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NEWS
DML's New Commonwealth Figures
jimbrae
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 12,927 posts
Armorama: 9,486 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 10:09 PM UTC
In a tiny thumbnail image on the back of Dragon Model's 2009 catalogue, there was the tantalizing indication that another Commonwealth figure set was on the way. Here it is with a REAL surprise!
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RedwingNev
Joined: February 07, 2004
KitMaker: 911 posts
Armorama: 348 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 10:29 PM UTC
That looks like a terrific set Jim - and a somewhat revolutionary concept with the heads, almost forcing modellers to buy multiple sets!
And to think, I was mocked (by you no less Jim!) when I asked for some Indian infantry a few years back in one of those "what would you like to see" threads
And to think, I was mocked (by you no less Jim!) when I asked for some Indian infantry a few years back in one of those "what would you like to see" threads
jimbrae
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 12,927 posts
Armorama: 9,486 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 10:33 PM UTC
Quoted Text
And to think, I was mocked (by you no less Jim!) when I asked for some Indian infantry a few years back in one of those "what would you like to see" threads
LMAO! This, IMO, is the only economically sensible way of covering what are seen as 'minority' subjects. An Indian Army set probably wouldn't sell well - however give multiple head options and it's a totally different ballgame...
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 10:48 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Oh, and even though its a predominantly Commonwealth set - there isn't a mug of tea in sight - another 'bonus'!
A misguided ommission I feel given that British Army slang for tea- Char, is an Indian word. However Resicast include tin mugs in resin with some of their figures and Graham maybe be persuaded to sell them in sets of 4 to complement this set.
Drader
Joined: July 20, 2004
KitMaker: 3,791 posts
Armorama: 2,798 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 11:04 PM UTC
And they should also cover early war British too it would appear (fingers crossed until we get to see them in the round). Or for that matter Tunisia Definite need for tea mugs, specially since Tamiya's attempts are pathetic things.....
Wonder what the SMLEs are like compared to the 8th Army one?
David
Definite need for tea mugs, specially since Tamiya's attempts are pathetic things.....Wonder what the SMLEs are like compared to the 8th Army one?
David
Tarok
Joined: July 28, 2004
KitMaker: 10,889 posts
Armorama: 3,245 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2009 - 11:04 PM UTC
This really is terrific news, and I hope DML go this route on other figure sets as well.
Not static so much as stiff. I think to a certain extent this has to do with the seeming inability to translate the movement of the CAD drawings and box-art to the final plastic product.
Great news though, thanks Jim.
Rudi
Quoted Text
frequently their figures have been criticised for being a little static
Not static so much as stiff. I think to a certain extent this has to do with the seeming inability to translate the movement of the CAD drawings and box-art to the final plastic product.
Great news though, thanks Jim.
Rudi
Halaci
Joined: October 05, 2005
KitMaker: 223 posts
Armorama: 215 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 12:39 AM UTC
Really great news, this will be definitely a must have set.
bizzychicken
Joined: September 06, 2008
KitMaker: 967 posts
Armorama: 842 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 02:04 AM UTC
What a great Idea , a couple of different heads and you get 3 unique differant units in one box. This could be just as easy to do with alot of German sets , you could have a extra set of PE with Heer and Waffen SS belt buckel and eagals and maybe 2 sets of camo helments again heer and Waffen SS . Again 2 different types of troups with very little extra cost to add to the Box Set. Another 1st and great idea from Dragon. Great news . Thanks Geraint 
AlanL
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 06:04 AM UTC
Delighted to see these, the multipale heads got raised when the news first broke and is a grand idea. Given the order of dress they should fit a number of loactions.
Lets hope they follow it up with an Officer, NOC with a Thompson,radio operator and 2in mortar team lol, lol.
Am I correct in thinking that bings the total number of Brirish/Commonwealth sets to 5?
Another one for the list.
Al
Lets hope they follow it up with an Officer, NOC with a Thompson,radio operator and 2in mortar team lol, lol.
Am I correct in thinking that bings the total number of Brirish/Commonwealth sets to 5?
Another one for the list.
Al
Drader
Joined: July 20, 2004
KitMaker: 3,791 posts
Armorama: 2,798 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 06:16 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Am I correct in thinking that bings the total number of Brirish/Commonwealth sets to 5?
Al
Hello Al for the first time in a while.
IIRC the count now stands at:
1/ Commonwealth (but really Canadian
) Infantry 1944-452/ Red Devils at Arnhem (bought a set for the PIAT)
3/ Normandy Infantry
4/ 8th Army
and now these making 5.
David
Martinnnn
Joined: April 26, 2004
KitMaker: 5,435 posts
Armorama: 2,762 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 06:39 AM UTC
Hm....loggin'into Armorama....reading this news message first...watching the images...great start of my evening!
