Dispatches (at last!) (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

I don't know what the heck I would use the Navy figures for (and I certainly can't afford the boat) but they are sort of cool and since I have the old retired Royal Navy figures, these might look good next to them so I may get a few.

 

[nmrocks]

Could they be used in a Pearl Harbor type scenario? Philippines, Bataan? basically early pacific war?
Ray

 

[maddadicus]

I don't know what the heck I would use the Navy figures for (and I certainly can't afford the boat) but they are sort of cool and since I have the old retired Royal Navy figures, these might look good next to them so I may get a few.

Since I made a gunboat...I will pick up a few as crew..We need a deckgun with crew, as well as a maxim mg..Michael

 

[Molloy]

No I dont think they did any Regimental color standard bearer.

Cheers Jagdpanther - that's one at least I can strike off the list! Does anyone know have there been any previous retirements from the Black Watch range, or does what's currently available (and now being retired) constitute the full series??

Molloy.

 

[IXEC]

I'm so glad to see the Egyptian line was offered in this dispatch.

And the Obelisk was a Great surprise.

I'm so glad....I'm so Glad.... I'm glaad.....I'm Glad....I'mmm Glad




Paul

 

[sammy719]

well nothing new for late WWII but november is right around the corner, and i'm glad we didn't have to many retirments this time around for WWII, and alot of the stuff released was pretty cool, just not my cup "o tea......sammy

 

[pnadworny]

well nothing new for late WWII but november is right around the corner, and i'm glad we didn't have to many retirments this time around for WWII, and alot of the stuff released was pretty cool, just not my cup "o tea......sammy

I agree with you Sammy. Lots of good stuff but I will not buy any of it

 

[Gustavflyer]

Same here, no sales for me this month!!

 

[steel wheels]

Very interesting to note that the French M10 is priced at $175.00 with 3 figures, and the US winter M10 released not that long ago with 4 figures is $115.00. I understand the price of doing business is going up, but I am about ready to call it a day with this hobby, if this trend continues.

 

[Sahara]

Very interesting to note that the French M10 is priced at $175.00 with 3 figures, and the US winter M10 released not that long ago with 4 figures is $115.00. I understand the price of doing business is going up, but I am about ready to call it a day with this hobby, if this trend continues.

I'm in total agreement! The price is just getting way to high. There is no way I can justify to myself to spend $175.00 to $300.00 on one piece, esp. when its not even a SL. I think my days of collecting are limited as well.

 

[nysoldiers]

Nothing to buy from this batch......
Time to spread the wealth around to other makers!

 

[Mister Dave]

Cheers Jagdpanther - that's one at least I can strike off the list! Does anyone know have there been any previous retirements from the Black Watch range, or does what's currently available (and now being retired) constitute the full series??

Molloy.

Hi Molloy, there have been at least 2 previous retirements from the original BW line up that I can think of. 1 was an officer standing in sort of a casual pose. The other was an NCO also simply standing at attention with a pike. Cannot remember the numbers of these off the top, but they are still showing up on Ebay fairly often. I hope that helps.

MD

 

[Combat]

I like the Sand Pebbles figures, but I'm another among the non-buyers this month. Just too much out there. Still holding out hopes for that Komet!!

 

[6th Wisconsin]

While I like the French vehicles, I completely agree that the prices are getting way too high. I had just begun buying WWII a few months ago, and at this rate I am not so sure it will continue much longer. I am getting so much more for the money right now going back and buying old Civil War sets I never picked up in previous years. Maybe I should go into Napoleonics instead - no vehicles. Not that I don't love the vehicles, but when buying them means less money for travel and other things I want to do more, it gets tough.

 

[steel wheels]

Another obsevation here, is it looks like the French Scout car and M10 are from the same molds as the U.S issues, with some minor stowage changes. So a $60.00 increase, for what amounts to basically the same exact vehicles makes it somewhat less appealing to most collectors. I can't speak for everybody, but I feel that that we are only a dispatch or two away from a $200.00 base price for a newly released K&C tank. Only a few years ago, we were buying releases for under a $100.00. That is a 100% increase, which I would guess is beginning to make consumers of this hobby think twice about future purchases.

 

[sammy719]

Another obsevation here, is it looks like the French Scout car and M10 are from the same molds as the U.S issues, with some minor stowage changes. So a $60.00 increase, for what amounts to basically the same exact vehicles makes it somewhat less appealing to most collectors. I can't speak for everybody, but I feel that that we are only a dispatch or two away from a $200.00 base price for a newly released K&C tank. Only a few years ago, we were buying releases for under a $100.00. That is a 100% increase, which I would guess is beginning to make consumers of this hobby think twice about future purchases.

I agree the pricing seems to be getting worse each month, I will continue collecting King & Country WWII but at this point I don't how much, I have been picking up more older stuff lately because it's actually cheaper then the new stuff, I really hope we have reached a ceiling for awhile, I can see paying 200.00 or so for a limited item but not every vehicle or tank, I am by no means a rich guy but i do love my collection and just hope I can continue in the hobby....Sammy

 

[Steven Chong]

Another obsevation here, is it looks like the French Scout car and M10 are from the same molds as the U.S issues, with some minor stowage changes. So a $60.00 increase, for what amounts to basically the same exact vehicles makes it somewhat less appealing to most collectors...

The original M3A1 White Scout Car (BBA016) and M10 Tank Destroyer (BBA011) were introduced in December, 2006. K&C contracts the actual production of its products to factories in China. The cost of each production run is separately negotated so even an addition production run of an existing item to fulfill backorders can cost K&C more if costs have increased since the initial production run. Since 12/06, the U.S. dollar has depreciated about 20% vs. the Chinese Yuan and the cost of materials and labor have risen dramatically. As a result, making the same basic vehicle, even with the old molds, will cost much more now due to currency depreciation and increased production costs. In addition, I believe Andy mentioned at one of his talks that the molds used to make polystone vehicles only last for a certain number of vehicles (30 to 40?) and that the cost of making new molds is a consideration in deciding whether to retire a vehicle.

Collectors should realize that manufacturing costs have been increasing the last several years, and that vehicles with the detail that collectors currently expect cannot be produced at the prices from even last year.
Andy has stated at several of his talks that K&C absorbed some of the past cost increases by reducing its profit margin and cutting other costs. I interpret this as K&C absorbing the increased costs of doing additional production runs of backordered items in order to keep items at the original list price. However, the remarks at the end of this month's Dispatches warn that K&C can no longer do this and that many items will be retired in the coming months.

 

[damian]

I am quite interested in the Free French figures and the Polish Paras. It makes a change from GI's and SS dudes all the time. I have plenty of those sort of figures already so the smaller units or nations are appealing to me at this stage of my collecting life.

 

[Rob]

It sounds like its going to become harder and harder to keep up and that many will have to let 'must haves' retire into the sunset without getting them.This month there were two that i had to get.'Enemy in sight' and the Bulge tractor,but if i'd been collecting Russians i'd have been sunk.Lets hope that K&C spread the retiring items across all ranges and so don't hit one range too hard too often.I think its time to make a 'Must have must haves' list.

Rob

 

[Kurt]

I'm relieved this month has no must-have items for me. My shopping list is too long already. The Navy and Egyptian figures are certainly cool, though. As far as the French releases... I don't know. Did the French fight in WWII? I'll have to check that.

As far as toy soldier price increases... that's what raises are for.