TLC "Scramble on Yavin" Battle Pack

[Paul]

This will be the first star wars item I have bought for myself since......Smuggler Lando I think...

I doubt I will go back to Star Wars full force, but this is the kind of stuff that I've wanted for a while.

[JediJman]

I love this set.  A new vehicle (of sorts) and three new figures.  THANK YOU for not repacking the same old crap!

[speedermike]

I thought it was Bill Maher.

[P-Siddy]

I thought John Deacon at first... but yeah, Ryan Stiles.

[Jesse James]

 We need some GOOD Rebel soldiers now!

Just wait for it Jesse that Luke/Deana in stealth armor comic pack is coming out soon. 
That is what I expect in a soldier, not someone in some cargo pants, a multipocket vest, and a bucket for helmet.  Not that it H's fault it's Lucas. 
This guy will look good though prepping an xwing, still doesn't make sense why a mechanic needs to carry around a blaster.  Seems like carrying an umbrella when it's not raining, you're just not going to use it for anything.

Well, not sure I'm totally into the Luke and Deena...  It's an EU design and all, and it's not bad, but I'm just not sold on it totally yet.  I've always rather liked the Alliance's uniforms...  They're not the Empire obviously, and full body armor maybe just isn't feasible for them...  They're putting together a cohesive uniform structure to represent them, but trying to do so at minimal cost too.  Plus while the Alliance is small compared to the Empire, they're probably massive by "Earth standards" so clothing that many soldiers would be complex.  I've always pictured them like our soldiers in the Revolution...  You'd have some ragtag looking groups, some militias that didn't "conform", but you'd have the bulk made up of the continental regulars trying to look as uniform as possible.

The pockets all make sense...  They're crews for ships as well as fighters, so they've got uniforms that work for both.  Their helmets provide protection to the face, the neck, etc.  Full body armor doesn't help the Empire too much either...  It probably serves some benefit, but the Alliance maybe just doesn't see it as "worth the cost", at least not yet.

I've always envisioned the "Techs" as something more than just grease monkeys too...  Mechanics in the U.S. Military still must pass basic small arms training to move onto their specialty.  The Alliance, while large itself, is dwarfed by their opponent so I'd imagine every "able body" is expected to fight if the need calls for it...

Here's another real world example of this though.  One of my best friends growing up, and someone I considered as close to me as a grandparent, was an old couple I delivered papers to and spent time with.  They've both passed away but Mr. Wright used to tell me stories about his time in the war.  He was an engineer in the U.S. military and didn't see much combat in Europe, but during the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest, he and his men were in the midst of the fighting and the Engineers all had to fight with the regular infantry, airborne, etc. 

He maybe built bridges, bases, airfields, etc., etc., but when the **** hit the fan he had to pick up an M1 with the rest of the men and fight.

I consider the Rebel Technicians as something similar...  They're doing the laborous work to build the bases and things, but if (when, if you follow the EU) the Empire lays siege to the base, the base's personnel must all defend it.  They're basically all soldiers to me, just some are specialists that work on ships, or fix fighters, etc.

I think a post-ROTJ Rebellion maybe has more stability to up-armor their troops, but really armor seems like a luxury in Star Wars.  Even the Empire uses it on Stormtroopers only while other troops seemingly either get no armor, or very minimal (EU says chest plates like Veers wears are standard issue field gear for "Imperial Army Regulars", and one could maybe guess others get the same armor issued, but nobody wears the full set but a STormtrooper, who is ultimately "elite" on some level).

[Darth_Anton]

Nicely done. I'll be picking up a squad for sure.

[jedi_master_sal]

I want this set for sure, but does anyone else notice the tech looks like Ryan Stiles from the Drew Carey Show/Who's Line is it Anyway?

[Jayson]

I want this set for sure, but does anyone else notice the tech looks like Ryan Stiles from the Drew Carey Show/Who's Line is it Anyway?

Nope...

Ryan Stiles was a technician on Yavin?   

I thought John Deacon at first... but yeah, Ryan Stiles.

[jedipurge]

 We need some GOOD Rebel soldiers now!

Just wait for it Jesse that Luke/Deana in stealth armor comic pack is coming out soon. 
That is what I expect in a soldier, not someone in some cargo pants, a multipocket vest, and a bucket for helmet.  Not that it H's fault it's Lucas. 
This guy will look good though prepping an xwing, still doesn't make sense why a mechanic needs to carry around a blaster.  Seems like carrying an umbrella when it's not raining, you're just not going to use it for anything.

