The new Folgore (3 Viewers)

[Rudi Starnberg]

Andy, very interesting to see your thoughts on this.
There must also be some "close but no cigar " ranges that , perplexingly to a manufacturer don't sell well, despite great preparation. That probably must come down to the bulk of collectors for any given range having to make close call choices as to what they go for, and as its " first past the post " or nothing a manufacturer will never know how many purchasers almost bought the product, but didn't .

I have almost gone for buying the Askari range, which is superb - but I haven't because other product that are square on in my collecting range come out , and I just cannot afford them too. So as far as the bottom line is concerned that , in financial terms, translates to me just as well being utterly indifferent to the range ( or even disliking it ) which isn't true.

 

[King & Country]

Hi Andy

I appear to have hit a raw nerve. I sincerely apologise for making suggestions.

May I suggest a chill pill and "happy" collecting.

Funnily enough your 'suggestions' didn't quite come across as such... So no apologies are necessary or any of your 'chill pills' either...
Andy.

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

....having said that, I have just looked at the Askari Flagbearer Sergeant figure yet again, and I will just have to get him !

 

[King & Country]

Andy, very interesting to see your thoughts on this.
There must also be some "close but no cigar " ranges that , perplexingly to a manufacturer don't sell well, despite great preparation. That probably must come down to the bulk of collectors for any given range having to make close call choices as to what they go for, and as its " first past the post " or nothing a manufacturer will never know how many purchasers almost bought the product, but didn't .

I have almost gone for buying the Askari range, which is superb - but I haven't because other product that are square on in my collecting range come out , and I just cannot afford them too. So as far as the bottom line is concerned that , in financial terms, translates to me just as well being utterly indifferent to the range ( or even disliking it ) which isn't true.

Hi Rudi,
You are 'spot-on' with your analysis....Over the years there have been a few ranges that I personally felt were some of the best and most original figures K&C ever produced...But for one reason or another never 'took off' with the majority of collectors...

Two that come to mind were/are 'The Italian Askaris' and the WW2 'Free French Foreign Legion'...
Fortunately for K&C the 'hits' far outnumber the 'misses' but still sometimes you never can tell!

Still when it comes to the public and public taste you also never can tell...

I remember when The Beatles released their brilliant first double A side single 'Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever'...it never got to Number One in the UK!

What prevented it from reaching the Top Spot..?
A piece of plastic schmaltz called 'Please Release Me' by the imaginatively-named Engelbert Humperdinck!!!

Just goes to show prediction is often times more of an 'Art' than a 'Science'.
Best wishes,
Andy.

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

Those FFL are very nice, there a few more that I need for a Bir Hakiem battle !

Another range that I think would be great to see, and would hopefully do well, would be the French at Dien Bien Phu.
The range of mixed uniforms of British Windproof camo sausage-skins, USMC Camo, and the range of weapons ( they even used old captured stocks of MP40's, MG 34's and Lugers) that could be depicted make for interesting dioramas I think !
No one has given that a go yet Andy...

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Hi Guys,

It always amazes me how the more different ranges,figures and vehicles K&C makes, The more some
collectors get irritable and want something "else". Nothing at all wrong with voicing a wish list or suggestion.
The manner in which it is done is of key importance here !
If anyone here on the forum remembers back 5 years or so ago I engaged in some heavy conversations here on
this very forum about bringing back and doing more WWII Russians.Many members on this forum told me on no
certain terms would Andy go back and bring back the Russkies because they were slow movers !
Hence a 2 years later RA016 was the first new addition to the series along with several other new Russian
figures and 3 different T-34 Tank variants, along with the many other sets released within the last 2 years or so.
Many of which I personally bought. Point is anything is possible to get produced, but not at a moments notice.

Wayne

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

And it isn't just the name of the range that sells it I would think, the poses and sculpting etc all have to be top notch in this competitive environment .

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

...and choice of weaponry, and equipment, and uniform detail too.

 

[amund]

Poorly made and poorly done!

Alex

 

[King & Country]

Poorly made and poorly done!

Alex

Hi Alex,
That's a rather broad, sweeping statement...Can you be a little bit more specific..?
Andy.

 

[Fitzgibbon]

Quite obvious that the manufacturer and the collector/consumer are both punters, faced with an array of complex factors affecting their decisions. The manufacturer needs to tap into the "mood" of the market and balance the competing aims of "following the mood" and "influencing the mood".
The purchasers in the market have similar choices. They either buy whatever is supplied uncritically or push an agenda of influencing the market in order to get what they want. The balance is difficult to strike for everyone. But it helps to ease the tension knowing that the other party faces similar challenges to your own. This thread has moved along the path of an interesting discussion thanks to Rudi. The insight into "budget conflicts" is something to which we all can relate, no matter which side you identify with. Well done guys.

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

Poorly made and poorly done!

Alex

I would be very interested to know how you think this? from the photos they all look really impressive to me, and the uniquely shaped Italian paratroop helmet has been copied particularly well I think....I also like the way the kneeling grenadier figure is based on a classic photo...

 

[cantinetozzo]

I talked with some collectors here in Italy..some are happy with the new Folgore, some are disappointed by some details (i think the dishevelled look of the Folgore paras can't be exactly replicated, but i wait for the second batch, an officer , someone launching a molotov cocktail)..i'll buy certainly the Breda and the grenadier..Here in the pics my father (with binoculars) shooting the Breda..

 

[RISORGIMENTO]

bridport started this thread with the following post, and I thank him:

I've been waiting a long time for these Folgore, and they look very good indeed.

I agree about the blue tunic insignia being an important part of the Folgore identity. I'm glad to hear that some of the figures have this, and it would be great to have a close up of those that do in order to take look.

