Firstly, I apologise for the lack of image quality. You see, the image itself on paper is quite dark, and I didn't know how to lighten it.
Now onto the questions...
Thank you for the leaflet scan.
Hmmm... thanks for the scan!
PS. Thanks for the pic!
You're welcome
.
I can see Danju's helmet in flaked metallic colours, but I can't make out any new helmets.
Actually, both Danju and Santis's helmets are in metallic colours.
Of course, full pictures have yet to be released, so I can't really pass judgement on anything but Vladek. It looks as if they spraypainted his helmet speckled silver now...
Yes, his helmet is now metallic. Also, he now has a brown sword.
The ship looks interesting but I can't really make out many details.
Even with the picture before my eyes, it's hard to make out, but the ship has an anchor made of Viking horns connecting together on a chain, which can be reeled in. The ship is manned by Sir Dracus, in a 'cockpit' at the front, just before the mast, whilst Sir Karzon is in a small section at the back, where Sir Kentis (the green guy) is trying to get aboard on the anchor. Another thing worthy of note is that there is no catapult on the ship. Lastly, there's some sort of ram at the front of the ship, below the mast.
1. Breastplates remain unchanged.
Actually, looking at the ship, it
LOOKS like Sir Dracus has a new breastplate, a smooth one with a silver rim around it. However, this might just be a torso print, and the picture isn't good enough to make out, so I can't really answer this.
5. Scorpion knights all have breastplates, and either run around nekkid except for their full plate armor, or they're wearing yellow.
Actually, there aren't any Shadow Knights in this line, just Rogue Knights. I guess Vladek decided to get with the times and get some sentient warriors...
8. The "Rogue Knights" use kite shields (tear drop shaped), the scorpion knights use tower shields (rectangular) and the knights use heater shields (triangular).
As I said before, there are only Rogue Knights this year. Actually, it's Sir Dracus who carries the tower shield, and Sir Karzon who has the kite shield. But you're right about the hero Knights' shields.
9. Set 8823 has a figure in the archway on the second level. Looks like there's no helmet. Any ideas on who this man of mystery is?
Looking very close at the catalog, he appears to have a grey beard and brown legs. He looks a bit like the Guardian from the Citadel of Orlan. He's carrying a triangular shield, but Sir Adric is partially standing in front of him, so I can't make out what the heraldry on the shield is. However,you can see that he's carrying some sort of mace or hammer. I don't know what to call it, but I think it's the same hammer that Rodurik in the CCRP has.
These aren't coming out until Summer 2006. After the past couple years, and with our KK2 and Viking experiences thus far, we, of all people, ought to be wary of prototype pictures.
This is a good point to raise. For example, in the first 2004 set scan, the horse helmets were the old Dragon Master ones, instead of the new Morcian style that they were when they were released. In the first 2005 set scans, the Morcian ballista that comes with the Dark Fortress wasn't pictured, even though the actual set later came with the ballista. So yes, don't take everything in these pictures as fact.