What quality improvements should be made by KC and would it affect your purchases? (1 Viewer)

[Warrior]

Ron,
I guess in the end all that matters is what the collector feels is best for him; I know some guys who love the thrill of the chase, going to Walmart and thinking "Today is the day I find that new Lee tank!", or as OC put it, some 16 year old who is filling in at the toy department while the regular guy is on bathroom break and knows nothing about FOV, 21st, LOTH, AEIOU...........and you walk out of there talking to yourself.

If you like the thrill of the chase and price is what's driving your bus, Walmart is the answer, if you want to email someone and say "When the Mark IV comes in, run my card and ship it", they myself, Ronnie, TSSD, Hobby Bunker, Monkey Depot, CTS, Toy Soldier Company, Michigan Toy Soldier or one of the 9,000 other online FOV dealers is your answer......................

 

[Leadmen]

I am getting my information straight. Discussion with Andy at Chicago 06.

 

[Canadian Samurai]

Because they are small retailers Peter and Warrior may have just a bit of a bias , but what they say is true. For as long the cheap vehicles are available at Toys R Us and Walmart it is a boon to both collectors and the manufacturer – but if the manufacturer cannot continue to please the fickle mass retailers, they may face the collapse of their business because they cannot easily revert back to only selling through small hobby channels. Now coming from the 1/6 hobby I am familiar with the troubles this has caused 21st Century Toys, however one cannot blame Toys R US entirely for their problems – at times 21st Century were their own worst enemy due to their overproduction of products that were of debateable quality. Regardless, I don’t think TRU or Walmart is going to be selling LAH or Gestapo Arrest any time soon so this will remain a niche retail product.

But forgetting these ugly business problems for a moment, from a purely quality standpoint, which I thought this original discussion was about, I think metal and plastic vehicles are still superior (or at the very least metal for details and important parts that need to arrive straight not crooked). Could Andy figure out a way to bring them to market but keep his traditional distribution channel? I hope so!

 

[Tony Neville]

point to note I feel K&C are always looking at improving the packaging thus the damge of their products.

The new Coldstream guards come in a very good higher density foam and we have of yet (touch me head) touch wood.......not had a coldstream guard return.

Tony

 

[Capitolron]

Ron,
I guess in the end all that matters is what the collector feels is best for him; I know some guys who love the thrill of the chase, going to Walmart and thinking "Today is the day I find that new Lee tank!", or as OC put it, some 16 year old who is filling in at the toy department while the regular guy is on bathroom break and knows nothing about FOV, 21st, LOTH, AEIOU...........and you walk out of there talking to yourself.

If you like the thrill of the chase and price is what's driving your bus, Walmart is the answer, if you want to email someone and say "When the Mark IV comes in, run my card and ship it", they myself, Ronnie, TSSD, Hobby Bunker, Monkey Depot, CTS, Toy Soldier Company, Michigan Toy Soldier or one of the 9,000 other online FOV dealers is your answer......................

George

When youre right - YOU ARE RIGHT!

The savings in money is not worth the hassle of find the product. When I was buying Star Wars figures for my son a few years ago - it was a nightmare

Give me the well connected independent dealer anytime !!

Ron

 

[panda1gen]

What a fascinating thread. Whilst acknowledging that there is always a distance still to go in continuous improvement, I just feel that some perspective may have been lost. I came into this in 2003 when I could not resist the Wittman Tiger and Falschirmjagers as my first purchases.



Look at the Tiger and see how good it was FOR IT'S TIME. This converted me to toy soldier collecting, something I haven't done before. For a while the quality did not improve, but even so, the Matilda and King Tiger aren't bad.



I agree, and was vocal myself, about the track quality, but having met Andy, read my posts from the time, knew he would only improve. Look at the 'new' mark VI and especially the White Scout Car to see just how much Andy has moved in vehicle quality, in all respects, tracks, winshields and details, in those four years, whilst keeping prices reasonable and achieving an astonishing increase in quality of figure sculpting and painting. They practically blink.



If Andy has not yet fully sorted out the tracks, I am confident that it is only a matter of time. I am a big fan of HB and increasing so of NMA after some initial doubts, but even if these companies are the only ones in this scale, things will surely just improve.

The move to one and two man sets is interesting, but the unit price per figure felt like it went up too, packaging etc I presume. I see NMA keep it lean and 'cheap' in retail price but they have also improved quality of the vehicles, not so much the men though in my opinion.

I agree that on the tanks HB still lead, even on the first offering of the Barkmann's and Winter Panther, but the M10 is not far behind. I don't agree completely with Rob that their figures need more work, Andy is still by far the leader for me, but their figures are also excellent, worth a look, and are not to be underestimated in my opinion, e.g. new ski troops but even the old wehrmacht set.

