Too pedantic? (1 Viewer)

[DJ66]

Just curious to hear your thoughts, guys.
I have just removed my 3rd Division troops (DD 033) from my current D-Day dioramas.
Every time I looked at them, there with my Rangers, or next to my the Big Red 1, I've thought - you worked hard, but were nowhere near Normandy (to my knowledge).
I'm going to put them with the M8, which has the same insignia, and keep them in a smaller separate vignette.
The same thing, to a greater extent, keeps me from mixing my Americans with my Brits on the beach displays. (I know there was a small mixture at D-Day, but I can't have Lovat's boys running alongside my Rangers, can I?)

So - what do you guys do? Follow history, as best you can, or just create something for the look/ feel of it?

My apologies if this has come up before (as I am sure it has) I am fairly new here...

 

[Rob]

Just curious to hear your thoughts, guys.
I have just removed my 3rd Division troops from my current D-Day dioramas.
Every time I looked at them, there with my Rangers, or next to my the Big Red 1, I've thought - you worked hard, but were nowhere near Normandy (to my knowledge).
I'm going to put them with the M8, which has the same insignia, and keep them in a smaller separate vignette.
The same thing, to a greater extent, keeps me from mixing my Americans with my Brits on the beach displays. (I know there was a small mixture at D-Day, but I can't have Lovat's boys running alongside my Rangers, can I?)

So - what do you guys do? Follow history, as best you can, or just create something for the look/ feel of it?

My apologies if this has come up before (as I am sure it has) I am fairly new here...

No apologies needed here, thanks for posting.

It all depends in my view on just how much you enjoy seeing your figures together. Its what floats your own boat, if you like the look of them altogether on the beach then go for it, there are no rules, its a hobby after all. Now some will tell you 'oh you shouldn't do that because it never happened' , but its your money my friend, if you like it thats all that matters.

Historical accuracy is great, but I'd rather have figures out on display even if they wern't meant to be together, than have them shoved in a corner or worse still kept in their box.

Of course there are limits, I wouldn't have my British Paras fighting the Romans in Normandy, but you get my drift!

Rob

 

[DJ66]

Of course there are limits, I wouldn't have my British Paras fighting the Romans in Normandy, but you get my drift!

Rob

To Rob, with love...

 

[Mitch]

DJ66....

I think Rob has it spot on again, my friend. This at the end of the day is a hobby yes, its based on actual events and portrays real units etc but, its how you want them out and displayed.

Looking at the history etc is good and nice to know but, as long as you are happy its all that counts. A poster recently was told you could not use the new SS HJ figures for an Arnhem scene as they were not there but, as the camo painted troops have no markings then why not? Just enjoy and remember to post lots of pics of what you are up to
Mitch

 

[Rob]

To Rob, with love...

Nice one! If only Spartacus had had Bren guns and Mortars!

Rob

 

[Mitch]

Excellent pic
Mitch

 

[OzDigger]

Just curious to hear your thoughts, guys.
I have just removed my 3rd Division troops (DD 033) from my current D-Day dioramas.
Every time I looked at them, there with my Rangers, or next to my the Big Red 1, I've thought - you worked hard, but were nowhere near Normandy (to my knowledge).
I'm going to put them with the M8, which has the same insignia, and keep them in a smaller separate vignette.
The same thing, to a greater extent, keeps me from mixing my Americans with my Brits on the beach displays. (I know there was a small mixture at D-Day, but I can't have Lovat's boys running alongside my Rangers, can I?)

So - what do you guys do? Follow history, as best you can, or just create something for the look/ feel of it?

My apologies if this has come up before (as I am sure it has) I am fairly new here...

I'm with you and have recently done something similar by selling my K & C Waffen SS sets that do not have Waffen SS insignia. I now have more space and more than enough money to finance the upcoming HJ Panther and RS. In future I won't be buying any WS sets unless they represent actual Waffen SS units.

