| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 17:30:36
It's become clear to me why Hasbro discontinued the Star Wars RPG/Miniatures licenses.
Say hello to the new Star Wars Saga Legends Collectible Action Figure Game |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Sage |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 18:05:29
Folks, as much as I enjoy the side-chatter about BATTLETECH, we're deviating somewhat from this scroll's topic. Let's attempt a return to the subject matter, eh?  |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 18:03:08
What turned me off from BT was the dichotomy of fusion-powered mega battle machines armed with lasers and missiles inferior to WWII-ish panzers and howitzers. And the endlessly dry FASA-written soap operas. And, yes, the infinite variations of a theme, along with infinitely more once modular OmniMechs were introduced. Number Two game of all time for involving 5d6 minutes of argument as part of resolving every turn sequence. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 17:24:55
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
Actually, the cool thing about the Box Set is the Plastic Minis that come with it. 
Huh. What minis are in it? And are there pics -- I might go for this just for the minis.
I was always a bit odd with selecting my minis. Fluff and faction weren't nearly as important as the overall appearance, though I did prefer Clan tech.
Actually, though, the hundreds of Mechs out there was one of the things that always bugged me about BattleTech. How many variations on the same theme do we need? I also found the logic behind a lot of Mechs odd -- "Faction X wanted an in-fighter, so they built this one" (which would be useless at anything farther than 2 city blocks) or "Faction Y liked this Mech, but they didn't have enough of them, so they ordered this entirely new one" (so it's easier to design and test a new Mech, build its production facilities, and stockpile all the new parts for it, rather than build a new facility to increase production of the original Mech?). |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 17:14:58
Actually, the cool thing about the Box Set is the Plastic Minis that come with it. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 17:04:43
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
Hey Wooly, BT's [url=http://www.classicbattletech.com/index.php?action=products&mode=full&id=313]25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set[/url] has officially been moved to the "Coming Soon" pile over on their site. A street date is expected in the coming weeks...
It's been a couple years since I played BattleTech... I much prefer Warmachine, now.
Besides, what got me into the setting was the fiction. My feelings about the Sellplague are well-known around here -- but I hate the Jihad even more. That destroyed a lot of my interest in the setting, and the Dark Ages did a lot of damage to my interest, as well. I've not even been to the HMP forums in a while, and I used to be active there. I've not installed the software in a while, either. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 16:23:12
Hey Wooly, BT's 25th Anniversary Introductory Box Set has officially been moved to the "Coming Soon" pile over on their site. A street date is expected in the coming weeks... |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 15:32:05
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
I've got no interest in painting figs either (besides, they aren't very suitable for airbrush work), though I do sometimes do my players favours by applying my immense soldering skills (and a little artistic élan) towards minor structural modifications. Seem like miniature Barbie dolls to me, I feel kinda silly prettying them up. LEGO works fine, I even sometimes bother to colour-coordinate the pieces. I view minis as props to assist gameplay, not the entire purpose behind playing the game - though I've met (and played with) plenty of 40K/Battletech styled wargamers who view the hobby quite seriously.
My buddy Gino, who paints all my minis for me, oft uses an airbrush to at least apply the base coat.
He used to be a 40k player, too. I was interested in 40k, and even had enough minis to field a respectable Space Wolf army, but I never could motivate myself to paint them. About a year and a half ago, I dumped 90% of the 40k stuff I had, and instead got Warmachine minis. Those are the ones I have an arrangement with Gino to paint.
I used to have a bunch of BattleTech minis, too, some of which I had painted myself. I lost most of those minis in a fire, though. It didn't matter too much, because BattleTech was dropped once we discovered Warmachine. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 07:03:44
I've got no interest in painting figs either (besides, they aren't very suitable for airbrush work), though I do sometimes do my players favours by applying my immense soldering skills (and a little artistic élan) towards minor structural modifications. Seem like miniature Barbie dolls to me, I feel kinda silly prettying them up. LEGO works fine, I even sometimes bother to colour-coordinate the pieces. I view minis as props to assist gameplay, not the entire purpose behind playing the game - though I've met (and played with) plenty of 40K/Battletech styled wargamers who view the hobby quite seriously. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 21 Nov 2010 : 04:58:48
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
Am I the only one here who doesn't buy figs? There's a handful at my gaming table - mostly the players getting little lead people who look exactly as they want their PCs to look (after some modification, anyhow), all lovingly handpainted (with varying degrees of success) - but for the most part we use, uh, LEGO people and other stuff (don't wanna talk about it) to fill in the ranks.
I'll admit that two LEGO Darth Vaders leading a plastic-smiled horde of mismatched LEGO cops and spacemen in a charge across the battlefield doesn't quite carry the same threatening ambiance as a little army of proper Orc minis would. But it's all about imagination anyways, plus it inspires a little upbeat humour. And it fits in quite well with my occasional LEGO building/terrain representations. From time to time it allows the players to really "take apart" the opposition, easily accomodating severed limbs, heads, and body parts strewn all across the field.
