Toys City SBS Royal Navy Special Boat Service

Howdy figure fans, today we will look at Toys City SBS ( Royal Navy Special Boat Service ) figure. The SBS was formed around 1941, so the WWII era plane and beach assault pics on the box aren’t necessarily a misstep by Toys City. Although they seem somewhat in congruent with the modern era figure they share the box art with.

And if I am not mistaken, the soldiers in beach landing pic look like they might be Americans. Not entirely certain of that though.

Head-sculpt/base body…

Let’s talk about the base body first… It is the Toys City T1.0 body. It looks quite similar in many respects to the base body that TTL uses. It is a decent base for the most part, although the sample I worked with was a little weak in the knees. I looked at the knee joints and found that the seams at the back were separating a bit. It occurred to me that a little Krazy glue fix might help matters, but I didn’t want to risk the glue bleeding into the rotational portion of the joint, therefore causing a permanent case of lock-knee-itous. Luckily, the joints were strong enough to allow me to do my photoshoot without the figure pitching over mid shot. Were I to add this figure to my personal collection, I would either swap out to a different base, or see to the glue job on the knees.

Next, let’s look at the hands that come with the set… I know, you want to hear about the head, and I want to talk about it, I just want to save the best for least… Okay, hand wise, we receive a total of four hands, and four wrist pegs:

Bare flesh right hand in trigger grip pose x 1

Bare flesh left hand in rifle grip pose x 1

Gloved right hand in trigger grip pose x 1

Gloved left hand in rifle grip pose x 1

The sculpting on the bare flesh hands is decent, but there was some molding spillover that would need to be trimmed away. I am not certain if this is a product wide issue, or whether it was isolated to my sample alone. It is simple enough fix if you are handy with an Xacto knife, but I would like to see TC address issues like this so that I don’t inherit them when I buy their figures.

The gloved hands are nifty looking, and are what I suppose is a HiTac style of glove. They are well detailed, but watch out for the paint. In the case of the sample that I worked with the paint began to erode off of the palm on the left rifle grip glove. This was after only one session of posing the glove onto the fore-grip of the HK417, so I was a little surprised. Interestingly enough, the material under the black paint is a medium brown color, which is very similar to the brown color that is featured on the palmer surface of the gloves that come with the upcoming TC MK14 SEAL.

Okay, let us look at the head… I am happy to say that TC has surpassed the issues with their base body and hands, by providing us with a very keen Sean Connery likeness. Sean Connery… a consummate man’s man, a rakish and charming gent, and a distinguished actor. Luckily for us kit bashers and customizers who might want to use this head for a Sean Connery inspired character, the likeness has enough potential to span a two and a half decade career in which Mr. Connery has deviated very little from his short hair and beard look. Here is a small sampling of roles that you could feasibly adapt this sculpt to:

O’ Niel – Outland ( 1981 ) Haven’t seen it? Do yourself a favor and rent it.

William of Baskerville – The Name of the Rose ( 1986 ) Might need to get out your Dremel to make that Monky bald spot.

Ramirez – Highlander and Highlander II ( 1986 – 1991 ) There can be only one – or two or three sequels…

Professor Henry Jones – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ( 1989 ) Great role.

Marko Ramius – The Hunt for Red October ( 1990 ) Another great role – Russian sub captain with a Scottish accent – it’s called “Suspension of Disbelief”.

John Patrick Mason – The Rock ( 1996 ) Yet another classic Connory role.

Jack Horner – Boogie Nights ( 1997 ) Wait… that was Burt Reynolds. Close enough to work though…

William Forrester – Finding Forrester ( 2000 ) ” You’re the man now dwag! ”

Allan Quatermain – The league of Extrodinary Gentlemen ( 2003 ) I liked it.

One aspect of the sculpt that I really liked was the subtle smirk/sly grin. I feel that it adds some Connery charm to the sculpt, and will further enhance the sculpt’s versatility. Paint wise, the sculpt is decent, but has some very slight room for improvement. The eyes are crisp with distinct coloration and naturally occurring catch lights. The hairline is clean, but could use a little touching up around the beard to make it shine. The skin tone is realistic, and there is a slight translucence that adds to the realism. The only really major issue that I had with the sculpt, is the same issue that I have with some Hot Toys sculpts – the pesky seam line that runs up the side of the neck and over the crown of the skull. It is no doubt an artifact of the molding process, but I have wondered if there is a solution for it. I suppose it’s a Q.C. issue that all sixthscale companies who use that molding process have to address. Nonetheless, the sculpt is a great likeness of Connery, and is worthy of a loose parts multiple purchase ( wish I had done that with DML’s Sgt. Jones sculpt ).

