Frusrated (1 Viewer)

[AIDMAN]

Never been able to understand the logic of what items/series KC decides to release and those which it seemingly chooses to ignore. We have in the past had to wait far to long for a series that should have seen a much earlyer debut. Consider British and Canadian troops, Russians ect. We have in the past been bombarded with SSërs in every form of camo that Adolf ever dreamed of but where o where are those hard fighting Lions of Carentan.....The fallschirmjagers????. we had donkeys years ago a Tropical series and then years later came a Kreta series which were absolutely superb!!!.....But what ever happened to thier efforts in Normandy or the doomed Ardennes offensive...Come on KC this is a massive case of shortsightedness on your part, Fallschirmjagers for the above mentioned campaigns should and must be made available for your loyal customers....and i would bet my Wittmann Tiger that they would sell like hot-cakes!!.
And while i am wearing my critics cap let"s jump back to June 6th 1944. We had a few years ago an excellent series of Rangers/Infantry for Omaha beach, a series that quickly dried up and never reached it"s full potential, i have myself requested on more than one occasion for this series to be revisited but to no avail...very dissapointing!! and what about those first guys ashore the Navy and Army Combat Demolition Teams,
no D.Day beach diorama is complete without a group of these guys grouped around a beach obstacle going about thier heroic task of clearing paths for the following assault waves and the supporting armour....(think about the famous photograph made by Robert Capa). So KC if you should read this post i sincerely hope my words prickle your imagination and that in the not too distant future we may see these figures in future releases.....and preferably before your competition gets there first!!.

Steve

 

[LTC PaulN]

I've collected both the FJ lines and agree that they were some of the best K&C has produced. I'd love to see "Normandy" pattern FJ's for Carentan scenes or even to complement Market Garden dios.

To look at what is still in stock on the retired page of the K&C website, the argument for more Rangers isn't helped by the fact that they are still stocked with figures from that range. Truthfully, the "action" or "combat" poses are all gone... but the fact remains that like the Italian figures, they're a line with niche appreciation.

Lovat's D-Day Commandos are another line I'd like to see a reboot of, but from talking to Andy the FJ's, Rangers, and D-Day Commandos are very low on the priority list for redevelopment. The Normandy FJ's would, in my estimation be the first ones to reach fruition.

 

[waynepoo]

Never been able to understand the logic of what items/series KC decides to release and those which it seemingly chooses to ignore. We have in the past had to wait far to long for a series that should have seen a much earlyer debut. Consider British and Canadian troops, Russians ect. We have in the past been bombarded with SSërs in every form of camo that Adolf ever dreamed of but where o where are those hard fighting Lions of Carentan.....The fallschirmjagers????. we had donkeys years ago a Tropical series and then years later came a Kreta series which were absolutely superb!!!.....But what ever happened to thier efforts in Normandy or the doomed Ardennes offensive...Come on KC this is a massive case of shortsightedness on your part, Fallschirmjagers for the above mentioned campaigns should and must be made available for your loyal customers....and i would bet my Wittmann Tiger that they would sell like hot-cakes!!.
And while i am wearing my critics cap let"s jump back to June 6th 1944. We had a few years ago an excellent series of Rangers/Infantry for Omaha beach, a series that quickly dried up and never reached it"s full potential, i have myself requested on more than one occasion for this series to be revisited but to no avail...very dissapointing!! and what about those first guys ashore the Navy and Army Combat Demolition Teams,
no D.Day beach diorama is complete without a group of these guys grouped around a beach obstacle going about thier heroic task of clearing paths for the following assault waves and the supporting armour....(think about the famous photograph made by Robert Capa). So KC if you should read this post i sincerely hope my words prickle your imagination and that in the not too distant future we may see these figures in future releases.....and preferably before your competition gets there first!!.

Steve

The above could be applied to every period, every war, every time in history. K&C can't please every one all of the time.
Wayne.

 

[AIDMAN]

Thanks for your reaction and thoughts regarding my post. I can understand that not everone jumped at the chance to buy the standing Rangers, but as you mentioned the action poses are all gone!!....The Italian figures which i also have were excellent figures and i have to agree with you those were indeed appreciated by a much smaller group of collecters,......But i would still bet my Wittmann Tiger that a large part of KC WWII Collectors would spring at the chance to add some well thought out action poses for the Rangers..and Navy/Army combat demolition engineers to thier collections.....And the same goes for Normandy and Ardennes FJ"s.......I can only hope that KC has a change of heart and moves these figures from low to HIGH PRIORITY...!!!!!!.

Steve

I've collected both the FJ lines and agree that they were some of the best K&C has produced. I'd love to see "Normandy" pattern FJ's for Carentan scenes or even to complement Market Garden dios.

