The original 12-inch NOM Commanders have long been some of the most sought-after 3A figures in the World War Robot collection. This is due in part to their having substantial roles in the WWR universe, but I have a suspicion the key attraction to those particular figures is their likenesses to Ashley Wood and Kim Fung Wong — the minds behind 3A Toys. Since those figures command extravagant prices on the secondary market, it was awesome to see 6-inch versions offered on Bambaland in two different colorway sets. Each set ran about $125 before the 3AA club discount (which brought the cost down to $106.75 per set), which isn’t too bad for a set of two figures and a Bertie.
Unfortunately, the masks and helmets are permanently attached to these guys, so we don’t get to add a 6-inch Ashley or Kim to our shelves. Because these figures are short that one key feature, their roles in the WWR universe have been adjusted from “NOM Commanders” to “NOM Field Commanders” in an effort to make it clear that these are not the big head honchos themselves.
The two sets are identical in every way apart from their basic color schemes. We get one light set (Emanation) and a dark set (Caliginosity). They were offered separately, but it was difficult to pick up one without the other because they both look so darn cool. The lighter set will work well with my Deep Powder WWRp squad, but the darker set looked just too awesome to pass on, so now I’m tasked with finding a place for it.
It should also be noted that at the time of their sale, only the “human” figures had been shown to us. We were told each set would also come with a Bertie, but we had no idea what we’d be getting until just a few weeks ago. Berties are always great, so it’s cool to see a new model included here in these sets. The Berties come outfitted with what looks to be a protective hood that almost makes them look as though they’re pretending to be ghosts. I’m not sure how I feel about this feature, but I haven’t removed them for my display shelves, so I must be OK with it to at least some degree.
The NOM figures in each set are identical apart from the color of the lenses in their goggles. One set of goggles is red, the other blue. I’m not sure what the significance of the color is, but I’m picturing a good cop/bad cop type of relationship.
The weathering on the figures is actually pretty decent, which is something we don’t often see in this scale. Their coats look suitably worn, and they’re rather soft to the touch. I thought they’d be horribly awkward and bulky, but I’m happy to report that’s not the case.
As far as articulation goes, they’ve got the standard 3A Action Portable articulation, which means they are as highly poseable as action figures come. The only point they’re missing is some kind of ankle joint. They can sometimes be tough to pose because there is no range of motion in their ankles apart from a basic swivel, so ankle articulation would make these great figures just about perfect.
The coats can actually hold a pose despite their being not too stiff. Under the coat, we can see a harness loaded with gear: there are pouches, gas tanks, a holster, and what looks like something that could be either a back-up gas tank or maybe a bottle of water. Since NOM stands for “Not Ordinary Men,” I like to think it’s an emergency gas supply rather than something as commonplace as water. Average schmoes need water; NOMs don’t. 
The NOMs are a pretty solid 6 inches in height, so they fit sort of well with any 6-inch collection. 3A’s use of soft goods for all costume details will make them stick out in anything but a 3A display, but with some creativity and imagination I could see them worked into a Star Wars Black Series display. WWR is so heavily influenced by Star Wars that it makes sense to see them share shelf space. It makes sense to me, at least. 
The two Berties were a nice surprise because even though they retain the same basic body shape of Berties we’ve seen before (namely, the MK2), there are some updates made to the design that makes these little ‘bots worth seeking out. First, and most noticeable, is the eye. It’s now a protruding eye on a ball joint that allows for a degree of repositioning. It’s a bit tough to move at first, but once you can get it moving there’s a decent range of motion there.
Their feet are also new and look to be a little bit more elaborate in design than the MK2. These feet look more armored-up than what we’re used to, but knowing Mr. Wood’s predilection with feet, it’s no surprise their feet got an upgrade (now if only the NOM and Grunt figures would).
They both sport the NOM logo, which ends up covering well over half their bodies. It’s an interesting deco choice, but I suppose it’s better than just having a smaller logo planted on their torsos like a superhero logo.
Both sets are long gone from Bambaland, so if you’d like to pick up a pair for yourself, the secondary market is the only way to go at this point.
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