Mobility made the armored infantry the force commanders reached for again and again — and that came at a price. Because a half-track let a squad carry far more into battle than a foot soldier could hump on his back — heavy weapons, anti-tank guns, radios, and crates of ammunition — armored infantry battalions could be committed fast and fought hard, plugged in wherever the armored division needed infantry in a hurry. Used more often than standard formations, they suffered some of the highest casualty rates of any American combat troops. The upside of all that carried ammunition was that a rifleman rarely ran dry — there was always another clip within reach, as this soldier is finding.

The figure is caught mid-reload, one hand pulling an en-bloc clip from his belt, the M1 Garand ready in the other, in field uniform and M1 helmet. Set him in an armored rifle squad diorama with the Armored Infantryman Kneeling Alert and the Armored Infantryman Advancing, led by their Armored Infantry Officer.

W. Britain model 25198. 1/30 scale (approximately 60mm), matte-painted metal. Single foot figure on a sculpted groundwork base. Boxed.