SSG BATTLE OF THE MACHINES Semi-Finals - Fight 1

[Tycho]

We're down to only 8 ships or vehicles before one, and exactly one will claim the Championship Title as the Ultimate, Best Hasbro Star Wars Toy of All-Time!

A trend has been developing that seems to favor Imperial hardware in these matches. Tonight is no exception as the first round of the SEMI-FINALS pits the AT-AT against the AT-ST.

The AT-AT narrowly defeated the Millennium Falcon 109-99 with 52% of 208 votes. With armor too strong for blasters, the towering Imperial Walker could probably carry over a half-dozen snowtrooper action figures into combat in its troop carrier section, while under the command of the exclusive packed-in AT-AT Driver and AT-AT Commander (as close as we've come to General Veers' proper figure) seated in the cockpit. From there they can command the fully poseable behemoth machine's 4 giant legs, jointed in three points of articulation on each. Covering them, are the remote operated chin guns that fire with the air-piercing sound effects and red "laser" flashes one would come to expect from the firepower of this war machine. But that's not all: side-mounted anti-aircraft cannons feature missle tubes with launching projectiles capable of descimating any Rebel defenses! A remote lever in the transport section controls the aiming and directional tracking of the metal beasts head, and a electronic, backlit communications and tactical station replays dialog from the movie, and features the bone-crunching thunder a walker's legs make in action, as well as the terror-striking sound of many needle-like barrages of the walker's smaller artillery cannons.

The AT-ST as originally released featured a "remote control button" that let you make the scoutwalker's legs pump up and down like it was marching into battle or stomping on your Rebel action figures and those Ewoks! Twin side-cannons click and offer anti-aircraft defense for the walker - though one of them was supposed to be a grenade launcher and this oversight was never corrected when the AT-ST was re-released for the modern line. A twin-barrel nose cannon offers anti-personnel assualt capabilities while the control cockpit holds one action figure (not included). A "tank top" hatch opens and allows the pilot to scout out the situation, or use the hand-blaster cannon mounted on the top deck (though this was never seen in the movies). The ATST defeated both the Trade Federation's AAT Tank and Jabba The Hutt's criminal organization's Tatooine Skiff managing to take away 69% of the votes from both of the other vehicles - even while facing them at the same time! The AT-ST won with 51% of the 135 votes.

Now only 1 of these two great war machines will go on to make it to the Final Round to decide the all-time best.

Which one will it be?

Your choice!

[JediTricks]

Rerelease vs rerelease: I feel that the AT-AT is the superior rerelease but not in an exciting way, simply in a "less bad" way.

[Rogue II]

Gotta go with the AT-AT. I dig it. I never got it when I was a kid, but I picked up the modern version. There are a bunch of cool features. My dog freaks out when I activate its sounds.

Funny thing: I paid $30 for the AT-ST/speederbike combo this year. I only paid $25 for the AT-AT during the great POTF2 clearance sale.

[The True Maul]

The AT AT is the best, Great Vehicle!!!!

[Eternal Padawan]

C'mon what kind of matchup is that? AT-AT creams AT-ST in every which way. That's like sending Darth Vader up against an ugnaught.

I wanna hear from the three crackers that voted AT-ST. Defend your choice!

[stillakid]

One of my personal favorite toys has always been the AT AT. I wanted one as a kid and had to wait nearly 20 years to get one.

It's a great toy. Seats two comfortably (old and new versions) with plenty of storage in the back for those long road trips. I wish they had left the vintage style motorized pulsing guns but it's still pretty cool. Now, if only it could walk on it's own...

The AT ST is okay, but has never been one of my favorites. The new ones especially have trouble standing on their ownl, what with the cheap plastic they use anymore. Seats only one. The walking feature is kinda cool, but also clunky at the same time. It doesn't so much walk as run in place.

My vote is with the AT AT.

[LusiferSam]

AT-AT all the way. Its features look, work and act much better then the AT-ST's. The lager size is great. Even if it's not to scale it still towers of the figures. The new electrons do add to its appeal. My problem with the AT-
ST is the running in pace thing. 20 years ago it might have been cool, but not today.

[Rogue II]

Originally posted by Eternal Padawan
C'mon what kind of matchup is that? AT-AT creams AT-ST in every which way. That's like sending Darth Vader up against an ugnaught.

I wanna hear from the three crackers that voted AT-ST. Defend your choice!

WOO HOO! Go Ugnaught!!!! Kick that Sith Lord behind.

Where are those 3 that voted for the AT-ST?

Will this poll get cut short due to a skunk rule if the AT-AT continues to dominate?

[Needles]

I voted for the AT-AT,it looks cooler,and more roomier than the At-At.I have nothing more to say.

[Tycho]

There could be some ridiculous match-ups in the final fights, just because of who's still in the final rounds, and who was eliminated.

Like my feature post said, the AT-AT already fought and won out over the Millennium Falcon.

Each movie seems to have its super-size scale vehicle, a category the AT-AT clearly qualifies to represent The Empire Strikes Back for.

Unfortunately, ROTJ's (The Shuttle Tyderium) and AOTC's (The Republic Gunship) are not out yet, and therefore disqualified since no one's played with these things to date yet. While I have a vintage shuttle, essentially the same thing, many do not because of the rarity and cost involved (not that FAO's price or quantity ordered helps the matter ).

So, only The Phantom Menace's Naboo Royal Starship can really fit this category, and the Millennium Falcon had already defeated it by the time the Falcon qualified to challenge the AT-AT.

The walker's first match was the snowspeeder, seemingly appropriate because it was a movie match.

Now, I'm trying to keep the land vehicles together.

1) We have a huge and active Classic Starfighter group that has managed to challenge and contain itself in its own Dog Fight battles with 4 Rebel ships and 4 Imperial ones. We're down to only 2 of them now.

2) Lightweight vehicles like the speederbike had 8 crafts in their category and we're down to just 2 again there.

3) Finally, there was a good number of mid-size fighters and freighters from the Prequels and Expanded Universe that could've claimed around 8 crafts to fit in that category, and we're down to only 2 ships there.

We will declare 4 winners after the Semi-Finals, but we can keep going through the Finals and the Championship, though the AT-AT will no doubt crush almost any competition.

I think it would make sense to pit the Top Dog out of all the Classic Starfighters against the winner of the Mid-size Prequel Fighters, but that would leave the AT-AT, surely the champion heavyweight, to face the best of the best from amongst the Lightweights.

If we split up the fightercraft, the only way they will face each other in a final match would be if whichever one faces the AT-AT, defeats it. This might be possible for one or two of our starfighter winners, however, it would still leave the speederbike against a vastly larger and more superior vehicle.

Your suggestions are welcome.