I've been preaching that for years Ong.. PC video games offer a ton of source ideas as well, for example Fallout's retro-futuristic Enclave with Tesla armor!
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Gordy, I too have been preaching a lot too for years (and kind of given up hope). What's odd is how there are still copycats for figures made many years ago. For instance, do we need a new 1980s IDF Tank Commander? Unless it's a reissue of a previous maker, sure looks similar to the others on the market. Why not a 2011 IDF Tank Commander instead?
What's even odder is how "the desert" has really taken the modern US and UK figure market. That's purely tunnel-visioned. Seems like practically all new US and UK figures wear desert uniforms.
Just because there isn't an air or tank threat in those areas doesn't mean there should not be new figures made of those subjects with those ATGM or AA weapons---or forest, SWAT, artic, wetsuit, urban, aviator uniform, nightime, or MP uniforms. In fact, since 1991 Desert Storm, most new figures have all been desert uniform...gets kind of boring and since 1991, that is a looooooong time to wait for anything Woodland camo! (Now with ACU, doesn't really matter. But still, note the huge absence of Woodland camo figures! And not every soldier wears ACU either). Get out of the desert and start making figures for other environs.
Why is it that there are still hardly any 1/35 night vision goggles or monoculars or more modern radios? The only true good US electronics set is still the Pro Art Comms Set, still with many of "the only" electronics in town! And yet there are no figures designed around those electronics and backpack radios when that kit has been out for years? One cannot model the night raid at the beginning of the movie "Air Force One" because no kit exists of four or more figures all wearing NVGs (let alone the NVG at that).
For years figure modelers wanted a USAF PJ or Combat Controller and the only one is still Airborne Miniatures or Deyun (also made by the same sculptor).
And speaking of preaching, still waiting (for years now) for that Javelin gunner...a non-DML Stinger gunner would be nice too.
So, yes, there are still lots of ideas out there...LOTS! The accessory kits have been out for some time...just need to sculpt the figures to use them.
(Now as I get older, I don't really care much for preaching anymore...).