These little details are important, much like the absent swooping eagle on the recent Fallschirmjager helmets.

Maybe it is a drive to keep costs down?

I agree in total, 'little details are important' and the blue tunic insignia are, everything else is gossip.

lately I bought this beautiful set from the 2003, notice the weapons and the uniform details please. And believe me I paid it less than some current sets, not just K&C of course.
cheers

 

[King & Country]

bridport started this thread with the following post, and I thank him:

I've been waiting a long time for these Folgore, and they look very good indeed.

I agree about the blue tunic insignia being an important part of the Folgore identity. I'm glad to hear that some of the figures have this, and it would be great to have a close up of those that do in order to take look.

These little details are important, much like the absent swooping eagle on the recent Fallschirmjager helmets.

Maybe it is a drive to keep costs down?

I agree in total, 'little details are important' and the blue tunic insignia are, everything else is gossip.

lately I bought this beautiful set from the 2003, notice the weapons and the uniform details please. And believe me I paid it less than some current sets, not just K&C of course.
cheers

I agree my friend, wouldn't it be great to go back to 2003 and charge 2003 prices! Those were the days indeed.

It would be wondrous if everything in life cost what it used to cost 15 or 20 years ago...food, transportation, gasoline, healthcare, accommodation etc., etc., etc.
But it don't...and we can't!

This past year has seen K&C introduce 2 x great new series that includes U.S. Marines and Israeli Paratroopers at just $39 each (on average)...And stabilise and even reduce many other figure prices while still introducing regular releases of all-new vehicles plus new alternative versions of other ones...

All of that costs money and if we stuck at 2003 prices we would be 'up the proverbial creek minus a paddle' in pretty short order!

Consider one other small but important point, K&C release, every month, regular as clockwork, a broad range of figures and vehicles covering a wide range of subject matter for an international audience of collectors...All of that takes a lot of time, effort...and money. I believe, dollar for dollar has always given value for money and, even in these challenging times, continues to do so!

Best wishes and as I always like to say, happy collecting,
Andy.

 

[oberstoskar]

I do appreciate the level of attention Andy puts into producing K&C figures.

As a collector for over 20yrs and owning over 1000 pieces of K&C products, I’ve observed many landmark improvements:

More authentic horses
Details of painted faces and expressions
Protective packaging
Vehicle scales close to 1:30
Tank wheels
More tank antennas
Better quality control on paint jobs


Just wanna punch hard on a few things that’s stopping K&C from producing great stuff:

Recent Desert vehicles coarse paint chips/weathering
Repetitive poses lacking in versatility
Reducing amount of painted details (insignias, boot laces)
Replacing some parts with plastic instead of polystone (cannons, flags)
Thick windshield frames on some vehicles
It seems like the airplanes are never painted with the right amount of weathering (too clean or too dirty)

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

Risorgimento, that SS patrol set was the first K&C set I ever bought !! A great set too. I had no intention of buying many "toy soldiers" at the time ( I just thought it would be nice for the shelf) but it actually got me hooked back into a hobby I had given up many years before at childhood ( to the annoyance of my wife).

 

[enricoquinto]

Hi everyone,

let me say my piece, please. I've read every word you've written and I wonder... why do we have to go and make things so complicated?
As I've already said, I've waited so long for this moment but, except few details (blue tunic insignia, for example), it has been worth it: Folgore's figures are better than I could have anticipated. This month, I was so full of beans... :rolleyes2: I've respected your opinions and though it's true that everything in this world can be improved .. I'm good and I thank a lot Andy to make my dreams come true! {sm4} I completely agree with Mr. "Risorgimento" 'little details are important' ..., everything else is gossip".There are more important problems than this... So... allow me to say: "cheer up, it might never happen!".:smile2:

Best regards

Enrico :salute::

 

[bridport]

Hi everyone,

let me say my piece, please. I've read every word you've written and I wonder... why do we have to go and make things so complicated?
As I've already said, I've waited so long for this moment but, except few details (blue tunic insignia, for example), it has been worth it: Folgore's figures are better than I could have anticipated. This month, I was so full of beans... :rolleyes2: I've respected your opinions and though it's true that everything in this world can be improved .. I'm good and I thank a lot Andy to make my dreams come true! {sm4} I completely agree with Mr. "Risorgimento" 'little details are important' ..., everything else is gossip".There are more important problems than this... So... allow me to say: "cheer up, it might never happen!".:smile2:

Best regards

Enrico :salute::

Well said Enrico! These figures are superb.
It would have beeen nice to have the blue insignian more prominently displayed, Also, I think any Fallschirmjager toy soldoers should have the helmet decals,

If it is a cost cutting initiative, then I would say that these details are important to collecors, and the extra cost to include them would be worthing paying.

 

[Desertkiwi]

I do appreciate the level of attention Andy puts into producing K&C figures.

As a collector for over 20yrs and owning over 1000 pieces of K&C products, I’ve observed many landmark improvements:

More authentic horses
Details of painted faces and expressions
Protective packaging
Vehicle scales close to 1:30
Tank wheels
More tank antennas
Better quality control on paint jobs


Just wanna punch hard on a few things that’s stopping K&C from producing great stuff:

Recent Desert vehicles coarse paint chips/weathering
Repetitive poses lacking in versatility
Reducing amount of painted details (insignias, boot laces)
Replacing some parts with plastic instead of polystone (cannons, flags)
Thick windshield frames on some vehicles
It seems like the airplanes are never painted with the right amount of weathering (too clean or too dirty)

I really like the weathering on the recent desert vehicles myself and think it's an improvement.