Author Topic: AT-AT Commander  (Read 14759 times)

Offline Scott

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AT-AT Commander
« on: July 31, 2010, 12:04 PM »
Source Images:





Data

Vintage




Modern

« Last Edit: August 4, 2010, 09:19 PM by Scott »

Offline Scott

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2010, 12:06 PM »
I chose the new Vintage version over Veers...nitpicking but the new one is a far superior sculpt

Veers is cool and all and probably a better representation of the vintage figure

Never really cared for the original.  Goofy proportions and I never had an AT-AT despite wanting one for ever and ever :-[

I got mine via the JC Penny Hoth Environment pack before he was even carded


Offline Scott

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2010, 12:07 PM »
Here too is some comparisons with Veers






Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2010, 12:42 PM »
For me, he was always General Veers.  Since I had only one AT-AT driver, he rode in the left seat.

I never had a carded one either....I got mine in the Sears Hoth set.
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Offline Scockery

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2010, 01:00 PM »
Not sure any of them are great figures.   :-\

My brother and I wound up with six of the original At-At Commander, because our parents got some on clearance and gave them to us for birthday or X-mas. We had one AT-AT, and not having seen ESB enough times to remember he was a specific character (or just not caring), we used them as imperial troops (turns out, not that inaccurate, since this is an Imperial officer's field attire). The darn paint on their noses would rub off.

The 80's one's proportions do seem goofy, tiny helmet being the main thing. I think I like his belt more than the actual movie accurate one. What is that odd decor/symbol in the middle of the movie version, anyway? "Check out my belt buckle!"

The recent versions look more like the movie, that is a person in a dress uniform with plastic junk armor on them. It's not statisfying from a fantasy perspective to me. The POTF2 version is more comic booky (poured into his uniform like POTF2 figures were), in a sense more the true remake of the vintage At-At Commander.

The new "vintage" one's helmet seems off compared to the movie still. And the wide sleeves are wrong. If you feel that isn't supposed to be Veers (going by the face, it's not really) , then you can rationalize it. I'll probably get him since I never got the POTF2 or Saga versions.  I wouldn't mind it if they did a retro repaint in dark grey.


Offline Scott

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2010, 01:12 PM »
One of my big beefs with the individually sculpted heads is that you would think they would standardize of the size of peg and head.  This would make a simple swap to a Veers head that much easier.  But Veers' head is way to wide to fit on there and it looks stupid.  I would think such a system would cut down on tooling costs (ala the Marvel Universe line) and allow for slight tweaks continually...and they sort of have started that but not really keeping in mind the past sculpts at all

Offline EpicGon

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #6 on: August 1, 2010, 12:32 PM »
vintage and tsc look more like Veers for the chin detail. The new at at commander has pointed chin

Offline Jesse James

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #7 on: August 2, 2010, 12:01 AM »
I never had the vinty AT-AT Commander as a kid...  Kind of weird, but he's boring so I guess that's probably why I didn't have him as well.

As figures go, even for his time, he was kind of weak in sculpt, and definitely weak in paint applications...  Lots of vintage figures looked far superior.

The modern incarnations are weird.  The original POTF2 figure was fairly generic, and actually kind of nicely done.  The back of the armor was there, the sculpt was crisp, the colors were nice...  For his time, that wasn't a bad figure I guess.  He lacked articulation of course though, and no removable gear whatsoever.  A disappointment in any figure from 1995 onward IMO.

The Veers figure disappointed me for a number of reasons when it came out, but not the least of which was the non-removable hat...  I hated the "sly" way they made the helmet plug in over the hat, as I thought it looked silly and bowed the helmet outward.

Ironically, I probably was griping about things though, that weren't necessarilly bad...  The lack of a chin strap, for instnance.  I always thought it was a must, and recent AT-ST helmets have had that (it's the same helmet, more or less), but yet that source image lacks it.  It makes me wonder now if he has it or not in the movie. 

The other gripe I had, that was hollerin' before I was hurt, was the height...  The Veers figure is overly tall...  But not for Veers I found out.  Veers is a tall guy, especially compared to Piett and others he's standing around.  He actually doesn't stare upward at Vader like others.  So Hasbro actually nailed that.

Right behind the hat issue though, for me, was his articulation.  He lacked a lot of it, and had the boot tops pivot for no real reason...  if they could sculpt the boots separate to pivot, why not just give him knees then?

And then his armor...  no back to it.  Very disappointing.

Veers still has other flaws too.  I wouldn't turn my nose up at a resculpt.

The new AT-AT Commander, who is completely intended as generic, is quite cool...  The armor's complete, and  he sports a good bit of articulation.  I think it would've been cool had they figured out a way to give him a second belt (war belt, an non-war belt), and a hat.  His color's also a bit light...  I like him though, and plan to add several to my army.  I probably wont' go ga-ga army building him, but I'll definitely have a nice little group of them.

Here's an odd thing on him too...  He's got a lower rank when his armor's off.  With the armor on, he's sporting all the bars General Veers would, but without the armor he's got the 6 bar rank (I think...  I don't have him right in front of me) making him significantly lower ranked I believe.  Also his rank, at least on my figure (I think others have said this too) lacks any paint detailing, which looks kinda lame.   :-\

I consider this one "done", but I certainly would buy a better version if they put one out.
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Offline Qui-Gon Jim

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #8 on: August 3, 2010, 09:27 AM »
Hasbro really nailed the color scheme with their TSC Veers, though I like the articulation and look of the new commander better.

Offline R5Don4

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #9 on: February 9, 2011, 10:40 PM »
As a kid I got the Sears "General Veers" version.  The card was plain black and the bubble was soft.  As I always saved the card backs, I remember I made believe that the black card was actually a portrait of Veers using his powers of invisibility. :P

Offline R5Don4

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2011, 04:48 PM »
Hey, I remembered another cool trick as a kid I used to use with old Veers!  The vintage figure's head detaches easily and reveals a very odd pin head nub underneath.  Sometimes Veers would take off his head to relax like Vader.  Messed up.

Offline darth broem 2

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Re: AT-AT Commander
« Reply #11 on: March 2, 2011, 10:23 AM »
I ended up playing with the vintage AT-AT commander quite a bit with the AT-AT walker itself.  I HAD to have him in the AT-AT head at all times calling the shots.  He ended up getting out of the Walker to battle Luke, Han, and of course 21-B and FX-7  8)

I'm actually happy with both the updated Veers and vintage AT-AT commander.  I like Veers because of the officers cap and snap off armor.  It's like getting 2 figures in one.  Of course now I would prefer him with SA but I'm fine with the swivel arms stuff because he doesn't really do anything in the film other than put his hands behind his body or pull down that targeting apparatus to destroy Echo Base. 

I love the SA features they put int the figures nowadays.  Obviously the AT-AT commander is the best of the 3 in terms of sculpt and playability.