KING & COUNTRY Dispatches -- April 2014 (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

“DISPATCHES”
APRIL 2014
​

Hi there! It seems like only yesterday I was preparing to go off to the annual “Westcoaster” and now, after a hectic 2 1/2 weeks stateside it’s back to Hong Kong and writing this month’s “Dispatches”… So, here goes…

1. Being Released in April –
Russia has three important releases this month…two for WW2 and one for a place that is very much in the news at the moment – The Crimea! Let’s begin there…

A. “Cannons for the Crimea”
This latest “Crimean War” release shows one of the coastal Artillery pieces utilized by the Russians to defend their mighty fortress of Sevastopol, the home port of the Tsar’s Black Sea Fleet.

For month after month British and French forces laid siege to this great port city. Opposing them were many batteries of defending cannon among them these large guns mounted on heavy steel swivel carriages firmly ensconced behind the high, thick walls of the city’s many fortresses.

CR015 “Coastal 8 inch Cannon”
This swivel-mounted gun comes complete with its semi-circular angled stone base.

CR016 “Russian Artillery Officer”
Wearing a traditional forest-green frock coated uniform this Russian officer observes the enemy positions before giving the order to “fire!”

CR017 “Battery Pennant Bearer”
This Russian gunner proudly carries the battery’s pennant.

CR018 “Gun Crew Set #1”
Two Russian artillerymen in action! While one holds a cannon ball the other prepares to ram it home.

CR019 “Gun Crew Set #2”
An additional pair of Russian gunners – One with the lighted fuse pole and another with the moving spike to help rotate the gun.

AVAILABLE : Mid April

 

[King & Country]

B. From the Tsar’s Russia of the mid-19th Century to Stalin’s Russia in 1941…

After “Operation Barbarossa” erupted in the June of 1941 Hitler issued his infamous “Commissar Order” that authorized German troops to kill every and any Soviet political officers that fell into their hands…

WS270 “Goodbye Commissar”
A Wehrmacht officer, pistol in hand, pushes a “political officer” towards his unfortunate fate…the Russian, still defiant, already suspects the worst!

WS273 “German Sniper”
This standing Wehrmacht rifle expert takes careful aim.

WS274 “German Officer being shot!”
Elsewhere, a Wehrmacht officer reels backwards…A female Russian sniper has found her mark – “One bullet…one dead fascist!”

AVAILABLE: Mid April

 

[wayne556517]

Some great sniper and commando sets,great dispatches.

 

[King & Country]

C. “Moving to the Western Front…”
From the vastness of the wartime Soviet Union to the more confined spaces of Northern France…

DD125 “US Military Policeman”
An always useful USMP directing traffic somewhere near Normandy, June 1944.

DD225 “US M20 Armoured Car”
Fast, agile and always ready these speedy, lightly-armed vehicles were often the eyes and ears of battlefield commanders throughout the European Theatre of Operations.
This “summer” version of the M20 comes with a standing vehicle commander plus a partial body M20 driver.

DD226 “Sitting Machine Gunner”
In support of the reconnaissance vehicle the infantry have provided the heavier .30 caliber machine gun.

DD227 “Tommy Gunner”
Backing up the machine gun is a standing U.S. infantryman with the Government-issued M1928 Thompson Sub-Machine Gun.

AVAILABLE: Mid to Late April

 

[TomNT]

Yeah, the sniper looks good. Early despatches or am I behind the times!

Tom

 

[King & Country]

From American GI’s in action we move to a few British Commandos on yet another covert mission somewhere on the enemy occupied coast of France…

DD231 “Dead and Gone”
A commando has “taken-out” a lone German sentry…Here he drags the body away to conceal the evidence as other Germans wonder “What happened to Fritz?”

DD232 “Kneeling with Rifle”
Crouching down, this Commando is on the alert for the approach of any other German sentries or patrols.

DD233 “Kneeling with Sten Gun”
One more Commando, kneeling this time, with the ubiquitous Sten gun at the ready.

DD234 “Sten Gun with Silencer”
Commandos used all kinds of weaponry…One of the most useful was the Sten Gun equipped with a “silencer”.

DD235 “A Quick Knee to the Groin”
The polite way of saying…”a swift knee to the balls!” Fighting in a non -conventional manner demands utilizing all methods of hand-to-hand fighting…none of them nice…as these two figures amply illustrate.

AVAILABLE: Mid to Late April

 

[King & Country]

D. “…Meanwhile back on the Eastern Front!”
One great little tank and three great looking girls…pity they are all so lethal – at least to Germans!

