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Action Force

In the early 1980s, the European toy company Palitoy released a line of military 3 3/4" toys called "Action Man : Action Force". The figures in this line were articulated like Kenner's Star Wars toys.
Australian Jungle Fighter British Marine German Stormtrooper U.S. Paratrooper	Soldiers from around the world.
Arctic Assault Commando Desert Rat Frogman Ground Assault Mission Pilot Helicopter Pilot Mountain & Arctic 2 Para S.A.S.	Various Action Force figures. Not pictured include the Deep Sea Diver.
AF3 (complete) AF3 (split) AF3 (instructions)	The AF3 was a covered jeep. The roof could be removed and used as a boat.
Multi Mission Vehicle (car) Multi Mission Vehicle (plane) Multi Mission Vehicle (boat)	The Multi Mission Vehicle could become a car, plane, or boat.
Action Force Headquarters	Made of bristol board, it is extremely similar in construction to the "Death Star Playset" that Palitoy made for its Star Wars toyline.

By the mid 1980s, the Action Force revolved around several special forces - the SAS Force, the Z Force, the Q Force, and the Space Force - all fighting against the Enemy, Baron Ironblood and the Red Shadows. At this point, many early G.I.Joe figures and vehicles were recolored, renamed, and incorporated into the Action Force line. However, the original Palitoy figures were still articulated like Star Wars figures.
Baron Ironblood Baron Ironblood (Carded) Black Major (Carded) Kraken Lazer Exterminator (with Red Laser) Muton Muton (Carded) Red Shadow Red Shadow (Carded) Red Wolf Shadowtrack Skeletron	Baron Ironblood and the Enemy opposed the Action Force. They included the Lazer Exterminator - a red and black repaint of the HAL laser cannon. A repaint of Cobra Commander - Red Laser - piloted the Lazer Exterminator.
Aqua Trooper Aqua Trooper (Carded) Deep Sea Defender Deep Sea Defender (Carded) Deep Sea Diver Sea Skimmer Sonar Officer Sonar Officer (Carded) Sting Ray (with Shark) Swordfish	The Q-Force was the ocean themed wing of Action Force.
Commando Mobile Missile System (MMS) MMS Instructions MMS Instructions (back) Panther Jeep Pilot Squad Leader	The SAS Force featured repaints of the Mobile Missile System and the Panther Jeep - a repainted VAMP. The Panther Jeep driver was a repainted Snake Eyes named Stalker.
Space Commander Space Commander (Carded) Space Patroller Space Pilot Space Pilot (Carded) Space Engineer Space Engineer (Carded) Space Security Trooper (Carded)	The Space Force.
Attack Cannon Captain Captain (Carded) Dart PAC/RAT (Instructions) Infantryman Infantryman (Carded) Lance PAC/RAT (Instructions) Medic Mine Sweeper Radio Operator Radio Operator (Carded) RAM with Quarrel Sapper Sapper (Carded)	The Z-Force featured a repainted Rapid Fire Motorcycle (RAM) that included Quarrel - a specially colored Scarlett. There was also a repainted MOBAT tank that included a specially colored Steeler. Repainted PAC/RATs were also part of the Z-Force, as was the FLAK attack cannon.
Action Force Commander	The Action Force Commander was available as a mail-in offer from Palitoy. It was made from the same mold as the villain Black Major, only not molded in black.
Micro-Comic Micro-Comic (back)	This free micro-comic was included with some Action Force vehicles. It described the free offer to get Kraken.
Join the Action Force Team	This insert advertised the "Action Force Team" - the Action Force fan club.
ATT Barracuda Cardback Att Barracuda Filecard ATT Chopper Cardback ATT Phones Cardback ATT Phones Filecard ATT Police Cardback ATT Police Filecard Baron Ironblood Filecard Black Major Filecard Red Shadow Filecard Cardback (German) Cardback Close-Up	In West Germany, the various forces were not referenced. Instead, the forces were referred to as "ATT" (Anti-Terrorist Team), while the villains were called the "Terror Gang". These changes were only in West Germany, making German Action Toys very easy to differentiate from other Action Force Toys.


Escape Armor and Wolverine	The Escape Armour was a red version of the American "Cobra S.N.A.K.E. Armor" and part of the Enemy forces. The Wolverine was a black version of the American version and part of the SAS Forces. Driving the Wolverine is Hunter.

By 1985, Palitoy ceased making original Action Force figures and simply repackaged the American G.I.Joe toys as "Action Force".
Cobra CLAW	Note that the stickers on the Action Force Cobra CLAW differed from the U.S. version

In 1987, the Action Force comic book was released by Marvel UK. Released every two weeks in an oversized "magazine-size" format, it had a run for about 50 issues - many of which made it to the United States. They were an eclectic mix of original stories and serialization of the U.S. Marvel stories.

In 1990, the line became named "G.I.Joe - the Action Force". By 1991, the label "Action Force" was dropped altogether.

Images of vehicles and headquarters courtesy of: Pol Gosselin
Additional images from the collection of: Rob Lewis
Additional images from the collection of: Jerome Smeets
Carded figures from the collection of: Beanieboy.co.uk
Arctic Assault, Mine Sweeper, and additional information courtesy of: Captain DC
ATT Cardbacks and filecards from the collection of: PredatorSWF
Additional images from the collection of: apwwrestling

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Action Force