Should King and Country Start Making Their Tanks With Cleaner Tracks? (POLL) (1 Viewer)

[Hunter Rose]

I don't collect King and Country figures anymore, but I do still like plenty of their tanks.

One area I think needs to be improved and keeps me from buying some of their stuff is the detail on their tank tracks. I'm not a fan of the King and Country mud/track filler they always put in their tracks. All the other Toy Soldier manufacturers make tanks with cleaner more detailed tracks.

So am I alone in this? Please vote above on if you'd prefer cleaner tracks on future King and Country tanks or if you prefer the current muddy track look.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I don't collect King and Country figures anymore, but I do still like plenty of their tanks.

One area I think needs to be improved and keeps me from buying some of their stuff is the detail on their tank tracks. I'm not a fan of the King and Country mud/track filler they always put in their tracks. All the other Toy Soldier manufacturers make tanks with cleaner more detailed tracks.

So am I alone in this? Please vote above on if you'd prefer cleaner tracks on future King and Country tanks or if you prefer the current muddy track look.

This debate with Andy has been going on for 10 years. Many collectors have made their preference for cleaner tracks well known. Unfortunately, Andy's preference is for the tracks as they are and since they are still selling with muddy tracks it seems a lot of collectors don't mind the mud. I would not expect to see any change. Here's mud in your eye ^&grin

Terry

 

[Hunter Rose]

I understand that Terry, I'm just curious what collectors actual preferences are.

 

[jazzeum]

I'm not sure it matters. Terry and I have discussed this (separately) with Andy and his position hasn't wavered. His position will only change when collectors vote with their wallets.

 

[DM101]

I like the mud tracks as it makes the vehicle or tank more realistic like on the battlefields. Too clean it would like Forces of Valor tanks instead - "just rolled out from a tank factory" very ugly if used in a diorama !

 

[maddadicus]

I like the mud tracks as it makes the vehicle or tank more realistic like on the battlefields. Too clean it would like Forces of Valor tanks instead - "just rolled out from a tank factory" very ugly if used in a diorama !

I like the weathered, dirty look with as much stowage as can be molded in. Michael

 

[braddinpa]

I guess you could call me a person in the middle. I don't mind a little. I like the m36 US tank Destroyer. a little mud. But not very noticeable. I don't like it overdone. I am wondering if one of the reasons might be to add strength to eliminate the risk of breakage because of the weight of the tanks. With FL it is not much of an issue because they are light. (plastic/resin)

 

[chemiebay]

First of all let me say that I have around 30 KnC AFV....My last KnC purchased was (will be) last PzIV: No definition on tracks, non workable turret hatch, gun is static and even no washes were applied to paint... unfortunately the only difference between a KnC 2009 and 2016 model is the price.
Regarding the poll: Should King and Country Start Making Their Tanks With Cleaner Tracks? No as long as sales go well.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I understand that Terry, I'm just curious what collectors actual preferences are.

i have always preferred better track detail.

Terry

 

[jazzeum]

Just to be clear, I have as well.

K & C, in response to competition from Honour Bound and Figarti, had improved their track detail. However, around 2008 or 2009 they realized that they could sell just as many tanks with muddy tracks as with clean tracks as most collectors didn't care one way or the other. Financially, it was cheaper to make tanks with muddy tracks and if collectors didn't care, why spend the extra money to make them clean as you could retain the money it would have cost to make them with clean tracks.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Several years ago I spoke to Andy about improving the tracks. He didn't mention muddy tracks were cheaper to make - although they may be cheaper - but that the muddy tracks were needed to reduce breakage on shipping. I later spoke to a manufacturer of toy vehicles and he said it was true. Where you have a heavy polystone body on fairly light thin tracks, shocks to the box on shipping pass through the model and break the lightest parts. Adding weight to the tracks and making them thicker does reduce track breakage.

Terry

 

[jazzeum]

Reducing breakage is a form of cost savings, however.

