African Defense

Faction: Martian Sympathizer
Nationality: German
First Colorway Appearance: Armstrong
Figures in Colorway: Armstrong (1/12), Heavy Bramble (1/6, 1/12)

Africa was the most violent and intense theater of the Great War. Africa was divided nearly in half (vertically) between the Earth Coalition and Martian forces. Germany and its African Defense force were originally part of the EC but that all changed when Germany and its military became the first Martian Sympathizers.

African Defense force doesn't have any direct ties to the real world. The closest would be the Afrika Korps.

The bots (all two of them) that make up the African Defense don't share similar color schemes. They share similar decals but both take on different looks based around animal stripes and spots. This gives African Defense a more haphazard and non-uniform look. Its also a definite theme with the bots using animal like camouflage.

The Heavy Bramble sports red, yellow, and grey as it's primary colors. It also has tiger like stripes covering sections of its body. The Armstrong's main colors are brown and black and has hyena like spots covering its main body. Decals for both come in white and black.

Decals

Note the AD09 on the arm

Note the AD on the body and the 09 on the right shoulder (our left)

Found on both the Armstrong and Heavy Bramble is an AD09 decal. A variation of this can be found on the Armstrong with AD and the 09 being separated on the front of the bot (AD on the body and 09 on the right shoulder). The 09 without the AD can be seen on the Heavy Bramble as well. The AD stands for African Defense and the 09 might refer to the specific unit the bots are apart of in the African Defense as a whole.

Note the black cross on the launcher

Note the black cross on the body

Balkenkreuz

Another common decal on both African Defense bots is the balkenkreuz (black cross with white border or just the flanks themselves). The balkenkreuz (English: Balkan's Cross) came about in WW1 when it was used on German aircraft and was further refined in WW2 when it became a common symbol across German forces.

There are two different balkenkreuzs on the Armstrong. They are both the standard balkenkreuz with a black cross surrounded by a white borders. The first is a balkenkreuz with thick white borders on the front of the Armstrong. On the Armstrong's jump pack their is a balkenkreuz with a thin white border. Luftwaffe aircraft from WW2 also sported these same balkenkreuz seen on the Armstrong (fitting for the bot that rocket jumps across the battlefield).

The Heavy Bramble is sporting a variation of the balkenkreuz. It has the black cross but thick white border is absent and the cross flanks are white instead of black.

Note the four lines on top of the jump pack

Note the four lines on the right shoulder

Both the Armstrong and Heavy Bramble sport four lines on multiple areas on their bodies. This might look familiar as they are the hooks of the swastika with the main cross missing.

This raises a number of questions for the WWR universe. Is the Nazi party still around? WW2 must of gone a lot differently then (it already kind of has if Germany has forces working outside of its borders like the AD). Does this similar but different symbol refer to a change of some sorts? Questions like this are a little too big answer with a colorway breakdown (might be a future article talking about specific and interesting aspects of difference from the WWR world and ours).

Note the skull spitting bullets

Note the white hand on the main body armor

Both bots have one very distinct and very different decals on them.

The Heavy Bramble has a white severed hand with its fingers slightly flexed (like its trying to grip something. In a way it bears similarities to a zombie hand (you know the one coming out of the grave or is cut off). This might be a symbol of defiance against the EC.

The Armstrong sports a skull that is spitting bullets out its mouth. This might be in reference to death from above (the Armstrong is a semi-flyable bot). It could also be connected to Totenkopf and the use of death's head symbols in the German military in WW2 (are we the bad guys?).

 Sayings

Note freiheit on the launcher

Note the saying on the chest plate

On the launcher and on the left chest plate of the Heavy Bramble is the word freiheit. This is German for freedom.

Also on the chest plate below freiheit: um jeden preis. When put together with freiheit this translates into: Freedom at any price.

With the African Defense being a Martian Sympathizer force this is probably in reference to freedom for the EC. For the African Defense it seems they are more then willing to lay down their lives to help the Martians win or stop the fighting.

Names

Armstrong: Fridel - No real world connections

Dutch Merc

Photo Credit: Ron from AFP

Faction: Mercenary
Nationality: Dutch
First Colorway Appearance: Bertie Mk2 and Square Mk1
Figures in Colorway: Bertie Mk2 (1/12), Square Mk1 (1/12),  Bertie Mk3 Mode A (1/6, 1/12), Caesar (1/6, 1/12), Mighty Square (1/6)

(Editor note: This colorway breakdown is brought to you by 3A legion member Gar.)

Zwarte Torens or Black Towers in English is a Private Dutch Mercenary group without affiliation to the Netherlands or any of the fighting forces in the World War Robot universe.  It has no historical reference in the Netherlands. Dutch Mercs are mostly hired guns for private interest. They hardly do any military stuff.

This colorway came into existence in the WWR universe based on a discussion about Dutch mercenaries on the old 3A toys hyperboard forum.

