August Dispatches - Eighth Army and Saracens (1 Viewer)

[Currahee Chris]

Just forget the goofy looking guy in Richard's heraldry,

EXCUSE ME!!! THAT WAS MY PROM PHOTO THANK YOU SIR!!!! I WAS AFTER ALL VOTED "KING"

Britain's made a King Richard a few years back that had similar heraldry- yes??

 

[Showman]

You wait for the write up in TSMF about the headless Crusader.......be all about bad taste again against the poor helpless Christian Crusader!

I love Political Correctness.............no actually i hate it!

This is a great peice and depicts very well what happened......'oh but its not a toy soldier'...........Pah Tish tosh its cool

Tony

Well Said Tony! I though of the same thing...Greg

 

[nmrocks]

I cry Foul!!! or copyright infringement!... or something!:
Not really!!! I'm just happy that my representation is close to the vision of the master!:
Now maybe I'll get some wheels for my Short Range Desert Vehicle???:

 

[Capitolron]

You ask a lot to ignore that guy. He looks a bit like Capt Ron after a long night at Camelot's (that's a DC joke). Thanks for all the info. It's nice to discuss the historical side of the hobby now and again.

LOL - Good One Combat

Yes - Camelot is the place where Lions ROAR (another DC joke)

I really think there enough room in the MK range to do it all and address the historic accuracy that would please the serious collector. I do believe many people have seen the three lions on Richard in many Movies and other sources where he might be picked out. The MK range also give K&C the chance to embrace many Crusaders from France, Germany, Italy, etc....

The information posted on this period makes this thread very interesting and educational - please share more.

 

[Canadian Samurai]

The MK range also give K&C the chance to embrace many Crusaders from France, Germany, Italy, etc....

I agree it's interesting how most of the MK pieces are depicting crusaders drawn from different countries ("draftees" if you will), rather than the warrior monk orders (Templars, Hospitallers, Teutonic Knights etc.) which were the dedicated "professional" armies of the mid-late crusades. Personally I would prefer a lot more of the elite warrior monks since there's only been one(!) Hospitaller (MK003S dealer special), no Teutonic knights, and only a couple of Templars. Nevertheless, in all fairness it is fairly realistic that most of the MK pieces are non-uniform knights and men-at-arms from various countries because these in fact made up the bulk of the Crusader armies, and there is a tendency for the relative numbers of the warrior monks to be overstated in the popular imagination.

Relating this to WW2, it's a bit like how the numbers of the Waffen SS, US paratroopers and dare I say it British SAS are overstated in Hollywood etc. compared to the bulk of the regular army infantry that fought (and won) most battles. So by comparison, my disappointment in not seeing more warrior monks would be like someone wishing K&C did more Waffen SS - of course we know the situation in the WW2 line is completely reversed and while we're drowning in elite troops (cough SAS cough) we're sorely lacking for regular (especially late war) Wehrmacht/Heer, Commonwealth and US infantry!

Of course, I imagine that in K&C HQ the decision to focus on depicting such a variety of knights was made partly to make the line more colourful, and also to allow one to use the many types of knights in other non-crusade medieval dioramas.

Bottom line is, if I want more elite warrior monks I guess the Russian companies are my best source but they're a bit too pricey for my blood.

 

[Capitolron]

CS

I agree with your assesment of the need for additional WWII German Wehrmacht Soldiers. The sets that are out now have been out for a good period of time and I am sure many German Collectors would like to expand upon those troops in their collections.

Another thought would be German Line Troops from different parts of the Third Reich. K&C did play with that a little with the Muslim Collector Club German Figure. Hopefully - Andy will expand on that and create more. Especially in Set format instead of single figures - looking at several regions as well.

Ron

 

[dkelly]

Holy crap!! I have been out of town for work all week and just saw the new EA and AK releases. Andy told me in March that he would add the jeep to the EA series this year, but this just blows me away. I only collect AK and EA and just love all this new stuff. What a great day. I'm getting all of these sets. The future looks very bright for these two series. Andy, you're the man!!!! Thanks.

 

[mk26gmls]

I am definitely not an expert on the Crusades, but I do read a book on them now and then.

When I looked at the books I have here, the crosses I see used by the Templars from frescos, paintings, coins, and book covers of the era show the use of the Latin cross, Cross formee’, and the Disciple’s Cross.

