Toy soldiers- 2035 (1 Viewer)

[Currahee Chris]

Alright fellas- whip out your crystal balls- we are going to play a guessing game.

Ok- in a quarter century (mostly :wink2 where do you guys see this hobby? I will be 63 myself- the age of a good many of you here on the forum.

Does anyone see a virtual component to the hobby? Anyone forsee the hobby reverting back to gloss? Anyone think the figures/scale will get larger or smaller?

Here's a sobering thought- the average figure cost $20/pop in 2000 (by my recollection, nothing more). Say $30 in 2011- that's a 50% increase- going by that, we are looking at $45 in 2020, $68 in 2030 and possibly $85/figure in 2035!!!

it will be interesting to see the increase in detail and realism in the figures too.

what does everyone think about the popularity of particular periods? I think some periods- modern especially- might benefit from the increased exposure from video games- a majority of us enjoy our particular periods due to some kind of movie tie in/relationship. Would be interesting to see how the popularity of videogames affects the hobby.

Tell us what you think.

 

[4th Hussar]

I foresee the hobby diminishing. Children are discouraged from playing soldier or having war games. Currently our society seems to honor and support soldiers but has little interest in military history. Our educational institutions do not in my opinion teach a balanced view of history. My grandchildren have learned about how we encouraged Pearl harbor by cutting off the flow of imports to Japan;the cruel internment of the Japanese Americans but very little else about the Pacific War.

We may be the last of the toy soldier collectors.

 

[Currahee Chris]

Unfortunately, I feel compelled to agree with you. Seems so strange given the breadth and selection of companies these days. Not sure it will be gone in 25 years but I am thinking in 50 years, stick a fork in the hobby. The strange thing about society these days is that it seems kids are being swayed or led to not play with toy soldiers/ war games yet they no one really seems to bat an eye when they spend several hours playing military themed wargames. I do not allow my kids to play Call of Duty or military themed video games as I feel, and this is my personal opinion, it cheapens the sacrifice. Those guys that got gunned down on the beach, in the jungles or along a desert street don't have the "respawn" button to press- it's game over.

The strange thing too with video games is the graphics are far more intense/real than anything I ever imagined while playing.

Till then, let's get while the gettin's good!! :wink2:

 

[VIRIATO]

This a very interesting question, thanks for posting it. If I get there I'll be 69....
I agree that chidren nowadays don't get into toy soldiers that much, but if they have the opportunity to check out some nice figures, whether plastic or metal, with many of them you'll find curiosity arising, excitement indeed, that unmistakable twinkle in their eyes... The thing is these opportunities are scarce: a toy soldier show (none in my country, except for modeller's shows or associations), a father, grandfather or uncle that has a collection to show them... I guess it all depends on the education, influences and exposure to toy soldiers they get. Also, this forum is testimony to the fact that new people are coming into the hobby, perhaps something that has a lot to do with the more realistic matte figures being made by companies like Britains, K&C or First Legion. I am not that sure about the glossy figures though, it seems some manufacturers are slowly letting them fade away... This is a pity because in my view (others have already said it here) no matte figures display on a shelf like the glossy ones, when it comes to colourful and shiny uniforms from the 19th, 18th or early 20th century. And there is ample proof that they can be as detailed as the matte ones, we are now very far from the old Britains glossy I believe. K&C's willingness to experiment with the glossy Ludhiana Sikhs let's a ray of hope come through though...
To cut this short^&grin: this hobby has been around for centuries, so I'd expect it to go on in one form or another, manufacturers and collectors will surely adapt and evolve.

My 2 cents,
Paulo

 

[thebritfarmer]

We could well be the last of our kind, but it only takes a tiny spark in some other area to set off the collecting bug.

