Armies of Middle-Earth (2 Viewers)

[OzDigger]

The dust on that AOME display is the cause of an ongoing demarcation dispute

I set it up in a back room of our house which is now the kids lounge area but it used to be my den before I became entrenched in my office/model room, which used to be the formal dining room. Who needs a separate dining room when display areas are more important - right

Now I reckon it's the kids responsibility to dust as it's in their room, but they say I should clean it because they're dad's "toys". My wife won't assist as she tolerates (barely) my collecting habit but refuses to dust any of my "collectable models", which she also calls "toys" Anyway, I feel the dust adds to the diorama realism.

 

[Eazy]

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.

The magazines that come with the figures are pretty much just full of stills from the films. There isn't really much written content in them. The figures have been consistently good though and aren't too far off in scale from the AOME figures. Painting has been of a good standard for a mass produced figure. Some of my favourites have been the massive selections of Orcs and Uruks they've done. Especially Lurtz and the Uruk General from Helm's Deep.

I'd like to see the list of prototypes that never made it to the AOME line.
I think there was a Treebeard scene at Orthanc wasnt there?

 

[Harrytheheid]

The dust on that AOME display is the cause of an ongoing demarcation dispute

I set it up in a back room of our house which is now the kids lounge area but it used to be my den before I became entrenched in my office/model room, which used to be the formal dining room. Who needs a separate dining room when display areas are more important - right

Now I reckon it's the kids responsibility to dust as it's in their room, but they say I should clean it because they're dad's "toys". My wife won't assist as she tolerates (barely) my collecting habit but refuses to dust any of my "collectable models", which she also calls "toys" Anyway, I feel the dust adds to the diorama realism.

Oz,
Sounds like you need to get that wife of yours in line......
Make her toe the K&C line. Make her do the dusting.
Make her.....oops "Little Boss" has just come on the phone,
"Yes daahling, no daahling, three bags full daahling"....And so on....!!
Yes I'll get your kugelwaggen, yes I'll get your LAH, yes daahling... I'll get anything else you wunt. God, please, thank christ she hasn't seen the new LSDG sets yet or FJ sets.....Aaaaaaargh

 

[maloyalo]

I'd like to see the list of prototypes that never made it to the AOME line.
I think there was a Treebeard scene at Orthanc wasnt there?

Here's a quick list from memory...I will eventually show some pics, once we get my PC fixed. Lightning strike Friday. Got data off it though. Am working off daughters Laptop!

These had at least prototypes made, and some very probably molds made.

Treebeard with Rock, ruined section of Isengard wall, Merry & Pippin
Orc Catapult with Orc with Standard & another orc
Lurtz with bow
Dying Boromir
Pippin with Palantir
Deagol & Smeagol in boat
Legolas skateboarding on Uruk shield, on steps
Celeborn
Gandalf on foot fighting with sword and staff
2nd Bererker, holding sword in both hands
Goblin with helmet & sword
Mounted Gamling on Horseback
Gothmog on foot
Prologue Elven warrior with spear and shield
Orc Landing Craft
Mumakil Driver on foot

There is also a list of planned sets, that I have not seen any prototypes.

Mount Doom with Eagle, Frodo, Sam
Deeping Wall with battering Ram
The Two Towers

probably missed a few

 

[OzDigger]

Oz,
Sounds like you need to get that wife of yours in line......
Make her toe the K&C line. Make her do the dusting.
Make her.....oops "Little Boss" has just come on the phone,
"Yes daahling, no daahling, three bags full daahling"....And so on....!!
Yes I'll get your kugelwaggen, yes I'll get your LAH, yes daahling... I'll get anything else you wunt. God, please, thank christ she hasn't seen the new LSDG sets yet or FJ sets.....Aaaaaaargh

As Little Boss is a fellow LAH collector I feel obliged to keep her updated on the latest releases, what's her email address

 

[Harrytheheid]

As Little Boss is a fellow LAH collector I feel obliged to keep her updated on the latest releases, what's her email address

Oz, although I try my best to give impressions to the contrary - I'm not daft enough to pass on Lucy's email address to you or anyone else.
She's an ex-model and is quite well known in China. I don't have access to her photoshoots at the moment, but I'll send them on next week if you like. Unfortunately, sometimes she doesn't live up to the photoshoot snaps.
Sometimes I wake up and think "I'm living with Gollum...!!"
Trouble is, EVERY time she wakes up, she says "I'm living with Gollum....!!!!"