The particular cross on MK-010 I haven’t seen before myself either. I don’t know the source for using this cross on the figures. I would like to see the historical source for it.

One thing about the crusader crosses I was thinking about is the different colors that were used to represent certain regions of Europe. Of course, this didn’t happen at once, but over time. I believe the first crusader crosses were red and this became associated with the region of France.. White came to represent England, Yellow Italy, Green Belgium, and black Germany. These weren’t set in stone.

This discussion got me thinking about the Templars, so I grabbed “The Rule of the Templars” by J.M. Upton-Ward to look up all of the references to the cross in the book. I only came up with the ones below. Most of them deal with penances. If your interested in this military order, I highly recommend this book. Great insight. After reading the rules of the Order, I definitely wouldn’t want to be a Templar!

Templar Rule 141. The surcoats of the sergeant brothers should be completely black, with a red cross on the front and back. And they may have black or brown mantles….

Templar Rule 469. … And if a brother dies doing his penance, he should be treated like any other brother, and the cross shall be sewn on him as on any other brother.

Templar Rule 470. While a brother is on penance, he should sleep in the hospital, and if he is ill, the Almoner should see that he has the things he requires for his illness; and while he is ill he may eat in the hospital. And while he is healthy, he should work with the slaves, and when he eats he should sit on the ground before the household and eat their food, and always should wear his cope without a cross.

Templar Rule 489. But, however, if the brother who wishes to regain entry to the house is known to be of good behavior, the brothers should immediately make him go out of the chapter and should make him dress in that habit which befits him, and he should have a cope without a cross, which he should take possession of from that day……

Templar Rule 654. And if the brother is known to be of good behavior, then they should make him leave the chapter and dress in the clothing which befits him, and then he should return to chapter and should be put on his penance and dressed in a cope without a cross, for thus it is established in the house……

Darrell

 

[Mike97]

This is a flat out amazing set of dispatches. I've tried to maintain some degree of discipline and have avoided WWII desert items, but I've GOTTA have the LRDG items and the StuG. Since I've been begging for new Crusaders line items, I couldn't be happier.
Gonna be an expensive autumn...

 

[noli-poli]

The LRDG CWT Chevy Truck is priced at $125 and the camouflage version labeled as TBD. I don't see the difference from the two , except the camouflage paint. Do I have the impression that it will be higher than the other one? Maybe Brad can shed some light on this one.

Thanks
N-P

 

[nmrocks]

So how much is the AK Stug going to go for without all the accesories?
Personally I'll stick with the FOB Stug.
Ray

 

[vandilay]

I,ve got too say ,this is the nirvana of dispatches from a kiwi
collectors perspective. Guys from the states etc must get used to
seeing releases from thier own forces but too see 3 releases with
a real strong kiwi heritage is a real buzz.
Maybe I should get out a little more

 

[jazzeum]

So how much is the AK Stug going to go for without all the accesories?
Personally I'll stick with the FOB Stug.
Ray

FOB Stug is $129, AK Stug $109 (no trimmings)

 

[Capitolron]

Great - A Tank release that "taste great and less filling!!"

Although - that is a great price for the FoB Stug - with the extra figure and Sign Post !!

 

[nmrocks]

FOB Stug is $129, AK Stug $109 (no trimmings)

For $20.00 I'll take the sign post and the dead guy and smile broadly as I open the box.
Ray

 

[M1SLAPPY]

The New 8th Army Stuff Looks Soo Good I Even Ordered A Few Sets. I Don't Collect The 8th Army Collection. The Sas Jeep Is So Excellent That I May Even Get Two.

 

[Combat]

Here is a picture of a german tank commander with one headphone off as they were typically worn. Would be nice to see KC produce some like this as mentioned previously.

 

[The Templar]

I am definitely not an expert on the Crusades, but I do read a book on them now and then.

The particular cross on MK-010 I haven’t seen before myself either. I don’t know the source for using this cross on the figures. I would like to see the historical source for it. Darrell

http://www.templiers.org/ordres.php

Think this is what you´re looking for!

 

[mk26gmls]

Yeah, that is very close to what K&C has on their figures. It just isn't a common cross.

Thank you Templar.

 

[Canadian Samurai]

Yep, that's the Santiago cross (which I mentioned above), but it's kind of strange because that order only fought in Spain against the Moors... does anyone know if any Spaniards joined the Middle Eastern crusades? Also, I'm not entirely convinced that's the cross K&C was trying to duplicate.