The current state of battle packs

[StandardSc2]

Lately alot of the battle packs have seemed lackluster with newest ones (9488, 9489, 75000 and 75001) featuring both sides of the battlefield. I understand that this is great for children as they receive a battle in a box. But for us AFOL it is highly irritating for building armies. Lately i have been trying to build up a strong clone army and a powerful battle droid army but i am finding it impossible due to the fact that most of the new sets contain no minifig double ups. So I will now leave you with a few questions as i am seeking others opinions.

Do you like the new 'battle in a box' battle packs?

As I said i do not like the battle in a box personally but i can see the benefits

What is the best way to build armies now?

I am struggling to build armies.

and What new battle packs would you like to see?

And I would love to see a geonosian battle pack featuring 2 geonosians, 2 battle droids and 1 super battle droid. And for the clones a 501st battle pack with 3 501st troopers and 1 501st pilot.

[DrLegostar]

I'm in a little bit different situation. I'm not out to build armies, I like to get as much of a variety of minifigures to put into my comic. In that sense the new battle packs are great for me, they offer a bigger variety of figures and have a great minifigure to price ratio. I can see where it would be frustrating for army building though, but then you get an addition to both armies with each purchase, instead of buying two sets to get more clones in one set and more droids in another you buy two sets to get more clones and more droids in each.

[Bob]

Truthfull, I don't like the new "battle" boxes. As you've said, it's difficult to build armies now. However, it is genius what they've done. Now to build armies, you'll need to buy more and more of those battle packs to even think about assembling an army.

As for what battlepacks I'd like to see, what you've suggested is good. I'd like to see another purely stormtrooper battlepack or even another rebel one.

[Zaterdag]

The best battlepack they released was the Mandalorian one. 4 completely uniform figs. I don't like the clone wars or prequels much though. But I still bought it.

I'd KILL to see them make a stormtrooper or snowtrooper battlepack with 4 uniform figs. Ones for rebels would be cool too if they all had different faces (no more indianna jones face please!)

[StandardSc2]

but then you get an addition to both armies with each purchase, instead of buying two sets to get more clones in one set and more droids in another you buy two sets to get more clones and more droids in each.

The problem is that i don't want a bit of both armies, especially since alot of the new figures are specialist like ARC troopers and commando droids, they look quite silly massed

The best battlepack they released was the Mandalorian one. 4 completely uniform figs.

I bought this set for that very reason, at that point i didnt even know what a mandalorian was, but now i have seen every clone wars episode. I would love to see them make 4 uniform 501st troopers but i know i am dreaming

[DrLegostar]

The problem is that i don't want a bit of both armies, especially since alot of the new figures are specialist like ARC troopers and commando droids, they look quite silly massed

That is a good point. It would be nice to be able to buy a 4 pack of straight storm troopers, really, just to bulk up the background for me and armies for army builders. I would love to see more battle packs of imperial officers just to get four more of those uniforms. Also, and this is quite possibly entirely irrelevant for army building but a battle pack of four random Jedi would be great, especially if they're species that haven't been out before.

[BlauUmlaut]

For us CW buyers, 212th and 501st would be nice. A battalion to match my Hasbro scaled displays would be rad!

[StandardSc2]

That is a good point. It would be nice to be able to buy a 4 pack of straight storm troopers, really, just to bulk up the background for me and armies for army builders. I would love to see more battle packs of imperial officers just to get four more of those uniforms. Also, and this is quite possibly entirely irrelevant for army building but a battle pack of four random Jedi would be great, especially if they're species that haven't been out before.

A Jedi pack would be cool maybe like 4 unnamed Jedi even and make a 501st pack to you can battle them together!

This is what made the 7688 rebel pack so good!

Edited January 23, 2013 by StandardSc2

[Sir_Basil_Ashton]

I understand why LEGO went to the current format of two-faction battle packs. From a business standpoint it makes perfect sense to me. I do miss being able to amass a specific army though. Its a bit of a pain in the rear but I just put minifigs I don't want on the trading block to get minifigs that I do want.