 

[ivanmoe]

Perhaps there should be a third poll choice, "I prefer the tracks as rendered on newer KC molds to those found on many older examples." The differences are pretty clear when comparing, say, AK019 to AK040. And I believe that most of our readers recognize that KC occasionally "dusts off" an old mold as demand might dictate. BTW, plastic kit-makers do the exact same thing. Some of THOSE molds from Lindbergh and Revell-Monogram are older than I am!

-Moe

 

[PanzerAce1944]

I think there has been a big improvement on the K&C Tracks in the last several years. Current New Tracked vehicles have less clutter in the tracks
while retaining some of it for added durability and reducing any chance of breakage. Anyone who has ever been on a Tank in real life knows as
soon as you get off of a paved surface and into an open field the tracks, road wheels and suspension of the vehicle get their share of muck.

Wayne

 

[sami7777@hotmail.co.uk]

The mud makes them look so much more detailed and worth it for the money, it would be a real shame if they started making them look like they came straight out of a tank factory.

 

[BLReed]

If you are doing a diorama that calls for mud you can always add it and wash it off when finished. If you
are doing a parade setting or on a shelf display you can't take the mud off.

 

[TomNT]

I don't have to much of an issue with muddy tracks and as already pointed out, the sales of K&C tracked vehicles speak for themselves. I will however say that I wish there was little to no mud in Desert tracked vehicles (AK and EA) as I have never seen a tank with mud in it's tracks when operating in the desert. I understand though that to make a vehicle profitable, it is usually made for several theatres of war and as already stated, the mud gives the tracks more strength and less prone to breakages.

Tom

 

[The Military Workshop]

Financially, it was cheaper to make tanks with muddy tracks and if collectors didn't care, why spend the extra money to make them clean as you could retain the money it would have cost to make them with clean tracks.

Brad,
In all my dealings with Andy it was my strong impression that he works on a percentage mark up from whatever his factory cost is. I suspect this is same for all the producers. Whether they are clean or not he would still charge that percentage. You say he is retaining the money himself or as I prefer to look at it he could be trying to keep costs and breakages down. I guess different people look at this in different ways.

A breakage has a number of knock on effects. Firstly dealer has paid for the postage to get it in. If breakage is reported upon receipt by a mail order customer then the dealer would no doubt be supplied with another by K&C and then has to get that shipped in his next order and ship again to the customer. The dealer is up for the added postage costs to replace. This is a part of the dealers service but naturally dealers would prefer not to have to deal with breakages. Naturally supplying two for the price of one is hardly good for K&C's bottom line and they should be commended for trying to keep breakages low if this is part of the reasoning behind this. Reputation of the brands durability is no doubt another.

At the risk of repeating myself this is a non issue for the majority of collectors I know who have bought tracked vehicles. Higher costs or damage in transit would certainly be more of an issue for collectors. I suspect for some even if he did change the tracks they would come up with another issue that needed resolving before they would buy or be happy.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

 

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for all your thoughts and comments on the above subject. While I appreciate (and acknowledge) the different views of some on this issue ... I also appreciate and agree with the many K&C collectors who understand WHY we do what we do and ... HOW we do it.

Contrary to some opinions we have improved our tracks and detail but not to the detriment of the strength and sturdiness which is so important to items that often have to travel thousands of miles from Hong Kong to their final destination ... and arrive safely... not in ‘kit-form’!

Most companies have their own unique ‘styles’ of doing things and their own priorities ... K&C have our own also.

Over many years I have had the good fortune and opportunity to meet and talk with hundreds of K&C collectors on almost as many different aspects of the hobby... and the products we produce.

One thing I know for certain is that collectors in general, and K&C ones in particular , are not backward at coming forward with ideas ... suggestions ... criticism or praise about what we do and how we make it.

The “track issue” has come up from time to time with some folks and I have explained why we do what we do...

Here on this Forum (and the HB one) it has also been aired. Generally speaking however it is a complaint by the ‘few’ rather than the ‘many’... And while in no way stifling the discussion ... K&C will continue to listen to the majority of collectors who enjoy what we do ... and how we do it... and, importantly ... actually buy it!

Best wishes and happy collecting.
Andy

 

[DM101]

Those mud filled tracks or mud coloured wheels looks fine to me though {sm4} {bravo}}