<and I don't consider a repaint or kitbash as a new anything either>

Well, unfortunately for you, Hasbro does consider Clone repaints and kit-bash figures as "new" when it comes to these exclusive Battle Packs.  In fact, when you look at the all of the 2006 exclusive Battle Packs (not just THFG BP), you'll see that the majority of the "new" items in them are just repaints/kitbashes.

- Target Skirmish in the Senate: Senate Pod (new item)
- Target Skirmish in the Senate Shocktrooper (#41 repaint)
- TRU Hunt for General Grievous: Fordo (Kit-Bash)
- TRU Hunt for General Grievous: Clone Heavy Gunner (Kit-Bash & Repaint)
- Target Mace Windu's Attack Battalion: Clone Trooper (#41 Repaint)
- Target Mace Windu's Attack Battalion: Clone Commander (2007 Airborne Clone Repaint)

October...

$354.99  January
$240.39  February
$100.78  March
$111.68  April
$179.68  May
$112.07  June
$648.07  July
$451.33  August
  $21.96  September

$264.96  October


Stuff I bought in the past month:
2006 Saga Ep3 GB Wave (2 carded)
2006 Saga Naboo Wave (10 carded and 10 openers)
30th Anniversary Commemorative Tins (3 openers)
Internet Exclusive Kir Kanos/Carnor Jax 2-Pack (1 opener)
Target Exclusive Mace Windu's Attack Battalion (1 opener)
TRU Exclusive AT-AT Biker Scout (1 opener)
400% Kubrick Darth Vader (1 opener)
Shipping Expenses (Padded Mailers and Tape)

 

Another expensive month ($250+).  Not as bad as the summer, but  all those End-Nab-ooine figures from EE along with the 400% Kubrick Vader were budget breakers this month.  It's funny how despite still buying a TON of Hasbro figures this year, the lion's share (nearly 60%) of my $$$ spent this year has been on Kubrick related stuff (carded, 400%, series 6).   

I don't like the idea of a just a few of them in the basic figure line - they'd be out of place and kind of silly to display alone.


But, if they do what they were originally planning to do:

action figure four packs will feature 8 x 11" movie poster replicas, and will include a special base to showcase the figures and posters.

I'd be all over those.  By doing 4-packs with a poster backdrop and base, I think they would be a neat display item for the SW room.

They are not "street dates" though, they are the Target planogram reset dates. 

The Target corporate offices send out planograms to the stores with a suggested reset date (in the latest case for the SW aisle it's 11/19).  That way, the majority of the Target stores will switch over to the new aisle set-ups at approximately the same time and 90% of the Targets will look the same when customers shop there.

To ensure that there is product to go on that set of shelf arrangements, Target will often hold back new items so that they have them for the reset date (and don't have the blank spots on the shelves). 

Target has always done this, the planogram re-set dates are just waaaaay more visible when it comes to Star Wars toys.  There is a bunch of stuff in the backroom (like the Tin Sets and Mace Windu Battlepack) that Target is holding simply for the reset date.  It allows them to "refresh" the toy aisle so that once a month (or so) there is new product out there. 

It happens all the time with other toy lines too, but they are just not as visible as Star Wars.  For example, last month, my Target had the Mattel JLU 6-pack (with exclusive Doomsday) in the backroom for weeks, but they did not stock them until they set up the new DC Comics endcap planogram in mid-October.  If you watch the toy section as a whole, you'll notice that every month there is some kind of reset somewhere on the shelves.

I think the Target planogram dates are just way more visible these days because way more people know and use the DPCI numbers to try to get stuff from the backroom.  Without having those DPCI numbers, you would never know about a "planogram date" - you'd just walk into the store and find new stuff one day.

I think the dates are more visible too because many frustrated store managers come up with the "street date" story as an excuse not to go get stuff.  Despite what those managers say, there is no Target corporate policy against getting something for a customer when asked (if fact, to the contrary they are supposed to do everrything possible to satify a customer with a question).

I haven't opened mine yet, but while looking at the pack in the Target check-out line today they appeared to be #41's (antenna) with Bacara's pauldron thingy.

Like BrentS said, imagine the #41 Skirmish Shocktroopers in Purple instead of Red and then add the Bacara pauldron...

Bound to be crap.

Not necessarily... the exclusive Battle Packs is where Hasbro promised us new stuff after all. 

Now, whether the new stuff in this BP turns out to be cool (like a Senate Pod or #41 Shocktroopers) or underrated (like made up the EU Mace Clones), well that still remains to be seen.

Either way, Hasbro has already confirmed that this pack is going to have re-issues of the Evolutions Felucia Clones and that is worth it to me already... 

Uh... I don't know why it was switched.  I'll look into it. 

So when I book a reservation on Thursday do I have to pay for the hotel on Thursday or do I wait until I actually stay there.

It varies.  There are some that might force you to pay up-front to save a particular room rate, but usually most will only require a CC # in order to hold the room (and then you would pay upon check-out).

It might not hurt to check out a few LA area hotels on-line ahead to check to be sure that the payment/cancellation policy there that fits your needs...