"World's toughest troops at your command!"

Little boys (and perhaps even some future female commandos) have long held an affinity for playing with miniature army men. And through much of the last century, they consisted primarily of the molded plastic green guys, advertised in the back of comic books and sold in many a toy or drug store. GUTS were an improvement on the age-old concept, offering higher detail and craftsmanship – a toy soldier for a new generation.

Introduced by Mattel in 1986, GUTS consisted of molded plastic soldiers. But in regard to the earlier toy warriors, that’s where the similarities end.  For one thing, these guys weren’t entirely limited to the fixed position they arrived in. They were also far more colorful and detailed, with sharply edged features and a variety of uniforms.

The uniforms may actually have been one of the coolest innovations. No longer was the budding General restricted by non-descript forces. With GUTS, there were Green Berets, underwater demolition experts, Laser-equipped infantry, and in a nod to the popularity of Ninjas, a set of formidable Aikido assailants. Each package included from 5-12 soldiers, and each troop came already named, with such tongue-in-cheek monikers as Hot Launch, Max Destruction and Slugs McGee.

Transportation was also taken into account, since what good are having a bunch of spiffy troops if you can’t get them anywhere. Available vehicles included a High Mobility Military Wheeled Vehicle Jeep and a multi-terrained assault and transport unit called a Python. The same attention to detail was given to these transports, even included bullet holes to show they were no strangers to the battlefield. They also came with various “battle action” accessories to lend even more authenticity to an already amazing product.

Like most toys, GUTS were eventually discontinued. They still live on in the hands of collectors, however, who quickly realized their unique aspects and horded them away in closets. But every kid that ever had a chance to wage war with these “world’s toughest troops” would likely attest that they were also the world’s coolest.