Alright, let’s get to our score… Taking everything into consideration, I feel that a score of three and a half out of five stars in order.

Uniform…

The first uniform element that stood out to me from this set is the black jacket. It is reminiscent of an M65 field jacket, and is similar to the jackets that came with both the Hot Toys NSW MK43 mod1 Gunner, and the RECON Stash Graffiti figure. I have not handled the Hot Toys version, but from what I have read on the boards, it is a highly sought after bit of sixthscale schwag. I have handled the RECON Stash version, and I can tell you from experience that it is not at the same level as the TC SBS version.

The parka – or smock – that comes in the TC SBS set is a thing of beauty… It features clean stitching, a tailored fit, functional detailing, and a satin lining that is well finished. This lining extends throughout the jacket interior, and about halfway down the jacket sleeves. Very nice… Like the head-sculpt, this is what I consider to be one of those must have loose parts stock up purchases. There is a small Union Jack flag patch, that while well crafted and detailed, has no adhesive of velcro on the back with which to attach it to the velcro receiver on the jacket shoulder. I had to add my own small scale velcro to the back of the patch to make it removable.

The pants that come with the set are a desert MARPAT or AOR pattern – I am voting for AOR. They are cut in what, to me at least, looks like a cross between a pair of 5.11 Tactical pants, and a pair of Crye Precision AC pants. No doubt someone out there can make a positive I.D. on these pants, but for now I have to stick with my 5.11/Crye hybrid I.D. They are well appointed, and have a plethora of pockets. The stitching and fit are good, and the digital pattern is crisply rendered. I still think it looks more like AOR than MARPAT, but I am not an expert on such things.

The rest of the uniform consists of a tee shirt, rigger belt, black watch cap, tan Arcteryx style Knee Cap pads, hiking boots – or beets, and a pair of gaiters. The boots are an unfamiliar, yet tactical design, with padded uppers and detailed lug soles. The black gaiters – or ‘spats’, are obviously meant to be representative of a pair of Black Diamond GTX front line type gaiters. No surprise there, as these seem to be the de rigueur in sixthscale SpecOps gaiters. In this case, TC has done a decent job on the both the stitching and detailing, and has used low profile velcro for a scale appropriate and secure closure. I am always amused at how sixthscale figure companies skate the thin line of liable by creatively bastardizing the logo of a given product to avoid paying a royalty… For example:

Blach Diamonl

Pelzet

Camerback

Oaklet

Surfeire

I guess everyone learned a liability lesson from DML’s Motorola fiasco.

Okay, let’s get to the score… Considering the quality of construction and detailing, as well as the fit of the separates, I am awarding a score of five of five stars in this category.

Gear ( soft lines – or web and cloth gear )…

The major component in this category is the LBT 1961A chest rig. London Bridge Trading Company ( LBT ) makes some really nifty vests, chest rigs, and load bearing harnesses, and I have always liked the sixthscale versions that I have seen from various manufacturers. In this case, the rig looks to be a close match to the Hot Toys version that came with their Balckwater PMC figure. Nice choice in my opinion. The scale of the side pouches differs a bit between the Hot Toys and the TC version, with the TC version being on the smaller side, but the quality and functionality are close. I like the fact that the HK417 mags fit into the main magazine cells – or pouches. I also like that TC used low profile velcro and crisply molded Fastex buckles throughout the rig. I decided to glue down some of the flaps on my “CUSTOM” version of this figure, but it isn’t a necessity… I just like my flaps to be extremely secure.

I addition to the LBT rig, we get a 3 liter hydration pack. I cannot make a positive I.D. on the make or model of this pack, and who knows, it may be one of those instances where a sixthscale company actually wings it and comes up with an original design all their own. Whatever the case may be, the detailing and fit of the pack are decent. There are some issues with the reservoir flap having a puckered appearance, but I suspect this can be remedied with the addition of some sort of cotton or poly batting ( stuffing ). Also, you might want to pull off the little detail piece at the non-drinking end of the hose to more easily allow the hose to be fed through the opening at the top of the pack. In my case this piece came off on it’s own, but I was able to glue it back on after I fed the hose through the opening on the pack. We also get a black SAS style drop-down holster – or thigh rig, a black two cell sub-load, and a black rescue – or rappelling harness. Each is well appointed and finished, and add to the black and tan appeal of the figure.

