I have no idea how this will go, but I have decided to start a blog covering my love of doing just that, and wargaming with the results. It will meander and lurch rather like me and may not last but hey, I'm 68 today so if I don't give a Blog a go soon it will be too late!

Currently I have a long, long list of projects, covering many periods but all held up by a desparate attempt to finish a book. The text is done, I am going through intergrating illustraion captions in their right place in the text. This, and finishing the line drawings themselves, has meant I put all my modelling projects on hold, which has been very frustrating.

However a forthcoming wargames weekend at my place has meant I have had to dig out old figures and terrain and check for damage etc, and the sceanrios have stirred longings to do some new figures. I had some Maquis figures converted and awaiting painting, and although one of the guys coming has some suitable figures I decided to paint mine too. Naughty but there are only 5 of them... except I then thought how great it would be to have some Milice (collaorationist para-military militia) and/or Group Mobile Reserve (GMR para-military police). Oh dear. Will I resist or will there be some collaborationist scum waiting to pounce on the gallant Resitance? Watch this space...

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One look at Alex Teo’s home reveals his passion for 1:6 scale action figures. So large is his collection that his home has taken on the vibe of a small museum. What turns a mild-mannered graphic designer into an action figure aficionado? Let’s ask him. Alex took some time to discuss just what’s behind his passion. 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a father of two teenage boys living in sunny Singapore and a graphic designer by profession. I run my own company and devote some of that time to blogging about my passion. Blogging about toys has opened up a whole new world to me, connecting me with many like-minded people across the globe and I've made many friends from blogging.

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There are enormous amounts of board games that make a quick splash onto the scene and then disappear quietly into the night, like an sulking beaver or any number of furry rodents. (I'll pause here for a brief moment of applause for that sweet metaphor. Thank you.) 

A true board game classic comes by only once in a decade or so and has to contain some great, creative element, that keeps it accessible and re-playable. Monopoly is a fantastic classic because it contains chance, franchise building and a world that affects all participants. Risk is a classic because it involves strategy, chance and action turns. These board games have become legend because of their high replay value, their accessibility to any generation, and their depth in strategy options mixed together with a healthy amount of chance and good luck. 

It takes a lot to become a great, certified classic board game these days. To most shoppers, the board game department has been looking mighty bleak for a dozen years now. With video games dominating the market and the attention of all spectrum's of the family, it's no surprise that board games have to work extra hard to earn any kind of play time. Especially when it comes to family time. However, where others have fallen, one game stands alone and proud, and that game is The Settlers of Catan.

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China seems to be part of many conversations in our industry, but did you ever wonder how that came to be? Well, wonder no more. Toy Town: How a Hong Kong Industry Played a Global Game by Sarah Monks, a new book commissioned by the Toy Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong  tells the inside story of how tiny Hong Kong became the world's number one toy exporter then went on to establish southern China as the global toy industry's production base.

Angela Gardner, one of the many contributors to the book, learned the toy industry from her father,  Frank, head of Plastic Manufacturing Corp (PMC). She was the first woman to sell on an international  level and went on to found her own company, Castlespring Enterprises in Hong Kong

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Board games are a universally loved pastime by many friends and families. Whether it be Monopoly, or Life, or Battleship -- they are great for rainy days spent inside or fun packed friday nights with friends. What many of us don't realize is that a fair number of these games have roots of times gone past --- serious roots. A great example of this link to the past can be found in the company Avalon Hill. Avalon Hill makes, and has been making, great strategy based role playing games for many years -- some as early as the late 1950's. The company Avalon Hill has changed hands a few times since then, but you can find their name and crest on a great many games.

These last few years, most role playing strategy games have mystical and fantasy elements of wizards and magic. However, did you know that in the 1950's and 1960's almost all of the strategy games were based on historical millitary battles? They are fantastic antique relics of what was popular among kids and game enthusiasts of the time. Just look at some of these pictures:

The detail that went into the elements of gameplay and historical accuracy are amazing. A great number of them were called Bookcase games, as they were meant to sit upright on a shelf in a collection. We just love that. Everytime we come across vintage games they spark our interest. At Radar Toys we are not dedicated players of strategy board games, but we respect the history these games contain and represent. All of the games we currently have for sale are for the lowest prices you will find. We leave the games undocumented as complete and try to pass on the lowest because of that fact. Our hopes are always to get these vintage games into the collections of individuals who appreciate and enjoy them the most. If you are interested in history --- millitary or strategy game --- take a look at these cool, vintage warriors. Any questions, feel free to contact us at radartoysandcollectibles@gmail.com. Click here to see a dozen or so more vintage games. Radar Toys.

PS The house favorite is a toss up between Gettysburg and The War at Sea.

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Here at Radar Toys we are not fanatical collectors of plush toys. We much prefer articulate action figures and awesome strategy board games. Agricola, anyone? However, once in a while a company comes out with something that is just too darn adorable in the world of plush toys, that we can't resist. We've fallen victim to many-a-superb Pokemon plushies over the years, but this time around the winning hand belongs to a company called Funko.

Funko has been on the steady rise the last couple of years, producing bobble heads, vinyl inspired figures, and outstanding plush toys. Funko's awesome success is due their ability to secure licensing rights to some of the greatest franchises. From DC Universe to Star Wars to Lord of the Rings --- Funko has products of some of the most revered characters in nostalgia-land. Enough talk, let's look at some pictures of their great plushies. Here are a few of the house favorites at Radar:

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