Very pleased to see this set and the options it gives. Nice job Dragon!
Martin
Very pleased to see this set and the options it gives. Nice job Dragon!
Martin
sparky
Joined: December 26, 2004
KitMaker: 128 posts
Armorama: 105 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 06:51 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextAm I correct in thinking that bings the total number of Brirish/Commonwealth sets to 5?
Al
Hello Al for the first time in a while.
IIRC the count now stands at:
1/ Commonwealth (but really Canadian
2/ Red Devils at Arnhem (bought a set for the PIAT)
3/ Normandy Infantry
4/ 8th Army
and now these making 5.
David
I think there's 2 more sets that Dragon produced;
can't remember the part#'s
Commonwealth Troops in Italy
SAS troops
AlanL
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 08:38 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextAm I correct in thinking that bings the total number of Brirish/Commonwealth sets to 5?
Al
Hello Al for the first time in a while.
IIRC the count now stands at:
1/ Commonwealth (but really Canadian
2/ Red Devils at Arnhem (bought a set for the PIAT)
3/ Normandy Infantry
4/ 8th Army
and now these making 5.
David
Hi David,
Yip, been a while since we spoke, hope all is well. I had forgotten about the Paras I was just thinking Standard Infantry.
1, The Old Commonwealth Infantry Set
2. The Normandy Set
3. The 8th Army
4. The Commonwealth Infantry in Italy
5. This new set of Casino Infantry
There are 2 set of paras I think
The SAS guys and the Paras with the PIAT, so 7 sets in all.
Not many in the scheme of things but much better than a couple of year ago, so lets hope they continue in this vein.
Things are looking up for the Allies all around
No sign yet of any tank crews!Cheers
Al
Straniero
Joined: December 20, 2008
KitMaker: 130 posts
Armorama: 127 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:18 AM UTC
This is a great idea by Dragon.
Can't help wondering if I can fashion a 'bearer to the concert-party' with one of these heads... all I need to go with that is a moustachioed sarge with a beet-red face in jungle greens
Can't help wondering if I can fashion a 'bearer to the concert-party' with one of these heads... all I need to go with that is a moustachioed sarge with a beet-red face in jungle greens
Heatseeker64
Joined: October 05, 2008
KitMaker: 307 posts
Armorama: 305 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:56 AM UTC
The Gurkha head and kukri are a nice sentiment, but these bloke were physically MUCH smaller than any other Commonwealth troops, so in practice you can pretty much forget modelling a Gurkha.
In my opinion, the "action" pose with the kukri is also quite corny ... in reality the kukri was a utility tool used like an axe to gather fire wood, and pictures of the fearsome charges with them drawn are propoganda set ups (I mean, why go swinging a short blade when you have 10 rounds of .303, or a Tommy of Bren gun at your disposal?.
All that said, many of those Sikhs and Punjahbis were big blokes, so the inclusion of the Indian heads makes for something different, and what would have to be a first in injection moulded 1/35 figures!
In my opinion, the "action" pose with the kukri is also quite corny ... in reality the kukri was a utility tool used like an axe to gather fire wood, and pictures of the fearsome charges with them drawn are propoganda set ups (I mean, why go swinging a short blade when you have 10 rounds of .303, or a Tommy of Bren gun at your disposal?.
All that said, many of those Sikhs and Punjahbis were big blokes, so the inclusion of the Indian heads makes for something different, and what would have to be a first in injection moulded 1/35 figures!
goldnova72
Joined: February 21, 2009
KitMaker: 627 posts
Armorama: 592 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 12:55 PM UTC
Didn't the Germans have some Indians in one of their SS Legions ? ?? I do remember an Indian figure in an old Italeri set ( late 70s ) . All seated figures and real chunky. A waste of $. These will be on my wish list for sure. 
jjumbo
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 04:01 PM UTC
Nice looking set !!
Hopefully Dragon will follow them up with additional figure kits that include multiple head sets.
How about some Commonwealth guys wearing Tam O'shanters or GS caps ??
Cheers all
jjumbo
Hopefully Dragon will follow them up with additional figure kits that include multiple head sets.
How about some Commonwealth guys wearing Tam O'shanters or GS caps ??
Cheers all
jjumbo
Dilips
Joined: April 01, 2008
KitMaker: 72 posts
Armorama: 40 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 07:22 PM UTC
One project I would like to see DML make are Indian troops of the german Free Indian Legion. They wore german tropical uniforms but served in Europe. If you combine the DML Indian heads with DAK bodies you could have such troops. The Legion also had a very distinctive armshield with a leaping tiger which can be made in photoetched. verlinden has a set of 2 such troops as resin figures. One very nice project DML could make are Indian troops in ss uniforms- during the last months of the war the 2,000 strong legion was transfered from the wehrmacht to the ss, before being finally disbanded.Their collar patch was a tiger head.
