Haven't had time to update this in a while... Lots of stuff shipping/surfacing.
First, word is Toys R Us just got a shipment of unexpected repainted World War 2 figures from BBI. All 4 of the original infantry and the non-jump paratrooper got repainted with unit insignias on the helmets and other deco changes.
-BAR Gunner
-Rifleman
-"Officer" (in D-Day landing vest)
-U.S. Paratrooper Rifleman
BBI's figures are among the best sculpted so that's a nice surprise. Some variety to the ranks never hurts and all the BBI guys sit really well.
21st Century's first King Tiger/Tiger 2 Tanks have surfaced though it's sporadic and online sales only. $100 pricetag is going to keep a lot of folks from buying. People are actually moving towards some of the 1:16 scale RC tanks out there, as for $70-ish you can get a pretty outstanding RC tank that's compatible with the figures. Usually they have sounds, many features (beyond RC movement) and just are really nice, plus they're upgradeable.
TRU's been getting lots of 21st's planes in. Not my cup of tea generally as my ceiling is full already, but cool for plane guys.
21st's figures have been showing up in droves at WM and TRU both... I just recently saw the new Vietnam and DAK 2-packs. The DAK 2-pack is a huge deal to me and worth every penny. They fill out Raiders dioramas nicely but the Raiders figures really don't match well and are very generic (as they are in the movie). So I'm likely gonna keep them separate for the most part. Plus as Paul's mentioned elsewhere, the Raiders Germans are pre-DAK formation even, but that just helps cover their genericness a bit.
And speaking of Raiders, the truck and German 4WD (BMW/Mercedes) have flown off shelves, as has the german with motorcycle, and tons are showing up customized in the 1:18 military world... I've seen Western Front paintjobs, desert paintjobs, weathering, camo'ing, add-ons, etc. They are perfect fits in the 1:18 world really, especially for the low price.
Also the KotCS Russians are getting gobbled up for use as WW2 Russians. They're shorter than most XD, BBI, or FOV figures, but they're pretty great... No weapons, yet.
And lastly, the first sightings were reported of some figures from 21st that we got a glimpse of at Toy Fair. A U.S. Soldier w/.30 on a tri-pod is one such figure and that's VERY needed... He comes with pre-molded legs as well as poseable ones too, so he's perfect.
Also with him is a "sniper", though he simply has an M1, even with a bayonette on it, so he's hardly a sniper. Maybe just a good shot.
Still, a US Rifleman on the pegs is OUTSTANDING as they've been missing for months.
Some areas still have D-Day 2-packs as well... Mine is limited mostly to German 2-packs but I still find a US/German now and then and pick that one up. The German set is great though and you get at least one field cap with it which I've been giving to some of my cold weather Germans.
Along with the old and new 2-packs, and the new basic figures, are a couple other basic figures I forgot... A DAK German Artillery spotter with a shouting headsculpt is out, as well as two German infantry in basic wermacht green-grey uniforms. The one has a K-98, the other an MP44, though in true 21st fashion he has no ammo packs for the 44.
Most of the newest basic figures feature pre-posed arms AND legs with the poseable arms and legs. That's pretty outstanding and the pre-posed legs make for dandy artillery crewmen or ambush poses.
There's also a DAK MP-40 soldier as well, almost forgot him, so that's a good 6 or 8 DAK out right now I believe, and 3 or so Germans, and 2 or 3 Americans that can be found. Not bad at all.
And on top of alllllllll that, there is Vietnam stuff abounding. I'm not a Nam guy myself, I usually get one of every headsculpt, but there is the aforementioned 2-pack, a number of basic infantry at TRU and Wal-Mart stores, and then also there are the "Platoon" line of figures which have headsculpts for Willam DeFoe, Charlie Sheen, Johnny Depp, and Tom Berenger. Berenger's is the best likeness, the others range from so-so to decent I think, but the paintjobs don't do the characters or sculpts justice. If you're into the Nam though, now's the time to stock up on the green machine.
And that's about it...
Oh and Forces of Valor keeps restocking again and again at my Target stores, and selling out again and again. Great line... I saw, for the first time, the camo Sherman... THat's been out for months and months now and I've never seen it. Nor have i yet to see a Tiger.
I'm bummed as I'd like one due to the variation of the plates sculpted on. For $20 though, don't expect much.
And 21st's PAK-40 (camo), Quad-.50 Trailer, and a couple halftrack (Hanomags) variants are out at TRU.
Word is WM isn't going to carry 21st's planes, at least for a bit, due to their recent clearances of them. Their own fault for buying umpteen of the same plane, but you can't tell 21st or WM a thing it seems. They just both seem to feel they're doing the right thing all the time.
