Armies of Middle-Earth (3 Viewers)

[Eazy]

Good conversions there. AOME was an excellent line but probably priced a bit too high to create the large armies it was intended for. Probably only the Helm's Deep sets were suitable for large armies. Shame they never made a Minas Tirith Section as there was loads of potential there. Imagine a Mumakil set!

Did anyone else collect the Lord of Rings Combat Hex figures.
They were on a smaller scale but were quite nice and collectable.
They did a cool deluxe Balrog and then made some really rare ones like a Witch King on Fell Beast (absolutely awesome! One of the highlights of my LOTR collection) and Mordor Troll Berserker. I think only one in 6 were Berserkers and there was no way to tell which one was which inside the boxes (until I found out the Berserkers had a little orange sticker underneath!

 

[maloyalo]

The price was(is) a problem certainly. I stayed with it, but am only reaching the size army I would like, after 4 years, by siphoning every last spare dollar into it. Part of the price I would guess was for the articulation, which they continued to increase as the line went on. But to me the articulation was largely a waste of time and rarely was usable, only ending up in unnatural poses. It was like they were in the action figure articulation-points count race. But sometimes it was downright silly, like joints half way up a shin.

I am not really familiar with the Combat Hex figures. I have seen pics of the figures & Balrog, but don't think I know the Nazgul/Fellbeast or Troll Figures. I was curious if there is anything in the Hex range that would work, scalewise, with Aome ?

 

[modwalls]

I rebase all mine too. I keep the bases, for what I do not know. I use thick cardboard, sometimes stacked in spots to even out the stance. I also bring those rearing poses down to level, but it takes a lot of built up cardboard pedestals. As they are, a whole rank of rearing Gondorian lancers reminds me more of the Lippenzaners. Its hard to find the right kind of cardboard though, and I scavenge it from wherever I can. Regular corrugated doesn't look good to me. How are yours made ? They look like two layers ?

I laid my customs aside for some months, but just started up again with those half-done projects. Have to recharge sometimes. Heres a few conversions. The first all use that goblin head Ugluk is (was) carrying. The Army-Dead banner is made from spears & kings cloak.

I used vinyl self adhesive floor tiles. I cut them to shape, then I take a piece of the green foam you get with fruits and veggies, and peel off the stick on rapper and press it on the foam. Then I take the fig., and press his foot indentacian on it, and cut it out with an exacto knife. Then I add a little tacky wax to eash spot, and there you have it, a nice base. They can be scribed for detail and paint up nice.Mike

 

[Eazy]

The price was(is) a problem certainly. I stayed with it, but am only reaching the size army I would like, after 4 years, by siphoning every last spare dollar into it. Part of the price I would guess was for the articulation, which they continued to increase as the line went on. But to me the articulation was largely a waste of time and rarely was usable, only ending up in unnatural poses. It was like they were in the action figure articulation-points count race. But sometimes it was downright silly, like joints half way up a shin.

I am not really familiar with the Combat Hex figures. I have seen pics of the figures & Balrog, but don't think I know the Nazgul/Fellbeast or Troll Figures. I was curious if there is anything in the Hex range that would work, scalewise, with Aome ?

No they don't really work scale wise as the difference in size is just too great.
The Balrog and Fell Beast are very large though and make great display pieces. In fact I think the AOME Balrog and the Combat Hex Balrog are quite similar in size as the AOME one is a bit smaller than it should be i think.

 

[maloyalo]

Also in my collection are the Britains metal figures from Fellowship of the Ring.
They are a great set and some are quite sought after while others are worth next to nothing.

I've also collected the metal figures from the LOTR Collectors Magazine here in the UK. They are approaching 100 now and must be finishing soon as they are starting to do figures like Barliman Butterbur and that hobbit that scowls at Gandalf!

Good value though at £6.99 for a quite nicely painted metal figure.

I have been eyeing those figures for years but still do not have any. I guess I will try to pick some up eventually once I have completed my Aome boxed set collection (in about 5 years...) The Lotr Collectors mag figures have so many different poses, that would be nice to have. I will probably end up having to pay a ton however by the time I get to them. The odd thing is I don't take to metal figures. Must have to do with what I had as a kid (nothing but plastic). But I think to get some unique characters I will get used to it.

Did they ever do any of the very old or young defenders of Helm's Deep (ie. the one-eyed Rohan man who says 'fire' or boy 'with rock', etc) ?

 

[Eazy]

That's a yes. One of the latest issues No 92 has Aldor (the old man at helm's Deep) firing his bow.