Score time… I have to go high here as well – although I would have gone higher had TC included some additonal pouches and a balistic vest. But then again, not all operators would have the same packed to gills pouch layout or kit. So, I am going to award a four and a half out of five stars in this category.

Gear ( hard lines – or sundry parts gear )…

Not much to add here… We get a Petzel style headlamp, a Garmin 101 style GPS unit, a radio with push to talk and earpiece, and a black carabiner. Each of these items are part of what seem to be the modern soldier’s essentials, and each has it’s appeal. Each also has it’s issues – except for the carabiner.

The headlamp is crisply detailed, and the head strap benefits from some more creative logo-ing, but the slider buckle is about twice the width that it should be to accommodate the straps. You will therefore need to work the straps around a bit to get them to sit in the middle of the buckle, and to get the buckle to sit upright. The GPS is sweet – but you will need to glue it to the little black elastic strap that comes with the set if you want to attach it to the HK’s butt-stock, or display it on the figure’s wrist. A clip would have been nice. The radio is decent except for the funky earpiece, and the fact that the cable that runs from the earpiece to the push to talk is woefully short – just like the the radio up that TTL CIA QRF figure.

Okay, let’s talk score… I wish that TC had added a little more sundry gear to this figure. Maybe the overall look of the figure doesn’t necessarily call for it, but it would be nice to have some options, as well as some things to fill pouch pockets with. Therefore, I feel that a score of three out of five stars is in order in this category.

Weapons…

The main weapon in the set is the venerable HK417. In this case, we get what appears to be a knockoff of a knockoff… In my opinion, TTL remolded the Hot Toys HK417 for their CIA QRF figure, and TC remolded the TTL version for their SBS figure. Or maybe TTL and TC both remolded the Hot Toys HK417, or maybe TTL and TC are the same company… Who knows. Bottom line, the TC version may not be the best of the best, but it is pretty snappy. However, the butt-stock doesn’t seem to extend and retract on the HK’s buffer tube. I am not sure if this is one of those product wide issues or an isolated incident, but I gave up after a few minutes of trying to coax it into action. After a chat with Brian, I checked to see if there was a release ala Soldier Story’s HK416′s slider stocks… But alas, that area of the stack appeared to be a solid molding with no moving parts. Paint wise, we receive a desert theme by way of a yellowish tan paint scheme. I will have to refer to the artsy fartsy color wheel for a positive I.D. on this particular flavor of tan… Maybe call it a close match to Pantone Color E5BD5F – or OCHRE. Despite this dubious sounding color, the paint isn’t actually that bad. And the fact that TC didn’t render the scope and suppressor in the same color definitely helps matters.

Let’s talk about that scope and suppressor… Both are well cast and crisply detailed – maybe not up to DML, Hot Toys, or Soldier Story standards, but not a messy diaper either. I like the subtle fluting detail on the barrel of the suppressor, and the fit of the scope onto the receiver’s upper RIS rail is decent – nice that you can actually take the scope off right? I should also take a second to mention the HK417 magazines… You receive five magazines in all – one to place in the HK417, and four additional magazines for the pouches on the chest rig. And yes, they can be placed into the LBT’s mag pockets with a little finessing. Just remember that you can only squeeze one mag per mag pocket – but that works out as there are four mags and four mag pockets.

In addition to the HK417, we receive a Colt 1911 with tac light. This one looks suspiciously similar to the TTL version, so I am wondering if I must be the only guy in the sixthscale universe that doesn’t know whether or not TTL and TC are the same company. No doubt someone will offer an answer at some point in the future. Magazine wise, we receive four mags total – one to place in the 1911, and three additional magazines for the pouches on the LBT chest rig, and the SAS holster. We also have a push dagger with a Kydex sheath. Again, this one looks an awful lot like the TTL version – which looks an awful lot like the BBI version. Do the design folk at sixthscale companies borrow from one another like neighbors borrow sticks of butter and cups of sugar?

