Author Topic: Army Builder 3-pack pics...  (Read 6746 times)

Offline Jesse James

  • Staff Member
  • Grand Master
  • *
  • Posts: 35448
  • Slippery When Poopy
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender.com
Army Builder 3-pack pics...
« on: June 10, 2003, 05:43 AM »
I'm a tad surprised nobody's mentioned these over here, so I figure I'll make a post on it...

The 3-packs of droids, droideka shooter, and posed clones are up over at www.galactichunter.com for your viewing pleasure.

Lots of great shots of each figure are available, which is always appreciated.

My response to these hasn't changed a lot personally...  I don't see $10 as a BAD price per say, but it's not the end-all-be-all deal of the century either like some are claiming it to be.

It's "alright" is all...  I still say Hasbro needs to get off their duff and make a fully poseable clone with a natural "neutral" pose.  Mass market that in the white deco and THEN I'll buy a ton...  As a completist, I may just get one set of 3 white clones...  I may pass on the color rank variations.  Not sure (one side says to buy them, another says no).

The droid's are dummed down too, if you didn't know, and aren't as poseable it seems...  A real waste considering the molds for these were already produced.  I feel that's the REAL disapointment, as I sort of assumed the clones weren't going to be good for much of anything.

I had hopes for the droids, but that appears to be for not.  The red droid looks goofy standing there with its gun and its arms out.  A boil/freeze may work for the red droid at least.  I'm just kind of disappointed that I'll get an unposeable SBD and Droideka as well though.   :-\

I mean, I can boil/freeze 3 red BD's to look cool enough (and they did make them "break-apart" which is an improvement IMO), but what am I gonna do with the other 2 unposeable droids?  

Seems a bit silly to me.

I think the set should've been 1 SBD, and 2 red BD's.  Then the Droideka set separate...

The Droideka shooter is ok...  Nothing amazing, but I'll knock those cheap-@$$ clones around with the rolling Droideka, you bet your sweet bippy on that.  

Since the prequals aren't a cutsomizing focus for me, and aren't likely to be anytime soon, I'll just have to wait and see what they maybe work on for a GREAT basic poseable clone.  Maybe someday...  maybe someday.   :'(

PS: The paint aps are NOT good on these...  Dare I say they appear to be as shoddy as the recent Imperial 4-packs, and possibly worse.  The droids looked a little better than the clones though.  

Maybe it's the white/black uniforms that make the poor paintjobs stand out, who knows?
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
Jedi Defender.com Contributing Editor, Twitter @JediDefender & @Jesse_James77

Offline dustrho

  • Jedi Knight
  • *
  • Posts: 3459
  • AWESOME
    • View Profile
    • SANDTROOPERS.com
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2003, 02:08 PM »
I actually can't wait to get some of these 3-packs.  Granted there hasn't been a single new thing in my immediate area, but these should be pretty cool.  I like the packaging a lot.
dustrho

Offline Jesse James

  • Staff Member
  • Grand Master
  • *
  • Posts: 35448
  • Slippery When Poopy
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender.com
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2003, 04:12 PM »
Quote
I just got these yesterday, and I want to clarify a few things. They do have "some" articulation, but not much.
Standing: (6 points) neck, both arms, left wrist, 2 points at the waist-above and below the belt.
Kneeling: (6 points) all same points except it's the right wrist on this figure
Lying: (5 points) neck, both arms, right wrist, 1 point at the waist.

These are actually "OK"
A little dissappointing, but hey they are pretty cool for dioramas, NOT for "the ultimate white Clone" that we originally thought we were getting.
Hope this helps



Just a little update to the picture link...  Someone who says he owns the set says the figures are surprisingly sporting 5 or 6 points of articulation each.  not much, but it does improve them somewhat.

