The Mercs were survivors of the purging of the Red Shadows as they were on a covert mission at the time, operating under direct orders from Black Major, and were largely forgotten about. Upon their return, despite their previous links to
they were integrated into the Cobra ranks, and their leader joined the ranks of the Crimson Guard. His platoon were disbanded and the other three from the platoon were enrolled as regular Cobra cannon fodder, sorry, Troopers. In time, the platoon leader became disillusioned with the ways of Cobra, and defected. Longing for the olds days as Red Shadows he tracked down the old platoon members, who joined him in his defection out of similar disillusionment and die hard loyalty to their leader. The leader took on the name Crimson Shadow, but kept his crimson uniform, to remind him how bad it can get. The three other soldiers took back their old colours.
The Red Mercs, led by Crimson Shadow, now make their living as soldiers for hire to the highest bidder, and long for the glory days of dodging Baron's bullets. They exist below the radar of both AF and Cobra, and keep hearing whispered rumours that the Black MAjor is still alive, and will one day rise again and make his presence known....
Really happy with the way these guys turned out - they were only meant to be experimental dalliances with paints etc and therefore were actually my first ever customs. Only just finished them now with some of TKW's fantastic stickers for the helmets. Lacquer that I've used doesn't let photos do them justice at all - they look much shinier and more thickly painted in the pics than they do in real life.
My entry for Augusts Custom of the Month, but I already see that the competition is fierce! Can I beat last months 4 votes the "Kraken Politician" managed.
And this has the added benefit of being an entire post of photos by me without
& 
sticking their ugly faces in! & "We are far too busy for cameo appearances....."