This link shows all the figures available except the one i've just described above

http://www.lotr-models.co.uk/new-shopping/new-shop.asp

 

[Fubar]

Alas, I have probably 100 assorted foot, 20 + cavalry and no more to be found except on ebay and no more new items being done. Too bad. I already have a huge collection of 25mm all painted but couldnt resist the ready made 60mm+ plastics.The idea was some skrimish games with my son and friends.

I glued most of the weapons and shields in place .Maybe we'll get them out on the wargame table someday but we are short of ORCS.Tempted to use my Dark ages guys with them as the wildmen but gaming evenings are rare and something else always gets played instead.

Your figures look excellent!

FubAr

 

[The Military Workshop]

I am a LOTR fan and was interested to read this thread. I first saw this range in one of the US mags and then at a Toy Fair here in Oz a few years ago. I thought it was extremely well done and not bad value. Was very keen to buy personally and to stock it.

However as a dealer I was very disappointed. The series was sold to outlets in "assortments". So for example I would have to order an assortment of 12 mounted figures. Even though there may have only been 8 actual figures I did not get all of them in the assortment. Same again for the foot figures.
When I received my shipment I complained to the distributor and never ordered them again.

Even as a shop I could not have collected all. One of my very keen LOTR collectors (not sure if he is still collecting the complete Sideshow range anymore !) told me he tracked down figures from overseas and he says none of the foot sets which included Legolas came into Australia. Not sure if true but I heard only 5,000 sets of each made. If it was me I would do more of the sets with the popular characters.

Some manufacturers make life hard for the shops. McFarlane Military figures and Dusty Trail are another example. We have to buy as a group of 6. With the McFarlane Figures I can guarantee the Sniper figure will sell first. If need another then have to order in the complete six figures. Dusty Trail was worse as usually got two good seller ones, two medium ones and the last two you would have to give away (sorry but Crow Indians don't fit into the profile of guys who collect WWII or Special Forces type figures). I could have sold lots of the Dusty Trail Huey Doorgunners if I could have got them as singles. The series with the Huey Gunner never made it to Australia as the agent gave up.

I don't order that kind of assortment product anymore as I prefer to be able to choose the products I buy. I heard that in some major shops the staff buy the good figures out of the Star Wars type assortments as soon as they arrive so they can sell on Ebay or to their mates. This makes the popular figures hard to find. It is also why you see some of the less popular figures being discounted as they don't sell.

Regards Brett Williams

 

[modwalls]

These were a very hard toy to follow at first. When they came out, the action fig. stores had limited supplies. They were always back ordered, then Canada seemed to have an over stock of sets never seen in the US. They started popping up in all the major stores, it was get them while you can. I was never able to find certain sets from wave one. I feel the Company Play Along had a real winner. The big shots I guess disagreed, and the line was stop as the movies faded away. Alot of the sets were so over priced, they hurt their sales. For example, the Battering Ram set was suppose to retail for $7.50, from day one they were selling for $15.00 a set. Some of the smaller shops were really bleeding the consumers, asking $20.00 to $25.00 for the same set. I was lucky in the end to get my hands on about 15 Gondorian Catapult sets for only $6.00 each. I heard stories of people finding the Helms Deep Playset at Walmart for $15.00 a set. The guy bought all six sets. Now they arte selling for between $100.00 to $200.00 a set. I hope to luck out and find some of the missing ones in the future. That all part of the fun of collecting. I wish the line had continued. Mike

 

[OzDigger]

HI Brett, yep the AOME figs aren't bad at all, here's part of my little display:

Whoops, looks like some of the Uruk-Hai are having asthma attacks, maybe some dusting is needed. And what are those Nazgul and all those hobbits doing at Helms Deep

 

[maloyalo]

Hullo Brett, The distribution of Aome was pretty messed up. Not being able to pick the sets ordered turned off many shops I'm sure. My local shop wanted to stock some, but did not for that reason. In fact much about how the line was handled, is hard to understand. I think Playalong overshot what could have been their steady market (mix of new Lotr fans & older toy soldier collectors), in attempt to get the big department store market. But I think the manufacturers & big stores go by current corporate theories & at the time, a main one was that popularity of movie tie-ins has a life cycle of about two years. I have read the decision to end Aome and several other Lotr lines (Toybiz, etc) was actually decided quite in advance, that all would terminate by Fall 2005.

I am still majorly bummed! But I do not completely give up hope for something more yet. The two best possibilities I see are someone issuing the pieces that had molds made but were not issued, and a small series done in conjunction with the Hobbit movie, if its ever made.

Heres a few other conversions

 

[Eazy]

I think the AOME range was also taken over by Jakks at the end. That meant a change in direction with more single figures, new 3 packs that were mainly reissues like the dissappointing Attack on Rohan set and the abandonment of things like the Orc attack craft.

