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Re: Afrika Korps!

There is the quite excellent Strelets Africa Korps Mortar set, but yes to more heavy weapons ,command , medics , artillery crews, TANK CREWS etc .

Re: Afrika Korps!

Hear Hear Alan!
Yes to all the above. It seems to me that Nappys and Woss have a stranglehold on Strelets right now.
Many people will no doubt throw up their hands in horror, but I have no interest in Woss and very little interest in Nappys at present.
As the old saw goes variety is the spice of life. I have over the years acquired almost Eras, including Nappys which is currently dormant!
Sadly, I'm getting older, 66 and hating it, and considerations of time, budget health etc limit to what I can do now. Also, I have no children or anyone else to leave it all to when I meet my maker so that will be the end of my Empire - currently over 45,000 figures - so it all seems a bit pointless at times.
Returning to childhood - who said second childhood?! I never finished my first!! The main thing that kept my interest going as I aged was the stream of new figures and kits from Airfix and later other manufacturers. so, every so often I would get into a new Ere, but my interest is predominantly WW2 so I'm always looking for new kits and models of the rarer items.
Enough to go on with, I look forward to seeing many other posts as a change from the above - I know I'm being sacrilgeous to some. But again variety is the spice of life, and we all have shared hobby interest!
Stay safe and best wishes to all!
Richard

Re: Afrika Korps!

"I'm getting older, 66 and hating it, and considerations of time, budget health etc limit to what I can do now"

Dear Richard,

never limit yourself to what you've got used to, there's always something else that you can do, especially with a week-end in sight:wink: :

Best regards,

Strelets

Re: Afrika Korps!

Forgot to add Africa Korps taking refreshments.....and this chap looks very deserty.

Re: Afrika Korps!

Richard,
Strelets will make all sorts of era's just like the German master posted in this thread. You asked and as if by magic...!!

As I have said, I have no problem whatsoever with other eras being catered for.

Im younger at 38, but I too have constraints on time, space and of course money. I focus on Napoleonics as this is my own personal favourite part of history. I would love to do a diorama for all the main battles of the period...but its just not achievable for me currently.
Thus likewise the same applies to other eras. I have dipped into the ACW from time to time, and when I was a kid/early teenager, I had lots of WW2 stuff, as this was what I could mostly buy in my local shops at the time. I loved it!!! I cant imagine how many troops, tanks, half tracks, aircraft and ships I had. It was certainly a lot!! My bedroom looked more like a showroom for all the different kits!!

I think what ended that interest in WW2 was school. My history exam years did a good job of turning a interesting period, into a mind numbingly dull experience. I still like watching the odd documentary or reading a book on it though.

Of course you are not being sacriligeous. We all have our favourites and are passionate about them. Its a good thing!!
Yeah we may make tongue in cheek comments about " curly wigs" or something, but deep down, we understand. I for one am happy others get served for their era so they too can enjoy the hobby. We need more people interested, not less. Otherwise eventually it will be a hobby that becomes part of history itself.
If some eras look like they get much more attention, I guess thats more to do with simple business of what maybe sells more. Its got to make a profit at the end of the day.

Either way, i hope you get some sets you really want to see.

Re: Afrika Korps!

Well, the Airfix Afrika Korps infantry set is reckoned by many to be the best 1/72 set of military figures ever produced. And there have been some good ones since, including the Caesar set which I have just purchased.

The Strelets Mortar set is really good, and I would not be averse to a similar set, say, for Afrika Korps artillery, combat engineers, or infantry, since at the 23mm standard that Strelets seen able to hold to these would be compatible with the Airfix figures (which I have a lot of).

But let's also be honest about this. The DAK (which after all was not exclusively German anyway) was primarily a mobile force, with largely Italian units holding the line, and the German Divisions operating around this base. If you want a balanced Axis army for North Afrika, what is needed is more Italians. There are plenty of German sets already.

Re: Afrika Korps!

Hi all
many thanks for the comments and kind thoughts. I was being tongue-in-cheek about being sacrilegeous! Maybe a side effect of the second Covid jab we had a few hours ago, perhaps it put me in the mood to be a little playful, bored, frustrated, wistful etc!!
Let's hope the red chap is for the AK! With a lot more comrades to follow.
Point taken about the AK being mobile but I still think there's a need for good infantry figures.
The Airfix type 2 AK was never a real favourite with and in some ways I still have a soft spot for the type 1 complete with Rommel.
As for other infantry sets as I said, I find them lacking in way or another. The Italeri DAK for example has some very good figures with machine gun but - nobody actually firing - weird or what?
I used to have some Atlantic AK, I'm not sure if I still have them, they were one of their better sets but there's a lack in all of them.
We all have our favourite periods etc, but it seems to be that more variety is needed, I will certainly consider more mediaevle sets for example though not so much ancients. The afore mentioned constraints apply but having said that as I tell everyone, including the wife, I'll slow down a bit but never completely stop collecting and sticking bits of plastic together.
Well, I confess with so much emphasis on Woss and Nappys I thought I'd set a cat - we have 5 and a dog - among the pigeons and see if I could get something fresh going!
By all means keep the feedback and ideas coming, the Forum always makes interesting reading.
Best wishes to all you good folks!
Richard

Re: Afrika Korps!

Africa Korps are always very welcome but so are the Italians and their colonial troops plus Vichy for the Levant. All the best to everyone

Re: Afrika Korps!

Hi again
all these posts have got me thinking. Perhaps our thoughts can get creative ideas and juices going?!
As for AK esp. Airfix type 2 I suspect some people have been looking at PSR. For myself the problems are men with shovels, likewise type 1 pick'n'shovel men, surrendering, lunging man with legs far apart, bayonetting, no machine gun No 2. Why do so many manufactureres feel it's necessary to have bayonetting poses? If I'm correct there wasn't much bayonetting in WW2! I'd love to see these shortcomings addressed!
Looking beyond AK reworking, I'll have another look at Italian forces. It reminded me that I have a couple of Waterloo 1815 Italian Support Groups - I'll have to see if I can get a couple more.
They have some of the rare, albeit useless Italian weapons - I see a flamethrower - yet the Italians had these.
So, why doesn't somebody, hint, hint, produce similar sets for the AK? Even with rare and unusual weapons!
The Waterloo sets are generally good, with cavalry etc, but again the shortcomings are for colonial sets. See EWM for Vichy troops and equipment if you like metal and your budget stretches to them!
Best regards to all as ever
Richard