Hi guys -
I'm new to the forum, and relatively new to toy soldier collecting - although I've been a wargamer for years - since I was about 15. I've read all the posts in this thread with interest and find myself agreeing with many of the points made by many different contributors. I didn't read the article in the mag - I missed that issue - and I haven't bought the set, not because I think it would be immoral to do so, but because it doesn't meet the criteria for my collection, however, like some others I can't wait to read, or hear of, Andy's retort.
You could, of course, interpret the set as depicting or exemplifying the heroism and self-sacrifice shown by many people in France, and other territiories, during the period of Nazi occupation as opposed to something which is in any way glorifying the brutalities of the Nazis. Such is life - so much of what we do as human beings is open to interpretation. Many people are 'shocked and surprised' to think of grown men collecting toy soldiers of any description, others think it's a bit silly, or that we ought to have better things to spend our money on, etc. etc.
At the moment, I collect exclusively K+C WW2 German figures - and yes, I've got a cabinet full of LAH. Personally, I've given up trying to 'excuse' or 'justify' or 'explain away' my interest in such things by trying to think up convincing moral arguments - there are all sorts of reasons why I like collecting what I do - a whole mixed up bag of sometimes conflicting and contradictory motivations. Actually, they DO look 'cool' - ie, aesthetically pleasing and attractive - but, at the end of the day, thinking that doesn't make me a Nazi sympathiser.
For what it's worth - probably, not a lot - I say 'thumbs up' to Andy and the team on another cracking looking set. My only gripe is they produce so much fantastic stuff, and my pockets just aren't deep enough -
