New Product Review - History...still Horrible, but for How Long?

These were supposed to have been published in time for the August launch of the 2nd tranche of sets and figures for this promising series. Sadly, although I got some photographs done as soon as I got them, they had missed the deadline and real life then took me away from Blogger as some of you may have noticed!

Also they didn't send me all of the new sets, did send me some of the old sets and the 2nd series blind bags weren't ready...although they had been announced as prizes in the HH magazine, so I don't know what happened there? They still don't seem to be out now, and with the magazine not sending out the 'free' gold-finished Blackbeard prize either, I feel that although 'promising' the range is already running out of steam? eMails from the fan-site have also dried-up and the last 'newflash' is dated March.

The two new 'battle pack' sets are Mummy for the Egyptians and Gladiator for the Romans. The Horus illustrated above is from the first tranche 'special pack', still missing from these posts is a decent shot of the Centurion, Anubis and Legate. Both of the new figures are also available (in pairs) as painted figures in the Battle Arena - the biggest set so far. In the battle packs the Gladiator is silver and the Mummy glows in the dark.

Some scale comparisons, with top; Crescent and Cherilea Roman soldiers, middle; a Thomas 'Trojan' and an unknown (by me) European (?) figure and bottom; various other sizes of figure.

When you open the large Arena set, you are met by some of the larger pieces and the main figures mounted on a blue box...there are also two card play-mats and a sheet of stickers, but the blue box reveals...

A bag stuffed with other loot, collapsing Romanesque and Egyptian lotus-columns, more pigs to throw about, a market stall, exploding fronts to the two national stands...

The play value here is great for kids, but I know you want the figures and sadly they are well overdue, have slowed to a trickle and there is no news on the websites, there is a carry-case which might be of use when the youngsters have army-built to the n'th degree, but like 'extra-troop' top-ups and 'other stuff' announced; it has yet to materialise.

The Entertainer in Newbury had two sets (one Battle, one Special) a single Arena and the dregs of a blind-bag box last time I was there, and I had the following conversation with a lady in Fleet Toys the other day...

Do you have the Horrible Histories sets?

Err...no

Will you be getting them?

Unlikely

Well, thanks

I never got fully through the door!

I know I could (in a perfect world) have done a little more to promote this range, but I fear the promoters haven't done enough, given it had a New Toy award at Excel last January. My advise is get then if you see them, they may not be around as long as I thought they would?