DISPATCHES

March 2019

 

Hi Guys,

 

WELCOME to this month’s “DISPATCHES”.  As per usual there is a colorful and eclectic mix of widely different eras and historical subject matter to choose from and so we’ll begin with... WW2.

 

1.                  BEING RELEASED THIS MARCH...

A.                ‘A WINTER WARRIOR’

Most armies, given the choice, prefer NOT to fight their wars and battles in wintertime... It’s cold, miserable, damp and the daylight hours can be very short.

All that being said the decision where, and importantly, when armies ‘take to the field’ is usually left for their commanders to decide.

Two of the most uncomfortable locations to fight a winter battle or a campaign in was the Eastern Front between 1942 and 1945 and the Ardennes Forest in December 1944.

 

BBG118The Winter STUG

As many collectors know the Sturmgeschutz more commonly referred to as the StuG was Germany’s second most-produced armored fighting vehicle during World War 2.

Built on the chassis of the already-proven Panzer,  it replaced the Panzer turret with an armoured, fixed superstructure mounting a more powerful 7.5cm main gun.  This was originally intended as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire infantry support.  Later, the StuG adopted in addition another role, similar to that of the Jagdpanzer... tank destroyer!

As secondary armament the StuG mounted the tried and tested MG34 machine gun complete with protective shield.

Approximately 10,000 StuG’s of various types were built between 1942 and 1945 with the vast majority being supplied to the Wehrmacht.  Small numbers were however sold to Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain and Hungary.  A few even turned up in Syria and took part in the 1967 Arab / Israeli War.

This “winterized StuG has been given by its crew a ‘winter whitewash’ coat of camouflage and could be placed somewhere in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944... or perhaps on the Russian Front in the latter half of WW2.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Just 200 of this version are available and each one comes with a well-wrapped up vehicle commander scanning the horizon for any enemy activity.

AVAILABLE: Early March

 

B.                 “ROMANS & BARBARIANS”

Five releases, seven figures make up this latest issue of Rome’s enemies, both ‘captured’ and ‘fighting’...

 

RnB020 “The Centurion & His Prisoner

This Centurion, sword in hand, is taking no chances with this captured Celtic warrior.  Although trussed up in a heavy wooden stock some prisoners are capable of anything even when ‘locked-up’ in this manner.

RnB022 “Kneel & Obey

A kneeling Gallic prisoner is told to pay attention and watch the fate of other Roman captives as they are being punished.

RnB034 “The Galloping Gaul

Spear held aloft and ready to be thrown at the hated Roman invaders this mounted Gaul is not impressed by the might of Rome.

RnB037 “Charging Gaul

Totally unafraid this Gaul charges towards the enemy.

RnB039 “Shouting Celt

Sword in one hand, shield in the other, this red-haired Celt screams defiance at the enemy.

 

Add these latest Romans & Barbarian’s to our existing ones and you have the makings of a dangerous horde of ‘Enemies of Rome’.

AVAILABLE: Mid March

 

C.                “RETURN TO THE ALAMO”

SIX additional reinforcements for the beleaguered garrison still holding off Santa Anna’s army at the little mission in San Antonio, Texas.

 

RTA107 “Tennessee Woodsman

One of Davy Crockett’s backwoods volunteers who journeyed with him to Texas to join the fight for Texan independence.

RTA108 “James Murray Brown

This Pennsylvania native was born in 1800 and moved to Texas in 1835.  He took part in the siege of Bexar and became part of the Alamo garrison where he perished on the morning of March 6, 1836.

RTA110 “The Flagbearer

Micajah Autry, originally from North Carolina was born in 1793 and fought previously in the War of 1812.  A well-read and educated man he had been a farmer, teacher and a lawyer before enlisting in the ‘Volunteer Auxiliary Corps of Texas’ in early 1836 just in time to take part in the Alamo struggle.

Here he carries one of several flags that are said to have flown over the Alamo itself... This one was the Mexican tricolor complete with ‘1824’ sewn in black in the middle of the tricolor’s white strip.

Like all the other defenders he died on the morning of March 6.

RTA116 “Thomas R. Miller

Tom Millar was a member of the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers. Under the command of Lieut. George C. Kimble and Capt. Albert Martin, Millar and 30 other men successfully passed through Santa Anna’s besieging army and galloped into the Alamo on February 23, 1836 never to leave.