Me for example was blissfully unaware of K&C TCS EOI Figarti etc.... until I joined the forum. I had always collected Britains and lets face it when I was growing up they were what people wanted and collected. Even then all my purchases were strictly ceremonial. It wasn't until I joined and saw Joe's dios with the William Britains figures and that sparked an interest as I knew nothing about the AZW, I just thought they looked cool and had to have some (okay well all of them ) from there it lead to watching both of the movies and doing research on the war. From there and thanks to Dave and Pat I moved onto the Durbar something else I had never heard of either.

So you see sometimes just a photo will set things alight and encourage someone to collect.

 

[trooper]

I foresee the hobby diminishing. Children are discouraged from playing soldier or having war games. Currently our society seems to honor and support soldiers but has little interest in military history. Our educational institutions do not in my opinion teach a balanced view of history. My grandchildren have learned about how we encouraged Pearl harbor by cutting off the flow of imports to Japan;the cruel internment of the Japanese Americans but very little else about the Pacific War.

We may be the last of the toy soldier collectors.

4th hussar makes a very valid point. Universally history is now no longer taught as a seperate subject, and when it is dealt with it is in a very haphazard manner. The children in my son's class were split in two, half made a project of the Vikings and half the Tudors. My son was in the latter group and ended up quite knowledgable on the period, BUT, when asked where the Tudors figured in history wasn't sure whether they came before or after the Victorians. History is a means of recording the mistakes of the past, ensuring that they are not repeated. The lack of tuition does not bode well for the future.
Where will the hobby go in the future? I think a lot of the smaller companies will go, computors will take a larger part with "reality" figures coming into play and more electronic work being done in the construction and production side. I think there will be fewer if any shows which will gradually go due to costs and lack of support due to the falling number of companies. What will be produced? I have been in the business now for fifty years. When I started toy soldiers were still being produced for children and here in the UK there were just three Model Soldier companies. In the years that followed various new things came in, each with a huge fanfare and a promise that this was the future and everything else would take a back seat. Wargames, larger and larger scale figures, busts, resin all appeared and eventually shook down and found a niche in the market. In the meantime 54mm figures carried on selling and developing, and I think they will always be there. Things will always evolve and improve so I think there will still be figures and people to collect them, but it will be a much smaller hobby than it is today. Trooper

 

[lancer]

I foresee the hobby diminishing. Children are discouraged from playing soldier or having war games. Currently our society seems to honor and support soldiers but has little interest in military history. Our educational institutions do not in my opinion teach a balanced view of history. My grandchildren have learned about how we encouraged Pearl harbor by cutting off the flow of imports to Japan;the cruel internment of the Japanese Americans but very little else about the Pacific War.

We may be the last of the toy soldier collectors.

Sad, but true. If I get to 2035, which I seriously doubt (I'd be 83), I doubt there will be anyone to leave my collection to. My kids don't care a wit about them and only one granddaughter (at present) with a remote chance to learn about them (she lives out-of-state). I figure I will have to melt them all down for bullets during the Revolution of 2025, anyway. -- Al

 

[MarkeytMaker]

Sad, but true. If I get to 2035, which I seriously doubt (I'd be 83), I doubt there will be anyone to leave my collection to. My kids don't care a wit about them and only one granddaughter (at present) with a remote chance to learn about them (she lives out-of-state). I figure I will have to melt them all down for bullets during the Revolution of 2025, anyway. -- Al

I think in 25 years there will still be plenty of us..."Oh nurse can you get me my WS070 and set it up next to my bed please"

 

[Gideon]

I think in 2035, our soldiers will be linked the then versions of video game systems, they will be fully articulated, ready, willing and able to set themselves up and carry out orders.

On another front, I think that many people will have materials printers which we'll be able to use to literally create things through purchased schematics and blue prints. We could effectively buy plans for figures, load them to our computers and print system and off they go.

 

[thebritfarmer]

I think in 2035, our soldiers will be linked the then versions of video game systems, they will be fully articulated, ready, willing and able to set themselves up and carry out orders.

On another front, I think that many people will have materials printers which we'll be able to use to literally create things through purchased schematics and blue prints. We could effectively buy plans for figures, load them to our computers and print system and off they go.