LEGO swordsmen and pirates and vikings and Harry Potter wizards are also available, quite inexpensively. Technics, Bionicle, and such stuff (hell, even Duplo) all make for fine monstrous constructs in a pinch. I just adapt what I've got, works well enough.
I buy figs... I just don't paint them. I've got a nice-sized army of Cygnar figures going on. I've no interest in painting, though, so I've worked out a deal with a friend of mine -- he loves painting minis, and is quite good at it.
I'm a bit of an odd duck, that way. Most people into minis-based wargames enjoy painting the figs. I don't want to be bothered. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 20 Nov 2010 : 22:41:39
Am I the only one here who doesn't buy figs? There's a handful at my gaming table - mostly the players getting little lead people who look exactly as they want their PCs to look (after some modification, anyhow), all lovingly handpainted (with varying degrees of success) - but for the most part we use, uh, LEGO people and other stuff (don't wanna talk about it) to fill in the ranks.
I'll admit that two LEGO Darth Vaders leading a plastic-smiled horde of mismatched LEGO cops and spacemen in a charge across the battlefield doesn't quite carry the same threatening ambiance as a little army of proper Orc minis would. But it's all about imagination anyways, plus it inspires a little upbeat humour. And it fits in quite well with my occasional LEGO building/terrain representations. From time to time it allows the players to really "take apart" the opposition, easily accomodating severed limbs, heads, and body parts strewn all across the field.
LEGO swordsmen and pirates and vikings and Harry Potter wizards are also available, quite inexpensively. Technics, Bionicle, and such stuff (hell, even Duplo) all make for fine monstrous constructs in a pinch. I just adapt what I've got, works well enough. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 05:51:21
I think it is the Star Wars Battle Packs I was thinking of, but I can only find pics and no info anywhere (just a gazillion places to buy them!)
I don't recall them being four inches tall - 3" at the most. Next time I'm at Walmart I'll have to look now. |
| Halidan |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 04:42:27
I've only bought the Stormtrooper and the Imperial Officer. While I haven't opened the packs, looking through the plastic, they don't look much different than reissues from the past couple of years. They are much more detailed from the original figures from the 1980's, but look very close to the more recent releases. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 03:09:33
quote:
Originally posted by Halidan
The Saga Legands figures are the same size as the standard 4" Star Wars action figures. In many cases, they are cast from the same molds.
The one I got, IG-88, was more detailed and more articulated than the previous version. |
| Halidan |
Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 00:27:28
The Saga Legands figures are the same size as the standard 4" Star Wars action figures. In many cases, they are cast from the same molds. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 22:08:45
Wrong on both counts.
The micro-machine stuff was very cool - I sill have a few of those dioramas - and have often said that that is the way Hasbro should have went with the D&D minis line (its a game and a toy!).
And those Galactic Heroes things - just UGH. 
Like the silly marvel heroes guys, made for tots - its an affront to our cerebral cortex.
No, these guys were about 1˝ the size of the minis for the Star Wars Minis game (the ones that were the same as the D&D minis in those same long boxes). They had better detail then the WotC SW minis, and came in battle-packs of around five figures each (and looked damn nice).
How big are those that are the focus of this thread? Maybe that's what I'm talking about (although I don't recall them being articulated). The SW 'action figures' I am familiar with were around 4" tall; the ones I am talking about here are around 2".
I remember when 'action figures' were around 8" tall - as they get smaller they get more expensive. I guess the same guys are in-charge as the ones that make bikinis.  |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 23:47:05
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
Actually, I think he's talking about the Galactic Heroes line.
Eww, just stop! (can't...get...small...cartoonish...action figures...outta....my....head! ...Must....kick.....puppy)
On a serious note, who would buy those?! I mean, I know their for kids but at the same time why buy Cartoony Luke when you can have action figure Luke with a Kung-Fu grip?
Somebody might like to have them sitting on their desk since they don't have little guns and nice wide feet so they don't fall over with the slightest jarring.
<.<
>.>
Somebody might buy them for that reason... |
| Diffan |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 20:56:06
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
Actually, I think he's talking about the Galactic Heroes line.
Eww, just stop! (can't...get...small...cartoonish...action figures...outta....my....head! ...Must....kick.....puppy)
On a serious note, who would buy those?! I mean, I know their for kids but at the same time why buy Cartoony Luke when you can have action figure Luke with a Kung-Fu grip? |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 18:37:35
Actually, I think he's talking about the Galactic Heroes line. |
| Halidan |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 17:29:51
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
What was that series of SW figures they made that were much smaller then action figures, yet still bigger then the 30mm figures used for the mini game?
I always thought those would be a really cool size to do a miniatures game with.
I suspect that you're talking abuot the vehicles and figures made by Micro Machine. The were produced by Galoob Toys. You can find a fairly complete list and some photos of the sets that were produced here. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 16:15:04
What was that series of SW figures they made that were much smaller then action figures, yet still bigger then the 30mm figures used for the mini game?
I always thought those would be a really cool size to do a miniatures game with.
Action Figures + game? 
I'm just not seeing it - epic fail there. Kids who play with them are too young to give a crap about rules, and collectors won't even bother opening the box.
