have the same vision too.

CC

The Pig Iron guys are really nice. My only problem with them is that they are very short compared to the scifi stuff I already own. They'd fit pretty well with old Void.1.1 though.

At the expense of upping my post count past 2112 (you know, the Rush album of the same name).

link

Heh. My first thought on seeing the thread title was 'fur and a stone axe'…

Seems to me it was a loaded question when you just asked for 28mm troops and left out other scales like 25mm. Because other than Pig Iron the only other 28mm troops I can think of are the old Union troops from FASA's old game VOR.

Other wise I'd say look at any of GZG 25mm troops.

Captain Apathy,

LOL. Isn't that a "Quar"?

CC

First world troops will be fighting remotely – via robotic ground units and UAVs.

Naked barbarian types with pointed sticks.

Here's my guesses. Stress on 'guess'.

There will be far fewer foot soldiers in first world countries, continuing the current trend towards fewer, better trained, better equipped and more expensive. There will be seperate, larger forces less highly trained in combat for holding ground and putting boots on it.

Each combat foot soldier will command a small force of robots to scout, feed info back, pinpoint targets and – ideally – kill the target themselves. Each soldier will in effect be a company commander in terms of firepower and support.

The GI him/herself will be armoured and mobile, staying as small, as low, as fast and as hidden as possible while keeping the robots between him/herself and the enemy.

Actual face to face fighting will be a last resort. Don't get yourself killed by a robot.

"Each combat foot soldier will command a small force of robots to scout, feed info back, pinpoint targets and – ideally – kill the target themselves."

Whatsitgood4atwork,

Hopefully, PI will have something along those lines soon:

TMP link

Fingers crossed.

CC

picture

That shot in one of the suggestions shows a more streamlined (light?) suit on the trooper though. I like that.

CC

GZG pretty much nailed the near future trooper a while ago.

Considering the current recruitment problems in various countries, this scenario is most likely:

link

28mm, probably Pig Iron. I'd go with GZG in 25mm through.

We'll all be too busy having sex with our Robot wives to wage war.

Captain Apathy,

LOL. Isn't that a "Quar"?

No, that is actually from a Vaughn Bode series (junkwaffel I think), but the Quar have that Bode'esque feel to them, in a non-copyright intringing way of course.

link

Well given that article, I guess we are on the way for our robot overlords to take control.

Despite the rise of the robots I doubt infantry will go away or even become on-the-spot robot handlers since there will always be a need for human intelligence in interpretation of data and decision making.

Secondly, military equipment is surprisingly conservative, partly due to expense and partly because new stuff usually doesn't work too well at first. For example, the AK74 is two generations down from German assault rifles of WW2. The M1 Abrams tank was designed in the 1970s so it is already over 30 years old and still going strong. So I expect most of the weapons and vehicles to be fairly similar to today's.

First world troops will undoubtedly have as much armour as they can carry. If lighter armour material is invented they will wear more of it, providing they don't overheat. Perhaps there will be some kind of air circulation powered by limb movements. There may be a kind of active camouflage, probably consisting of a changeable LCD layer on the armour which can be set to different patterns.

They will also carry more comms gear and will have some kind of active map that shows them tactical information. Some of the info will come from higher command levels and some from man-portable aids such as millimetre wave radar and people-sniffing equipment.

There will have to be security on this tactical data to prevent the enemy getting hold of it -- iris scan perhaps?

I'm assuming there will be improvements in battery technology in order to support the extra electronics.

I think we are going to see less emphasis on heavy tanks and more on variable configuration medium armoured fighting vehicles such as the new German IFV.

We'll also see more support in the form of drones and other types of RPV. There will be a danger of returning to the Vietnam enviroment where remote generals order squads around in near real time because they can.

All in all I think the Pig Iron figures are probably a good match.

Third world troops will carry whatever they can get hold of. They won't have the education to maintain high-tech equipment so although they will get hold of weapons and some armour, they will be at a disadvantage in the comms department.

i duno something like this ?
link

Take a look at these, they represent a pretty good range of options from a current female company commander to really high tech.

link
link
link
link

The three for near future don't seem too far fetched at the moment. I especially like the mini air conditioner in the one suit.

As far as the equipment they will be using goes. I actually had some drone support on a police observation and takedown operation this week. I could easily see every first tier military platoon with a couple of drones and an electronic counter measures suite.

WOW. Nice, Oldgamer!

Thanks.

CC

Hmm, 2050.

In what way do equipment and weapons from 1964 differ from equipment and weapons in 2007.

Main things I can think of are more effective personal comms gear, GPS, better body armour and the widespread adoption of 5.56mm.

Kilkrazy is pretty much on the mark I think.

Oh darn you CC for only picking 2050. I wanted to hum the tune from "In the year 2525" while reading the comments…

link

LOL.

CC

GZG probably does it best. Armor is not likely to get bulkier, it is likely to be smaller and more integrated into the uniform material. Weapons will be more compact and machines will do much of the heavy lifting.

Considering the differences between an infantry soldier in 1917 and 2007, which are not huge when compared to 1815 and 1917 I don't predict a huge revolution.

The search goes on . . .

Previous threads on this topic:

TMP link
TMP link
TMP link

CC

This just in from Mark Copplestone.

CC

-----------------------------

Hi Dan

I do need to update the near future infantry – and add a pack of unmanned drones maybe.

Mark

what about sf (future) corporate troops?

Like these?

picture

CC

Just imagine a mid/late 21st century version of these Copplestones:

link

CC

This timeline might be useful/inspiring to some:

TMP link

CC

Mark (Copplestone),

Please make mine to look more like this suggestion from one of the posters:

picture

Sleek, streamlined, fast-looking.

CC

One of the higher up American universities just came out with a prototype mars spacesuit that "acts as a second set of muscles" in addition to its environmental protection functions. Unfortunately my google-fu fails me, and I can't remember which one.

Anyhow, I figure that for the more elite formations (seeing as how you have to tailor make the suit to fit the wearer) you'll probably see something akin to the SST CAP troopers using this technology. Dunno about the jetpacks though. :P

link

MIT, there we go.

It's called the "bio suit"

That's absolutely the idea!

picture
link

Particularly if combined with liquid body armor:

link

CC