L.A. area Just Found

[figrin bran]

But seeing Headphones running through a parking lot with a Target bag is a funny image. I've never seen him, but I picture a guy wearing the same crusty sweatsuit everyday, a radio headset of course, greasy unkempt hair, but not enough money to afford a car of his own. Perhaps he was racing across the lot to a bus stop?

that's pretty spot on except replace the sweatsuit with a member's only jacket. the dude reeks as well.

i wish i didn't have to go to stores at opening/early morning and unfortunately i can only do it about twice a week.

[Jango Speck]

I've opened some of my Target Exclusive figures from ROTS, and so I have several good Hasbro Cases (ROTS variety) that I don't need anymore. If anyone wants them, send me a PM- otherwise, I'll just junk em this weekend.

[Turbowars]

Well I finally got my wave 2 case today! Happy about that. I also picked up a GG Jango bust and let me tell you this thing is a thing of beauty!

Anyone need a V-wing?

LMK or it's going back.

[Tycho]

This whole problem would go away if the online retailers would carry this stuff in mass quantity.

The problem with that is Army Builders and scalpers will still cause problems.

I ordered 6 DSTs from HasbroToyShop like almost the HOUR before they instituted a 2 per customer limit (so I hear). Luckily I only wanted 6. If they were up and running back during AOTC, I'd have ordered 40 SA Clones, as soon as I could. That is how many I wanted.

Now with a limit per order, I have to play a game even with them to get an army (fortunately there's nothing left I really need an army of). Should a scalper get to an online source before me, they'll consume my army and put them on eBay or at their store, etc.

In the meanwhile, there best be at least 6 people that want anorexic Han with iPod and Cancer-Treatment Luke, else HasbroToyShop is going to be stuck with my leavings.

There needs to be a military line, case assortment, or whatever. It's Hasbro's game plan to push as many Hans and Lukes on their retail partners as they do the troopers. That hasn't worked for 12 years. Enough already.

And those of us who want armies should be allowed to purchase them - but in a way so there is enough for everyone who wants an army to get one at retail price and in a decent amount of time.

[figrin bran]

Tycho, if you ever make that Militaries of SW proposal as a petition, i would support it fully.

Before HTS' limit, i could order as many troops as i wanted and get free shipping with coupon codes. now since we can only get 2 of each trooper, there's no way we can get enough to qualify for free shipping and so unless we want to pay for shipping, it's just not economical. i usually cap off at around 10 troops but for someone like Jedi Master Sal, this has more of an adverse effect.

[Jango Speck]

I'm not saying there should be a two per person limit on everything- but maybe on whatever is "new" and "in-demand"- but a 24hour ordering limit on any like items might work. The flip side is that Hasbro needs to keep their damn web store stocked and up to date. There should be pre-orders, email me when in-stock notices, and accurate availability estimates. I'm an army builder, but I'm willing to buy over time if I know I'll have a fair shot at getting what I want. Paying for shipping sucks, but that's life- shipping costs are a no-brainer trade-off for not having to go out and hunt (IMO). I think the retail stores should just realize that there is a lot of demand and go the extra mile to do midday restocks so that everyone has a fair shot.

[Tycho]

It's their case assortments. They set the production numbers and receive the cases as they are packed for any other retailer here in the US. That being said, in response to you:

The flip side is that Hasbro needs to keep their damn web store stocked and up to date.

How many Hans & Lukes (and eventually Biggs) should they be stuck with and pay for storage for while we army build the DST and RHG, and get at least 2 Fetts per individual? Their stock storage will look the same as Wal-Mart's warming pegs.

Paying for shipping sucks, but that's life- shipping costs are a no-brainer trade-off for not having to go out and hunt (IMO).

I'd agree. But there is some thrill of the hunt, though I don't have competition like you do at my stores near where I live.

I think the retail stores should just realize that there is a lot of demand and go the extra mile to do midday restocks so that everyone has a fair shot.

There's not really a lot of demand. They have probaly thousands of customers every day. There are at best 20 regulars that at some point scour their toy isle on a daily basis. Believe me, they can live without us shopping there. Furthermore, even a specialty toy store like TRU has hundreds of customers, and maybe only 20-30 per day (maximum) that are specifically adults looking for Star Wars (for collecting or scalping them). Finally, HasbroToyShop sells ParkerBrothers board games to people online shopping for birthdays. Their business model wouldn't be profitable either if it were just kept open to increase the convenience of Star Wars collectors.

I'm afraid it doesn't work that way.