RTA117 “George Neggan of South Carolina

Another horseman of the Gonzales Ranging Company armed only with a pistol.

RTA120 “James C. Gwynne

Originally born in England he moved to Texas from Mississippi where he had been a farmer. At the Alamo he was a member of Capt. William Carey’s artillery company.  Here, however, he’s taken up his musket to fire at the attacking Mexican infantry.

AVAILABLE: Mid March

 

D.                “THE KING’S GERMANS”

For 13 years between 1803 and 1816, there was one major British Army unit that primarily consisted of German expatriates... The King’s German Legion.

Under overall British command the Legion earned the unique distinction of being the only German military force to fight without interruption against the French during the Napoleonic Wars!

After the occupation of Hanover by Napoleon’s troops in 1803 many former Hanoverian officers and soldiers fled to Britain where George King of Great Britain was also Elector of Hanover.

The King sanctioned a volunteer corps of all arms infantry, artillery and cavalry to be raised and named them, ‘The King’s German Legion’.

Soon, it grew to a strength of 14,000 officers and men and played a vital role in Britain’s defeat of the French emperor.

Among the Legion’s most famous regiments were two Regiments of Light Dragoons.  Here, for the first time, are King & Country’s mounted tribute to these fine German horsemen.

 

NA427“KGL Dragoon w/Sabre Down

Based on a classic illustration of a mounted charging Dragoon of the Napoleonic era this figure looks about to engage an enemy infantryman or perhaps a gunner!

NA429“KGL Dragoon Advancing at the Gallup

Another Dragoon moving into the attack sabre at the ready.

NA430“KGL Dragoon Charge

You can almost hear the shout as this particular Dragoon charges forward to engage the opposition sabre held menacingly over his head.

NA431“KGL Dragoon Moving Forward

This Dragoon rests his sabre on his shoulder as he prepares to change from the gallup to the full charge.

AVAILABLE: Mid-Late March

SPECIAL NOTE:  THREE additional KGL Dragoons will also be released to join these first four.... Among them a Regimental Trumpeter.

 

E.                 ‘A LONG HUE AWAY...’

At least 150 years after the wars of Napoleon we move from the lush green fields Holland and Belgium to the rubble-strewn streets and shell-blasted buildings of Vietnam’s ancient Imperial city of HUE during the TET Offensive of 1968...

Here are some great-looking USMC reinforcements fighting their way into the old Imperial capital.

 

VN040 “The Scout

Cautiously edging forward this ‘Grunttakes a look at what is just around the corner...

VN043 “Hunkered-Down

Another Marine is also interested in seeing what’s just around the next corner.

VN044 “Wait

One hand stretched back to tell his buddies to halt this Marine is watching and waiting.

VN045 “Kneeling LAW Gunner

In the close-quarter fighting that took place all over HUE the M72 LAW (Light Anti Tank Weapon) proved invaluable at taking out enemy bunkers, buildings and machine gun ‘nests’... One shot... One kill!

VN050 “Vietnam War Dog

War dogs could be trained to sniff-out explosives or uncover hidden exits and entrances to underground bunkers and tunnels.  This Marine handler and his German Shepherd seem to be on the trail of something... or someone.

AVAILABLE: Mid-Late March

 

F.                 ‘STREETS OF OLD HONG KONG’

It’s been a while since we provided “Streets” collectors with an all-new façade so here’s one to fit the bill...

 

HK283 “Grain & Grocery Store

This three-level façade is typical of the kind of general food store that used to be found all over Hong Kong and other Chinese cities.

On display are various kinds of ‘smoked and cured meats’ as well as large display buckets of different types of rice... the main staple of many Asian diets.

HK286 “The Chinese Grocer

The perfect ‘companion piece’ for HK283, or indeed any of our traditional Chinese Shop / House facades.

Our grocer is dressed in the style of a late 19th Century, businessman... prosperous to show that he is successful but not ‘too prosperous’ to reveal that he might be charging too much for his goods and services!!!

And those fellow collectors are our March releases except...  To show you the items being retired.

 

2.                  BEING RETIRED...

HK241   New Village gateway

MK112  Take That!

MK113  Wounded

SP042   Oil Drums

TGE001  The Great Escapers

TP002   The Opel ‘BLITZ’ Truck

 

Many thanks for reading I hope there’s something that might interest you and, if not there’s always April...

 

All the best and happy collecting!

 

Andy C. Neilson

Co-founder & Creative Director

King & Country Ltd.