Excellently stated Robert.

I think some people were just born to whine, piss and moan about everything. I certainly happy I don't live with them.

Thanks JIm, for bringing the NEWS every day, and hope you continue to do it in your usual excellent way.

Hi,
This may have been said before. The Germans used landmines in large numbers as hand-held tank destroyer weapons. This went along with their doctrine of using anything to fight the enemy.

Chris- make mine a Tellermine

Did the Tellermine have a magnetic base?

As far as I know it did not have a magnetic base. It was not a thing that was stuck on the side of a tank by a brave german it was also not thrown at a tank... it was just dug in on a place of which it was possible a tank or other vehicle would pass by.

Some info about the Tellermine
http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=267

This is so silly! I really wish people would stop having a go at those who want to critisce something, many a time ive read posts were people have complained about a kit they dont have in there hands, ive seen posts by allied modellers on ML saying how Academy have mucked things up on certain kits and that that is now good when they dont have a model is there hands, just a review pic or something. Well I and some other people here have said that the pose of these figures looks a bit crappy, yes I dont have the figures in my hand but I have a picture to go by and to be honest I think im perfectly entitled to say what I said about the pose, and too be honest its a picture of the mdoels built up so I cant see my opinion being iny different if I had them in my hand-yes the detail might be ok but the poses are boring and have been done a million times before. Its an uninspiring kit! I dont care that they are German!

Just becuase Dragon sent armorama the preview pics before anyone else doesnt mean we all have to suddenly love anything they produce, its just marketing hype on Dragons part and as modellers we are perfectly allowed to say if we dont like the look of something-we dont have to constantly suck up to DML. IN any case the point I was making here was not that they are German(we all know DML loves German so thats not an issue) I was merely saying the poses look old and boring and done before. No one got angry when everyone was syaing how Tamiya seemed to off lost the plot etc so i really see no problem with me and other saying this set of figures looks a bit poorly posed a slightly on the boring side-Dragon arent even going to listern to us so theres no need to worry that we are offending them or something. Equally we are not offending those who bring the news articles out, no one has ever said certain people on here are doing crappy work or wasting there time.

Please would everyone stop acting like children and just except that some people are going to like these figures and some arent, if you guys are all allowed to say how much you love them then whay the hell cant some of use say we dont like the look of them. Im really fed up with people getting on there high horse about things. Its just simple critiscm, whats the point in having a forum if all we are allowed to do is praise things, the idea of a disscusion forum is exactly that, to discuss things and to put forward your points of view-this isnt a police state!

Rob, as you well know, there are a group of people, who (for reasons best known to themselves) have to always repeat the same comments ad infinitum. Personally, I have NEVER considered you in that category - I may disagree with what you say (much of the time) but your comments are considered - I don't consider them irrelevant or take them personally.

I would HATE it if the Kitmaker Network become a 'rubber-stamp' for DML's products. However, like it or not, we must accept one thing, DML is giving us information, review samples, sponsorship and a number of other (less tangible) items which VERY few other manufacturers are. Ahh, I hear the cynical say, that comes with a price. Well, the truth is it doesn't. They get good coverage they advertise (paid for by them) and - more importantly:

THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON US TO GIVE MASSIVE RATINGS TO THE PRODUCTS WE REVIEW...

You get a review on a DML product here, it comes warts and all. You get a News Report, I try NOT to editorialize. However, when a report on a German Figure set becomes another 'Why can't we get more Allied Releses' it becomes tiresome in the extreme. Comments about the pose or subject of a set is fine - as long as it's constructive. No one deletes posts because they're OT, however, if people have a right to comment then others have a right to counter that - hardly indicative of a 'Police State'?

O.K., let me just speak personally for a moment. I'm proud of what i've acheived for the site with the News Section. It is, I suppose, human nature, when you spend hours searching for stories, getting hold of images, editing them into the correct format, posting them etc, to get angry at some of the CALCULATED imbecilities I have to swallow . Oh dear, did I just say that? Yes. There are one or two (no more than three) individuals on this site who are constantly looking for a 'reaction'. Unfortunately, in the past, i've reacted to them, now I simply won't....

Jim I completely understand what you are saying! The only reason I got annoyed was becuase I felt that this set did look rather inimaginative yet everyone seemed to take this as me saying ''oh more Germans''. I do agree that the constant complaints by allied modellers in boring and very tiresome-how come no one complains about Tristar, they have never done an allied set!

I just merealy felt that Dragon didnt really think about this set and they look about like something they ahve pumped out in a few minutes with now though being a bit creative-how about some dead SS figures? or 2 wounded guys being dragged or helped to safety, even some guys planting Telemines instead of holding them.

Once again I agree with what you have said and my comments were merely started becuase I was annoyed that it seemed I wasnt allowed to say this set was a little unimaginative. Anyway keep up the good work Jim! You have done a very good job over the years and its nice to see this site getting all the latest info before anyone else.

Not true Tristar make a WW2 Russian Tank crew

Hi Jim,

I don't know if I'm one of those you classify as "professionnal DML bashers", but I reed back the thread and found out that I was too much straightforward in my comment, and I apology.

I would'nt like to be considered as a someone who needs reactions. English is not my first language (I know I'm really not the only one, but) and sometimes it gets hard to write down exactly what I have in mind.

In fact I think pretty much like Rob Harvey. I really enjoy Armorama and his devoted staff. And I really enjoy German and DML releases too. In fact maybe 80% of what I build is German and most of it comes from DML. But I just found this particular release poor because of poses. I know they will be incredibly well casted and full of details but I find it unimaginative and seen a hundred times before, period. Yes maybe there's a little frustration here because I think they could have used the same sculpting time and effort they took for this German set to produce a little more ORIGINAL German set.

