Battle of Hoth Wave

[Diddly]

Damn, I LOVE the Veers and AT-AT driver. I'll be getting multiples for army building and possibly customs. Speaking of customs, anybody think a good Rieekan could be made from the Derlin body?

Here's my buy/pass list:

BUY: Veers, Derlin, AT-AT Driver, Gonk Droid, R2-D2 (because of the accessories)

PASS: Vader (have enough, looks like a 500th rerelease), Snowtrooper (waiting for an SA version), Rieekan (have one already, unless someone can make a custom using Derlin)

[Jesse James]

Lots of goodness there...

Nice to see Hasbro make that Gonk a much more worthy figure by packing in the Treadwell.  A new paintjob on him woulda been cool but whatever.

Veers including his hat is great for customizers.  A castable Imperial Kepi has been long overdue, and hollowing them out is nye on impossible.  The sculpt looks like one of the most accurate likenesses I've ever seen too, that's impressive.

Derlin almost appears like he re-uses legs from Riekean, but I could be wrong.

Snowtrooper almost looks worth having one or two of, haha.  Bummer not SA though still.

AT-AT Driver's neat looking but I still would have preferred a new Snowtrooper and re-released AT-AT Driver.  Unlike the TIE Pilot there's a LOT less difference between sculpts here.

Looks cool to me overall and I want a couple Gonks and many MANY Veers figures.

BTW I noticed that the loosies aren't the same figures as the carded ones.  There's noticeable differences with most of them if not all of them, so I'm guessing the looses are just cropped images from online (my guess) and the carded shots were given by an overseas etailer or aren't being opened by who has them for whatever reason.  Just some observations.

[Jayson]

Derlin almost appears like he re-uses legs from Riekean, but I could be wrong.

Yeah they are different legs…

Derlin has the textured checked pattern on the thighs and the boot sculpt is different also.

 The only thing I don't like about that 500th Vader Sculpt is the flexible Cod piece. I'm not sure how much sitting this figure will be doing, but the one that is included with the Med. Chamber looks like he has a "perma-boner" when not sitting.

[Paul]

I'm not too convinced that Veers hat is removable...it looks like they helmet may just fit over it.....

I hate to be the sayer of "Nay" in this thread, but the lack of Super Articulation on some of these is still enough to annoy me to the point of disinterest. 

The swivel/slash elbow is so vile to me that I'd prefer no articulation at all.  And the lack of Knee Articulation is a let down too.

I'll snag a couple ATAT drivers and one each of Gonk, Veers and Derlin but other than that, this wave will be a pass.  I'm sure they'll be saving all the articulation for Pre-quel drivel and one frame of film jedi....

[Darth Broem]

The only main headscratcher for me is why they won't make a SA snowtrooper?  I think that is really odd.  Otherwise the other figs look good IMO.  Well actually I won't get Vader or Riekkaan.  R2 for the accessories I will get.  The gonk droid, Veers, Derlin, and AT-AT driver are way to nice for me to pass on. 

[Darth_Anton]

I'm not too convinced that Veers hat is removable...it looks like they helmet may just fit over it.....

Exactamundo! Take a look at the loose picture, you can see the hat under the helmet. In fact, that's the same loose picture we've had, it's amazing no one picked that out.

As for the wave, I hear what poeple say about lack of good articulation, but I don't think it's needed. At least I won't miss it for how they'll be displayed.

I have to say that I think the Snowtrooper is awful though! I don't like to thorw that word out when it comes to SW figures, but the is no need to kitbash any POTF2 part with anything. I'll get one carded, but I will not army build with this. I have a feeling we'll be getting a SA one anyway.

The rest of the wave, with the exception of Reekin, which I think will be the only regwarmer of the first three waves, looks great. Veers and Derlin are at the top of my list to get and being able to make three Power Droids is an awsome gimick!

Has anyones else noticed that it looks like both Reekin and Derlin are packed with the uber-small rebel blasters?

[Darby]

I've been clamoring for an SA Snowtrooper, too, but I think they're probably pacing themselves.  They probably didn't want to do both the Snowtrooper and the AT AT Driver at the same time, and I'm glad they did get back to the Driver.

One reason I think the articulation on these early TSC figs is lacking is that they've been in development since before ROTS (at least I hope); they might have been meant for the original Saga line or OTC.  If the articulation doesn't start escalating as the line goes on, though, I don't know.