To look at what is still in stock on the retired page of the K&C website, the argument for more Rangers isn't helped by the fact that they are still stocked with figures from that range. Truthfully, the "action" or "combat" poses are all gone... but the fact remains that like the Italian figures, they're a line with niche appreciation.

Lovat's D-Day Commandos are another line I'd like to see a reboot of, but from talking to Andy the FJ's, Rangers, and D-Day Commandos are very low on the priority list for redevelopment. The Normandy FJ's would, in my estimation be the first ones to reach fruition.

 

[AIDMAN]

Yes Wayne.....suppose you could say that!! there are many KC collectors out there who's interests are outside of WWII. Unfortunately you seem to have completely missed the point i was making....Which was definately not "make these figures at the cost of WW.I or Nap collectors" for example. but include them in the group of items that will be relaesed for WWII. So let"s say OK KC, we have had some very fine Wermacht>(Grey)< Germans in the last months, let"s give this a rest for a year or so, we don"t want an overkill as we saw with all the SS figures from a few years back and then we have a space which we can fill with FJ"s....which i still believe would be gratefully recieved by most WWII Collectors.
Hope it is now clear Wayne.

Steve

The above could be applied to every period, every war, every time in history. K&C can't please every one all of the time.
Wayne.

 

[Jack]

My friend Wayne and I discuss these kinds of issues all the time. My contribution is to observe that the answer to any question that opens with "Why don't the manufacturers release ... rather than ..." is always the same.

They think something else will sell better and faster.

Wayne then replies "how will they know if it will sell unless they try"?

I then reply "Why experiment if sales are strong ... if I invested in a TS company I would want some experimentation to stay ahead of the game, but I do not want things done on whim or to pursue a niche line in a niche hobby".

He then restates his case in a louder voice. And then the dance begins again!

 

[PanzerAce1944]

How about some K&C Fallschirmjagers with the Parachutes !!! One thing to add from my own opinion is K&C will make what will sell in a fairly timely manner.
If German SS items continue to sell...... they most likely will continue to get made. For me personally I am still waiting for a New Panzer II early war Grey !

Wayne

 

[arnhem44mad]

They were asked for before, released and then obviously the sales were poor so they went away.

Any revisited range is a reasonable gamble unfortunately it did not pan out that time.

Unlike Market Garden which is thriving!

It maybe in the works, Andy seems full of ideas so we shall have to wait and see.

Scott

 

[AIDMAN]

Appreciate your reply Jack but the Oxford English Dictionary explains this sort of tactic as "Resting on one"s laurels" is this what KC is has come to...."OK boys this line sells well for WWII, let"s make more!!!" If KC is playing in the safe zone and just watching thier bank balance grow then they are certainly risking loosing customers to the competition!!. And yet we see this month as a future release Indian infantry for North Africa, now if anything can be called a niche line then this must be it, of course these troops played thier part in the Desert Theatre but how many collectors were really holding thier breath for these figures to be released??....Nice figures OK but i don"t know 1 collector in the Netherlands that is straining at the bit to put them in his display case. FJ niche figures??, i don"t think so, they were elite soldiers that took part in all the major battles/actions in WWII and to ignore them as a leading toy soldier manufacturer is very, very shortsighted!!.

Steve

My friend Wayne and I discuss these kinds of issues all the time. My contribution is to observe that the answer to any question that opens with "Why don't the manufacturers release ... rather than ..." is always the same.

They think something else will sell better and faster.

Wayne then replies "how will they know if it will sell unless they try"?

I then reply "Why experiment if sales are strong ... if I invested in a TS company I would want some experimentation to stay ahead of the game, but I do not want things done on whim or to pursue a niche line in a niche hobby".

He then restates his case in a louder voice. And then the dance begins again!

 

[AIDMAN]

Scott...If you are refering to the the Crete FJ"s then i don"t think this is very representive of what these figures could achieve. Crete was an important action and one where many lessons were learned, for Allies and Axis forces. Having said this i can understand that early war FJ"s were not at the top of everybodys wants list...(these figures can also be used for the invasion of the Lowlands) Personally i purchased the complete series and i still enjoy owning them. As far as revisiting a range i have heard Mr Neilson say many times that he would not revisit WWII Russians
because they did not sell!!.....now over the last months we have seen truckloads of Soviet Infantry and Armour in the dispatches??.....Just let me add.. I have been a KC customer from the begining, I love the fine collection that i have built up over the years...that does not mean that i am in love with KC"s marketing mentality!!!.

Steve

They were asked for before, released and then obviously the sales were poor so they went away.

Any revisited range is a reasonable gamble unfortunately it did not pan out that time.

Unlike Market Garden which is thriving!

It maybe in the works, Andy seems full of ideas so we shall have to wait and see.