I really think that all CEO's and members of the board of every corp. live in some sort of absurd psuedo-reality where they convince themselves that they are actually clever (and give themselves raises accordingly).
Everything comes full-circle: the in-breeding amongst the aristocracy is leading to some VERY stupid progeny (Paris Hilton, anyone?). Its the royalty and nobility all over again. Hasbro toys don't really matter - we, the consumer, have become the playthings.
Mini-rant over. |
| Kno |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 16:01:11
Hasbro targets the kids |
| Alisttair |
Posted - 25 Oct 2010 : 17:08:30
quote:
Originally posted by Matt James
I love the Saga Edition system. I was sad to see it discontinued; regardless of who or how.
Yeah its too bad. I can't even find the core rulebook for the saga edition in any of the stores here in Ottawa. (I guess online shopping is in order, but still...) |
| Matt James |
Posted - 25 Oct 2010 : 15:22:47
I love the Saga Edition system. I was sad to see it discontinued; regardless of who or how. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 25 Oct 2010 : 05:11:13
quote:
Originally posted by wintermute27
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I picked up the figure of IG-88.
Way off topic, but now I have MC Chris's song "IG-88's '57 Chevy" stuck in my head.
Not familiar with the tune.
I used to have a couple shelves of my bookcases devoted to just Star Wars droids... But I've not replaced most of those figures, so now there's only one droid shelf, and it's not as crowded as the prior ones. But that's where my IG-88 is. Among other things, there's also a B'omarr monk there, and a figure of 4-LOM with Sith robes and a red lightsaber -- there was a short story that had 4-LOM seeing himself as a Jedi, and that inspired me to make him a Sith. I call him Darth 4.
I also have a 6" R5-D4 on my desk at work. Way way back in the day, when the droids were smooth plastic with stickers adding details, R5-D4 was the first Star Wars figure I ever got.
Me, I'm not convinced that this collectible action figure game is nothing more than a gimmick, a way to sell us Luke #329, Han #112, and Vader #143. They've already made figures out of just about every entity named in the movies or even onscreen for longer than 2 seconds (particularly those in the cantina or in Jabba's palace). They've even made figures of characters from some of the comics, novels, and games -- I've got like three of the Dark Empire figures, the Mara Jade figure, and the first Grand Admiral Thrawn figure. They've also released figures of some of the original concepts -- I've got a lightsaber-weilding Storm Trooper with a shield. And they've been making figures of previously nameless guys just running past in the background.
The franchise is thoroughly milked dry. I don't see this as anything other than an attempt to forestall the inevitable discontinuation of the Star Wars line.
Now I don't know who killed the Star Wars minis license, so I can't comment on the motivation there. But these figures are just another gimmick, and I'm not inclined to see a connection. |
| wintermute27 |
Posted - 25 Oct 2010 : 03:10:52
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I picked up the figure of IG-88.
Way off topic, but now I have MC Chris's song "IG-88's '57 Chevy" stuck in my head. |
| Ashe Ravenheart |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 23:49:37
LucasArts didn't pull the license. Hasbro decided not to renew the RPG/Miniatures license. |
| Matt James |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 22:04:54
How does this product relate to LucasArts pulling the license? *confused* |
| Halidan |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 17:39:29
Like Wooly, my players have meet a titan based on the Shadowrun duel figure of Liada. Those figures were great for their detail and when the hobby shop I was working at decided to close them out, I snapped several of them up.
I've also seen the new Star Wars figures at my local target, and will probably grab several as I get the chance. I've alread figured out how to make cloud giants out of several (Bael Organa and his wife for example) and other giant/golem figures.
BTW, personally I'm not sure that the new SW Action Figure Game had anything to do with the cancelation of the SW Collectable miniaturers line. I think it was more of a case that they had pretty well exhausted the available figure ideas and were duplicating too many figure per set. This led to seriuos decreases in sales, especially in the 2009, 2010 sets. After all, how many Luke, Han, Leia, and Vader figures can you use? |
| The Sage |
Posted - 24 Oct 2010 : 00:56:22
Hmmm. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, the discontinuation of the "Saga" RPG was a big disappointment, because there was still plenty of the SW universe left untouched. But at the same time, these do look very nice.
Hmmm, again. Hmmm, indeed.
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Oct 2010 : 22:07:58
I picked up the figure of IG-88. It's very nicely detailed and articulated -- one of the best Star Wars figures yet, in those terms. As for the game side of it -- I looked at the dice and rules and chucked them to the side.
I really liked it some of the Shadowrun Duels figures -- that was another attempt to blend action figures and a game. I made a point of picking up -- twice! -- several of those figures (Lothan the Wise, Kellan Colt, Midnight, Liada, and Kyushi). The Lothan the Wise figure, in particular, is both massive and nicely detailed.
That attempt to combine action figures and a game didn't really pan out, though, and only two waves of the figures were released. I'm wondering if Star Wars will do better -- the figures have considerable appeal beyond their game use, and an existing fanbase much larger than the Shadowrun one was. On the flipside, I personally see it as a gimmicky addition to regular toys, and I'm thinking the game appeal won't be that strong. We shall see. |
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