The Pacific Re-visited? (1 Viewer)

[dankelzaga]

I realize it may curently be the "been there-done that" mentality in regards to a line for the Marines and the Pacific campaign but it just seems to be the one area that is lacking out there in terms of soldier collecting..I absolutely loved the Iwo Jima line. I would think that with the sudden surge of interest being generated by the HBO mini-series that it would be worth revisiting. I was recently at the Marine Corps museum in VA and they had an area of Marine toy soldiers (by that other solidier company-shhhhh) that was extremely popular (and they were just the "in my opinion" boring parade type figures). I realize there are some Marine figures being made atm...but it's the Pacific campaigns that seem to really get the collectors excited..especially those of us who served in the Corps and are collecting.
At any rate, I really hope K & C will think about a Pacific line again..so much that could be incorporated into it. Semper Fi----Dan
And don't worry...Corpsmen and Seebees would be perfectly acceptable as well.

 

[marco55]

Welcome to the forum Dankelzaga.
Mark

 

[dankelzaga]

Thank you! Looks like a great group of collectors/individuals on here. Looking forward to chatting with you all.

 

[desk11desk12]

Welcome dankelzaga to the Forum.

I agree with you.

Carlos

 

[Louis Badolato]

Welcome Dankelzaga! Have you had a look at Figarti's new Pacific Theater releases?

 

[jazzeum]

Welcome to the Forum but Andy has been pretty adamant about not making Pacific again, feeling that the second time he made them they were some of the best they ever made and they just did not sell.

 

[Rob]

Welcome Dankelzaga,hope you enjoy this excellent forum.There has been a surge of interest in the Pacific following HBO's great new series,I for one could not understand why K&C's Marines did not sell so well,great looking figures I thought.

Rob

 

[spartan71]

Welcome to the Forum but Andy has been pretty adamant about not making Pacific again, feeling that the second time he made them they were some of the best they ever made and they just did not sell.

That is pretty Much What Andy Said when he visited the Sierra Toy soldier Company last September.
And, I just Checked Another manufacturer, That Has made the PTO side of the War. Out of the Five different sets. Only one Has sold out. And mind you its a limited series of a hundred.
From this lack of sales, How is Andy even going to think about it??, If with all this interest with theHBO 's "Pacific" A hundred does not even sell out??
Support what is out there, then maybe, Just maybe . Andy Might do it Then. and even with that I think it is still a big Maybe.

 

[Rob]

Andy has just answered this question on his own thread

Rob

 

[VIRIATO]

The Pacific figures that I own were indeed very nice and I do regard them as keepers after all these years, especially the fantastic flag raising set.

Paulo

 

[Mitch]

Welcome Dankelzanga very new to the site myself so, look forward to posting with other new bloggers.

I have the K&C marines and think the poses were some of the best but, its sad especially, for the US that its just not that popular even with the new series out. I have been watching and, the battle scenes were very similar to me (all night) until the last episode which, was very realistic. I remember reading some stuff on it and it said it was the forgotten war!!! I am sure that those who fought in it would not say that but, it remains a complete mystery to me why its not popular.

From what I have heard mirrors what others have said that Andy may not be visiting this campaign soon. Shame

 

[SGT Rock]

Well guys, I hate to beat a dead horse too, but I have to support my fellow Texan on this matter and give you my perspective on the Pacific as pertains to my own personal tastes and style of collecting. As background, I'm the kind of collector that almost exclusively purchases single figures. For me, this is an affordable way to be able to collect across several different lines. As well, I'm sure that there are lot of collectors like myself, as Andy always includes a lot of individual figures with each new release. So with that in mind, take a look at the Iwo Jima line from 2005-2006 (http://cis.niagara.edu/kandc/kandc-select.php). If you wanted to purchase a marine, there were no single figures to choose from. Outside of the flag raising set, you had two sets of four figures and one set of three figures. (That said though, the Marines are in fantastic fighting poses.) If you wanted to collect one of the Japanese figures, you only had General Kuribayashi to choose from as a single figure. Outside of him, you had four sets of two soldiers, and one set of three soldiers. Further, the poses of the Japanese soldiers don't really suit my style of collecting either. If you look at a lot of the German K&C figures, they send a chill up your spine. As for the Iwo Jima Japanese, they're mostly in crouching or lying down positions using conventional fighting tactics. The Japanese soldiers struck fear in the hearts and minds of the Marines based on their unique fighting tactics, but you don't really see those tactics reflected in the poses of the Japanese figures. In conclusion, while you can argue that the Pacific Theatre won't sell for a variety of reasons, I don't think that this line included all of the qualities you see in a current K&C release, which seriously hindered its ability to succeed regardless of interest in the Pacific Theatre.