[CHEWIE]

Damnit!  So the hat's not removable on Veers probably... that's ok, but I did think it would be.  There are some BBI figures that have beret type hats that are very small, but removable (and extremely well made).

As for the swivel joints at the elbows - better than nothing in my opinion.

 

[Reid]

Buy: Veers, AT-AT Driver, Droids 2-Pack (I'm a sucker for background droids)

Maybe: Snowtrooper

Pass: Vader, R2, Derlin, Rieeken

[Darth_Anton]

Damnit!  So the hat's not removable on Veers probably... that's ok, but I did think it would be.  There are some BBI figures that have beret type hats that are very small, but removable (and extremely well made).

 

Yeah, a removable hat would have been great for customized officers.

And don't forget, the Bespin Guard had a removable hat that worked great!

[Clone On Fire]

Buy: Veers, AT-AT Driver, Droids 2-Pack (I'm a sucker for background droids)

Maybe: Snowtrooper

Pass: Vader, R2, Derlin, Rieeken

Buy: 

Veers x 2
AT-AT Driver x 2-4
Droids 2-pack x 1
Snowtrooper x 5-10 (can you really ever have enough?)
Derlin x 1 (possibly more should I ever learn to customize, might be a decent base for Hoth troops)

Pass:

Riekken
Vader
R2

[Jesse James]

I'm a bit bummed to hear about Veers' headgear issue...  Hasbro, instead of getting off their cheap asses and sculpting a hat, sculpted the helmet so it fits OVER the hat...  Which I'm disappointed in that.

Still liking Veers a lot though, but man they can take any really good idea and just fall shy of greatness.  I'm probably more disappointed in the hat not coming off than I am in his lack of knee joints...  I mean, why not just sculpt the hat?  Hell, re-use it on future Imperial figures even...  Alas, perfection's not something they appear to want to give us unless it's $10.   Someone probably lost his job for Obi Pilot even making it into the basic line. 

[Jeff]

Looks like some details are leaking out about some of the Hoth figures since they are now shipping from Asian e-tailers and "back-door" sources...

Veers: working holster, non-removable hat

Derlin: working holster, non-removable hat

AT-AT Driver: Super-Articulated - Ball jointed head, shoulders, & knees; swivel elbows and gloves

R2-D2:  "Dirty" repaint of the EB Kit R2-D2 (which was a modified vOTC R2-D2.  I'm damn dissapointed that it is not the sneak preview sculpt.   

Vader: 500th Vader repaint, complete with removable "dome" (aka the top of his helmet)

Power Droid: Modified CommTech Power Droid with a new "hat".  Also comes with the old "stovepipe" accessory. so you can mix and match your Power Droids if you want...

New photos are available at that other site...

[Brian]

Some nice looks at the Hoth wave, thanks Jeff.  I'm pretty excited for this wave, especially due to the "new" figures.  Veers and Derlin are both welcome additions, and ones I've always kind of wanted, and the AT-AT Driver looks amazing.  Of the repacks, I am kind of disappointed that the R2 isn't a repaint of the sneak preview mold, that is a great figure.  I guess the positive side of it is, it shows that repacks of VOTC figures aren't necessarily out of the question, and hopefully that opens the doors to seeing some Stormtroopers (or Han, Chewie, Boba, etc.) down the road.

Looking at this wave (as well as the Carkoon one), I'm kind of starting to agree with those who have said these might have been initially designed during the OTC time frame.  Figures like Gen. Veers, Bren Derlin, Carbonite Han, and even Bib Fortuna (not to mention the repacks) are very reminiscent of the "style" we saw the OTC figures.  Similar articulation, sculpt, etc. to the Dagobah and Bespin waves.  And, honestly, the Boussh Leia and AT-AT Driver could about fit in with the VOTC figure style as well.  Does anyone else think it was possible some of these were on the drawing board for that line?  It seems like it is possible anyways.  That isn't a bad thing to me, because aside from too many repacks, those were really great lines with the combination of packaging, figures, and OT goodness .

[Darby]

My cousin just paid a tidy sum for the 500th Vader on ebay, after I told him the Hoth one would be the exact same figure.    

I definitely think these figs date back to OTC/VOTC.  We'll know for sure when Cody and his crew show.  If they don't sport ROTS style articulation, we're in trouble.