New Saga 4-packs: Love 'em or hate 'em?

[JediMAC]

The fellas over at RS are reporting from some of their Canadian sources that there are now FOUR of these 4-packs showing up in Canadian TRU computers: Imperial, Rebel, Hoth, and Ultimate Bounty.  This certainly doesn't mean that anything's confirmed, but I believe some wild speculation is certainly in order!  

So there's the possibility of a couple more of these sets coming out - a Hoth set and a Rebel set.  Hmm, any ideas as to their potential contents?

The Hoth set could be a mixture of Rebels and Imperials.  Maybe a Snowtrooper, Hoth Rebel Soldier, a protocal droid, and ...  uh...  Cliff Claven?  Or maybe a Tauntaun!  That would be pretty cool, though not quite within the same price bracket, I'd imagine.

As for the possible "Rebel" set, I'd guess that this would have to include some type of RFT, an astromech, generic pilot, ...  

[SilverZ]

I've got no good guesses on the Hoth set. I honestly hope its something like a Hoth Vader, or some of the better Hoth sculpts, which are quite few. I can't see them shipping the old snowtrooper with a new one hitting this year. Lastly, I don't want to see another Hoth trooper atrocity like the Target pack!

I can see the Rebel set being as you mentioned - an RFT (fingers crossed for another new head), a droid, and probably a pilot with the 90th Biggs body, and probably the clean-shave Endor trooper's head with a removable helmet, which would be ok, I guess.

Neither seem to have the obvious army building potential like the first two though. I hope these are cool, because the first ones look good - but I'm having a hard time coming up with a working idea using the Hasbro concept of kit bashing existing parts or rerelease variants to make these sets.

So let me speculate that it will be the "Hoth Droid 4-pack" and the "Rebel Droid 4-pack" assortments, and I'll be happy forever!

[Guttersnipe]

I think they both look cool.
Imperial.
The R4 rocks.
Vader, while not that different from ER, still different enough to warrant purchasing. You can never have enough Vader IMO.
At St, much better than POTF2 version.
Stormie, once again can never have enough of these.

Bounty Hunter
Bossk, shame really.
IG88, I only would like this because my IG88's arm doesn't move.
Boba Fett, I would like this cos' my 300th is signed and I have been itching to have a go.
Aurra Sing+Swoop, Only interested in the swoop really.
Notice how they dont show a pic of her on it. I bet she looks terrible unless they sort those legs out.

Still for my own reasons I will hopefully get both of these sets.

[JediMAC]

So here's the word from Mike at GH on the supposed third 4-pack in this line:

"A third set, Rescue On Hoth, is also planned, with re-issued figures of POTF2 Luke Skywalker Tauntaun , POTF2 Hoth Leia, Hoth Chewbacca (the Saga Cloud City version with snow deco), an orange and white R3 droid with clear dome, and of course, a POTF2 Tauntaun."

I find this set's details to be more than a little surprising.  Sure, I was anticipating and hoping for a TaunTaun and an astromech, but where's the Hoth Rebel Soldier?!  If these 4-packs are going to succeed, Hasbro really needs to throw in a good army builder or two I think.  I guess if that's not going to happen, hopefully there's enough folks out there who are relatively new to collecting and missed these Hoth rehashes the first time around who will buy them up so they don't warm the shelves too much.

Glad to see they'll at least be using a different Chewie to apply the snow ******* to.  I think a Probot would've been a nice inclusion in this set as well, instead of a fourth figure.  Those haven't been out in a LONG time...  Another new astromech will be the highlight of this set, along with another TaunTaun to stick our new wide stanced brown and/or blue Hoth Han's on.  Mike also mentioned these are going to be TRU exclusives.  I'm still hoping that these sets come in at a decent price point -definitely under $20.  Anything over that, and these things will SIT...

[MisterPL]

- Imperial Set: The only thing that will keep me from buying more than one is the Vader figure. I have no use for lots o' Vaders otherwise I'd be picking up a case of these army builders.

- Bounty Hunters: I'm in it for the swoop. Everything else will probably become custom fodder, unless I like the deco better. (Will Fett's final deco be TESB or ROTJ flavored?)

- Rescue on Hoth Set: After seeing Hoth Han's ridiculously wide stance (shades of General Lando!), I suspected a tauntaun was a comin'.  No army-builders means only one for MisterPL.

- Rebel set: Considering Hasbro's already offered Endor Troopers and Hoth Troopers as exclusives, I'm going to guess these will be from ANH. Repainted Rebel Fleet Troopers (Massassi Temple deco) would be cool, variant heads would be cooler, but would a Fan Choice figure be out of the question? Is this where Hasbro will put General Dodonna? A Yavin Rebel Hangar Technician maybe? So many choices...

