Wow.  That's a really nice job there Nataku!  How long overall did it take you to finish it?  Have you done any other similar projects that might impress us?  What would it cost to hire you to come build one over at our house?   

To avoid any confusion and hurt feelings here, I'll just say happy birthday Mr. Carroll!  Enjoy.  I hope it's a great one!

So we've finally seen what the new "transition" figures are going to look like, bridging the gap between the OTC and ROTS figures (excluding the all-new Coruscant, Naboo and Cantina figures).  Many more rehashes, as usual.  I guess this is the usual blow to the carded completists, and an additional kick to the nuts to have to buy yet another Commtech Han.   

Like I mentioned in another thread, I'm glad to see them getting more Imperial army builders out, in the Stormtrooper, Biker Scout and the spiffy looking "all new" Sandtrooper (to this transition).  Don't know why they couldn't just continue using the OTC card designs though (except on the prequel figures).  I'm not crazy completist, so I'll only be buying the new Sandtrooper on this transition card.  But it sucks that the real completists now have to buy all of these again:

Dagobah Luke
Commtech Han
Vader
Yoda
Chewbacca
Stormtrooper
Biker Scout

I think that's all of them that we know of so far.  But considering how early all of the "2005" figures are coming out and likely these transition figures too, I wonder if there's going to be even more transition figures coming down the pipeline.  If so, I hope they're "new" ones like the Sandtrooper was in this case.  Still love this card style, so the more figures released on it, the merrier!

So how many of these rehash transition figures do you guys plan on buying?

I think the fun thing about the OTC line, brought on by it's cool retro packaging, is that it's actually caused some loose collectors out there to snatch up some carded figures as well for the first time.  But beyond that, as was mentioned above, there's 7 all new figures (Bespin & Dagobah waves), so those are a must for loose collectors.  I think there's also about 6 or 7 figures that have had their paint jobs upgraded (Jawas, Tusken, Bespin Luke, Gamorrean, etc.), so a lot of people are picking those up again.  Then there's the potential army builders too, like the Storm/Snow/Scout/Scanning Troopers, which people always wind up nabbing extras of.  So I think the OTC line has still been pretty entertaining for loose collectors too.  Granted not quite as exciting as previous lines with many more all new figures.  But that's ok, since OTC's allowing us to save up a little extra for the Ep. 3 onslaught next year!

Hey, thanks for the birthday wishes guys!  Turning 30 definitely hasn't been a thrill, to say the least.  But I'm coping with it I guess.  My fiancee has been helping me through it, and hooked me up with some fun birthday goodies to help ease the pain.   

As for our engagement, it's going smoothly and we set a date for next April.  Still busy with all the hectic planning though, and two heavily involved mothers aren't helping matters!   

Thanks again!


Grant

Glad to see I wasn't just imagining that.   

1x Yoda
1x Han
1x Chewie
1x Stormie
1x Sandtrooper
1x Scout Trooper

I agree with mosnab, the 3 Imperial troopers are great.  Who doesn't want more army builders!  So at the very least the Sandtrooper will be "all-new" to the OTC.  Question is whether those other 5 will be OTC re-re-releases?  Sure hope not, with the exception of the Stormtrooper and Scout Trooper.

Why another Yoda already?  What could they do differently with him?  The Flashback version?   

Han?  They couldn't possibly put the Commtech Han out AGAIN, on yet another variant card, could they?  Perhaps the Bespin Han?  But that was just released in the DVD set, so that would be dumb.  Endor Han?  Eh.  I guess.  Should just be a Tatooine Luke IMO, since he's the most obvious ommission from the OTC rereleases, which I've thought to be rather rather strange.  Yeah, I know we don't need yet ANOTHER Tatooine Luke, but considering the "theme" of the OTC line, it makes all the sense in the world.

Chewie?  I'm fine with the other OTC Chewie that's already warming the pegs.  Plus, the VOTC Chewie is coming out as we speak, so don't give us any more of them.  Sigh.  Perhaps another Bespin Chewie would be my guess though.  Maybe with a Bespin Han.

But I'd still take an all new wave of unannounced figures in a heartbeat!  Please!   

I figured this wave would likely slip out before the end of the year, though I wasn't thinking quite this early.  But yes, I think there's going to be a few more carded waves other than the Cantina and Sneak Preview ones, but like Morgbug mentioned, I think they'll all just be rereleases of older figures on the OTC styled cards.  In fact, didn't GH report something a few weeks ago to the effect of another 6-8 figures being rumored as coming, and all rereleases?  Pretty sure that's what I recall reading recently.  Just hope they stick them on official OTC cards, so they match the rest of the line.

I highly doubt there will be any all-new product though, or we would've probably gotten word or rumor of it by now.  Hopefully I'm wrong though!