At the sharp end of Australia's current military deployments are the Special Forces of the Australian Special Air Service and army commando units. These blokes like to get around, so sculptor Kosta Heristanidis has depicted them on some of their preferred modes of transport for exploring Afghanistan's infamously rugged mountainous terrain - the trail bike and the ATV quad bike.
The Australian Special Forces have been deployed in Afghanistan since December 2001, and that commitment continues. While many units from the Australian Army are involved with provisional reconstruction teams (PRT's) or peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, it seems to have fallen almost exclusively to the Special Forces-type troops to bring the fight directly to the enemy. Mobility and speed are of course important aspects of these operations, and both the trail bike and the quad bike have proved to be useful supplements to the LRPV Land Rovers, Bushmaster vehicles, and full armoured ASLAV's.
The light all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or quad bike, is utilized by most Western armies now, being used both as a light patrol vehicle, or with the addition of a trailer, as a small but powerful mule - capable of hauling everything from ammo and weapons to wounded soldiers. Trail, or 'dirt' bikes, are employed by armies the world over for patrol work across almost any terrain, providing rapid transport for small teams of soldiers to just about anywhere they are needed.
Designed to compliment the other miniatures in the Eureka Moderns range, as well as the modern Australian military figures that form part of the Kriegspiel range (manufactured under license by Eureka Miniatures), you can now depict your Special Forces operators patrolling on their trail bikes, or exploring Afghanistan's high mountains and deep valleys on quad bike ATV's. The figures are available wearing three types of headgear, and you can choose between the famous Shemagh headscarf, originally adopted by Commonwealth LRDG troops during the Second World War, and still popular with troops operating in desert conditions; the Kevlar ballistic helmet, now almost universal; or the Pro-Tec helmet, a commercially available piece of kit. All are armed with the latest version of the M-16, the M-4 rifle - equipped with extra sights and M-203 grenade launcher.
The models, especially the ATV quad bike, require some modelling skills. To assist with construction, an exploded view of all the parts is included with the website catalogue entry.
Here are the catalogue details for the new miniatures.
28mm Australian Special Forces motorbikes
(from our 28mm Moderns range)
100MOD50a - Australian Special Forces wearing Pro-Tec helmet, on trail bike (3)
100MOD50b - Australian Special Forces wearing ballistic helmet, on trail bike (3)
100MOD50c - Australian Special Forces wearing Shemagh headscarf on trail bike (3)
100MOD51a - Australian Special Forces, Pro-Tec helmet, on quad bike, with trailer (1)
100MOD51b - Australian Special Forces, ballistic helmet, on quad bike, with trailer (1)
100MOD51c - Australian Special Forces, Shemagh, on quad bike, with trailer (1)
NEW RELEASE SPECIAL OFFER - Australian Special Forces motorbike patrol
For a strictly limited time, you can order a set of three trail bikes and one quad bike for $35.00 AUD* (normally $43.00 AUD). You can opt for your patrol to be all decked out in Pro-Tec helmet, ballistic helmet, or Shemagh - or ask us for a random selection of headgear.
* Excludes shipping (and 'Goods and Services Tax' payable by Australian customers only)
These miniatures can also be ordered in the U.K. from Fighting 15s, and in the U.S.A. from Eureka Miniatures U.S.A.