[Scott]

They are so missing the boat by not making each figure an army builder.  Instead of buying 4 of each, I might at most get 2 Imperials, pass on the BH's and pick up one Hoth.  I like these sets in theory, so far the execution has been hit and miss

[Scott]

I'm also sad because I have a custom of this little guy

R4

Which I think was the last one I did...I like it when they make me retire customs though and it sounds like my Echo Base R3 will be leaving too

[MisterPL]

I like it when they make me retire customs...

I have given up on screen accurate Star Wars customs until Hasbro quits making these things altogether! Just when you think you've found an uber-obscure figure from the movies, along comes Hasbro before the paint's even dry to announce, "Oh yeah! We've been planning that one for YEARS! BWA-HA-HA-ha-haaaa!"

Even concept figures aren't safe. I'm sticking to fan-fic for the time being. My Mace in Jedi Training Gear is pretty sweet, and I doubt Hasbro will ever be offering THAT.  

[JediMAC]

That's exactly what I was about to say MPL...

I was collecting TONS of custom fodder during the POTF2 era, but 'round about the time POTJ hit, I realized that it's best if I just let Hasbro handle things for the time being, at least until the modern era has finished running it's course, which is probably still a good 5 years away methinks...

Now if only I had known back in the early 90's that there would be a modern SW figure line, I might not have been dropping nearly $100 a pop at collecting shows on some real nice Vintage based/styled customs of Ephant Mon, Grand Moff Tarkin, Sandtrooper, Garindan, and Oola...    Fortunately, I never found a custom Slave Leia to my liking at least...  

[JediMike393]

I'm going to get these sets. Since I don't have all of these figures except the Boba Fett (300th Edition) and I wouldn't mind getting a double of that.

[JediMAC]

Well, it looks like these 4-packs are going to be coming in at $20 a pop.  About what I was expecting, as that is in line with what 4 regular carded figures would run 'ya.  I was hoping they'd be a little bit less, but I'm not too upset...

Here's a link to Amazon.com, where it appears that the first one of these sets is available for pre-order, though it doesn't list any of the details about it:  Star Wars Figure 4-Pack

[Scott]

I hope that is right Matt cause I preordered.  If it comes as a pack of Zam Wessel, Pilot Jango, Nikto Jedi and Mace Windu I am going to send it to you gratis  

[SilverZ]

Well images just popped up of the Hoth set. Looks like the droid is another winner.  

What's interesting though is the Leia - which appears to be Bespin Escape Leia with Hoth Leia's head and jacket. Nice little custom there, me thinks.

Does this change anyone elses minds about this set? I'm much more accepting of it now. It means the only stinker figure in there is Luke. Leia, a snowy Chewy, and a new droid repaint, plus the TaunTaun make me pretty happy!

J

[JediMAC]

Well, it's hard to make much of a determination based on this picture really.  The R3 looks just as nice as I expected it to - the highlight of the set really.  This Hoth Chewie will look better than the previous one since it's based on the nicer Bespin Escape sculpt with some snow flocked on.  Hard to say what the Leia is kit-bashed out of, but hopefully it's a nice combination of stuff, and she comes out even better than her previous Hoth incarnation.  The Luke... can't tell if it's really any different, though it probably wouldn't even matter - boring.  Finally, the Tauntaun - just a POTF2 rehash looks like.  Not sure why his tail is laying aside, separate.  It would be nice to see a split belly feature in this one for you know who...

Overall, I dunno.  Not too exciting.  Cool droid.  Maybe some nicer Hoth versions of Leia and Chewie.  But overall it's rather disappointing that there isn't an army builder included herein.  A Hoth Rebel Soldier of some type would've been better than Luke.  But I suppose this is Hasbro's way of catching up all of the newer collectors who missed out on these characters the first time around, and for that reason I guess I shouldn't complain too much.  Foots the bill in that respect, I suppose...

Just wish there was an easier/cheaper way of getting a few more of those R3's!  

[Jesse James]

I think I'm t he only person disappointed with the R3.  They used that bogus POTJ sculpt instead of the R3-T7 body that has the poseable legs and retractable 3rd leg.

Love that poseable/articulated sculpt.  

This set is as uninteresting as the 4-packs can get to me...  The Imperial one seems to be the nicest.  The Bounty Hunter one doesn't even pique my interest except they really did a smash-up job on that Swoop.  Too bad the figure can't ride it that it's intended for, haha.

This is a set idea that could REALLY be improved though, kind of like their accessory sets for Target.  It's a shame...  Hasbro's got a knack for taking a potentially great success and working it so it'll only be mediocre at best.  

I could whip up 4-packs and accessory sets (and army builders) that would definately appeal to all collectors I think.