Is there a "Guide to the Kingdoms and Clans of Playmobil" of sorts?

[core]

Question pertains to the Knights realm... a cursory search on this forum and the web hasn't really turned up anything; my question is this - using box art, catalogs, time-line of sets released, heraldry, etc (basically inference from official products and catalogs), has anyone come up with a sort of guide?

eg:

- dress code (colour, armour, attack troops, castle defenders)
- special weapons and machines (Eagles and Green Dragons have siege towers, Black Lions have a catapult unit)
- evolution of clans (the 'new' Red Dragons being related to the 'old' Gold Dragons)
- alliances (Swan Knights with the 'old' Kings, how the Unicorns fit in)
- independent clans/knights (eg, it looks like 3315 Evil Knight is either for hire (to the Lions) or just decided to join them for now?, then there's the Merry Men)
- list of 'historical' battles
- rise and fall of empires (time-line)

I'd suppose it might be possible to start a Wiki of sorts on playmofriends?  Any suggestions?

[cachalote]

this is why i love the pirates. only one universal clan...

[Richard]

Hello, Peter ...

You ask, "Is there a "Guide to the Kingdoms and Clans of Playmobil" of sorts?"

Question pertains to the Knights realm...
I'd suppose it might be possible to start a Wiki of sorts on playmofriends?  Any suggestions?

In answer to your question about a "Guide" ... "NO!"
(Zirndorf couldn't even develop a simple set numbering system!) ... 

In answer to your proposal of starting a "Wiki" here at Playmofriends ...  "YES! It might be a lot of fun to create some order out of Playmobil's chaos." ... 

In looking at your example: (questions in blue)

- dress code (colour, armour, attack troops, castle defenders)
Would you include the original chrome plate helmets, chrome torsos and chrome breast plates as well as the orange shields?

- special weapons and machines (Eagles and Green Dragons have siege towers, Black Lions have a catapult unit)
What about the old Nurnberg Guard cannon, the Red Dragon cannon and the Blue Lion cannon?

- evolution of clans (the 'new' Red Dragons being related to the 'old' Gold Dragons)
This might be a real stretch. Might also require some story-telling.

- alliances (Swan Knights with the 'old' Kings, how the Unicorns fit in)
Might require some more story-telling and some blending of historical and fantasy!

- independent clans/knights (eg, it looks like 3315 Evil Knight is either for hire (to the Lions) or just decided to join them for now?, then there's the Merry Men)
Perhaps some very special "hero" figures as well?

- list of 'historical' battles
Garden Wargaming? ...

- rise and fall of empires (time-line)
Hmmm ...

All the best,
Richard

[Tim_w]

Hmmmm, I have often pondered over this one myself. There is quite clearly a history there of sorts. We have clearly defined enemies and friendlies each with their own allegances to an extent, but nothing is written down that i know of. I guess its a task for someone with a very good imagination because 95% of it would have to be made up. This is just how Playmobil intended it and i am sure there have been thousands of children, who over the years have had their own 'ideas' of how it all fits together !!

Its probably best to look back at the whole range of knights and come up with a history your happy with. If you get that far by all means post your ideas and we can tell you what we think. I love reading storys about a good battle  !!

Tim 

[Timotheos]

Its probably best to look back at the whole range of knights and come up with a history your happy with. If you get that far by all means post your ideas and we can tell you what we think. I love reading storys about a good battle  !!

I like Tim W.'s notion.  As much as I'd like the inside scoop on PM's ideas behind these knight designs, I'm glad the company leaves the story to us.  I think if the company devised an official tale, it would be pretty half-baked, unless it was written to be funny, like some of their movies are.

It would be swell, though, if somebody catalogued all the different shield devices PM has used over the years.  I liked it better when they were less institutionalized.  Playmobil seems to be going down a path of huge armies all under one flag, which wouldn't have been very practical (the banner was how you identified your company in the confusion of battle).  The older, fancier flags, some roughly similar to each other, but still different, was more (can I say it?) fun.

   

[Timotheos]

then there's the Merry Men)

"Merry men" in English slang meant bandits or highway men.

Robin Hood and His Merry Men = Robin Hood and His Robber Gang 

Less than a faction, the merry men feast is probably party for a gang of runaway serfs, and maybe a knight or two, who decided they could make a better living clubbing travelers over the head than raising wheat.

[Sylvia]

It would be swell, though, if somebody catalogued all the different shield devices PM has used over the years.

I think David Donachie (aka Hituro) began a catalogue of the type you mention.

There have been many other shields produced since these pages were updated, but it's still a very good starting point.

http://www.teuton.org/~stranger/PLAYMOBIL/armoury/index.html

I've also found his pages on the different kinds of weapons very educational and interesting.

[Martin Milner]

AARgh!

s always, someone's done something I had thought of doing, and done it better than I could. 

[CountBogro]

You're not quite right, Martin 
You could try and make it up-to-date 

Bogro

[Richard]

I've also found his pages on the different kinds of weapons very educational and interesting.

Sylvia ... You always say such nice kind things ...