 

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

I appreciate (and understand) many of the comments and opinions of collectors who want more Pacific theatre troops… However…

1. Re Japanese “Unique” fighting tactics…
I’m not so sure… brave but often blind “BANZAI” charges against American and Allied troops which cost the Japs dearly or “Kamikaze” attacks by individuals could be called “UNIQUE”…
What the Japanese did have in spades was a complete disregard for human life… their enemies… their captives and finally… their own!

2. K&C’s Japanese Forces.
Over two releases… we released a fair number of hand-to-hand sets… attacking… and defending. For that last Iwo release our Japanese were meant to fit into fixed positions… bunkers… pill boxes etc. That’s why we designed them as we did.

3. More Japanese? More Pacific?
If Pacific (and therefore Japanese) had sold then K&C (and I’m sure Figarti) would have done a lot more… Plus other competitors would also have jumped in… don’t you think?

As I’ve said a dozen times before companies will go (and follow) where the collector interest lies… Some folks will not or cannot see that simple fact of business!

But hey what do I know?

Best wishes and happy collecting!
Andy C.

 

[damian]

Hi Guys,

I appreciate (and understand) many of the comments and opinions of collectors who want more Pacific theatre troops… However…

1. Re Japanese “Unique” fighting tactics…
I’m not so sure… brave but often blind “BANZAI” charges against American and Allied troops which cost the Japs dearly or “Kamikaze” attacks by individuals could be called “UNIQUE”…
What the Japanese did have in spades was a complete disregard for human life… their enemies… their captives and finally… their own!

2. K&C’s Japanese Forces.
Over two releases… we released a fair number of hand-to-hand sets… attacking… and defending. For that last Iwo release our Japanese were meant to fit into fixed positions… bunkers… pill boxes etc. That’s why we designed them as we did.

3. More Japanese? More Pacific?
If Pacific (and therefore Japanese) had sold then K&C (and I’m sure Figarti) would have done a lot more… Plus other competitors would also have jumped in… don’t you think?

As I’ve said a dozen times before companies will go (and follow) where the collector interest lies… Some folks will not or cannot see that simple fact of business!

But hey what do I know?

Best wishes and happy collecting!
Andy C.

How about some Waterloo Prussians then big guy?

Just kidding.

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

Business is business and if something does not have mass appeal a manufacturer can't make $ on it and therefore won't be produced. Proof of the lack of K&C sales is to look at retailers or even the K&C retired website and you'll see many of these sets are in stock loonnngggg after they had been retired. Recently I noticed on the current dispatch K&C stated that their WS and DD series are their two most important lines and that is despite a prolific and diversified lineup.

 

[lancer]

I like the PTO but that doesn't make it profitable for a manufacturer. How many ways does KC have to say no? -- Al

 

[Warrior]

How many ways does KC have to say no? -- Al

Another 4,957 ways will do it................maybe.

The point to remember here is (and I've see some suggest this) that manufacturers have some sort of bias towards Germans and against Pacific sets.

Couldn't be further from the truth; they have a bias towards sets THAT SELL.

Period, done, end of story.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Another 4,957 ways will do it................maybe.

The point to remember here is (and I've see some suggest this) that manufacturers have some sort of bias towards Germans and against Pacific sets.

Couldn't be further from the truth; they have a bias towards sets THAT SELL.

Period, done, end of story.

There is also a difference selling small run sets of 100 vs the larger numbers a big player like KC would want to sell. The Pacific is obviously of interest to a group of collectors, but that market does seem to be a niche market that one manufacturer is servicing. KC can't possibly produce everything.

Terry

 

[kingtoot]

Hi Guys,
I appreciate (and understand) many of the comments and opinions of collectors who want more Pacific theatre troops… However…
As I’ve said a dozen times before companies will go (and follow) where the collector interest lies… Some folks will not or cannot see that simple fact of business!
But hey what do I know?
best wishes and happy collecting!
Andy C.

Since I am in the minority here, wishing for more Pacific Marines..One solution has always been to convert existing figures..Where do the arms connect to the body? Is there an "easy" way of converting your figures? Any suggestions?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Since I am in the minority here, wishing for more Pacific Marines..One solution has always been to convert existing figures..Where do the arms connect to the body? Is there an "easy" way of converting your figures? Any suggestions?

Collect some multiples and use them in a few small, separate scenarios. Same figures but different scenes.

Terry