It at least leaves some customizing possibilities open for us anyway...  A simple single piece would've really REALLY lessened my opinion of these.  For $10 though, each figure should have a handful of articulation points to at least acheive SOME kind of variety in poses, and leave ya some decent parts to work with if you customize.
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
Jedi Defender.com Contributing Editor, Twitter @JediDefender & @Jesse_James77

Offline Angry Ewok

  • Staff Member
  • Jedi Master
  • *
  • Posts: 5545
  • The Ewok Village Idiot
    • View Profile
    • www.TowheeStudio.com
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2003, 05:03 PM »
5 to 6 points of articulation? Umm... GH pretty much said they had no articulation and that the guns were molded to the hands... You know, I think this is one of those things I'll have to see to believe. Will I get the 3 pack clones? I'm not sure, actually, I want the different ranks, but I want articulation too.

Offline Vator

  • Jedi Apprentice
  • *
  • Posts: 2072
    • View Profile
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2003, 07:13 PM »
I'll buy 5-6 anyway,Hasbro's got me hooked on this stuff.
- June 22, 2004 12:13 AM -

Offline Darth Broem

  • Jedi Knight
  • *
  • Posts: 3001
    • View Profile
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2003, 10:50 AM »
I may or may not pick these up.  I think it's a good idea to put them out there and the price is good.  I just don't have a desire right now to make a diorama and that's what this is good for.  I will be more interested if the rumor is true that the clonetroopers will eventually come out with the different color schemes.  Like a blue or green or red or orange, etc.  

Offline Darby

  • Jedi Knight
  • *
  • Posts: 4236
  • I'm not with that guy
    • View Profile
    • darbyharn.com
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2003, 03:52 PM »
I may just wait for the three colors version of the Clones, since I don't need a bunch of clones myself.  One Droid set and two Jedi sets, one for customs.  This is a great idea, at a great price, and I hope they go forward with these sets into the future.

Offline Jesse James

  • Staff Member
  • Grand Master
  • *
  • Posts: 35448
  • Slippery When Poopy
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender.com
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2003, 05:37 PM »
A 2nd person at scum who says he has them says they ARE articulated like the guy above said (IE: not much), but he said there's a correction...  The laying down troop has no waist articulation.

Upon my own views of the images, I can semi-confirm they have some articulation.  The standing clone 100% does, even from GH's own pictures (They have him in 2 different poses).

There's noticeable joints at the shoulders on some though...

CUstomzing may be easy with these.  With that level of articulation, while poor, I feel it's better than nothing and that they're in the $10-ish price range they're put at.

If they were each one solid piece of plastic, then they'd have been WWWWWAAAAAAYYYYY overpriced at $10.  The most costly part of production is the mold toolings, and the more parts a figure has the more cost in mold toolings.  Single piece figures are relatively cheap to make, but these clones would've had a cost that reflects a $10 price if they had slight articulation...  Which I'm guessing at this point they do.

I'm surprised at ANY possible wrist articulation though...  I wonder if that indeed is there on them.
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
Jedi Defender.com Contributing Editor, Twitter @JediDefender & @Jesse_James77

Offline Snively Bandar

  • Jedi Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 475
  • Hug a llama today!
    • View Profile
Re: Amy Builder 3-packs pics.....
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2003, 05:49 PM »
I'll be picking up a couple sets of the white, and probably one each of the colored ones, regardless of whatever articulation they come with.  I love the cheap price point on these, but I would've been willing to pitch in a few more bucks for some more articulation.  I'm sure we'll eventually get a plain white Clonetrooper with uber articulation on a card - akin to the Commtech Stormtrooper.  Hasbro's caught on to the fact that we'll buy a little of everything, so they'll probably save the best for last, after we've bought up all these less than perfect Clones.

But still, for $10, these sets aren't too bad and will work just fine for most of our army building and diorama needs.  Now just bring on some army building 3 packs from the original trilogy!   8)

Offline Sith Bounty Hunter

  • Jedi Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 100
  • Hunting new figures daily
    • View Profile
Army Builder
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2003, 10:34 PM »
Question, whats an army builder?
Dont under estimate the power of a sith lord

Offline Dressel Rebel

  • Jedi General
  • *
  • Posts: 8461
  • En Sabah Nur
    • View Profile
Re: Army Builder
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2003, 11:04 PM »
Any figure that would make sense to buy in multiples because they appeared that way on screen.