 

[lancer]

Mix and match is a given right to a TS collector. My German counter-attack set up includes 1st SS, 2nd SS, 9th and 10th SS, 12th SS and "unattached" SS as well as FJ's with no markings. The SS camo uniform was rarely worn with any kind of unit ID, so those figures thus uniformed can be whatever the "General" (me), wishes. As for vehicle markings, the Germans were famous for forming kampfgroups out of any units they could find. For me, with restricted budget and space, grouping by unit insigna is just not feasible. -- Al

 

[binder001]

I agree that it's your display and it's your right to display them how you want. I understand your situation - I am an admirer of the US 3rd Infantry Division. One of the longest units in combat and about the highest combat casualties. However, they were with Fifth Army in Italy and moved to Seventh Army for the invasion of southern France - they never got near Normandy. As the Seventh Army is the under-appreciated US field army in Europe, a nice little display of the 3rd Division troops and an armored car would be just fine. If you happen to have the "General Inspection" M4A1 Sherman, Andy marked the tank for the 14th Armored, another Seventh Army outfit. You can use the Patton elsewhere and display that tank with the 3rd Infantry Division troops. The other, darker, option is to paint out the divisional patches on the infantrymen. After all, they are your soldiers .

Gary B.

 

[OzDigger]

Mix and match is a given right to a TS collector. My German counter-attack set up includes 1st SS, 2nd SS, 9th and 10th SS, 12th SS and "unattached" SS as well as FJ's with no markings. The SS camo uniform was rarely worn with any kind of unit ID, so those figures thus uniformed can be whatever the "General" (me), wishes. As for vehicle markings, the Germans were famous for forming kampfgroups out of any units they could find. For me, with restricted budget and space, grouping by unit insigna is just not feasible. -- Al

You say you have a restricted budget and space, from what I have read on the forum most collectors are in a similar position. It makes sense to narrow your collecting focus rather than mix in vehicles etc from Non-SS Divisions such as the Panzer Lehr etc.

I would prefer that K & C didn't issue sets based on such a wide range of Services and Divisions. I think it is one of the wiser moves by First Legion to narrow the focus of their WWII range which makes their products appeal to more pedantic collectors, which is clearly an expanding section of this hobby.

 

[Jackaroo]

DJ, There have been some excellent points raised, I have a foot in both camps, I like the historical aspect of it all but at the end of the day if sets compliment each other, all be it with a minor hit on “historical accuracy” I can live with that.

After all, you are the General of your “little Army”, you can force assign as you see fit. Bottom line – if it brings you some joy, it’s all good. Alby

 

[lancer]

You say you have a restricted budget and space, from what I have read on the forum most collectors are in a similar position. It makes sense to narrow your collecting focus rather than mix in vehicles etc from Non-SS Divisions such as the Panzer Lehr etc.

I would prefer that K & C didn't issue sets based on such a wide range of Services and Divisions. I think it is one of the wiser moves by First Legion to narrow the focus of their WWII range which makes their products appeal to more pedantic collectors, which is clearly an expanding section of this hobby.

The bottom line, I guess, is I end up buying what appeals to me. I will not pass up a vehicle I like just because of unit markings. I collect within the parameters of summer-autumn markings and I don't do desert or winter white so my collecting is narrowed, just not to unit markings. Even so, I am out of room. So it goes. -- Al

 

[OzDigger]

The bottom line, I guess, is I end up buying what appeals to me. I will not pass up a vehicle I like just because of unit markings. I collect within the parameters of summer-autumn markings and I don't do desert or winter white so my collecting is narrowed, just not to unit markings. Even so, I am out of room. So it goes. -- Al

The present shotgun production of K & C does force us to make such compromises. A good example of this is their recent Opel Maultier Flakwagen (LW032). I have not bought any of the Luftwaffe range and wonder how popular it is compared to say their SS range. I would have bought that set if it had SS Divsion markings and uniforms as it would enhance my SS Normandy collection.

Why didn't K & C issue at least some of that Flak set with SS markings?

Another issue for me is their recent Tiger I in Eastern Front markings. Why release that when Andy has often said that Eastern Front items were less popular. Imho it would have made more sense to issue it in markings more apt for their exisiting Normandy/Western Front sets

 

[Rob]

The present shotgun production of K & C does force us to make such compromises. A good example of this is their recent Opel Maultier Flakwagen (LW032). I have not bought any of the Luftwaffe range and wonder how popular it is compared to say their SS range. I would have bought that set if it had SS Divsion markings and uniforms as it would enhance my SS Normandy collection.

Why didn't K & C issue at least some of that Flak set with SS markings?

Another issue for me is their recent Tiger I in Eastern Front markings. Why release that when Andy has often said that Eastern Front items were less popular. Imho it would have made more sense to issue it in markings more apt for their exisiting Normandy/Western Front sets

Perhaps with the Tiger the fact is its such a popular iconic vehicle that it will always sell in large numbers, and maybe it works as a stand alone set in its Eastern front markings. Also its quite possible there will be a Normandy Tiger down the production line anyway, its been quite a while now since Wittmans last Tiger, three or four years would it be?.

