Clone Wars RC Republic Tank

[Jeff]

Apparently, despite what some store clearances would indicate, the Hailfire Droid sold well enough for them to do a second RC vehicle.

3 3/4" scale Republic Tank with IR remote control.  Includes one (repack) Clone Trooper figure.  Should have the same features as the hailfire (directional control, remote shooting missiles, etc).

Hopefully we should have some pics up soon...

[Jesse James]

The RC Hailfire's gone here...  Never saw one clearance anywhere.  The only sale was even at Target and brief.  TRU is the only place with them locally except I see one at a rural WM I visit...  Every other WM had 6 or more and sold out though.  I'm not totally surprised it did well then.  I haven't seen them at Target since that $5 off sent most of them packing.

I'm curious to see if the Republic tank is the current vehicle retooled or a new ship then.  That'll determine if I buy at this point.  I liked the Hailfire but I liked its design better.

[McMetal]

I'm curious to see if the Republic tank is the current vehicle retooled or a new ship then.  That'll determine if I buy at this point.  I liked the Hailfire but I liked its design better.

From the pics I saw at Yakface, it appears to be a different sculpt, like the original version on steroids. The rear guns look much more impressive.

I wish they could have at least tweaked the paint job for the pack-in figure.

[Scockery]

The entire cockpit area seems to fold open, too. Haven't seen any pics of it open, though.

[Jeff]

[Jesse James]

It could open at the cockpit to accomodate batteries or whatnot too. 

[Keonobi]

I just picked up the regular/non-RC version of the Republic Fighter Tank over the weekend (which I really like), so I was surprised to see pictures of an RC version when I checked out the TF pictures.  I was quickly scanning through all the pictures, so I didn't notice that it is RC, at first, and thought they had redone the tank with bigger cheek guns.  I like the current version and since my kids have had less than enthusiastic responses to RC generally, I think I'll pass, but this certainly would lend to more interactive play.  A cool concept and I hope it does well.

[Jesse James]

I've run some clones over with that Hailfire Droid, lemme tell ya.

[Phrubruh]

So is that an all new mold or the same vehicle with eletronics added?

[Keonobi]

I think its a new mold.  Atleast the area below the cheek guns is completely different that in the non-RC version (on that tank there are little storage doors that open up), also in the older version the lower set of windows on the cockpit have gullwing doors that open, the RC version appears only have the one door that opens forward.  Also the center hull looks a little higher...

Not sure about the size or other details, but the rest of the tank looks similar to the old version.

[Jesse James]

I thought someone said they thought it looked larger overall.  The windows don't look open like the original either.

To accomodate an RC function inside, I'd assume it's an all-new sculpt regardless though.  The drive mechanism, wheels, wiring harnesses, servo's, etc.  They've all got to be accomodated inside the vehicle, and the original there's no way it would work.

[CHEWIE]

The only way the Targets around here were able to move the Hailfires was when they had the $35.00 sale before Christmas, and then finally clearanced them out after that.  One Target still had a couple for 50% off as of the weekend... and I still see them in good numbers at Wal-Mart and TRU for full price at $60.00.  And I think that the K-Marts have more RC Hailfire droids in the aisles than customers in the store at any given time.

In regards to this RC offering, I thought I read that it's going to cost less at $40.00 - that's much more reasonable.  I still have no interest though.

[Jesse James]

Fortunately it seems the vehicle did a bit better than your area CHEWIE.  My area seems more like what Hasbro's opinion was, as WM sold out of Hailfires here really fast.  They ranged from having like 4 or 6, to having as many as 15 of them at some stores, to having zero at most...  One out of the way store I visit sometimes since it's nearer to me still has one hanging around though, and one very rural store I sometimes hit has two I noticed just last night.

K-Mart here has either none, or two.  My KM has two and they're with other RC vehicles, not Star Wars for some reason.  I find that odd marketing on their part, but whatever.  The other 2 KM's I hit frequently have none though.

Target has been out of the Hailfire since they dropped the prices before Christmas and put them on sale.  I was going to pick one up extra at that price but missed out even.

TRU I think has them yet but I don't get there often enough to ever know what's going on too much there.  TRU hasn't gotten in half the Vintage Collection because of their prices though, haven't sold through hardly any of the stacks of Slave-I's, have tons of AT-AT's (So does WM though), and in general TRU seems like a toy hell because they always want a bit more anymore.

But around me this did really well through the holidays...  WM even put more out as the holidays went on.  I was even a little surprised.  I thought it'd appeal to kids, but I figured $60 would be tough for parents to maybe bite on since all SW toys seem to start to linger at $40+.  Or so the trend generally has gone over the years it seems.

[Pete_Fett]

The RC Hailfire droid has done pretty well around where I live. Sure there's one or two here or there, but for the most part, compared to what was in stores before the holiday season and what there is now, I would say it was a pretty successful item.

Not to mention the fact that it's a pretty fun toy - I would say it was the most fun I've had with a Star Wars toy in the entire modern line.

I'm really looking forward to the RC Republic Tank - it would be fun to have a "showdown" between the two RC vehicles.

[darth broem 2]

Perhaps the RC Hailfire Droid did better in different parts of the country than others?  We really did not have THAT many clogging the shelves where I live at.  Granted I live near Phx, Arizona and there are tons of SW collectors out here.  Do not get me wrong you find them easily enough especially at $65 first price.  But I would only see a couple at each store after they initially put them out.  I will say I usually just frequent about 5-6 different retail stores here.  Maybe they were clogging up other shelves in the area?  I don't know.  It sounds like it after reading some posts here.  When I lived in a smaller town in Illinois this sounds like something that would rot on the shelves to be honest mainly because of the price.

Anyway, the RC apparently did well enough to warrant another RC toy.  I will be tempted to buy this if my son wants it.  I will admit I wouldn't have bought the RC Hailfire Droid but my son was begging for it when he first saw it.  We got it for his birthday last November.  I think it was on "sale" for $45-50 but can't remember now.  Or maybe my parents bought it for him?  Whatever.  Anyway, the kid loves this toy.  He still whips it out on a frequent basis.  The Nintendo Wii we got him for X-Mas pretty much stole the other toys thunder. 

My point is kids are going to be the ones that want to go for an RC toy.  Not many collectors will especially when they want accuracy, etc.  Kids for the most part don't give a crap about that.  So, I think this RC toy will probably fair ok.  It's not going to fly off the shelves especially it's going to be $65 again.