RA054 “Russian T-70 Tank”
These small, recce, tracked vehicles were perfect for scouting in advance of the heavier T34’s and Josef Stalin tanks.
Introduced in late 1942 and early 1943 captured versions were also utilized by the Germans.
Our model comes with a partial body tank commander.

RA055 “Standing Guard Female Sniper”
The Russian Army of WW2 was the only army to employ women in a full combat role. This female sniper with her hessian-camouflaged rifle edges closer to the enemy.

RA056 “Steady, aim…Fire!”
These two female soldiers are working as a sniper team…The sitting woman observes the enemy and selects a suitable target…Her comrade takes careful aim and gently squeezes the trigger!

AVAILABLE: Mid to Late April

 

[King & Country]

E. “Little Battle at Little Big Horn”
Here’s another great little two-figure “action” set portraying the life and death struggle between one of Custer’s corporals and a Cheyenne Dog Soldier.

TRW053 “Fight to the Death”

AVAILABLE: Mid to Late April

2. BEING RETIRED THIS MONTH
As to be expected there’s a fair number of retrial's this month and quite a lot of variety among them…take a closer look…

AG001 Standing Hoplite
AG002 Hoplite on Guard
AG003 Hoplite Officer w/Sword
AG004 Hoplite Soldier w/Sword
AG005 Hoplite w/Long Spear (Horizontal)
AG006 Hoplite w/Long Spear (45 Degree)
AG007 Hoplite w/Long Spear (Vertical)
AL008 Turkish Soldier Standing Firing
AL009 Turkish Soldier Kneeling Firing
AL010 Turkish Soldier Kneeling Loading
AL011 Turkish Soldier Standing Ready
HK160 Shrine Offering
HK185 Celebrating Chinese New Year
HK186 Forbidden delights
HK187 Gleesome Threesome
NA243 French Line Infantry Standing Firing
NA244 French Line Infantry Biting Cartridge
NA245 French Line Infantry Loading From Pouch
NA246 French Line Infantry Standing Ready
NA247 French Line Infantry Prepare to Repel
NA248 French Line Infantry Kneeling Firing
RTA007 Mexican Pioneer
RTA023 Juan Seguin, TX
RTA028 John Davis, KY - Standing Firing Rifle
RTA035 General Manuel Castrillon
SP047 Bomb-damaged French House

And that, as we like to say, is that for another calendar month. However, I would like to add a very big thankyou to all those K&C collectors who came by to see us and talk with us at the recent “Westcoaster”.

Thanks also to those K&C dealers who took part in the show…I hope you had a good one!

Adios for now and best wishes, great sales and happy collecting to one and all.

Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country​

 

[villagehorse]

The Commando's another must have. Best not pan in to close on DD233 face, looks like me after a heavy night, yuk. Robin.

 

[Guy]

these are an interesting group
Still to come ?
guy

 

[wayne556517]

these are an interesting group
Still to come ?
guy
View attachment 149668

Great to see figures apart from Tank riders coming without stands,yeah mate they look good.

 

[Simpson & his donkey.]

I like the new commando's and will have to get some off those's . Great work K&C . Chris.

 

[Obee]

Looks like Wayne will be happy with even more grey Germans .....

I'm not happy seeing some of Le Grande Armee being retired .... but there were hints at new Frenchies this year, so that's something to look forward to

John

 

[graycap]

Nice to see some more Soviet armour in the shape of the T-70, and the female snipers look good. As for the Crimea Artillery - very topical!

 

[zulucollector]

Nothing really stood out.... outside the fortress gun this month.. Yeh I save money for once.... lol

 

[WesternOutlaw]

No N. Africa...

 

[desk11desk12]

The M20 is terrific. DD227 is pretty cool; very usable for various scenes.

The Soviet political officer captured is interesting too!

Carlos

 

[Sentaapua]

Loved the Russians, the M-20 and the Germans! Just like Guy and Wayne, hope those 4 American siting soldiers with no base that appear in the picture showing the M-20 next to the Sd kfz 251 are released soon!

 

[Larry Allen]

As always from K&C, a wonderful set of figures, but alas no further AWI additions ....
I does give me time to fill in some of the missing sets I need, but Andy can ya' at least throw me a bone once in a while ...{sm2}
At least no deletions so that is something to be positive about.
--- Larry

 

[mr colt 45]

Again what great dispatches. Just fantastic. I have mine picked out already. Thanks Andy and all the K&C crew. :salute::