Rob

 

[OzDigger]

Perhaps with the Tiger the fact is its such a popular iconic vehicle that it will always sell in large numbers, and maybe it works as a stand alone set in its Eastern front markings. Also its quite possible there will be a Normandy Tiger down the production line anyway, its been quite a while now since Wittmans last Tiger, three or four years would it be?.

Rob

Yes Rob, I reckon it's time we had Wittman Tiger in actual 1/30 scale.

 

[Mitch]

I think for the tiger it was a win win for collectors. We know from the many posts on here that there are some collectors who like the eastern front and, we know Andy feels this may not be a winner in terms of sales, it may have changed but, I am not in his position with his market experience so, release the ever popular tiger 1 and mix it with Das Reich and please both worlds.

I said earlier I thought we would get a winter Tiger later this year and several did not want another tiger. I also think andy cannot really specialize in specific units and has to hit the market for a broader range he did or, must have considered this when he announced the FOB range but, as many german units served on every front at some stage all the releases can be used anywhere on any front the collector wishes. Mix and match is a progressive way as many german units faught alongside other units from SS and Heer.

Its difficult to please everyone but, we must remember that there are only 1700 or so posters on here and we are a tip in the ocean of collectors and K&C must get thousands of requests per week about what to release some, he listens to Firefly for one and others he will either not like personally or believe they will not sell Tuskagee as a quick example. We all get what we want in the end and, until then I will scrape by with spits, schleppers, panthers tigers. Its a hard life!!!!!!!
Mitch

 

[lancer]

The present shotgun production of K & C does force us to make such compromises. A good example of this is their recent Opel Maultier Flakwagen (LW032). I have not bought any of the Luftwaffe range and wonder how popular it is compared to say their SS range. I would have bought that set if it had SS Divsion markings and uniforms as it would enhance my SS Normandy collection.

Why didn't K & C issue at least some of that Flak set with SS markings?

Another issue for me is their recent Tiger I in Eastern Front markings. Why release that when Andy has often said that Eastern Front items were less popular. Imho it would have made more sense to issue it in markings more apt for their exisiting Normandy/Western Front sets

I understand what you are saying, Oz, and I do agree with the issue of too many different markings. It is just that I won't let it keep me from getting a vehicle I want. I think that putting different markings on vehicles within the same issue (ie., the Tiger, say 300 eastfront, 300 Normandy, 300 whatever) would be a good idea from a collector's standpoint. It might not be viable from the makers standpoint. Collector's might flock to the popular (SS or whatever) markings and leave the less popular on the shelf. Personally, I would have loved the new Tiger or Flak set in Normandy markings but I will make do as I can fit them as issued. -- Al

 

[OzDigger]

I understand what you are saying, Oz, and I do agree with the issue of too many different markings. It is just that I won't let it keep me from getting a vehicle I want. I think that putting different markings on vehicles within the same issue (ie., the Tiger, say 300 eastfront, 300 Normandy, 300 whatever) would be a good idea from a collector's standpoint. It might not be viable from the makers standpoint. Collector's might flock to the popular (SS or whatever) markings and leave the less popular on the shelf. Personally, I would have loved the new Tiger or Flak set in Normandy markings but I will make do as I can fit them as issued. -- Al

In that case it would make sense to issue the lot with Waffen SS markings, including any Luftwaffe vehicles, sounds good to me

 

[lancer]

In that case it would make sense to issue the lot with Waffen SS markings, including any Luftwaffe vehicles, sounds good to me

Well, remember that there are many collectors who don't collect SS and are perfectly happy with the Luftwaffe or Heer markings. A manufacturer can't just focus on one segment of the market. I like the variety the makers offer, even if I could use more SS markings. I can use the Tiger in a Kursk set-up with the new Mk.III and the flak set (if I get it) with my FW190, so the variety makes my collection more interesting. I like collecting the Waffen SS stuff but I have many other interests as well. The variety is a plus for many collectors. -- Al

 

[OzDigger]

Well, remember that there are many collectors who don't collect SS and are perfectly happy with the Luftwaffe or Heer markings. A manufacturer can't just focus on one segment of the market. I like the variety the makers offer, even if I could use more SS markings. I can use the Tiger in a Kursk set-up with the new Mk.III and the flak set (if I get it) with my FW190, so the variety makes my collection more interesting. I like collecting the Waffen SS stuff but I have many other interests as well. The variety is a plus for many collectors. -- Al

Yes I know, I was attempting some humor.