Well, not sure I'm totally into the Luke and Deena...  It's an EU design and all, and it's not bad, but I'm just not sold on it totally yet.  I've always rather liked the Alliance's uniforms...  They're not the Empire obviously, and full body armor maybe just isn't feasible for them...  They're putting together a cohesive uniform structure to represent them, but trying to do so at minimal cost too.  Plus while the Alliance is small compared to the Empire, they're probably massive by "Earth standards" so clothing that many soldiers would be complex.  I've always pictured them like our soldiers in the Revolution...  You'd have some ragtag looking groups, some militias that didn't "conform", but you'd have the bulk made up of the continental regulars trying to look as uniform as possible.

The pockets all make sense...  They're crews for ships as well as fighters, so they've got uniforms that work for both.  Their helmets provide protection to the face, the neck, etc.  Full body armor doesn't help the Empire too much either...  It probably serves some benefit, but the Alliance maybe just doesn't see it as "worth the cost", at least not yet.

I've always envisioned the "Techs" as something more than just grease monkeys too...  Mechanics in the U.S. Military still must pass basic small arms training to move onto their specialty.  The Alliance, while large itself, is dwarfed by their opponent so I'd imagine every "able body" is expected to fight if the need calls for it...

Here's another real world example of this though.  One of my best friends growing up, and someone I considered as close to me as a grandparent, was an old couple I delivered papers to and spent time with.  They've both passed away but Mr. Wright used to tell me stories about his time in the war.  He was an engineer in the U.S. military and didn't see much combat in Europe, but during the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest, he and his men were in the midst of the fighting and the Engineers all had to fight with the regular infantry, airborne, etc. 

He maybe built bridges, bases, airfields, etc., etc., but when the **** hit the fan he had to pick up an M1 with the rest of the men and fight.

I consider the Rebel Technicians as something similar...  They're doing the laborous work to build the bases and things, but if (when, if you follow the EU) the Empire lays siege to the base, the base's personnel must all defend it.  They're basically all soldiers to me, just some are specialists that work on ships, or fix fighters, etc.

I think a post-ROTJ Rebellion maybe has more stability to up-armor their troops, but really armor seems like a luxury in Star Wars.  Even the Empire uses it on Stormtroopers only while other troops seemingly either get no armor, or very minimal (EU says chest plates like Veers wears are standard issue field gear for "Imperial Army Regulars", and one could maybe guess others get the same armor issued, but nobody wears the full set but a STormtrooper, who is ultimately "elite" on some level).

I understand what you're saying Jesse but I've always remembered the line between Motti and the other Moff "they're more powerful then you realize" or something to that effect.  I just look at the EU, and while I don't like most of it, I can't imagine in a galaxy that advanced that body armor isn't normal/readily available/neccesary there.  It's practically the wild west where most beings carry a weapon wide open.  I think how mass produced things are here, and we see in the driod factory in AOTC how mass production is available/fast.

I think as far as how Lucas did the movie is that he wanted to give the good guys faces so we could see their humanity as it were, while the Stormies are faceless and most people when the movie first came out probably weren't even sure if they were droids or human/alien, so who'd care if those guys die.

As far as the techs go okaywhat you said sounds reasonable, but did you friend wear his weapon at ALL times?  andeven if he did I'd think he'd only be carrying around a pistol like the one General Lando/Academy Biggs comes with and not a full on carbine.  Can't imagine this guy crawling inside of an Xwing with a carbine blaster at his side, how much would that get in the way.  It kind of reminds me when the DS is being attcked and we see the inside with all the Stormies running around w/blasters at the ready, and I think what are they gonna do with their blasters shoot at the Xwing from a window as they pass by.  They have no need to be running around a battlestation weapons drawn, and these guys have no need for a carbine blaster at their side.  

Obviously I'm talking about the "character" and not the toy really cause I know it'd be boring if he came with a bunch of tools and most people would probably rather him be able to shoot something then fix something.

I'm sure Stiles will be getting a check from H anyday now for using his likeness, I mean really we can't get Luke to look anything like Hamil or Leia to look anything like Carrie but jeez they sure did a bang up job of of making this nobody look completly like someone that wasn't even remotely in the movie.

