DISPATCHES

October 2016

Last month I told you about my upcoming visit to Sierra Toy Soldiers in Los Gatos, California and The Chicago Show ... Well by the time you read this I will be in Texas ... San Antonio to be exact with K&C’s cofounder Laura McAllister Johnson and KINGS X ... How time flies when you’re enjoying yourself!

     But for the moment I’m writing this little “DISPATCHES” in Hong Kong on Wednesday 14 September just 2 days before I head off to the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.”

     So, without further ado ... here goes...

1.   APPEARING IN OCTOBER ...

A) “Meanwhile in sunny Egypt”

          Here we find two of history’s most famous lovers... and tragic ones too... Antony & Cleopatra.

AE060  “Mark Antony”

Marcus Antonius, more commonly known in English as Mark or Marc Antony. A powerful Roman politician and general and a staunch ally of Julius Caesar.

Following Caesar’s death he was involved in a power struggle with Caesar’s successor Octavian (later to be called Augustus). Although married to Octavian’s sister he carried on an affair with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra who bore him 3 children.

          Eventually Mark Antony and Octavian’s mutual hostility erupted into Civil War and Antony fled to Egypt after his army was defeated at the Battle of Actium.  Shortly thereafter the lovers committed suicide.

          Our figure of Mark Antony in Roman general’s uniform and armour is based on the designs used in the 1963 epic “Cleopatra” starring Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton as Mark Antony.

AE061   “Cleopatra”

Cleopatra, the Queen of the Nile and the lover of Mark Antony.  She was also the last pharaoh of the Ptolemaic line of Egyptian rulers.  These were all descended from Ptolemy, one of Alexander the Great’s generals.

Her first Roman paramour was Julius Caesar himself and by him she had a son Caesarion.  After Caesar’s assassination she aligned herself with Mark Antony.  Following Antony’s suicide she also killed herself.

          The K&C figure draws on several influences for its design most notably, the 1963 “Cleopatra” movie.

AE-S01   “Antony & Cleopatra” Set

Although both figures are available individually there is also a special 2-figure boxed set.

AVAILABLE : Early-Mid October

B)  THE OLD GUARD AT WATERLOO

The “Old Guard” (les Vielle Garde) were the elite veteran elements of the Emperor Napoleon’s Imperial Guard.  As such they were the most loyal and prestigious formation in Bonaparte’s Grande Armee.  Other French soldiers often called them “The Immortals”.   Many of the men that made up the Old Guard were veterans of Napoleon’s earlier campaigns and were hand-selected for their courage ... military skills and ... above average height.

          Although disbanded first in 1814 they returned to duty in 1815 when upon Napoleon’s return from exile they reformed to fight at Waterloo.  The regiment was tasked with protecting the field position around the Emperor on the day of battle and suffered grievously being the rearguard that allowed Napoleon to flee the field after this final defeat.

          This first release of our new K&C figures shows the “Old Guard” as they appeared on that fateful day.  More will follow shortly ...

NA358   “Standing Ready”

Although already wounded this veteran guardsman stands his ground ready to repel the enemy... 

 NA359   “Moving Forward”

Another old soldier moves forward ... musket at the ‘high port’ position.

NA360   “Loading”

This hatless guardsman reached back into his ammunition pouch for another cartridge.

NA361    “Still Fighting”

This soldier has been knocked to the ground (or perhaps wounded) ... but still engages the enemy.

NA362     “Thrusting w/Bayonet”

Perhaps out of ammunition this guardsmen is resorting to ‘cold steel’ to attack the enemy.

NA363     “Standing Firing”

A classic figure in a classic fighting pose.

NA364     “Standing Firing (hatless)”

In any extended firing line it helps to have a little variety ... and here is one ... minus his ‘bearskin’ of course.

NA365   “The Tambour/Drummer”

A fine-looking drummer, oblivious to the noise of battle all around him, beats out the orders.

NA367   “Mounted Officer”

This mounted ‘Old Guard’ officer wearing the bicorne with drawn sword rallies his men.

 NA-S01    “The Old Guard Set”

When you buy all 7 of our “Old Guard” fighting soldiers NA358-NA364 inclusive ... We provide NA365 “The Drummer” FREE OF CHARGE!

AVAILABLE : Early-Mid October

C)   FORM ANCIENT EGYPT TO ANCIENT CHINA

In the world of toy soldiers and military miniatures time travel and travel

generally between countries, continents and historical periods is entirely possible ...

 IC072     “Sun Quan”

       Sun Quan (182-252) was a famous warlord of the Three Kingdoms era in 

China.  He was notable for gathering important and honorable men to his side and gained the support of the common people for his fairness and honesty during these turbulent times in China.

          He enjoyed a long and successful reign before dying in 252 at the age of 70.

AVAILABLE : Early-Mid October

D)   “SANTA COMES BUT ONCE A YEAR ... “

        And not only in December but, at K&C, a little bit earlier ... Here’s our latest XM016-01 “Santa & His Elves”

As everyone knows Santa does not make all those gifts and toys for good little girls and boys all by himself ... He’s gotta have some expert help! And here are the first 3 of K&C’s all-new ‘Elves’, Santa’s little helpers, together with a banjo-playing Santa.