Zwarte Torens is the 4th time a Mercenary was shown in the WWR universe. First was a 1/6 scale Gatling gun Merc prototype Bramble Mk2 which was never released, but later revised in 1/12 scale as the Italian Merc Nero4. The other was the retailer exclusive 1/6 Merc Square Mk1.

Zwarte Torens main colors are warm yellow for the dome and a mostly metallic copper colored body.

Some limbs are in yellow or white. Except for the Squares which are mostly copper for the 1/12 Square Mk1 and yellow for the Mighty Square.

All robots are heavily weathered.

Decals

Note the giant Zs.

Most prominent on all Dutch Mercs is a large white circle with a "Z" on the right bottom side, placed just under the central or right eye censor of the robots. This circle with "Z" also returns on the right arm of the robots, on top of both Squares and in black on the left shoulder of the Bertie MK3A and Caesar.

Note the lion on the apron.

Prominent on the torso of the Berties is a white heraldic Dutch Lion with its tongue out, which also has a historical link to many territorial arms which bare a lion in the Low Countries of Europe, like various Dutch Provinces and Noble Houses of the Middle Ages and later on. On the Caesar the lion has been relocated in black to the shield on the right shoulder and the apron. It also appears in yellow over the full side panels on the right side of Mighty Square and on both sides in white on the tiny 1/12 Square.

Note MEL on the leg.

Note the 46 in the white circle. Photo Credit: Gar

Other returning decals are a black circle with the text MEL on all robots except the squares and a white circle with the number 46 on Bertie Mk3 and Mighty Square.

Both MEL and 46 haven't any specific meaning in the Netherlands.

Note the flag on the arm.

Note the flag on the canister. Photo Credit: Gar

The Bertie Mk3 also sports a Dutch red, white, and blue tricolor flag on its left arm. It returned on Mighty Square on the tank on its back.

(Editor note: On the Bertie Mk3 when the arm is rotated forward the flag changes from the Dutch flag to the French flag. In reference to Mata Hari being Dutch and being a double agent for the French during WW1.) 

Sayings

Note Gevaar on the canister and Zwarte Torens on the head.

Dutch Merc Caesar also has the word "gevaar" on the canister on his back, which means "danger".

Also, as mentioned before, Zwarte Torens is Dutch for Black Towers.
 
Names

Bertie Mk3: Sports the name Mata Hari which was the stage name of Margaretha Geertruida (Griet) Zelle. A Dutch exotic dancer which was convicted and executed by the French in 1917 for being a spy for Germany during World War 1.
Caesar and Mighty Square: Harpertszoon - Probably refers to "Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp" a Dutch navy Admiral during the Dutch golden age who defeated the Spanish Navy during the Battle of the Downs.

7th Division

 

Faction: Earth Coalition
Nationality: New United Kingdom
First Colorway Appearance: Harold
Figures in Colorway: Harold (1/6, 1/12)

The 7th Division of the New United Kingdom is a desert based group. Their decals are steeped in real world history (which we'll explore in a second).

The main colors of the 7th Division is orange. Weathering is brown and black. Decals are either black or white.

Decals

Note the ghost looking thing in the center of the body

The first decal to really catch the eye is the ghost maker. Based around a simple image of a ghost with the words ghost maker written onto it. This seems to be the divisions mascot and possibly nickname. It is also quite a morbid mascot/nickname with it basically referring to killing their enemies (nothing new though for military forces).

Note... everything!

The 7th Division have marked their bots with their division number as well as spelling it out from time to time on them as well.

The 7th Division is based on the 7th Armored Division of the UK from World War 2. Most will know this group by their nickname: The Desert Rats. The majority of decals relate to the 7th Armored Division.

The TRBK decals (column four, row one) is a shortening of Torbuk which is a city in Libya and is known for the Seige of Tobruk during World War 2. The 7th Battalion was at Tobruk during Operation Battleaxe. There is a battleaxe decal located on the back of the Harold's head (second column, last row, on the image above).

The set of initial: SMC (seen in column one, row one; column four, row one; column three, row three) are for Sir Micheal O'Moore Creagh who was the 7th Armored Division's commander from 1939 to 1941.

Type A.2 Roundel (RAF)

A variant of the British roundel (Type A.2) can be spotted all over the 7th Division Harold. This clearly marks the division as being British.

11th Division. Not the 2 and the spade.

The most interesting set of decals on the 7th Division is the spade (column 2, row four) and a large 2 (column three, row four; column four, row three). These are interesting as they have a connection to another colorway... the 11th Division. The 11th is another desert based unit and shares the spade and the large 2 along with the 7th Division. The 2 might refer to the larger corps they might serve together under. The spade might be this corps symbol as well.

Names

Harold: Harry - Unknown real world connection but might be a connection to Prince Harry.