[DrLegostar]

Ultimately they just need to do Star Wars Collectible minifigures. 16 different background characters or character types, then you can amass the droids you're looking for, or storm troopers, or clone troopers, or officers, or whatever.

[wesker]

Aside from a battlepack of 4 identical Stormtroopers (who doesn't want this?) I think my most wanted has to be a Naboo Forces battlepack. Many of us have amased a decent enough army of rebels, droids, clones and Imperials over the years, but the Naboo has always gotten the short end of the stick.

I'd also like to see Lego experiment with non-infantry "battlepacks". One example would be a Tatooine Scavenger set that comes with 2 Jawas and 2 Tusken Raiders. Another is a Jabba themed set with 2 Gamorrean Guards, a Weequay and Nikto. Or another could be a group of random aliens such as a Rodian, Gran, Twi'lek and Gungan.

[StandardSc2]

I'd also like to see Lego experiment with non-infantry "battlepacks". One example would be a Tatooine Scavenger set that comes with 2 Jawas and 2 Tusken Raiders. Another is a Jabba themed set with 2 Gamorrean Guards, a Weequay and Nikto. Or another could be a group of random aliens such as a Rodian, Gran, Twi'lek and Gungan.

People love cheap sets and minifigs, i think lego need to experiment with them more.

[Only Sinner]

Look at this:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=77267

Some pretty interesting ideas here. This controversial batte pack topic has been debated to death already, and even though most AFOLs will agree the "build your army" type was better, TLG is probably going to stick with the "battle in a box" style. LEGO is still mostly marketed toward kids and their parents will feel it's a better value.

[thecolossus]

I'm going to echo what Only Sinner has said, in that here on Eurobricks, and indeed AFOLs the world over, represent a tiny fraction of the LEGO buying masses. Children (well parents) are the biggest consumer group, and a "battle in a box" style approach is better for them than 4 501st clones. My younger cousin, who can name more Star Wars characters than me, and possesses a crazy amount of Star Wars action figures, couldn't care less than a Phase 1 clone from AOTC is fighting alongside Captain Rex in Phase 2 gear, led by Luke Skywalker and fighting against stormtroopers and battle droids. He just has this obsession of "ooohhh new and shiny, I want". In some ways I agree with the mono-faction, identical fig packs, but I like that I can spend a small amount and have an instant battle scene, instead of having to double my money. I like the variety, and I'm quite happy to shell out for more packs if needed to build an army.

[robuko]

I'd KILL to see them make a stormtrooper or snowtrooper battlepack with 4 uniform figs.)

I'm pretty sure you could bricklink this for $20. I hope you would not KILL for $20.

[StandardSc2]

TLG is probably going to stick with the "battle in a box" style.

Although this is true I would still rather hope that we can have 2 identical figures on each side, I know it is wishful thinking.

[Brickadeer]

Although this is true I would still rather hope that we can have 2 identical figures on each side, I know it is wishful thinking.

For me, even that wouldn't be necessary. Rather, it'd be nice if they'd choose the 2 figs with "army building potential". E.g. 75001 would be more attractive to me if it'd contain 3 clones (Sgt., 2 Troopers, 1 Droideka) rather than 2 Droidekas. With regards to variety, nothing would have changed. However, TLC seems to work on the (additional) premise that a battle pack has to contain 2 figs of each faction.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Brickadeer

[HawkLord]

I don't mind the current battle pack design, so long as they leave out ranked characters. For example, I really liked 2011 Endor battle pack with two Rebel Infantry, a Stormtrooper, and a Scout Trooper. That's a great set. However, the current Clones vs Droidekas set has a Clone Sgt which throws things off for me. Had it been two infantry Clones, a Droideka and maybe a Super Battle Droid, I would be in for a few sets.

The set layout of battle-in-a-box doesn't bother me so much as the figures selection.

[UnknownClone]

I hate the new battle packs which is why I only got one of each since they brought out the battle in a box sets, I want to build an army without having to buy twice as many battle packs as I used to.

[Bob]

Ultimately they just need to do Star Wars Collectible minifigures. 16 different background characters or character types, then you can amass the droids you're looking for, or storm troopers, or clone troopers, or officers, or whatever.

