Every so often, I enjoy a computer game called Company of Heroes, particularly its multiplayer mode, where I can play with and against fellow armchair warriors from across the globe. I’m especially keen on the progress of its sequel, Company of Heroes 2: The Motherland, which promises even more carnage taken straight out of the pages of the Eastern Front during World War II. Recently, the developers posted an update to the game, which shows off some of the multiplayer gameplay and what you can likely expect in this eagerly awaited sequel. Enjoy!
Shout Outs
MotoGP: Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas
For 2013, the US will host no less than three MotoGP races out of the eighteen run. Two tracks are familiar to race fans – one located at Laguna Seca, California while the other resides in Indianapolis. The third is a newcomer, and promises to be one of the more eventful races in the MotoGP circuit. As MotoGP.com describes it:
The Grand Prix of the Americas is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the U.S. near Austin, Texas, with a 5.513km track and a capacity for 120,000 fans. Construction of the impressive 1000-acre facility was completed late in 2012, with MotoGP lining up at the track for the first time in 2013.
One of its more distinctive features is near 41m-elevation change with an impressive incline at the end of the home-straight followed by a sharp left. The circuit is one of the most varied on the GP circuit, with a mix of fast straights and tight hairpins, with most sections mirroring at least some part of a famous track around the world.
It was designed by well-known German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke. The driving direction is counter clockwise and has a total of 20 corners with 9 right turns and 11 left turns.
Scheduled to run on April 21st, the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas is the second race of the season and will no doubt garner lots of attention from the media, race fans and bike makers alike.
Hobby Master Jams the Air Waves
With scant days to go before Santa shimmies down the chimney, we seem to be beset by an avalanche of new product all vying to make it under the Christmas tree. Word from Hobby Master is that their December bevy of products is now en route to us and should be rolling in early next week. Among the new favorites is this 1:72 scale replica of a F-4G Wild Weasel Phantom, the first of its kind for Hobby Master (HA1980). A pair of F-101 Voodoos are also expected, as are an eclectic mix of other military aircraft and vehicles.
The Elves Pound Out Panzerstahl
With just a couple of weeks to spare, we’ve learned that our shipment of limited edition Panzerstahl vehicles are finally meandering down the logistical trail and headed our way. Four products make up the Panzerstahl platoon, including an E-100 FLaK gun, Lowe super heavy tank, PzKpfw I with 7.5cm Pak 40 Anti-Tank Gun, and a Flakpanther Ausf. D anti-aircraft gun (PS89001-PS89004). To reiterate, each of these vehicles come mounted on a handsome wooden display plinth, are nestled in an attractive metal tin complete with number collector card, and, best of all, are made in very limited numbers, hence the whole limited edition spiel. Enjoy!
The Army Plays “Hide-and-Seek”
According to reports surfacing around the web, the US Army has perfected a technique to hide their soldiers using the latest form of “active camouflage”. Better known as “optic camouflage”, Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp, a Canadian company known for its innovative camo technology, is attempting to revolutionize the battlefield by providing true invisibility for soldiers. The special material being used is know as Quantum Stealth. The pictures posted on the company’s website of the fabric, which apparently bends light to create the effect, look as though they are straight out of a Harry Potter movie. Purportedly, the technology can be used for vehicles as well as foot soldiers, thereby making entire formations invisible to the human eye under optimum conditions.
The Army Plays "Hide-and-Seek"
According to reports surfacing around the web, the US Army has perfected a technique to hide their soldiers using the latest form of “active camouflage”. Better known as “optic camouflage”, Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp, a Canadian company known for its innovative camo technology, is attempting to revolutionize the battlefield by providing true invisibility for soldiers. The special material being used is know as Quantum Stealth. The pictures posted on the company’s website of the fabric, which apparently bends light to create the effect, look as though they are straight out of a Harry Potter movie. Purportedly, the technology can be used for vehicles as well as foot soldiers, thereby making entire formations invisible to the human eye under optimum conditions.
2013: What's Ahead for The Motor Pool
Admittedly, we would have loved to have launched our Amazon.com affiliate store in time for the holidays but there were certain mitigating factors that prevented us from doing so. That said, we’re proud to announce that our third satellite store, which will appear on Amazon.com, should be ready to go live in the first quarter of 2013. With its launch, we will also be implementing a stock balancing software solution that is designed to maintain our in-stock position across all retail channels. We’ll make an announcement when everything is set to go live in a few weeks time.
We also plan to expand in several new directions, which are aimed at attracting and keeping an even wider audience all the while keeping a careful eye on our core product portfolio. Again, look for signs of these new initiatives towards the beginning of 2013.
2013: What’s Ahead for The Motor Pool
Admittedly, we would have loved to have launched our Amazon.com affiliate store in time for the holidays but there were certain mitigating factors that prevented us from doing so. That said, we’re proud to announce that our third satellite store, which will appear on Amazon.com, should be ready to go live in the first quarter of 2013. With its launch, we will also be implementing a stock balancing software solution that is designed to maintain our in-stock position across all retail channels. We’ll make an announcement when everything is set to go live in a few weeks time.
We also plan to expand in several new directions, which are aimed at attracting and keeping an even wider audience all the while keeping a careful eye on our core product portfolio. Again, look for signs of these new initiatives towards the beginning of 2013.
2013: The Year Ahead
With diecast manufacturers stymied by global economic events, its becoming increasingly clear that successful manufacturers are going to have to think ‘outside-of-the-box’ if they want to remain a step ahead of the competition. Producing the same old, same old at ever higher prices in liveries few diehard collectors care about doesn’t provide a road map to success going forward, and, if anything, cripples ingenuity and imagination while adding barriers to the entry of new blood into the hobby. Success is going to require the usual suspects to take chances here on out, by replicating weapons systems that haven’t been addressed and doing so in a timely manner.
So what aircraft types are we referring to? How about a Bear, Badger or Bison Soviet Cold War-era bomber for starters, or any of the myriad of Japanese twin-engined bombers that took to the skies during WWII. Likewise, there’s loads of Russian, British, and French bombers that have been languishing in diecast heaven for far too long, all just waiting to be replicated for the diecast collector.
On the ground, we could point to at least twelve different tanks that wargamers would love to wrap their mitts around, such as an Italian Semovente, British Conqueror, Israeli Shot Meteor and Merkava. Artillery pieces have largely been ignored by most manufacturers, leaving the door wide open for a savvy, well financed model maker to set the world afire. C’mon guys, its time to put the “pedal-to-the-metal’ and get moving once again before the average collector moseys on to greener pastures.
Dragon Continues to Show More Armor…But Where Are They?
Sometimes, we’re left scratching our heads. Case in point, Dragon. The Company continues to debut more and more new pre-assembled replicas on their web sites, such as this 88mm FLaK gun, but with every new product announcement the actual product pipeline seems to be growing drier and drier. Its been almost a year since their Sherman ‘Easy Eight’ medium tank (DRA60555) was shown, yet we still have no firm release date for this item. Likewise, there’s several Panzer IIIs, Ka-Mi amphibious tanks, 88mm FLaK guns, and other hotly anticipated new items that seem to have never made it off the drawing board leaving collectors and dealers in a lurch.
Frankly, we’re not certain as to why any diecast manufacturer would continue to announce new items when so many are still on the back burner. This observation isn’t designed to point the finger at any one particular manufacturer that routinely seems to adopt this strategy, since several companies are guilty of this disturbing trend. In the end, however, it sours the consumer leaving them wondering why a manufacturer would, in effect, turn a blind eye to their collector base when more and more competitors appear to be nipping at their heels.