Atlantic (company)
Encyclopedia
Atlantic was an Italian
toy manufacturing company based in Treviglio
from 1966 to 1984. In the 1970s it became widely popular both in Italy and in Europe
as a producer of 1:32- and HO-scale
toy soldier
s. The original Atlantic company ceased to exist in 1984; in the late 1990s, the "Atlantic" brand and logo were acquired by Nexus Editrice
.
. Based on this success, the company began creating series for the World War II
armies and other historical periods, including the American Old West
, the Roman Empire
, and Ancient Egypt
. The HO toy soldier line was complemented with a vast series of vehicles, from tank
s to heavy bomber
s, as well as buildings (for example, a miniature Colosseum
was created for the Roman Empire toy soldier series). Starting from 1978, Atlantic also commercialized science fiction
toy soldier lines, some of which based on Japan
ese anime
such as Captain Harlock
and Grendizer
.
Besides toy soldiers, Atlantic produced "Giocagoal" (a cheaper version of Subbuteo
), "Superbasket" (an action figure-based board game
of basketball
), a series of science fiction action figure
s known as "Atlantic Galaxy
", a few board game
s, and other minor toy lines.
Atlantic ceased creating new lines in 1978; for a few years, it marketed reprints of its classical lines (mostly in scale 1:32) made with plastic leftovers and sold in cheaper packages. By 1984 all production ceased. Reportedly, most Atlantic blueprint
s where sold to a Iraq
i toy company and later got lost or destroyed during the First Gulf War. A few blueprints were acquired by boardgame and toy manufacturer Nexus Editrice
, that began creating quality reprints (mostly for the collectors' market) in 1998 and published the miniature wargame
"Atlantic Wars" based on Atlantic toy soldiers. Nexus currently owns the Atlantic brand and logo.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
toy manufacturing company based in Treviglio
Treviglio
Treviglio is a town and comune in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy, northern Italy. It lies 20 km south of the capital city, in the lower territory called "Bassa" marked by the Adda and the Serio rivers....
from 1966 to 1984. In the 1970s it became widely popular both in Italy and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as a producer of 1:32- and HO-scale
HO scale
HO or H0 is the most popular scale of model railway in the world.According to the NMRA standard S-1.2 predominantly used in North America, in HO scale, represents 1 real foot ; this ratio works out to about 1:87.1. According to the MOROP standard NEM 010 predominantly used in Europe, the scale is...
toy soldier
Toy soldier
A toy soldier is a miniature figurine that represents a soldier. The term applies to depictions of uniformed military personnel from all eras, and includes knights, cowboys, pirates, and other subjects that involve combat-related themes. Toy soldiers vary from simple playthings to highly realistic...
s. The original Atlantic company ceased to exist in 1984; in the late 1990s, the "Atlantic" brand and logo were acquired by Nexus Editrice
Nexus Editrice
Founded in 1993, Nexus Editrice was an Italian game publisher.Nexus produced board games, role-playing games, card games, miniature games, published magazines devoted to games, and licensed to the italian market games from many major international games publishers, such as Fantasy Flight Games,...
.
History
Atlantic began producing toy soldiers in the late 1960s, achieving a great popularity in 1971 with the HO scale plastic toy soldier series "Soldati d'Italia" ("Italian soldiers") dedicated to the different branches of the contemporary Italian armyItalian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
. Based on this success, the company began creating series for the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
armies and other historical periods, including the American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, and Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
. The HO toy soldier line was complemented with a vast series of vehicles, from tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s to heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
s, as well as buildings (for example, a miniature Colosseum
Colosseum
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre , is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire...
was created for the Roman Empire toy soldier series). Starting from 1978, Atlantic also commercialized science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
toy soldier lines, some of which based on Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
such as Captain Harlock
Captain Harlock
is a fictional character created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.Harlock is the archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earthborn or alien...
and Grendizer
Grendizer
is a super robot TV anime and manga created by manga artist Go Nagai. It is the third entry in the Mazinger trilogy. It was broadcasted on Japanese television from October 5, 1975, to February 27, 1977, and lasted 74 episodes...
.
Besides toy soldiers, Atlantic produced "Giocagoal" (a cheaper version of Subbuteo
Subbuteo
Subbuteo is a set of table top games simulating team sports such as association football, cricket, both codes of rugby and hockey. The name is most closely associated with the football game, which for many years was marketed as "the replica of Association Football".The "Subbuteo" name is derived...
), "Superbasket" (an action figure-based board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
), a series of science fiction action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s known as "Atlantic Galaxy
Atlantic Galaxy
Atlantic Galaxy was a science fiction themed toy line produced by Italian company Atlantic from 1978 to the early 1980s. It was commercialized in several European countries, including Italy, France, and Greece...
", a few board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
s, and other minor toy lines.
Atlantic ceased creating new lines in 1978; for a few years, it marketed reprints of its classical lines (mostly in scale 1:32) made with plastic leftovers and sold in cheaper packages. By 1984 all production ceased. Reportedly, most Atlantic blueprint
Blueprint
A blueprint is a type of paper-based reproduction usually of a technical drawing, documenting an architecture or an engineering design. More generally, the term "blueprint" has come to be used to refer to any detailed plan....
s where sold to a Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i toy company and later got lost or destroyed during the First Gulf War. A few blueprints were acquired by boardgame and toy manufacturer Nexus Editrice
Nexus Editrice
Founded in 1993, Nexus Editrice was an Italian game publisher.Nexus produced board games, role-playing games, card games, miniature games, published magazines devoted to games, and licensed to the italian market games from many major international games publishers, such as Fantasy Flight Games,...
, that began creating quality reprints (mostly for the collectors' market) in 1998 and published the miniature wargame
Miniature wargaming
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming that incorporates miniature figures, miniature armor and modeled terrain as the main components of play...
"Atlantic Wars" based on Atlantic toy soldiers. Nexus currently owns the Atlantic brand and logo.