 

[Eazy]

Here's a quick list from memory...I will eventually show some pics, once we get my PC fixed. Lightning strike Friday. Got data off it though. Am working off daughters Laptop!

These had at least prototypes made, and some very probably molds made.

Treebeard with Rock, ruined section of Isengard wall, Merry & Pippin
Orc Catapult with Orc with Standard & another orc
Lurtz with bow
Dying Boromir
Pippin with Palantir
Deagol & Smeagol in boat
Legolas skateboarding on Uruk shield, on steps
Celeborn
Gandalf on foot fighting with sword and staff
2nd Bererker, holding sword in both hands
Goblin with helmet & sword
Mounted Gamling on Horseback
Gothmog on foot
Prologue Elven warrior with spear and shield
Orc Landing Craft
Mumakil Driver on foot

There is also a list of planned sets, that I have not seen any prototypes.

Mount Doom with Eagle, Frodo, Sam
Deeping Wall with battering Ram
The Two Towers

probably missed a few

Some good ideas there. I'd have liked to have seen Lurtz with a group of Uruks from Amon Hen. That would have been a good diorama scene to create easily.
The Deeping Wall too sounds a good idea to add on to Helm's Deep.

But a Mumakil Driver on foot? What's the use of that without a Mumakil?
Can you imagine how cool a scale Mumakil would have been with a contingent of Haradrim on it's back?

 

[maloyalo]

Some good ideas there. I'd have liked to have seen Lurtz with a group of Uruks from Amon Hen. That would have been a good diorama scene to create easily.
The Deeping Wall too sounds a good idea to add on to Helm's Deep.

But a Mumakil Driver on foot? What's the use of that without a Mumakil?
Can you imagine how cool a scale Mumakil would have been with a contingent of Haradrim on it's back?

I believe the Mumakil driver was done so as to fit on a Mumakil in case they did make one. I did read at the time they had one on the drawing board, but it looks almost certain it never made it beyond that point.

I would have liked a deeping wall too, to add to the keep, and I believe they were thinking in terms of add on sets. I wonder if they had considered a break away section to blow up. I think I regretted not seeing the Orc LCP the most. The Gamling figure was cool looking. The Orc standard bearer was pretty interesting too.

I did a Mumakil driver, with a possible custom Mumakil in mind myself But it is also on the drawing board only. Here's the driver, between two rohan customs.

 

[maloyalo]

Heres larger, but no clearer pics of M-Driver & a Sam to Haleth conversion.

 

[maloyalo]

The dust on that AOME display is the cause of an ongoing demarcation dispute

I set it up in a back room of our house which is now the kids lounge area but it used to be my den before I became entrenched in my office/model room, which used to be the formal dining room. Who needs a separate dining room when display areas are more important - right

Now I reckon it's the kids responsibility to dust as it's in their room, but they say I should clean it because they're dad's "toys". My wife won't assist as she tolerates (barely) my collecting habit but refuses to dust any of my "collectable models", which she also calls "toys" Anyway, I feel the dust adds to the diorama realism.

lol, I think there is a demarcation line for many of us, and border incursions and skirmishing constantly. I occasionally try to draw my line in the carpet, but it seems mere gesture. Against that power there is no victory. I have had some success in the cellar & am getting used to the backround washer & dryer noise.

 

[OzDigger]

lol, I think there is a demarcation line for many of us, and border incursions and skirmishing constantly. I occasionally try to draw my line in the carpet, but it seems mere gesture. Against that power there is no victory. I have had some success in the cellar & am getting used to the backround washer & dryer noise.

You guys with you're basements and attics, it's just not fair

Australian houses rarely have these inclusions, in fact I've never been in an attic or a basement in my life. But at least most Aussie guys have a shed in the back yard where we can get away from the trouble and strife for a while. Hey wait a minute, I only have a small garden shed and it's full of garden stuff....boo hoo

 

[OzDigger]

Oz, although I try my best to give impressions to the contrary - I'm not daft enough to pass on Lucy's email address to you or anyone else.
She's an ex-model and is quite well known in China. I don't have access to her photoshoots at the moment, but I'll send them on next week if you like. Unfortunately, sometimes she doesn't live up to the photoshoot snaps.
Sometimes I wake up and think "I'm living with Gollum...!!"
Trouble is, EVERY time she wakes up, she says "I'm living with Gollum....!!!!"