Stormtroopers, endor rebel troopers, rebel fleet troppers, biker scouts, royal guards, snowtroopers, battledroids, gungans...etc., etc.

Basically any type of figure that makes sense to display in multiples.

Ephant Mon is not an army builder  :D
This is what happens when you invade Wakanda

Offline Jesse James

  • Staff Member
  • Grand Master
  • *
  • Posts: 35448
  • Slippery When Poopy
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender.com
Re: Army Builder
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2003, 05:10 AM »
Some people will argue what army builders are though at times.

For instance, i considered R2-Q5 and R3-T7 army builders as well.  But I'm a customizer and will repaint astromechs at will.  In a sense I'll have a nifty army of the little buggers though, considering I have TONS of astromechs I've hoarded over the years to repaint (including R2's).

Pit Droids could be army builders too, or so could protocol droids which there've been a few.

Mostly though, people consider Army Builders to be the military figures from the line...  These figures often have better sales rates than other figures though I believe.  Some you could ship a solid case of and they'd all sell out...

Imagine if stores just carried Commtech stormtroopers?  I could walk in Wal-Mart, maybe not see anything NEW but I'd grab a CT Stormie every time I was in, even if it was just to get toilet paper or something...

I do that with the XD line sometimes.  I'll just nab a figure I maybe don't NEED, but damned if they don't all look neat when together then.  :)  I've amassed an interesting U.S. Paratrooper army because of that habit.  And 21st's milked a lil extra scratch from me too.
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
Jedi Defender.com Contributing Editor, Twitter @JediDefender & @Jesse_James77

Offline Sith Bounty Hunter

  • Jedi Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 100
  • Hunting new figures daily
    • View Profile
Re: Army Builder
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2003, 11:19 AM »
From what I get the "Army Buliders", that they sel on KEBco and Brian's, are a 4 or 5 figures in a multipack of jedi, clone troopers, ect... that you can make an army of them.
Dont under estimate the power of a sith lord

Offline Nicklab

  • Jedi Sentinel
  • *
  • Posts: 13810
  • I saw we fight!
    • View Profile
Re: Army Builder
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2003, 09:53 PM »
Well, that's the result of Hasbro getting into the act.  Collectors have been army building for years.  They'll get multiples of Stormtroopers, Endor Rebels, etc, to build battle scenes in their dioramas.

Hasbro has started to cater to this type of collector.  The first army builder set consisted of 4 CommTech style Stormtroopers sold through the Fan Club and other online dealers.  It was pretty plain, in a white mailer box, and included the 4 Stormtroopers with weapons.  The same thing is now being done with a modified version of the POTJ Sandtrooper, POTF2 Endor Rebel Soldier, and the POTJ Rebel Trooper-Tantive IV Defender.

With the Clone Wars line, there are a whole new generation of army builder sets that will be available at retail.  They include multiple versions of the Clone Trooper army set (a plain version, and another with ranked Clone Troopers), a Droid Army set, and a Jedi Knight set.  These are relatively inexpensive (about $10/set), and they're relatively unarticulated.  They're also the first army builders to be packaged on a blister card instead of the white mailer box.  These are geared towards the collector who likes to build dioramas, and have a variety of troops to build those scenes.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2003, 09:56 PM by Nicklab »
"Call up a Hammerhead Corvette.  I have an idea."

Feedback

Offline dustrho

  • Jedi Knight
  • *
  • Posts: 3459
  • AWESOME
    • View Profile
    • SANDTROOPERS.com
Re: Army Builder
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2003, 09:20 AM »
Here's an example of what the results of army building look like in my collection...

http://www.chrisrhoads.com/imperial_army.htm
dustrho