Last thing, it's funny to see how some people love to whine about people who love to whine.

Philippe

Philippe, rest assured, you were another whose comments were both constructive and coherent...

About poses -- I find that the casual poses we often see in injection 1/35 is a bit useless in general (Allied, Axis & modern both). Most people use injection at this and smaller scales as dio accessories rather than stand-alone displays, therefore those 'posed' figs are hardly useful. Sure, people do wanna build a HQ group or a cookhouse, too, but most would rather build battle scenes.

I needed VC and NVA figs for a Vietnam dio, and while DML's NVA Sappers are great, their VC are just standing about. So I obviously have to combine the two.

I like the 'useful' poses Tamiya has been doing with their 1/16 stuff lately.

Interesting thread.
I have never bought a figure set, where every figure in it suited my purpose or needs, regardless of manufacture or topic. If I can get one, or two from a set I'm happy, still works out cheaper than 4 resin/metal figures, or even 2 resin/metal figures, and in some cases even one resin or metal figure. The ones I don't use, eventually get used in another vignette or diorama. I can't even see a reason for getting upset that every pose isn't exactly what I want.

As I read the writing in the box containing the photos, it certainly appears to be more of an announcement of Hirano Yoshitaka joining the Dragon team, with a display of his work as examples of his excellent sculpting skills. Wouldn't it be interesting to find them being released as parts of different sets?

Hi everyone,
having read some of the comments it does appear that its not a case of more german subjects, but german subjects doing nothing in particular.How many sets can be produced of figures that seem to be unrelated to any specific task or action.I appreciate that Jim is giving us all news hot off the press regarding DMLs latest releases.For most of us this wets the appetite and gives us something to look forward to planning dios and vignettes etc.And if the subject is not what we expected perhaps maybe just maybe be that little bit disappointed enough to write in and have a moan.I think everyone realises that Jims not to blame or has any control over what the various manufacturers releases. Dont shoot the messenger guys

Kind Regards to all Phil

If any one has seen the WWII German training film Men Against Tanks? In this short film made in 1943 (I think) they show how to use a teller mine on a tank, along with the magnetic mine and explosive charges. On the plus side, there are great views of several type of T-34 76 models, and a KV 1.

Ola Guys

Next to the "Oh no not another Dragon kit." Stuff you always have to read with these things I really like the What a boring poses. Why not figures in action? Well again having been to a lecture of Mister Volstad the fact came out that the Sculptors of Dragon are not that brilliant in doing action poses... It is no problem at Volstads point as he is able to draw the action poses it is only that the Sculptors of Dragon are not able to translate it to a 3d figure.
Next to that Yes they are german and yes often there are smoking and standing, kneeling figures. But they do that in a far more convincing way then the Tamiya figures and even 75% of the Verlinden range.

Last but not least... When you open a book about WW2. Do you only read the text? and don't you look at pictures? I got a complete library about WW2, I got a great collection of original wartime pictures from personal albums. And I have a great archive of digital wartime pictures from albums... And they actually all show one thing...... War is 90% pretty dull. Sitting, standing, drinking coffee, smoking, Stroking the mascot dog/cat/rat/rooster/goat/whatever oh yeah a lot of pictures show pointing officers, soldiers, soldiers lying in foxoles, reading magazines, fraternizing with local women. writing the other women at home, reading the paper, taking a leak, Peeling potatoes, liberate stuff from houses in the area they are stationed.... oh and I can name a few other (1000 or so) things you are going to do when you have got absolutely nothing to do.
Oh yeah and the other 10 percent is fighting which is only done by a select few who are going to get their hands dirty.
Oh and to shut the mouths of everyone who disagrees with me on the above and the DML kits... this is not only the thing with the german army. It is the same with US Army, the Canadian Army, Volunteer armies even to the armies up till now... Knowing my niece and nephew who are now Stationed in Iraq they mailed me a couple of times telling me that it is quite boring where they are.

So yeah I guess you guys have to live with the idea that dragon is following an old rule in warfare.... 90% of waiting and doing whatever you want to do after you have cleaned your rifle and 10% action and even that by the small minority that a country sends away to battle.

I don't mind really as I like non fighting dio's because it is very hard to visualize an action scene in a realistic way.... And since I work a lot from pictures I end up with a lot of figures that are Sitting, standing, drinking coffee, smoking, Stroking the mascot dog/cat/rat/rooster/goat/whatever oh yeah a lot of pictures show pointing officers, soldiers, soldiers lying in foxoles, reading magazines, fraternizing with local women. writing the other women at home, reading the paper, taking a leak, Peeling potatoes, liberate stuff from houses in the area they are stationed....
And I'm pretty happy that Dragon is doing enough to supply my demand

With friendly greetz

Robert Blokker

Robert, so eloquently put, and so true. :-) :-)

I think the DML bashing comments were aimed at me... :-) . My observation was that the actual stance of the figures was unimaginative and not particularly versatile. The Gebirgsjager I will buy for the mortar team but as I've expressed an opinion on that thread I won't repeat myself here. Contrary to popular opinion I DO build German figures although I prefer British subjects. The last dio I completed was the Fall Of Berlin for the relevant campaign and funnily enough the majority of German figures used were DML. DML are arguably the best injection figures on the market however the poses leave a lot to be desired sometimes. That was my point. If some people chose to take that as a dig at DML they misunderstood my intention....