[Jesse James]

Mass production is available in Star Wars IF you have it or IF you can afford it...  That's the key.  The Droid Factory is available to Geonosis because that's what Geonosians do.  That's their claim to fame, and why Battledroids look like them.  Could Muunilist crank out Battledroids like that though?  Probably not...  They're not known for that, but they can buy them because they're home to the Banking Clan.

But could Alderaan do either?  They could probably pick up a decent sized army for defense, and they maybe have some manufacturing, but they could never rival either.

I'm sure mass production is available, but the Alliance would have to pay for it...  And being in the place they are, they'd probably have to pay a premium as the people producing anything for them probably don't do so cheaply since it's a risk to themselves for supplying them.  According to EU the Alliance has safe worlds outside the frontier to grow food, make equipment, etc., but they're also struggling to keep their military going so I'm sure they don't like dedicating too many people to these safe worlds.  Perhaps families, pacifists who want to rebel but don't want to fight, etc., but anyone able to fight is probably expected to be on a ship, a base, or in the field somewhere.

The Empire has the money to mass produce anything it wants, when it wants.  The Alliance though, they just don't seem to have that ability.  Look at their fighters.  The Y-Wing is stripped down CLone Wars era gear...  X-Wings and A-Wings and such all have replaced armor panels, and all have visible wear/tear to them.  They're all mass produced, but there's obvious signs that the Alliance doesn't get new stuff often... 

Perhaps Alliance soldiers in the field can/do get chest armor like the Imperial troopers?  We don't really see them but on Hoth, and Hoth's necessary gear kind of make armor impractical unless it's very specifically designed to work with the puffier outfits and things.

As far as the blaster goes though, I never considered the Rebel gun to be a carbine...  It's described as a DH-17 blaster pistol or sidearm.  The Imperial's E-11 is described as a carbine though it's not much bulkier.  Probably though it's described as that due to the folding stock or something.  The DH-17 is just a sidearm though, and my friend in World War 2 did carry a .45 as his sidearm, so it's possible he did have it on most of the time, especially any time they were building anything near the front I'd imagine.

Do Engineers carry the big "Hoth" type rifle, or do Techs lug something like that around?  They're maybe issued them in an emergency, but otherwise probably not.  Carrying a sidearm in a holster though, isn't awkward to me.  Slinging a rifle over your back and working at your specialty though is odd unless it's something you're doing under fire in a combat zone.

I'm trying to recall if any Yavin techs had a pistol/holster on even in the movie.  I don't think any did, and if they did it wasn't very many of them.

[jedipurge]

Mass production is available in Star Wars IF you have it or IF you can afford it...  That's the key.  The Droid Factory is available to Geonosis because that's what Geonosians do.  That's their claim to fame, and why Battledroids look like them.  Could Muunilist crank out Battledroids like that though?  Probably not...  They're not known for that, but they can buy them because they're home to the Banking Clan.

But could Alderaan do either?  They could probably pick up a decent sized army for defense, and they maybe have some manufacturing, but they could never rival either.

I'm sure mass production is available, but the Alliance would have to pay for it...  And being in the place they are, they'd probably have to pay a premium as the people producing anything for them probably don't do so cheaply since it's a risk to themselves for supplying them.  According to EU the Alliance has safe worlds outside the frontier to grow food, make equipment, etc., but they're also struggling to keep their military going so I'm sure they don't like dedicating too many people to these safe worlds.  Perhaps families, pacifists who want to rebel but don't want to fight, etc., but anyone able to fight is probably expected to be on a ship, a base, or in the field somewhere.

The Empire has the money to mass produce anything it wants, when it wants.  The Alliance though, they just don't seem to have that ability.  Look at their fighters.  The Y-Wing is stripped down CLone Wars era gear...  X-Wings and A-Wings and such all have replaced armor panels, and all have visible wear/tear to them.  They're all mass produced, but there's obvious signs that the Alliance doesn't get new stuff often... 

Perhaps Alliance soldiers in the field can/do get chest armor like the Imperial troopers?  We don't really see them but on Hoth, and Hoth's necessary gear kind of make armor impractical unless it's very specifically designed to work with the puffier outfits and things.