Using gurkha heads on bodies used for sikh Indians and poles may not be accurate. The Gurkhas, though feared warriors are noted for being of short stature. I notice one kukhri knife. But are there three other kukhri knives in case a modeler wants to make a set of 4 gurkhas?
Using gurkha heads on bodies used for sikh Indians and poles may not be accurate. The Gurkhas, though feared warriors are noted for being of short stature. I notice one kukhri knife. But are there three other kukhri knives in case a modeler wants to make a set of 4 gurkhas?
jimbrae
Joined: April 23, 2003
KitMaker: 12,927 posts
Armorama: 9,486 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 10:59 PM UTC
The Report has been updated with Higher-Resolution images which were provided by DML
Jamesite
Joined: December 05, 2006
KitMaker: 2,208 posts
Armorama: 2,152 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:08 PM UTC
Yes Yes Yes and YES!
This set is good in so many respects, the multiple head thing is great, and a feature we will all encourage in any figure sets in the future, but regardless of this is the poses, which are unprecidented in styrene for commonwealth figures (I think the best at the minute is the suggestion of perring around a corner!) particularly the figure firing his rifle!
This is a must purchase for me, the only way it could get any better would be to have some Gen2 weapon and equipment spruces in there!
Top marks Dragon, keep them coming now!
James
This set is good in so many respects, the multiple head thing is great, and a feature we will all encourage in any figure sets in the future, but regardless of this is the poses, which are unprecidented in styrene for commonwealth figures (I think the best at the minute is the suggestion of perring around a corner!) particularly the figure firing his rifle!
This is a must purchase for me, the only way it could get any better would be to have some Gen2 weapon and equipment spruces in there!
Top marks Dragon, keep them coming now!
James
youngc
Joined: June 05, 2007
KitMaker: 2,166 posts
Armorama: 1,080 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:52 PM UTC
Quoted Text
The Gurkha head and kukri are a nice sentiment, but these bloke were physically MUCH smaller than any other Commonwealth troops, so in practice you can pretty much forget modelling a Gurkha.
In my opinion, the "action" pose with the kukri is also quite corny ... in reality the kukri was a utility tool used like an axe to gather fire wood, and pictures of the fearsome charges with them drawn are propoganda set ups (I mean, why go swinging a short blade when you have 10 rounds of .303, or a Tommy of Bren gun at your disposal?.
All that said, many of those Sikhs and Punjahbis were big blokes, so the inclusion of the Indian heads makes for something different, and what would have to be a first in injection moulded 1/35 figures!
Those are some really good points there Mick.
I agree with you re: the kukris. I've seen a number of documentaries and read books about the Gurkhas in the Pacific. From these, I can tell you that kukris were put to much better effect in the Pacific campaigns. These documentaries include the usual propaganda, but eye-witness accounts confirm the ambush qualities of the kukris (and the silent gurkhas who wielded them). The Gurkhas was masters at setting elaborate traps and their preferred killing method was an upper thrust, causing the enemy to double up, then decapitating. Nice...
Based on my research, I personally believe the Gurkhas' legendary kukri fighting technique was best proven in the Pacific. However, I am open to corrections as my knowledge of the Gurkha involvement at Cassino is not as great.
Chas
thomokiwi
Joined: January 11, 2006
KitMaker: 438 posts
Armorama: 359 posts
Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 - 08:53 PM UTC
What a simply awesome idea and executed so well. Hope there are many more to come
Dangeroo
#023
Joined: March 13, 2009
KitMaker: 2,058 posts
Armorama: 1,656 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2009 - 07:46 PM UTC
Next up some australian heads with slouch hats? 
padawan_82
Joined: December 10, 2008
KitMaker: 817 posts
Armorama: 555 posts
Posted: Saturday, March 21, 2009 - 03:14 PM UTC
great to see this set it really opens the door to more dio possibilities to different theaters of the conflict, now if dragon did this in more of their sets they'd really own the market. i mean what's next a set of american g.i.'s with different ethnicities in i.e. latin-american italian-american, a native-american, (windtalkers in the PTO) etc... that would be something to see coz we all know that america's army is very multi-cultural and the same goes for the Russians siberians, cossacks ukranians, asian mongols.... the possibilites are endless. the only gripe i have is when are we going to see some commonwealth figures in Gen 2 (like the american, german, and russian figures)
Drader
Joined: July 20, 2004
KitMaker: 3,791 posts
Armorama: 2,798 posts
Posted: Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 07:34 AM UTC
Hobby Search are suggesting a May release for the set....
David
David
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