AVAILABLE : Early-Mid October

E)   “BERLIN ’38”

     LAH202 Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels

Standing behind his podium and gesticulating wildly one of Hitler’s most loyal and trusted associates Reichminister Goebbels served as Propaganda Chief of the Third Reich before and during WWII.  A skillful orator he was also an advocate of “Total War” and in May 1945 shared his master’s final fate in the ruins of Berlin.

LAH205   “SS man on Parade ... Goosestepping”

     LAH206   “SS man at ... Present Arms”

AVAILABLE : Mid October

F)   “Pike & Musket”

Two very useful 2-man sets for this colourful 17^th Century series ...

PnM064   “The King’s Duellists”

One of King Louis XIII’s Musketeers engages in a duel with one of Cardinal Richelieu’s Bodyguards ...

          Ostensibly both units served the King however there existed a fierce rivalry between the two factions and fighting and duelling often erupted whenever they met in public ... or private.

PnM065    “English Civil War Duellists”

In England, around the same time, duels between armies took precedence over personal disagreements.

          Here one of Cromwell’s “Ironsides” fights it out with a dismounted Royalist cavalier.

AVAILABLE : Mid October

G)   “BATTLEFIELD REPAIRS”

With the huge number of armoured vehicles rampaging all across the Western and Eastern Fronts during WW2 it was essential that damaged vehicles be either repaired on the spot ... or towed away for repairs and renovation at behind –the-line depots and workshops.

          On the German side they made ample use of a limited range of specialized vehicles including the mighty “Bergepanther” ...

 WH067      “Bergepanther”

Due to the problems of recovering damaged heavy tanks (such as Tigers and Panthers) it was necessary to produce an equally heavy tracked vehicle to perform the task ... The Bergepanther was the result.

          Built on a Panther hull it usually employed a crew of three to operate the vehicle and its special equipment.

          Our model appears as it would have been seen on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during 1944 and ’45.

WH068      “Tank Repair Commander”

A standing Panzer officer as can be seen by his short black “Panzer Wrap” jacket and black M43 Field Cap.

WH069      “Tank Repair Crew”

A useful little 2-man set of crouching and kneeling Panzer repair crew ... Ideal to go with WH067 or indeed any of K&C’S German fighting vehicles or even captured Allied ones!

AVAILABILITY: Mid October

H)     “SUMMARY EXECUTION!”

Even in the last dying days of Hitler’s Third Reich the Fuhrer could still reach out and punish those who offended him...

WS328      “The Death of Fegelein” 

           Hermann Fegelein’s rise to the higher echelons of the Third Reich was just as spectacular as his fall.

A skilled and proficient horseman he joined the SS in 1933 and rose rapidly through the ranks.  By the beginning of WW2 he commanded the SS Totenkopf’s Cavalry Regiment first in Poland in 1939 before the French Campaign in 1940.

           In April 1943 he was promoted to command the entire SS Cavalry Division, “Florian Geyer” before moving on, once more, to Hilter’s Headquarters Staff in Berlin as Himmler’s personal liaison officer during 1944.

            His marriage in June 1944 to Eva Braun’s sister Gretl further solidified his position close to the Fuhrer. Fegelein actively cultivated a kind of friendship with Martin Bormann.

            By April 1945 Germany was on the brink of defeat and Fegelein decided to ‘desert the sinking ship’. Unfortunately for him he was caught at a mistress’s apartment in Berlin and dragged back drunk ‘ to face the music’.  Found guilty by a summary court martial he was taken into the bomb shattered remains of the Reich Chancellery ... and shot!

            Our little 3-figure set illustrates the disheveled, still drunk Fegelein slumped in a chair and clutching a bottle of champagne about to be dispatched by an SD officer and a Waffen SS soldier of the 33^rd “Charlemagne” Division.

AVAILABLE : Mid October

I)    “ON THE STREETS OF OLD HONG KONG”

   HK256     “The TAI PAN’S House”

This traditional walled and gated entrance can still be seen in some of Hong Kong’s outlying islands and remoter parts of the New Territories.  There are also many fine examples in China itself and other parts of South East Asia where there are large Chinese communities.

A great centre piece and an excellent backdrop for all kinds of scenes.

HK260       “The Fish Seller Set”

A colourful second-painted version of this highly popular set.

AVAILABLE : Mid-Late October

J)    “TORA! TORA!TORA!”

Following on from the success of our Pearl Harbor Mitsubishi A6M “Zeroes” we decided to add on another great Japanese warplane that played a major role in the events of December 7, 1941.

JN042    The Aichi D3A1 “VAL”

     The AICHI D3A1 “Val” was Japan’s principal dive bomber of WW2.  Used exclusively by the Imperial Japanese Navy it took part in virtually every major IJN operation during WW2 including, of course, the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Our model is in the markings of a “Val” that flew off the aircraft carrier “AKAGI” on the morning of the Pearl Harbor attack.

Note: Just 250 of this aircraft are being released.

AVAILABLE : Mid-Late October

2.   BEING RETIRED THIS MONTH ...

Not too many this month ... just 4 x American Paratroopers – Check them out!

DD212	The "Scout"
DD213	Kneeling Ready
DD214	Kneeling Firing Carbine
DD216	Cautiously Advancing

     And that, fellow collectors is the story so far ...

     Best wishes to one and all and ... Happy Collecting!

Andy C. Neilson

 Co-founder & Creative Director

King & Country