This photo, taken from the Under Fire website, shows the first release from the Arab/Israeli range: a 5 man IDF patrol for 1982. Click on the image for a larger version.
Martello International was formed in late 2008 to market a limited number of ranges sculpted by Stuart Emmett and Tony Boustead. The first products went on sale in January 2009, and eventually included a number of World War Two and more recent subjects.
While some very nice figures were produced, the company never really had success in the retail and distribution functions. The story got a bit confusing in the fall of 2009, with changes in personnel, and announcements that the rights to the current or future figures were being sold or licensed variously to Sgt’s Mess, TQD, artwho9 Painting or AB Figures.
Flash forward a year, and most of the confusion has been removed. The former Martello range is being re-released by Under Fire Miniatures, a new company started by Bill Weston.
The website is here:
http://www.underfireminiatures.com/index.htm
As of now, the following ranges are available for purchase:
WWII Germans, Italians and Russians;
Arab/Israeli 1982 (1 pack only so far);
Rhodesian Light Infantry, and Selous Scouts;
British and Taliban in Afghanistan.
Before the end of the year, Bill plans to have some additional British figures produced, wearing updated (2010) helmets and body armour, and carrying some new weapons. They will be joined by a couple of new SAS packs for the same theatre.
Also on the schedule for this year, we should see a new range of modern Russians, based around the 2008 Russia/Georgia conflict as well as four packs of Vietnam figures.
Bill promises further expansion of the existing ranges next year.