The increasing rate of releases, and direction of collecting, is already affecting me however, I cannot buy everything. This means making hard choices when a few years ago it was just K&C.

This for me is the interesting question, who will drop out first, or can more blood be introduced to support the three (or more perhaps) players in this market?

 

[Eazy]

You are spot on Kevin. The market cannot sustain the continual increase of supply and the continual increase of price. Those 2 things just do not go together.
It'll be interesting to see what happens but I know that I am going to have to really narrow down my purchases.

 

[Eazy]

Good vehicle and figure choices too. I currently have my 2 K&C King Tigers displayed with FJ 02 -06 and it looks cool.

 

[panda1gen]

You are spot on Kevin. The market cannot sustain the continual increase of supply and the continual increase of price. Those 2 things just do not go together.
It'll be interesting to see what happens but I know that I am going to have to really narrow down my purchases.

James,

I'll see you at the next London Show.....BTW.....have you met my associates...LOL

 

[Rob]

Excellant post Kevin and some wonderful pics.The advance in track quality is plain to see.Actually the Wittman Tiger was my first vehicle too,and i agree this tank and the Matilda stand up so well even today.I also think HB are improving their vehicles all the time.I think the new Shermans look superb and are even an improvement on the damaged Panther(just my opinion you understand i'm sure many may disagree).I will watch the evolution of their figures with interest,for me they are still a little thin and pale.But i am only talking in regards to their suitabillity to blend in with K&C figures,as figures on their own they are fine.I must say Kevin your pictures are so realistic it must take you ages to produce quality like that,congratulations.

Rob

 

[panda1gen]

Excellant post Kevin and some wonderful pics.The advance in track quality is plain to see.Actually the Wittman Tiger was my first vehicle too,and i agree this tank and the Matilda stand up so well even today.I also think HB are improving their vehicles all the time.I think the new Shermans look superb and are even an improvement on the damaged Panther(just my opinion you understand i'm sure many may disagree).I will watch the evolution of their figures with interest,for me they are still a little thin and pale.But i am only talking in regards to their suitabillity to blend in with K&C figures,as figures on their own they are fine.I must say Kevin your pictures are so realistic it must take you ages to produce quality like that,congratulations.

Rob

Thanks Rob, I appreciate it. I haven't caught up photographing everything yet, bl***y day job again, will do some more winter stuff this November to February. Tasters of older HB and K&C.

Both are great in my opinion, just different styles. Andy has the lead on figures at the moment, but the HB figures were good and are getting better and better. Note the much improved M10 tracks.

 

[OzDigger]

This for me is the interesting question, who will drop out first, or can more blood be introduced to support the three (or more perhaps) players in this market?

More indeed panda, we sometimes forget that Patriot are also 1/30 scale, and some of their figures are better than King & Country.

 

[Rob]

Thanks Rob, I appreciate it. I haven't caught up photographing everything yet, bl***y day job again, will do some more winter stuff this November to February. Tasters of older HB and K&C.

Both are great in my opinion, just different styles. Andy has the lead on figures at the moment, but the HB figures were good and are getting better and better. Note the much improved M10 tracks.

I agree,it was one of the first things i noticed when i got my M10.Big improvement.

Rob

 

[panda1gen]

More indeed panda, we sometimes forget that Patriot are also 1/30 scale, and some of their figures are better than King & Country.

Oz, thanks, I hadn't realised,,,,,,boo hoo,,,,,more choices.

 

[rws591]

i really think that kc should make all of the take hatches close able so that any open hatch could be closed. This would be helpful if you wanted to put a general's inspection in a battle scene because currently they laying around and defenetly not fighting. Just a thought

 

[Eazy]

i really think that kc should make all of the take hatches close able so that any open hatch could be closed. This would be helpful if you wanted to put a general's inspection in a battle scene because currently they laying around and defenetly not fighting. Just a thought

That's a good idea to have opening and closing hatches.
I'd also like to see the tail gate on the Opel Blitz truck be able to open and close.

 

[Capitolron]

That's a good idea to have opening and closing hatches.
I'd also like to see the tail gate on the Opel Blitz truck be able to open and close.

Oui, Yes, Ya , Si - Eazy

On the back gate coming down on the Opel Blitz - that would be very cool

 

[Rob]

Oui, Yes, Ya , Si - Eazy

On the back gate coming down on the Opel Blitz - that would be very cool

That would open the possibillity of a set of German troopers climbing in or out of the truck.Toy Army workshop had an excellant set like this for their WW1 soldiers.

Rob

 

[rws591]

I also think that they should improve the ability of the barrel on tanks to be able to be in all positions up or down. not just all the way down or all the way up.