 

[maloyalo]

Alas, I have probably 100 assorted foot, 20 + cavalry and no more to be found except on ebay and no more new items being done. Too bad. I already have a huge collection of 25mm all painted but couldnt resist the ready made 60mm+ plastics.The idea was some skrimish games with my son and friends.

I glued most of the weapons and shields in place .Maybe we'll get them out on the wargame table someday but we are short of ORCS.Tempted to use my Dark ages guys with them as the wildmen but gaming evenings are rare and something else always gets played instead.

Your figures look excellent!

FubAr

Yes, over time all the weapons and accessories are getting glued. And you can never have enough Orcs....

I have filled their ranks somewhat by converting extra Aragorns, Boromirs & even Hobbits (There were small breed orcs!). In fact I have made a game of it, trying to make an orc out of every character. I have a Aragorks, Boromork, Frodorks, etc. Still have much to do. I wonder if I can make one (convincingly) out of Eowyn?

 

[maloyalo]

That's a yes. One of the latest issues No 92 has Aldor (the old man at helm's Deep) firing his bow.

This link shows all the figures available except the one i've just described above
http://www.lotr-models.co.uk/new-shopping/new-shop.asp

Wow. I know whats next after Aome. Some of those will make great additions (Orc Brute, Gamling, etc). How are the flyers that come with them ? Do they only have pics of the figure, or also stills from movie scenes ? I am always looking for good photos to customize by.

The line was ended as you mentioned not too long after the JAKKS Pacific takeover of Playalong. They all said, at the time, they have no plans to end the line or iinterfere with Playalongs management of Aome, etc. Playalong themselves said 'all is well' and they will be releasingly this & that, etc. Somebody was lying thru there teeth, but I have not been able to determine who, yet. Not that it matters, just that I am curious about such details.

I have built a preliminary list of prototypes. Theres about 20 or so figures & accessories that made it at least to physical prototype stage. I will eventually post the 'missing poses' list here. I will see if I can get permission or if not, provide links to photos of the pieces.

 

[modwalls]

Maloyalo, I did not name them, but I did lots of converts. I tried to keep the orcs with orcs, and uraki with uraki. Here are a few of my bad guys, I still have tons to convert in the future.

 

[modwalls]

Heres some more,

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t116/odee44/LOTRAOME008.jpg


[IMG]http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t116/odee44/LOTRAOME010.jpg

 

[modwalls]

 

[maloyalo]

Modwalls, that's a great batch. Some very nice ideas. Some that caught my eye: the goblin with double ended spear, the serated blade of a Nazul, Uruk spear thrower, Orc archers, orc with Faramir head. I see you also gave the goblin head the Uruk was carrying its own bodies! And I thought I was being original ! How are you doing the weapons ? Some look like carved wood, but I am not sure about the axe heads & such. It looks like we have gone along similiar customizing lines. There are just so many possibilities with 120 different figures to work with.

 

[modwalls]

Modwalls, that's a great batch. Some very nice ideas. Some that caught my eye: the goblin with double ended spear, the serated blade of a Nazul, Uruk spear thrower, Orc archers, orc with Faramir head. I see you also gave the goblin head the Uruk was carrying its own bodies! And I thought I was being original ! How are you doing the weapons ? Some look like carved wood, but I am not sure about the axe heads & such. It looks like we have gone along similiar customizing lines. There are just so many possibilities with 120 different figures to work with.

Maloyalo, the possibilities are endless. I'm a converter by nature, like you if you have 100 poses, means you should have 100 more. The axes are carved from bass wood, I have not had time to finish painting them or the bases. There are always 900 unfinished projects going on. But I'm glad you started this thread, I've been wondering how many toy soldier people had collected these. The movies were good, but the books were great. I did not get to many of the newer ones, when I heard the company was selling out. Maybe some day someone will get the molds and permission, and reissue them again. Mike

 

[maloyalo]

HI Brett, yep the AOME figs aren't bad at all, here's part of my little display:
Whoops, looks like some of the Uruk-Hai are having asthma attacks, maybe some dusting is needed. And what are those Nazgul and all those hobbits doing at Helms Deep

Asthmatic Uruks. Thats good! The Hobbits are paid $7.00 (Shire dollars) to dust on midnight shift. I'm not sure what the Nazgul are doing there. Maybe just hams that can never pass up opportunity for drama & impressive poses.

Toy Soldier collections and dust go together I think. I collect lots of it. I use a large soft bristle paint brush on the figures, to get it all suspended in the air and my lungs where it belongs. My son is a serious collector too. He went away for 2 weeks & I cleaned the shelves his room. The dust was thicker then in the Mines of Moria. The legos were really annoying to do.