A model eh, well any non-gollum pics are welcome

Meanwhile here's a pic of my missus

ok, it's actually Jennifer Hawkins, (Aussie) Miss Universe in 2004, but I can dream can't I

 

[Harrytheheid]

A model eh, well any non-gollum pics are welcome

Meanwhile here's a pic of my missus

ok, it's actually Jennifer Hawkins, (Aussie) Miss Universe in 2004, but I can dream can't I

Yum Yum.....gorgeous
PS. How did you get the photo on your post? I've tried hitting the paperclip icon, but it keeps asking me for a URL. Whatever the monkeys that means?

 

[OzDigger]

Yum Yum.....gorgeous
PS. How did you get the photo on your post? I've tried hitting the paperclip icon, but it keeps asking me for a URL. Whatever the monkeys that means?

I use a FREE photo hosting web site called: imageshack.com that allows you to store hundred of photos that you can download from your computer etc. I frequent several forums. some have their own stirage facilities for pictures and some don't, so I just use imageshack to keep them all in one place.

Here's some info on the website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageShack

It has a frog emblem as well

 

[Harrytheheid]

Here's some info on the website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageShack

It has a frog emblem as well

Heh, Heh....Frog emblem.....Pretty good Oz....Heh, Heh. Evil Thoughts Heid.

But how do I post a photo on the forum?

 

[Eazy]

Heres larger, but no clearer pics of M-Driver & a Sam to Haleth conversion.

Good work on the Mumakil driver. I'm really interested in your plans for a custom Mumakil.
How would you go about making that? Maybe find a suitably sized model elephant from somewhere and go from there?

 

[Harrytheheid]

Heh, Heh....Frog emblem.....Pretty good Oz....Heh, Heh. Evil Thoughts Heid.

But how do I post a photo on the forum?

Yeah....Heh, Heh, Heh.....Evil Heid.
I've left him alone for a few days, but am winding myself up for a new argument Oz. Puleeze sombody stop me....!!!!

 

[modwalls]

Maloyalo, nice converts, I will post some of my Rohans when I get a chance. Nice model, but I like that little tart Kylie Minoe. I'm sure I butchered her last name. I have a 40' x 26' attic space to setup tables. But most of my hobby time is spent, making buildings and converts to show. After hearing about the funnle spider and its deadly bite, I don't think I would like the land down under. From what I've heard, it has two or three of the most deadly spiders and snakes. Snakes don't bother me, but spiders I 'm not to fond of. Mike

 

[maloyalo]

Australian houses rarely have these inclusions, in fact I've never been in an attic or a basement in my life. (

I didn't know that about Australia & it surprized me. They are so common here. But I think you see less true underground cellars being built now. At most, a only partially underground 'split level'. The attics are usually not used much, due to heat & cold. Bad storage space for plastic figures too. A true underground cellar can be nice, especially as it stays relatively cool in the summer. But can be cold in winters, often it is too expensive to heat that floor when it is only used a few hours. The cellars too really vary. Some are finished & carpeted, others are like cinderblock walls & dirt floors. The last few years have been very wet in my area & the creek I live near has flooded three times. Each time it has been called a '50 year flood'. I still don't understand their math. So standing water (or actual running steams!) are quite common in cellars. I lost a ton of things & some collections to mold & mildew. Fortunately not the soldiers though!

 

[maloyalo]

Good work on the Mumakil driver. I'm really interested in your plans for a custom Mumakil.
How would you go about making that? Maybe find a suitably sized model elephant from somewhere and go from there?

Thanks! On the Mumakil, yes, I would work off the larger scale elephant model made by Safari & only replace the head. I think its about 10 inches at the shoulder. Basically cut the original down to stump, drill in some support screws and do wire armature. Then sculpt a new head with epoxy and sculpey. It will not be an exact model, but a smaller adapted version. It will still be in scale with the Aome figures, but the design I have for the war tower might fit about 9 figures, not the dozens in the film. Something larger then a war elephant but still able to fit on a small battle table and see active service!

Here's a few of Playalongs advance press release photo's on the Isengard & Orc Catapult set. I am working on getting some of the others too.