The 30MM series started with the humble Alto and Portanova, and now both have been revived with the ultimate and probably final form of the original grunts.
Aesthetics:
The included Portanova is more of an army green than the lime shown in the product images, with desaturated dark brown armor and standard grey weaponry.
This kit includes the Commander (Portanova) parts, minus the ring part of the shield, in the same dark brown. You can also just use the standard Portanova visor.
The layered armor significantly beefs up the slightly modified Portanova, making it look like a juggernaut bruiser.
Mechanics/Compatibility:
The Portanova is an old kit with flaws and limitations. The chest is prone to pop off of its polycap and the knees are floppy C-clip double joints, as always, which makes the much more loaded kit feel even sloppier. It's not a disaster, but it's definitely annoying.
The armor is specifically designed for the Portanova, using alternate shoulders, chest, crotch and shin parts, but you should be able to also use some of these on other 30MM models and other models, provided their limbs fit inside/don't clash.
The weapons should be compatible with most other regular holding hands, though since the handles on the guns are close to the front section and the axes have hand guards, you can't fit them onto very large hands - The axes will fit the 'large arms option kit' hands, but the rifles won't.
Equipment:
1 Portanova (+ original shoulders, side skirts etc)
1 set of Commander parts - Visor, chest plate, shoulders and shield plate (minus the backing ring on the shield, for whatever reason)
1 set of Compatibility Parts
1 set of Full Armor
2 Shields with Claws
2 Axes - Can be made into a double ended glaive, connecting at the handles and the axe heads can turn 45 degrees upwards
2 Beam Rifles - Has 3mm hardpoints and the barrels accept other 30MM parts that use the tab connection
1 Royroy - The usual little buddy
1 Drone Accessory - For the Royroy, making it look like a twin propeller drone
2 Hands - Just regular old holding hands
Conclusion:
Some of this stuff is leftover, like most of the Commander parts, you only really use the (optional) visor, since the Full Armor covers all the other parts.
You can fit a bunch of the armor onto other things, such as the side covers on the legs, that are wide enough and have enough clearance, that you can even fit it onto the Provedel. The side skirts similarly detach and can be used with other things, such as the arm covers, to make a single large shield. You have a lot of room to play with, provided they physically fit - I haven't tried decking out a 30MF Silhouette with this stuff, but there should be some compatibility and also on a sister.
Stuff like the shoulder armor won't really fit onto other kits, but you can literally just replace the shoulders of other 30MM kits, with them.
I personally really like the axes and the weapons on this thing alone, are far better than many of the various 30MM option kits that Bandai has released over the years.
I'd say the kit is well worth the asking price, despite the core of the kit being the relatively outdated feeling Portanova, which I still feel is a very decent grunt kit on its own, when it's not weighed down by its own weight in armor and weapons.
