How about a better Sith Infiltrator and other Sith vessels?

[The Space Outlaw]

Okay, since there's a ton of "Would You Buy" threads I decided to start one to discuss one of my favorite prequel ships (and greatest toy disappointments)--Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator.

I was greatly annoyed by Hasbro/Lucasfilm's marketing failure in not making this ship when TPM was released. Yeah, I know it didn't do much, but it was a bloody cool design. When the Incredible Cross-Sections book was published and we got a look at all the stuff inside it, my love for it grew--so much so that the second I saw one at Target I snatched it up immediately--and then, in the throes of disappointment, I almost promptly took it back.

It was so small. It only held one figure. The landing gear aren't even retractable, and the "splitting nose/revealing more weapons" feature--don't even get me started.

So, now that Hasbro is dabbling in bigger ships at bigger price points like the CW Y-Wing, is there anyone besides me who would buy a new, re-designed Infiltrator in a larger scale?

I'm talking the ability to hold a couple more figures at least, in a halfway-accurate cockpit with a properly-situated boarding ramp (maybe with a removable top to the cockpit to access the interior). Plus, it would have to have space in the forward "dirty tricks cargo bay" for the Razorfin, some spy-eye Droids, and maybe a few extra accessories for Maul to mess around with. Oh yeah, and retractable landing legs (thanks for nothing Hasbro!), plus the normal wing action.

I think this could be pulled together in a good size that's just right for flying around the room, and come in at around the $65 price point.

The question is, would anybody (besides me) buy it?


As for other Sith ships, I'm working on some ideas--like the Rogue Shadow.

[DarkJedi5]

IIRC, Hasbro has no confidence in the larger starfighter line. The ARC-170 just about killed it before it could get off the ground. If that line does continue, I think the Sith Infiltrator is one ship I would buy in that scale. I don't really like the one we've got and I would really like to see a better one as well. However, I think that there have to be some kid-conscious concessions made. I HATE action features that we're seen on screen but if you're going to sell these things to kids these ships have to do something. I think a roomier cockpit is a given and retractable landing gears are neat but I can't think of anything else this thing has to do. I think to have a usable interior it would have to be done closer to its appropriate scale which would put it in the BMF ball park.

As far as other Sith vehicles I'd like to see done? How about Vader's TIE! The one we've got is not nearly as good as the modern TIEs (especially with the new pod that's out now) and should be done up to that level of detail (and scale!).

[Old Fossil]

How about an AT-SV (All Terrain Sith Vehicle)?

"That's no Moon Buggy, it's a Sith Kart!"

'Course, it would've taken Maul a lot longer to cross the Dune Sea on a Sith Kart than it did for him on that speeder. The noise factor, too, would've been a problem; even Jar Jar would have heard Maul coming a half mile off. But I think it would have been more fun for poor old overworked Maul, getting in some play time, you know.

I mean, what good is it being a Sith Lord, if you can't be a Sith Kid sometimes?

[bigbarada]

I think my window for interest in this toy closed right around 2001. I wouldn't begrudge Hasbro making a better one, but I never bought the $20 toy and I wouldn't buy an all-new version either.

[Darth Jax]

i didn't buy the original release. if it ever gets repackaged i might pick one up. have no reason to desire a resculpted, larger one. since it really doesn't do anything onscreen other than sit in the background i wouldn't need it to be any bigger than to fit maul as a pilot. i have no idea how the interior is "supposed" to look as the cross-section guides don't interest me.

[Tycho]

I can use this thread for the next "Would You Buy?" thread for TPM.

It is up next following a review of the responses from all 4 previous TPM poll questions.

[pbarnard]

I was greatly annoyed by Hasbro/Lucasfilm's marketing failure in not making this ship when TPM was released. Yeah, I know it didn't do much, but it was a bloody cool design. When the Incredible Cross-Sections book was published and we got a look at all the stuff inside it, my love for it grew--so much so that the second I saw one at Target I snatched it up immediately--and then, in the throes of disappointment, I almost promptly took it back.

I think this could be pulled together in a good size that's just right for flying around the room, and come in at around the $65 price point.

The question is, would anybody (besides me) buy it?


As for other Sith ships, I'm working on some ideas--like the Rogue Shadow.

The problem with Incredible Cross Section books is that it takes several different drafts, artists etc versions and combines them into a single version. Most have items in their art that contradict several other sources with regard to location. So going by that as a definitive version is probably not the wisest thing.

The price point makes me say NEVER!!! No. Maul was a one shot throw away character developed to the depth of a bird bath emptied. Investing more into his one shot background vehicle is a waste of what I would rather spend it on (Cantina, EU, Jabba's Denziens for figures/vehicles).

[Devo]

Okay, since there's a ton of "Would You Buy" threads I decided to start one to discuss one of my favorite prequel ships (and greatest toy disappointments)--Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator.

the second I saw one at Target I snatched it up immediately--and then, in the throes of disappointment, I almost promptly took it back.

It was so small.

Surely this was plainly apparent from the size of the box alone!

Well heres my 2 cents:

Peak interest in this vehicle has long since disappeared. That would have been 1999. Prequel vehicles don't really share the popularity of classic OT vehicles and certainly not ones that were only on screen for about 5 seconds (which was most of them) so they are a harder sell without appearing in the Clone Wars tv show as people have otherwise 'forgotten' about them. If Hasbro were ever going to make this in a decent size they would have done so on first attempt. I highly doubt they'll take a second stab at this ship, particularly not so soon after the one we got.

Would I buy a new, bigger one if made? Not so long ago I would have said definitely. Now I'm not so sure. Money being the reason and having to limit myself to 'essentials' - that being OT stuff, certain Hot Toys figures and NECAs Terminator 2 line which is continuing in 2010.

[Tycho]

I'm going to vote "no" for a bigger Sith Infiltrator.

I was sort of disappointed by the one we got, but it doesn't really need to be much larger than it is - not Royal Starship sized as it might be in reality.

This got me thinking of other real Sith ships to poll on when we work with the EU prospects in the future, though.

[bigbarada]

I'm going to vote "no" for a bigger Sith Infiltrator.

I was sort of disappointed by the one we got, but it doesn't really need to be much larger than it is - not Royal Starship sized as it might be in reality.

This got me thinking of other real Sith ships to poll on when we work with the EU prospects in the future, though.

While it's not a Sith ship, I would still like to see how the bounty hunters' ships would fare in these polls. Namely Bossk's Hounds Tooth. But you could do polls for IG-88's, Dengar's and Zuckuss' ships as well.