Sideshow Battle of Crete: German Paratrooper PREVIEW

On the morning of May 20, 1941, World War II was well underway, threatening innumerable lives as Hitler's Third Reich invaded country after country. As Greek and Allied troops defended the isle of Crete, Nazi Germany launched a massive airborne paratrooper assault on the island. Unprepared for such an invasion, the Allied commanders lost control of the their main airfield, and German troops flooded the island in an ongoing battle that would last for ten days, ultimately ending in the loss of Crete to German forces despite staggering losses in their own ranks.

In the end, the Battle of Crete would be marked a failure by both sides. The great number of casualties to the Germans was considered too great to risk another large-scale airborne attack, and the Allied forces would count the island among the fallen territories. Even so, the Allies' admiration for Germany's planning and execution of the airborne trooper invasion lead to significant advancements in their own paratrooper divisions. As World War II waged on, the lessons of Crete would resonate with both Germany and the Allied forces.

This is Sideshow Collectibles "The Battle of Crete: German Paratrooper" Premium Format figure. It is a 1:4 scale museum quality piece, celebrating the determination and spirit of the soldiers of the Second World War. Each piece is individually painted and finished to exacting standards with its own unique quality and detail, the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. Dressed in an incredibly detailed reproduction of the original uniform and standing over 21 inches high, the Battle of Crete: German Paratrooper Premium Format Figure is an outstanding addition to any display, a true tribute to the heroes of World War II.

This is what irks me - the Price: US $324.99!!! Other than its bigger size format (this is the 1:4 or quarter scale version) with fabric uniform and special customized base, this figure could easily be kitbashed by any 1:6 military collector for way less than two-thirds of the price and still come out looking GREAT. What's more, in 1:6 scale, you also get full poseability and range of movements. I can never understand the value of these stone-cold immovable unmoving statures :( but that's just me