Ray- You want may opinion, well just a few words then - I do not think Andy would ever admit it, but the truth is, he is a MARKETING GENIUS. I think he was born with some smarts, but is also a fast learner. Andy has learned that the collector is a creature of likes/dislikes, but most of all a creature of overwhelming habit (he has also learned how to get figures produced in China, which speaking from personal experience, is a major accomplishment, and a constant challenge). Andy knows and accepts that the chances are you will not like every piece in a line that he makes, but if you are attracted to enough pieces in a certain line, chances are you will purchase the line, even some of the figures your don't love. Thus the more figures introduced in a new line at one time (Crusaders for example, about 21 sets/figures followed within months with another 24 sets/figures), the greater the appeal they generate in the market as a whole, and the more sales for K&C. By the way, I predict 2008 will see some sort of Fort/Castle for this line, which will boost sales and demand for the line, and the line will evolve into a major line (over 100 pieces/sets) for K&C. This mass offering of a new line also shows the collector that K&C is commited to the line, so the collector knows that he can INVEST his money into something that he can continue to buy (that overwhelming habit thing again). The Crusader line and others can cost upwards of $2,000 to $4,000 to collect in full, so we are talking investment here, not for profit, but for entertainment. Lately, I am hearing some Manuafactures talking about not overwhelming collectors with too much product to buy in a certain line at one time. DO NOT BELIEVE THIS LIE!!! TRUE Collector's want to be overwhelmed, they want to be obsessed with their collections. This "not going to overwhelm statement" works for a lot of people who want to stay in their comfort zone, which is OK. Collectors find it most difficult to make choices, but the reality is that all collectors, rich and those with eight kids, have limits on how much they can and will spend on their habit - I mean collection. I believe the TRUTH is that even the mighty WBRITIANS cannot currently produce the volume of product that K&C can. That is not to say WBRITIANS is not producing some great lines and awesome figures. Currently there is alot of BUZZ about the ZULU line. I am seriously looking at buying this line, but will sit on the sidelines until I see more. It is not enough, yet, to get me to commit. Ken is a awesome sculptor, one of the best, and Richard knows the toy soldier market. The marketing approach of offering matte and gloss here is genius, but the critical factor on its success, will be whether or not WBRITIANS can produce enough figures for both lines to sway a significant portion of the collecting market to spending its money?? Some of the other methods for increasing sales which have been adopted by K&C are the trend to selling individual pieces rather than bundling groups of figures, and developing figures of a certain pose that can be bought in mass - like the advancing Mexican Soldiers (I have 4 and want 4 more) of Remember the Alamo (NAPS and AWI too) provide opportunity for multiple sales of the same figure. What do people complain about most on this forum? Other than not being able to buy everything, it is how a certain figure is unappealing or how they are forced to buy an armoured vehicle that comes with crew or infantry. Yeah, some armoured guys are just that - armoured guys, and don't want to pay extra for a crew figure or some poor dead scenic figure that they just blew to kingdom come! If I were a complainer (and I am a master of it, although I strive not to on this forum), I would complain that K&C does not do enough action pieces compared to lets say Collectors Showcase or Conte. I bought the IWO series, because of the Banzia and Hand to Hand combat figures, and will buy the Crusaders for the action. WHY DOESN"T ANDY DO WHAT I WANT? Well, first the quality of sculpting is harder to maintain in action figures, plus if you listen to people on this forum and the collecting public, they are not after blood and guts, they want the highest quality and most historically accurate figures, so they can create a miniture world of past history, on the fringe of all out war or getting ready for war, without the distasteful aftermath of blood and guts. Look at all the hundreds of milliions of hollowcast soldiers WBRITIANS sold, all the regiments parading and standing at attention. Less than 2% of what WBRITIANS produced were figures in action - AMAZING BUT TRUE! Here again Andy is Correct and Boyer is not a successful toy soldier executive. Truth is a collector's pride strives for the best, the quality of sculpting or possibly the historical accuracy wins over the type of pose, even for me, a lover of action. For example, I love Cavalry, but cannot bring myself to buy a mounted figure just standing, he must be moving, preferably at the charge, rearing or falling for me to spend my money. Now, I am going to end, so I can dream about the hand to hand and mounted cavalry figures of CUSTER, which I just know Andy is going to make, someday. And Ray if you get some more of The West Series figures again, you had better send me a PM. Merry Christmas, BOYER.