The figure as a pack-in is just evidence that it's "cost" is minimal to the company now...  It's a LITTLE way to entice you to want that case, but it's not costing them much of anything to GIVE you that figure.  That's a Hasbro screwjob at its finest really.

I honestly thought that was the E3 Clone at first and skipped the case.  I've pondered going back to get one if not to just add another Clone to my army of one.   

Anyway I've got 2 full sets from a case my friends picked up, and I've got a taker who paid already on the officers from the 2nd set, so I'll have 16 white troops and 8 officers from these for the $6.25-ish price range...  Would like more whites, but whatcha gonna do at this point?   

I'll be the guy dressed like the murdered turtle.

It's funny, but I really don't mind flying...  I hate the sorta hectic feeling GETTING to the plane though, if that makes any sense.  I feel rushed and "late" about that.

Flying doesn't bug me though...  My brother went to Florida just a couple weeks ago, and the flight down was cool but they hit turbulence all the way back to Pittsburgh, and he's not a fan of flying.  He thought the flight down was how it generally is, but the ride back had him never wanting to set foot in a plane again I guess.

But minimal costs are involved in construction, etc., while mold toolings are regarded as a principle cost in development of a single item.  I agree though that construction's going to cost more to put together a SA Clone than a 3-pack Clone comparing 1 - 1...  It's going to be a really minimal ammount however.

It's like drawing a comparison between what a vivid/intricate paint application would cost compared to just additional colors (well, loosely anyway).  For instance, if one added many simplistic additional colors sprayed/splotched on to form a faded camo will be an additional cost but minimal whereas something akin to painting an intricate/accurate camo pattern on a figure's going to cost more even if it only utilizes 3 colors.

Articulation's key cost comes in its additional mold toolings.  The construction's increased, but one can always look at what yields the additional cost of the articulation (all costs it incurs) bring about as well, like potential higher sales, etc.  If I can sell more of unit A because it's got higher articulation than I can sell of unit B because it has less...  or if I can sell unit A (a 3-pack of SA Clones for instance) because while there's more parts they're also 3 of the same figure which also simplifies construction, while unit B has a higher construction cost because it's 3 unique items within a package constructed differently, etc...  But these things are all minor issues. 

I think the reason we didn't see articulation increase over the years was simply that mold toolings aren't cheap and Star Wars didn't give anyone an impression of longevity.  I don't know that it does now either though, but it's certainly become a more competitive brand in comparison to other toy lines. 

If articulation construction was enough of a reason to keep Star Wars in the "dark ages" of toy line advancement, then I think smaller and "cheap" toy lines like Lanard's, or PTE would have dropped off long ago.  They make their costs in mold toolings up quickly though through reuse of them repeatedly, and their construction's even more complex in some sense than SW (not the injection molding portion always, however). 

Bumping...

I really am looking high and low for VOTC Stormies, that SBD Builder (or 2), and the Clone Wars SA Clone Trooper and ARC Trooper (Red).  Anyone who can help, hit me up.  I'd appreciate it.

Bob (Bobafett14) has one in his garage and since he's usually the guy hosting our local meetings around Pittsburgh, it's always brimming with pop and beer...  Very cool piece.

Bob's house really is decked out with lots of Star Wars stuff.  He has the most tolerant wife on Earth I think.

It's definitely cool...  If I had the room/$ it's one of those things that'd be nice to have.

Some of these Star Wars geeks get a little tongue tied when a girl actually talks to them.

Hah!  I want pictures of these "girls" talking to SW geeks.  Pfft... 

Actually, I too have run into the current wave of guys in the SW aisle who, should you talk to them, they only reply with comments/questions regarding value.  That really sorta sucks when you get into a conversation with "that guy". 

On 4/2 at Target I was waiting in line to buy the Lava Vader, gotten my ticket early that a.m., and as I stood there just about every guy around me was talking about the value of it...  One guy was pondering standing outside waiting on people leaving to offer it to them for $30...  One guy was telling me how he'd "just got in from the central PA toy show...", bragging about selling some ROTS figs he'd gotten early at the show for a mark-up.     To make matters worse that dickhole lived out near me too...  great.

I dunno if these guys are creepy, I suppose that's likely my job description, but they are annoying as hell.

I tore through The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings this past semester.  I finished ROTK just about a couple weeks ago over spring break, finishing my paper on the trilogy now...

Figure since this was bumped and I actually was reading something that wasn't a text, I'd chime in.

The Silmarillion was a rough book to start with I felt, and really kicked the semester off on a bad note.  I'm not fond of the style that Tolkien wrote it in, and I feel it's a little too close to reading the bible for my liking...  Other students were gung-ho on it, but not me.  I barely lagged through it, and really only found the final portion of it truly interesting.

The Hobbit's the easiest of the group of course, and one I already had read.  Still a great story, even if it's not the most complex, and a fun lead-in to a story riddled with themes and undertones... 

The Lord of the Rings is what it is...  Most in this thread have probably read it, and it's regarded by many as one of the modern-day classics.  I've gotten to see a lot of praise and criticism for this story though, and some interesting points of view.  I find often times critics are more offended at the thought of this story being compared to Shakespeare or Dickens rather than having objectively looked at the story for what it is.

It's a great read, difficult to pick everything up on the first go-through unless you have an inkling of the story, but not too difficult that the majority can't pick it up and get immersed in it.  Picking the story apart every week in analytical round-table discussion was a highlight while reading through all these books though.  Always great to sit aorund with fans and brain-storm.  The material's are involved so it's a lot of work, but it's been one of the more eye-opening experiences I've had in school (that didn't pertain to my dull major anyway).

Even Star Wars parallel's being drawn...  What a class.