As far as the blaster goes though, I never considered the Rebel gun to be a carbine...  It's described as a DH-17 blaster pistol or sidearm.  The Imperial's E-11 is described as a carbine though it's not much bulkier.  Probably though it's described as that due to the folding stock or something.  The DH-17 is just a sidearm though, and my friend in World War 2 did carry a .45 as his sidearm, so it's possible he did have it on most of the time, especially any time they were building anything near the front I'd imagine.

Do Engineers carry the big "Hoth" type rifle, or do Techs lug something like that around?  They're maybe issued them in an emergency, but otherwise probably not.  Carrying a sidearm in a holster though, isn't awkward to me.  Slinging a rifle over your back and working at your specialty though is odd unless it's something you're doing under fire in a combat zone.

I'm trying to recall if any Yavin techs had a pistol/holster on even in the movie.  I don't think any did, and if they did it wasn't very many of them.

Your friend carried around a .45 which would probably be about the size of the G.Lando/A. Biggs blaster, but the DH-17 would be like carrying aound an Uzi or somesuch on your side.  Also though as far as the OT goes the rebel ground troops all we see are really in dress uniform-Honor Guard, this Tech here, guys playing in the snow, the fleet trooper-which really these guys don't seem to be more then the techs just guys manning the ship they're not the equivalent of guys storming Normandy or anything there the guys firing the canons and launching the boats at Normandy, we also see the Endor Commando-which these guys are just traveling light/camoed in a different enviro these guys might be wearing armor.  I suppose my long drawn out point is we really don't see the hard core soldier of the Alliance.  I alos think about the Mando's heck if these guys can have armor why not Rebels

Side note Jesse I think it's really cool to have a friend that was in the war, I'd have loved to hear the stories.  My grandfather was in the Pacific but by the time I'd have been old enough to be interested to hear his stories he'd already been dead several years.  Consider yourself lucky to have had that friend.

[bikerscout1]

I want this set for sure, but does anyone else notice the tech looks like Ryan Stiles from the Drew Carey Show/Who's Line is it Anyway?

thought the same.  u beat me to it Sal!!

[Jesse James]

Your friend carried around a .45 which would probably be about the size of the G.Lando/A. Biggs blaster, but the DH-17 would be like carrying aound an Uzi or somesuch on your side.  Also though as far as the OT goes the rebel ground troops all we see are really in dress uniform-Honor Guard, this Tech here, guys playing in the snow, the fleet trooper-which really these guys don't seem to be more then the techs just guys manning the ship they're not the equivalent of guys storming Normandy or anything there the guys firing the canons and launching the boats at Normandy, we also see the Endor Commando-which these guys are just traveling light/camoed in a different enviro these guys might be wearing armor.  I suppose my long drawn out point is we really don't see the hard core soldier of the Alliance.  I alos think about the Mando's heck if these guys can have armor why not Rebels

I'm totally lucky to have had the Wrights live within walking distance of my house...  I didn't have a grandfather as both mine had passed before I was born, but Mr. Wright was always like one for me.  A very good person, as was his wife. 

About the Rebels...  A lot of it depends on your POV and what you accept of EU.

Eu's established that the "Fleet Trooper" look is the basic military uniform for the ALliance, but I can see the Alliance having special gear for soldiers in the field rather than "Fleet Troopers" working aboard starships like the Tantive IV.  Personally, and there's nothing backing this up but my own opinion, I imagined the "Fleet Trooper" look in the field, but wearing ponchos like Luke/Leia as an inexpensive form of camoflauge...  perhaps officers and non-coms wear trench coats to differentiate themselves (SS's 12" Endor Troopers sorta suggested this, and it jives with Han being the head of the Endor team and all).

Throw on some of the Hoth-type backpacks, rifles, grenade bandoleirs, etc.  Maybe some have some field armor pieces or whatever.  That's the field soldier for the Alliance to me then.  And then sprinkle in any of the myriad of militias, alien militaries and whatnot that are also part of the Alliance but aren't conformed or absorbed into the regular military.

About the blasters and "size" and stuff, I think SW weapons are simply generally a larger variety.  Look at Han's DL-44.  It's not small by any means as a Mauser isn't a tiny pistol, but it's still a pistol.  The DH-17 isn't really that large.  Looking at the film it's easily held with two hands at the grip.  I know what you're saying though that it's not a very "good" thing for a mechanic to have on his hip and I agree, but I think Hasbro did this to pep up the figure a bit too...  I don't really think any techs had pistols in ANH or ROTJ that I noticed.  I think it's ok and they're still soldiers and expected to fight if needs be, but I think it was Hasbro's creative license.

