Revell Figures: How I Found an Affordable Alternative to Expensive Modern Miniatures

I am a big fan of wargaming, a hobby in which you collect miniature figures, paint them, and use them in tabletop battles. I recently got into a new series, called Battlefield Evolution, in which players use modern wargame figures to fight out battles in an ultra modern era. Thus, I needed to buy some new modern soldiers, but I did not want to put down the $30 it costs for only a few Battlefield Evolution official figures. So, I began to look for a cheaper alternative to these pricey miniatures.
First, I found some really cheap plastic army men, painted them up, and did a little bit of converting to make them work. Well, they turned out ok, but I really wished they were a little more detailed. So, I began to look for more affordable, yet still well-sculpted, miniatures set in modern 21st century warfare. I found a lot of different companies that sold metal miniatures online, but they still cost a pretty penny. Then, I visited a hobby store in Seattle called, "Fantasy World and Games" and found a bunch of 1/72 scale, Revell miniatures. These packs included 46 miniature soldiers, and were only $6 a pack! This was quite a steal, and I was pretty happy with this deal. I picked up a box of German KSK Anti-terror troops, and was quite pleased with them. They seemed to be close to the actual size of the Battlefield: Evolution figures by Mongoose Publishing (the company behind this wargame). I then looked up EvoCommand, a popular Battlefield Evolution fan site, and found out that the KSK figures from Revell are one of their figures that fit the best with Mongoose Publishing figures. Why? Basically, even though all of the Revell figures are supposed to be 1/72 scale, but some of the sculpts are rather 'loose' in their scale-as some are slightly smaller than 1/72 or may be slightly larger. Some of the figures do not work very well, but some do work. So, I ended up buying the best type of figures possible by accident. Several of the forum members recommended other websites where you can find out more about Revell and other figures, including complete lists of the product ranges. This totally interested me, so I dug a little deeper, and headed over to one of the sites to find out more.
So, I found out that Revell produces a big line of figures, and not just some German KSK ones. They also sell some normal modern German troops, that would work well for Battlefield Evolution PLA (if modded) or European Union forces. Not only that, but the best find I discovered was that they have a range of United States Marine Corp troops as well. Plus, all of these are available online for a really good and reasonable price, and are quite detailed. Also, there is another company that makes a group of 1/72 scale troops as well, including a great USMC range. This company, called Preiser, is another great source for some quality 1/72 scale miniatures set in modern warfare. Now, what website did I find all of this on? None less than the amazing Plastic Soldier Review at www.plasticsoldierreview.com .
So, what have we found out today? There are several good places where you can find some really quality miniatures, some a bit small, and some just right to fit in with real Battlefield Evolution Mongoose Miniature figures for the wargame. Both Revell and Preiser work quite well, and offer a wide range of figures, for a wonderful price, that should work just right, and are much, much cheaper than Mongoose Publishing figures. Finally, the Plastic Soldier Review website offers a great resource to find some amazing information on miniature soldiers and what is inside each boxed set, along with which manufacters make these figures. And, of course, EvoCommand is the forum to use for Battlefield Evolution discussion.