Scott

 

[AIDMAN]

Hi Wayne....Nice idea man....But at the moment as i have made obvious i would be as happy as a fox in a chicken-run with FJ"s with thier feet firmly planted in Normandy dust and Ardennes snow, and not to forget D.DAY COMBAT ENGINEERS...!!!.

Steve

How about some K&C Fallschirmjagers with the Parachutes !!! One thing to add from my own opinion is K&C will make what will sell in a fairly timely manner.
If German SS items continue to sell...... they most likely will continue to get made. For me personally I am still waiting for a New Panzer II early war Grey !

Wayne

 

[arnhem44mad]

Scott...If you are refering to the the Crete FJ"s then i don"t think this is very representive of what these figures could achieve. Crete was an important action and one where many lessons were learned, for Allies and Axis forces. Having said this i can understand that early war FJ"s were not at the top of everybodys wants list...(these figures can also be used for the invasion of the Lowlands) Personally i purchased the complete series and i still enjoy owning them. As far as revisiting a range i have heard Mr Neilson say many times that he would not revisit WWII Russians
because they did not sell!!.....now over the last months we have seen truckloads of Soviet Infantry and Armour in the dispatches??.....Just let me add.. I have been a KC customer from the begining, I love the fine collection that i have built up over the years...that does not mean that i am in love with KC"s marketing mentality!!!.

Steve

You just echoed what i pointed out earlier. 'Never say never'.

As for fjs, the tropical ones can be used for europe including market garden settings as there was a large amount of fjs present during this operation whom were still in their tropical camo uniforms.

Scott

 

[AIDMAN]

Never is to long to wait....I"ll buy my Fallschirmjagers from another company...!!!

Steve

You just echoed what i pointed out earlier. 'Never say never'.

As for fjs, the tropical ones can be used for europe including market garden settings as there was a large amount of fjs present during this operation whom were still in their tropical camo uniforms.

Scott

 

[LTC PaulN]

At the end of the day, this is all business for the manufacturers. If Normandy and winter FJ's are the key missing feature of your collection, I'd suggest you go with another company like Thomas Gunn (who makes the figures you're after) or start sculpting, casting and painting your own toy soldiers. I'm sure King and Country won't take your decision personally. BTW, Thomas Gunn makes some great figures that go nicely with King and Country figures in a dio. If you're a purist, and you're holding out for Andy to return to the FJ's, Rangers, etc, you may have hurt feelings for a while as you wait for them as he rolls out other creative ideas like Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, the Knights of the Round Table, etc. before circling back to FJ's and Rangers. ...And when they come back to the range, they still may not do the era/pose/uniform/weapon you're clamoring for.

Believe me, Andy and the rest of the manufacturers listen to collectors. I've seen a couple of my suggestions come to fruition in 1:30 scale, but keep in mind that they were suggestions... not ultimatums or tantrums.

 

[AIDMAN]

Hmmmnnn!!!. Your reply to this thread does"nt really add anything constructive does it??. I am fully aware of Thomas Gunn and Collectors Showcase who make first rate Fallschirmjagers. "Make your own figures" Get real!!!, we all realise that this is highly specialised work and though i may be a reasonable dio builder>>>figure making<<<...as i said get real!!. "Hurt feelings"" we are talking about Toy Soldiers are we not??? "May not be the figures you are clamoring for" I am sure i was quite clear what figures i would like to see released, and clamoring is something one does when the ship is sinking and the last lifeboat is being lowered!! i do not clamor for toy soldiers!!. And finally i do not appreciate your choice of words>>>ultimatums/tantrums. I have been a loyal KC collector from day 1 and i think i have the right to praise or critisize whatever KC chooses to..(or chooses not to) release. my thread was to make known my wishes and dissapointments that certain (cornerstone) imo. figures have not been released.....If in the future you decide to reply to any threads i would advise you to choose your words and tone a little more carefully!!!.

AIDMAN

At the end of the day, this is all business for the manufacturers. If Normandy and winter FJ's are the key missing feature of your collection, I'd suggest you go with another company like Thomas Gunn (who makes the figures you're after) or start sculpting, casting and painting your own toy soldiers. I'm sure King and Country won't take your decision personally. BTW, Thomas Gunn makes some great figures that go nicely with King and Country figures in a dio. If you're a purist, and you're holding out for Andy to return to the FJ's, Rangers, etc, you may have hurt feelings for a while as you wait for them as he rolls out other creative ideas like Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes, the Knights of the Round Table, etc. before circling back to FJ's and Rangers. ...And when they come back to the range, they still may not do the era/pose/uniform/weapon you're clamoring for.

Believe me, Andy and the rest of the manufacturers listen to collectors. I've seen a couple of my suggestions come to fruition in 1:30 scale, but keep in mind that they were suggestions... not ultimatums or tantrums.