Oddly enough, we don’t recieve any grenades in the set – fragmentaion, smoke, or otherwise. I was a little surprised at this, as pair of MK18′s and M65′s seem to come in most modern era sets these days… Whether they have a place to be stowed or not. In this case it would have been nice to have at least a pair of smokies to plonk into the subload’s pockets.

And that leads me to the score… I can’t go too high here, as the sixthscale weapon bar has been set so high by the likes of DML, Hot Toys and Soldier Story. If the weapons are of a lower quality, that should be reflected in the overall price of the figure being lower as well. But what company isn’t going to say that their stuff is the best? I think it fair to award a three and a half out of five stars in this category.

Value…

Boy oh boy, this is always a tough one for me. I have a really difficult time saying that any action figure over $25.00 is a good value. True, I have almost never paid under $35.00 for a figure, but I can be an idiot about such things – case in point the $200 plus I paid for a pre-owned Takara Luna. I guess it’s like any other collectible based hobby in that sense. With all of the pluses being weighed against the misses, I have to say that this one scores a 3 out of 5 stars on my own personal value scale. Some folks may feel that the score should be a little higher or lower as measured on their own personal scale. This is such subjective category, so please take that into consideration.

Things to consider…

In the spirit of fair and responsible reporting, I have to mention that there were a couple of issues with this figure – most have been addressed in their respective categories, but one that has gone unmentioned until now is the packaging. Mentioning issues with packaging may sound like an awful lot like a case of splitting hairs, but bear in mind that we are paying $100.00 for an action figure here, and that even with the $40.00 action figures we usually get decent packaging if nothing else. With the sample that I received for review the packaging has it’s pluses… I like that you can easily remove and replace the accessory tray… I also like that the box has a protective outer sleeve… I did not like that the velcro closures were nothing less than a hot mess, and I did not like that the main figure tray was placed upside down in box. Sounds like weenie talk, I know, but this is not a dime store figure – it is a high end collectible figure. So Instead of velcro closure pieces that look like the manufacturer took a roll of velcro and fed it through a wood chipper, and then pasted the scraps on the box, how about the norm of die cut dots? And when packaging a figure how hard is it to put the figure in the box right side up?

These issues are not deal breakers, but I feel that we consumers have a reasonable expectation of some measure of quality control. True, the velcro and tray configuration is not a part of the figure, or ding in quality per se… but when such flubs are not addressed it doesn’t exactly boost consumer confidence.

Okay, issues aside, this is one heck of nice looking figure… I really like the sculpt – which goes a long way in my book. I also really like the layout and color pattern on the figure – that black and tan scheme is well balanced throught the uniform and gear. The kitbashing potential is high, and there are more than a few choice parts to be sought out as loose parts purchases. I really enjoyed kitting the figure up, and had a terrific time weathering him – weathering the black parts of the uni and kit were a blast. I also like the fact that this is British figure, and I really wish that we had more modern era International Forces in the sixthscale world – so origins wise, this guy has appeal as well.

Score recap…

Head-sculpt/base body: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Uniform: 5 out of 5 stars

Gear ( soft lines – or web and cloth gear ): 4.5 out of 5 stars

Gear ( hard lines – or sundry parts gear ): 3 out of 5 stars

Weapons: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Value: 3 out of 5 stars ( on the Mike scale – your scaling may vary )

Grand total: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Things I changed and added…

As I mentioned earlier, this one was a blast to set up and weather. I used pastels on the uni ang gear, as well as the head-sculpt to warm it up a bit. I also added pieces of black foam to fill out the pockes on the chest rig and sublaod. I like to use a stiffer, more compact foam similar to what you see in Soldier Story helmet liner stick on’s. I was able to track down a thicker version of this foam that is used for pet placemats – you know – for Fido’s food bowl…

On the HK417, I went hog wild – chopping the fore-grip, and adapting the barrel to be extendable. That way you can go CQB, or light sniper with a simple adustment of the barrel. I also did an extensive repaint and weathering job, and decided to add a brass catch loop on the left side of the receiver, on which to attach the bungee sling. I am really happy with the new look of the weapon, and feel that the repaint and weathering add a character and history to the weapon that goes well with the Connery identity of the figure.

The changes and additions can be seen in the pics marked: ‘CUSTOM’. The out of the box pics are marked: ‘STOCK’.