Figrin, thank you for your support for Militaries of Star Wars case / collection assortments. It is the only way I see even HasbroToyShop being improved. They could keep their "armor and officers" in production and maintain a re-ordering practice for them regardless of worries over stockpiling Lushros Dofine or Biggs or Luke. To help the retailers, a different card SIZE and style is the only way to go so "Heroes and Villains" or "Greatest Battles" don't clog the pegs with the military end-stop stock labels. Right now, Target is pretty efficient with 4 racks of Saga and 2 racks of TAC. (Most of us would like that reversed, but it will be in June). In any event, employees who know nothing about Star Wars can see the TAC and Saga2 are different products. But Saga2 and GB or H&V all look pretty much the same even to us. Yet that strangely cut TAC card with a coin in it stands out, huh? So would a extra larger or extra smaller MoSW card on which basically ships troop builders. If they're going to supply a lot, and these figures are going to be opened, smaller cards would help them stock a lot. They could be in packages as narrow as the Titanium ships even. For carded collectors, the same figure could ship on a TAC card, but if you're an army builder and your MoSW figures are in stock and an obvious alternative, you could just leave the TAC carded versions of the troops alone. What do you need the card for when you can buy your whole army on the peg next to it.

JediTricks offered the only reasonable (but not actually reasonable) objection to my proposal - that the retailers don't want to handle so many skus. Well handling them would make them more money. Isn't that what they are in business for? As to HTS - it's their product! They should do whatever it takes to support it.

Finally, if this solution was ever implimented, it's almost 12 years late. (I don't think that in 1995 they foresaw as many adults army building as they wound up with - especially by 1997, but the lessons could have been learned then).

In 1997 we had:

Stormtroopers
TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
Sandtroopers
Death Star Gunners
Tusken Raiders
Jawa 2-packs
AT-ST Drivers
Hoth Rebel Soliders
Rebel Fleet Troopers
Snowtroopers
Gamorrean Guards

That's 12 figures right there (a standard case) that could have actually been done:



REV 1
2 x Stormtroopers
1 x TIE Pilots
1 x Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
2 x Sandtroopers
2 x Death Star Gunners
1 x Tusken Raiders
1 x Jawa 2-packs
1 x AT-ST Drivers
1 x Hoth Rebel Soliders
Rebel Fleet Troopers
Snowtroopers
Gamorrean Guards

REV 2
2 x Stormtroopers
1 x TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
1 x Sandtroopers
1 x Death Star Gunners
Tusken Raiders
Jawa 2-packs
1 x AT-ST Drivers
2 x Hoth Rebel Soliders
2 x Rebel Fleet Troopers
2 x Snowtroopers
Gamorrean Guards

REV 3
1 x Stormtroopers
1 x TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
Sandtroopers
Death Star Gunners
Tusken Raiders
1 x Jawa 2-packs
1 x AT-ST Drivers
2 x Hoth Rebel Soliders
2 x Rebel Fleet Troopers
2 x Snowtroopers
2x Gamorrean Guards

and so forth. The stormtroopers would likely be kept in circulation until 1999 when the CommTech would replace him or a stock pile-up might occur (who could see that though?)

The TIE Pilot would ship as long as TIE fighter vehicles were shipping. That'd make sense. That is also why I kept the AT-ST Driver in circulation.

The Sandtrooper's rank (paint job) could be changed and he returned to circulation periodically, up until 2001 when he saw his POTJ update.

Luke Coruscant (SOTE) might get a Lando version update, and be reintegrated at some point.

The Death Star Gunner, Tusken Raider, etc. The Hoth Rebel might see a non-goatee version (like the head sculpt from the Deluxe figure) enter the assortment as a running change. The last 3 (Snow, Gamorrean, Rebel Fleet Trooper might be scaled back as the 1998 and 1999 Militaries of Star Wars lines adjusted:


1998
1 x Stormtroopers
TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
Sandtroopers
Death Star Gunners
1 x Tusken Raiders (Bantha was released this year)
Jawa 2-packs
AT-ST Drivers
1x Hoth Rebel Soliders (Deluxe Figure head, no goatee)
1 x Rebel Fleet Troopers
1 x Snowtroopers
1 x Gamorrean Guards
2 x Endor Rebel Soldiers
2 x Ugnaught 2-packs
2 x Death Star Trooper

1998 REV 1
1 x Stormtroopers
TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
Sandtroopers
Death Star Gunners
Tusken Raiders
Jawa 2-packs
AT-ST Drivers
1x Hoth Rebel Soliders (Deluxe Figure head, no goatee)
1 x Rebel Fleet Troopers
1 x Snowtroopers
1 x Gamorrean Guards
2 x Endor Rebel Soldiers
1 x Ugnaught 2-packs
2 x Death Star Trooper
2 x Imperial Sentinel (EU)

1998 REV 2
1 x Stormtroopers
TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
Sandtroopers
Death Star Gunners
Tusken Raiders
Jawa 2-packs
AT-ST Drivers
Hoth Rebel Soliders (Deluxe Figure head, no goatee)
1 x Rebel Fleet Troopers
1 x Snowtroopers
x Gamorrean Guards
1 x Endor Rebel Soldiers
1 x Ugnaught 2-packs
2 x Death Star Trooper
1 x Imperial Sentinel (EU)
2 x Space Trooper (EU)
2 x Dark Trooper (EU)