Sounds very plausible, I already have friends in the toy farming world that are doing this.

 

[johnnybach]

I think that if I'm still around in 2035 - and the OAP producers are still producing castings, I will still be knocking them out - but they will have reverted to looking like the early Britains.

You know the ones, pink face and chest with one eye in the centre of the face - and the other next to the ear! Someone will still be re-living WW2 on the forum - and getting it hopelessly from his (or her) own perspective - and Peter will still be threatening to chuck 'em off - but won't be able to remember why, by then!

Some aged experts will still be getting their Nurses to respond to requests for information about the ammo for Flash Gordon's laser gun - and the Household Cavalry will be on motor-bikes - or their equvalent - no doubt.

K&C will doubtless be the equivalent of jewellery by then. and Britains will be Stone-Age exhibits in museums only.

Who knows?

I think the hobby will survive - just as it has for centuries past. It will have little renaissances - just as it seems to be doing today. It may also have a downturn or two. Technology may change it - BUT - the old basic instinct for hoarding beautiful and interesting - yes - and maybe valuable - things will still be there.

I don't really care what happens after I'm gone - I won't be able to change things. But I can whilst I'm here. So - where's that latest catalogue? Hmmmm...so many choices.

What's next?.........................Yes!.........................those........johnnybach

 

[Martin Tabony]

I think in 2035, our soldiers will be linked the then versions of video game systems, they will be fully articulated, ready, willing and able to set themselves up and carry out orders.

On another front, I think that many people will have materials printers which we'll be able to use to literally create things through purchased schematics and blue prints. We could effectively buy plans for figures, load them to our computers and print system and off they go.

There was a report on the news a couple of weeks ago about a 3D printer that can already make car keys!

Martin

 

[Jagdpanther]

I dont know if I wanna think that far ahead. Will be living in space by that time playing with are collections dont you think???? ^&grin:salute::

 

[VIRIATO]

I dont know if I wanna think that far ahead. Will be living in space by that time playing with are collections dont you think???? ^&grin:salute::

Yes, space, the final frontier... Mars sounds very nice, a fresh new start at...69^&grin:wink2:.

Paulo

 

[trooper]

Some aged experts will still be getting their Nurses to respond to requests for information about the ammo for Flash Gordon's laser gun - and the Household Cavalry will be on motor-bikes - or their equvalent - no doubt.

johnnybach

By that time Johnny the Household Cavalry, the Guards, Trooping the Colour and the Changing of the Guard will have been sold to Disney and will have been replaced by animatronics. As for laser weapons, due to continuing government cutbacks they will have been replaced by the latest weaponry supplied by the lowest bidder, pointy sticks! Trooper

 

[marco55]

A lot of painters are switching to fantasy subjects which doesn't bode well for toy soldiers.Time will tell.
Mark

 

[4th Hussar]

By that time Johnny the Household Cavalry, the Guards, Trooping the Colour and the Changing of the Guard will have been sold to Disney and will have been replaced by animatronics. As for laser weapons, due to continuing government cutbacks they will have been replaced by the latest weaponry supplied by the lowest bidder, pointy sticks! Trooper

So the Brits will surplus the tanks and reintroduce Lancer regiments mounted on Segway type vehicles.

 

[Terp152]

I'm hoping KC does a Lifeguards Regt by then!

Maybe we're in a golden age right now but judging by the new releases and popularity of war themed movies, pc games, etc. interest seems strong.

 

[trooper]

I'm hoping KC does a Lifeguards Regt by then!

Maybe we're in a golden age right now but judging by the new releases and popularity of war themed movies, pc games, etc. interest seems strong.

If you want Lifeguard figures there are more than enough out there already, why should K&C subscribe to an already over crowded market? Trooper

 

[Terp152]

If you want Lifeguard figures there are more than enough out there already, why should K&C subscribe to an already over crowded market? Trooper

Because it helps complete their Naps line. Could be other cavalry regt to go with the Greys. KC already has several French horse regts but only one British.