MW336 Orcs of Mordor

Well, Master Erchamion, let me try to help as far as I can. Once again someone is surprised about the coincidental arrangement of the MW336 Orc-boxes. Differently to the “Gondorian-Army-Boxes” (which always have the same figures added) the boxes of the “Orc-army” sets were filled rather more purely by chance. So the releases of those two army-sets cannot be compared.
At a first glance, every “Orc-army-set” seems to be the same, as there always are included the “command group” and the hornist and the drummer, of course. The rest of the figures are not always the same in each set. – Buying “20 different varieties of the box”, as you put it, Master Erchamion, does not necessarily mean that in one of them the rarest figure of that set is included, which is the second version of the spearman. You will find the A5D in each set. But the A5D “s” (the one with the raised spear) is a rarity of Mithril figures. – So you better keep it. – It took me some years once to find that figure in an original set (in an original “Mithril plastic box”. I also bought some boxes then, but somehow I was lucky, as I was only looking for that spearman with the raised arm. – You can easily find out the difference between the two figures, when you try to assemble the right arm. And here you are right, it’s not the figure itself, it’s just the pose of the right arm which is different and very rare.
So that A5D with the “s” added in a circle to the subreference must be an original one from 1994. I’m sure about this, because I have both figures right here to compare. (By the way, my A5D “s” also is marked with the number “1” on the left below the base.) – As I said, I simply and surprisingly found it in one of those boxes I bought.
Alas, just for those reading this and suspecting me of having bought that figure from “Time Machine” in those good old days when Jim offered recasts of the “Orc” and “Gondor” armies (having the license from Mithril and Chris to do so) I would like to point out, that I did not buy it as a single figure, because it was a very rare part of one of those many sets.
(Another paragraph)
We know, that “Timemachine” does not produce nor offer those two sets any more, after Jim decided to sell the company. By now it seems to be a very long time ago when he announced to sell the last figures of those armies, which means they’re definitely out of production for some years by now.
So, Master Erchamion, that A5D “s” is a rarity indeed.
Sorry about having been that much talkative, but I felt obliged to answer a question as well as I could, and of course, I could also prove what I said by providing pictures, if you want.

Alas, Master Turambar, the A5A is a “swordsman” (if you can call that a sword) and which is not rare. I’m afraid you mixed up swordsmen with spearmen.
As for those spearmen of that common sets, there definitely are just 2 versions. These are A5B and A5D. Of the A5D there are two castings, only being different in the pose of the right arm, as I said before.

Master Gildor, I think you unfortunately came across the mistake Master Zoetrop made in his catalogue. On page 88 he put a picture of the rare orc (raised arm) also listed as A5D (throwing spear). Above that pic you find the description “orc running with spear, bare head” [reading: no picture available] which is the one that should be put there, as it is the “orc, running with spear, bare head”, which is the figure you will find find in all of the sets. Master Zoetrop marked the two pictures wrong, saying “no picture available” for the A5B variant and not providing a pic of the regular release.
What I want to say is, that I feel a bit guilty, as it might also have been my mistake as well. Master Zoetrop always sent me the concepts of his catalogues before releasing. So it was me who had to see that slight mistake. – Mea culpa.

Though all this was a first fine riddle for 2013, Master Erchamion.

Well, I also bought my sets from Mithril and was much surprised about some different figures being included. And, to be honest again, to me that set of orcs is the best being produced ever in such a number. Each of all the figures are a marvel in details.
Though still in all those recent years I didn’t manage to paint all of them oppropriately.
No riddle, Master Erchamion, not at all. All original castings have a number at the left bottom of the base. But for me it simply was a pleasure to paint the Mithril-figures before Master Jackson covered our minds with his perception of Tolkien’s writings and still does (and he does it well). Not to mention that other company, of course. – So I will keep on trying to paint all those orcs accordingly to my imagination within the next 4 years.

Well, I just tried to sort that out again. – the odd MW336-Gondor army consists of 29 figures that have been casted, though the Mw337 orc-army always consisted of 30 figures. I imagine that that the 30th figure of the former Mw336 was never released in that set. I suppose that the Master-figure of B1 is at my desk (thats’s the one with just slightly differs from the “mounted captain” with the horse’s left forearm stretched, also a figure marked with an “s” in a circle and having an additional nr 1 added at the bottom line, left to the trademark-sign of Mithril 94.
Well, as for the Mw337 orc army I dare to say that I still keep all of the variants by now for abot some years.

Oooops, sorry. I get confused when I look for (and at) so many figures. It’ll be easier when I have assembled another new glass-cabinet.

I have the A5D variant from Time machine. If I remember well, nothing is engraved under its base. I will check.

That’s the one I have yes.