Thanks - Installing that redistributable gets the game running.  I will let you know my thoughts when I've had a chance to play after work. Thanks again :)

EDIT: and to answer your original question - I was launching by double-clicking the exe in explorer. I suspect the crash happens in CRT init before any of your crash hooks are installed, so that explains the crash reporter not running. Not that it would anyway  as it requires a redistributable too :)