Z Force (Action Force)

Z Force is a fictional infantry conceived and designed by Palitoy that features in the 3 3/4 inch Action Force figure range; similar to the G.I. Joe action figures and featured in a comic book series.

Possibly based in-part on the Z Special Unit (also known as Z Force), a joint Australian, British and New Zealand commando unit, which saw action against the Empire of Japan during World War II, Z Force was part of the Palitoy range called Action Force and later depicted in the Battle Action Force comic books.

Graphic representation
Z Force was released as part of the second generation of Action Force. Taking the form of a limited number of action figures and vehicles released in two waves, the unit was expanded with back-stories in Battle Action Force.

Z Force has been described as: "The infantry backbone of Action Force, well supported by heavy armor and artillery"

The unit had distinctive green and black camouflage, with a red 'Z' insignia.

Z Force fought alongside their fellow Action Force units SAS Force, Q Force, and Space Force most often against their Red Shadows enemy but also, on occasions, other fictional and non-fictional terrorist or para-military factions including The Mamba Men, the Ghibli and Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

As the range evolved in the early 1980s, Z Force operated alongside the more prevalent G.I. Joe-influenced 'AF' against the new enemy Cobra and were limited to only cameo appearances in later Battle Action Force storylines.

The figures were, in keeping with much of the second generation of Action Force, repaints and repackages of existing G.I. Joe figures and vehicles as well as some first generation toys (e.g. the jeep vehicle was a repaint of the AF-3 jeep).

First release

 * Attack Cannon
 * Battle-Tank (driven by Steeler)
 * Jeep (driven by Wheels)
 * Rapid Fire Motorcycle and Attack Cannon (ridden by Quarrel)

Second release

 * Armoured Troop Carrier (or ATC)
 * Command Centre (operated by Gaucho and Jammer)
 * Dart (mobile rocket system)
 * Lance (self-propelled gun with four-wheeled drive)
 * Shaft (a tripod-tracked gun with rotating range finder)
 * Whirlwind Cannon