1998 REV 3
1 x Stormtroopers
TIE Pilots
Luke as SOTE Coruscant Guard (army built as grunt)
Sandtroopers
Death Star Gunners
Tusken Raiders
Jawa 2-packs
AT-ST Drivers
Hoth Rebel Soliders (Deluxe Figure head, no goatee)
Rebel Fleet Troopers
1 x Snowtroopers
x Gamorrean Guards
1 x Endor Rebel Soldiers
x Ugnaught 2-packs
2 x Death Star Trooper
1 x Imperial Sentinel (EU)
1 x Space Trooper (EU)
1 x Dark Trooper (EU)
2 x Death Star Droids
2 x AT-AT Drivers

1999
1 x CommTech Jawa / Gonk
2 x CommTech Stormtroopers
1 x Endor Rebel Soldiers
1 x Death Star Trooper
1 x Death Star Droids
1 x AT-AT Drivers
4 x Battle Droids
1 x Destroyer Droids

1999 REV 1
1 x CommTech Jawa / Gonk
2 x CommTech Stormtroopers
4 x Battle Droids
1 x Destroyer Droids
1 x Naboo Royal Security
1 x Naboo Royal Guard
1 x R2-B1
1 x TC-14 (the droids are useful for background filler)

2000
1 x POTJ Tusken Raider
1 x POTJ Coruscant Senate Guard
2 x POTJ Security Droids
2 x POTJ Gungan Warriors
2 x POTJ Imperial Biker Scout
1 x TPM Destroyer Droids
1 x TPM Naboo Royal Security
1 x TPM Naboo Royal Guard
TPM R2-B1
TPM TC-14


And it could go on and on. This would've been the smart way to do it. Think of the figure sales and the way the case assortments could have moved!

They could have taken until 1997 to get a clue (and enough figures to offer the assortment in the first place).

[CrunchyNug]

Tycho, having trouble sleeping?

[toonimator]

Burbank Target only had Transformer movie preview figures today... I picked up Optimus. REALLY annoying that the instructions are backwards (vehicle to robot, while he's packed in robot mode) and he reminds me of a Rock Lord from the GoBots crossed with the two guys from Masters of the Universe that folded into meteors. Cool robot though!

I agree with Tycho that some army-building revisions would be great. Hasbro's argued against them time & again, but I think some retailers would go for a wave of them if they were packed wisely. This year so far we've got Marines, Airborne, DSTs, RHGs, SBDs, McStormie, Wave 3 Stormie, and probably a few clones in later waves along with more rumored McQuarrie troopers (not to mention the tons of army-builders in the Legends line), plenty for a few assortments of JUST troopers.

[Tycho]

Tycho, having trouble sleeping?

Definitely. I crashed at like 10pm on Thursday night after posting about Smallville. Then I woke up at Midnight, and aside from a nap from like maybe 4:30am-8am, I've been up. Made Target and Toys R Us (story below) and had a good morning on the hunt.

Anyway, I recommend making giant lists out of Star Wars toys for all insomniacs. Here's one I'm just about ready to attempt: list the serial numbers for every carded figure since 1995 - if you ever see me doing this - don't post a response - just send sleeping pills fast!

I agree with Tycho that some army-building revisions would be great. Hasbro's argued against them time & again, but I think some retailers would go for a wave of them if they were packed wisely.

The Militaries of Star Wars Collection: Officers and Armor! - This one's for Toominator and everyone else (especially JediMasterSal). JediTricks, your opinion is welcome.

TODAY'S STORE REPORT:

I got 2 Quinlan / Villie Comic 2-packs (still looking for more of this one. It is awesome! *scenes I'm hoarding them for will be listed below)

I got 1 Obi-Wan / Alpha 2-pack (and left 1 - I knew others were looking for them at nearly the same time I was. I actually offered 1 of my Quinlans, but the guy knew me and what I did with them, and he offered me the 2nd Quin pack back)

I bought probably 6 different POTC figures - seemingly some from a new wave. They are for random humans on Tatooine and Coruscant (see the custom / diorama forum for my recommended usage)

****

1) Quin vs. Dooku
2) Quin, Obi-Wan, vs. Ventress
3) Quin w. Aayla
4) Quin w. Villie vs. bounty hunting aliens
5) Quin v. Mace Windu
6) Quin w. Villie vs. Kashyyyk BARC Troopers during Order 66
7) Quin in Mos Espa during TPM
8) ? I forgot

1) Villie in Outlander
2) Villie at Podrace
3) Villie in Mos Espa
4) Villie w. Quin - same as above
5) Villie w. Maul & Sidious Hologram (Jedi Council: Acts of War)
6) Villie w. Quin - same as Order 66 scene above
7) Villie in Dexter's Diner
8) ? I forgot

Anyway, isn't 8 enough?