I'm sticking with EU on Reb uniforms though, and some of my own creative license on what they sport in the field.  I get what you mean about it not maybe looking advanced enough though, but it works for me.  The helmets RFT's also sport the neck guard and visor, which again indicates gear for battle to me, with techies getting shafted on either it seems. 

[jedipurge]

Your friend carried around a .45 which would probably be about the size of the G.Lando/A. Biggs blaster, but the DH-17 would be like carrying aound an Uzi or somesuch on your side.  Also though as far as the OT goes the rebel ground troops all we see are really in dress uniform-Honor Guard, this Tech here, guys playing in the snow, the fleet trooper-which really these guys don't seem to be more then the techs just guys manning the ship they're not the equivalent of guys storming Normandy or anything there the guys firing the canons and launching the boats at Normandy, we also see the Endor Commando-which these guys are just traveling light/camoed in a different enviro these guys might be wearing armor.  I suppose my long drawn out point is we really don't see the hard core soldier of the Alliance.  I alos think about the Mando's heck if these guys can have armor why not Rebels

I'm totally lucky to have had the Wrights live within walking distance of my house...  I didn't have a grandfather as both mine had passed before I was born, but Mr. Wright was always like one for me.  A very good person, as was his wife. 

About the Rebels...  A lot of it depends on your POV and what you accept of EU.

Eu's established that the "Fleet Trooper" look is the basic military uniform for the ALliance, but I can see the Alliance having special gear for soldiers in the field rather than "Fleet Troopers" working aboard starships like the Tantive IV.  Personally, and there's nothing backing this up but my own opinion, I imagined the "Fleet Trooper" look in the field, but wearing ponchos like Luke/Leia as an inexpensive form of camoflauge...  perhaps officers and non-coms wear trench coats to differentiate themselves (SS's 12" Endor Troopers sorta suggested this, and it jives with Han being the head of the Endor team and all).

Throw on some of the Hoth-type backpacks, rifles, grenade bandoleirs, etc.  Maybe some have some field armor pieces or whatever.  That's the field soldier for the Alliance to me then.  And then sprinkle in any of the myriad of militias, alien militaries and whatnot that are also part of the Alliance but aren't conformed or absorbed into the regular military.

About the blasters and "size" and stuff, I think SW weapons are simply generally a larger variety.  Look at Han's DL-44.  It's not small by any means as a Mauser isn't a tiny pistol, but it's still a pistol.  The DH-17 isn't really that large.  Looking at the film it's easily held with two hands at the grip.  I know what you're saying though that it's not a very "good" thing for a mechanic to have on his hip and I agree, but I think Hasbro did this to pep up the figure a bit too...  I don't really think any techs had pistols in ANH or ROTJ that I noticed.  I think it's ok and they're still soldiers and expected to fight if needs be, but I think it was Hasbro's creative license.

I'm sticking with EU on Reb uniforms though, and some of my own creative license on what they sport in the field.  I get what you mean about it not maybe looking advanced enough though, but it works for me.  The helmets RFT's also sport the neck guard and visor, which again indicates gear for battle to me, with techies getting shafted on either it seems. 

Ya I know it's probably just H trying to spice up an otherwise boring figure, but when we look at AT-AT driver, AT-ST driver, most of the pilots don't have a holster, even though they come with a gun I don't understand H's reasoning for giving this guy one and he's not even in the heat of battle like the above mentioned are even though they're in a ship.

As far as the soldiers go maybe they wouldn't need to be in full storm/clone trooper armor, but I would think in an technologically advanced society they at least look like our modern day U.S. soldier and not looking like some that going to go hunting for deer.

And as far as the Wrights go it's even better that they were neighbors to you, extra lucky.  My boss, my wife's uncles girlfriend-explains how I got this job, is French and her father fought in the underground there and was eventually captured and put in a camp, luckily he survived and is still alive today and just celebrated his 90th B-day.  She's told me a couple of his stories but she says he doesn't talk about it much, as I can imagine.  But she remembers as a kid going along the French country side and finding old buried food rations from plane drops.  So I suppose I can still get my WWII fix. 

[Matt_Fury]

They didn't seem too far from the action when they were bugging out on Hoth.