They used to have something similar to that when the LEGO Star Wars line first rolled out, but Hasbro considered them to be to similar to action figures, so they threatened to sue (or maybe they did, I don't recall the whole story).

It'll be in an effect, the same thing, which is a shame because it wouldn't be that bad of an idea.

[Bobsy]

Here's the thing. Like it or not, special figures sell. Kids want Commander Rex more than they want a basic 501st trooper, and they want a 501st trooper more than they want a plain normal clone trooper. Even in Battle Packs, a higher-ranked or 'elite' character has more selling power than an army-builder.

I remember as a child, I went totally giddy over getting the transformer Thunderwing for my birthday, not just because he was a Mega Pretender (which was awesome), not just because he turned into a spaceship (which was awesome) but also because I'd read the comics - and he was a leader. Finally, between me and my brother we'd got a proper Decepticon leader, and that was the best thing ever. It was, of course, totally arbitrary that Thunderwing had been made Decepticon leader at the time - it was purely on the whim of the comic's writing staff - but them doing that added a HUGE amount of value to my young eyes.

The point is, you can make people (children especially) want a toy more by saying the character is somehow special - better than the norm. It's not exactly fair, it's a little dishonest, but it does work.

Incidentally, the following summer I took my Thunderwing on holiday, and accidently left him on a campsite somewhere in France. Life sucks, sometimes.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Bobsy

[Fuppylodders]

75001 is a pretty damned good battlepack in itself. It shows that I think TLG may be testing waters as to what type of battle pack might sell better, or... they are simply trying to cater for army builders while also giving a battle in a pack...

Ive got one of these so far... and even though the 2 sith troopers are different, they can very easily represent 2 different battalions or w/e (I forget the word :P) and so army building can commence, with getting 2 of the same clones, and 2 very nicely detailed sith troopers. Im hoping to get at least 6 more of these (money is often tight so I gotta plan well )

[jmagaletta]

75001 is a great army builder actually. The republic Troopers are identical with their helmets, besides weapons. The sith troopers are so similar that you could have an army of the two shades in equal representation and it would look great

^Beat me by a few minutes.

Edited January 23, 2013 by jmagaletta

[pranas]

I do feel bad for the AFOL army builders, since TLG's current battle pack strategy works against them. But as a non-army builder myself, I kind of like the two sides in one box idea.

Also a plus to the "battle in a box" format is that you get more battles to pick from each year. Let's say we are back in the year 2009 and you love all things OT but hate all things Clone Wars (I personally like CW, just using it as an example) and you hate the 8014 Clone Walker Battle Pack and 8015 Assassin Droids Battle Pack. But those are the only two battle packs that will be released for that whole year, and since you can't see the future you don't know that there will be two OT battle packs (8083 and 8084) coming out the following year. So for 2009 you get no Battle Packs. Same is true for someone who loves the CW but doesn't care for the OT, for them 2009 was a great year and 2010 wasn't. So for many collectors we went back and forth between years we loved the battle packs and years we hated them (and to be fair, many of us loved and bought ALL the battle packs that came out).

But under the new system we still get two battle packs every year but now they are from different trilogies, or shows, or in the case of this year, video games. I think the battle packs from 2012 were great because it appeased both the Clone Wars and Original Trilogy fans, and if you like both, awesome, you can buy both. I do personally wish that this year we saw that Clone Wars/PT and OT balance again instead of throwing The Old Republic in to the mix, but at least I still have options of battle packs to chose from if I wanted. And hey, doing battle packs the current way is probably the ONLY way an Old Republic battle pack would ever have been done, so Old Republic fans have to be happy about that one at least.

And like many have said above, TLG's target is kids and kids (as far as I can tell) are not army builders. Or at least not to the extent that some of us here are. And in a world of $30, $50, $80, $120 sets, battle packs are something a kid can actually save up their allowance for and buy with their own money. It is a little unfair to expect a kid to save up $24 bucks to get a complete battle when LEGO could give them that complete battle in one box for $12. I remember when I was a kid and how special it felt to be able to buy something that I've been saving up for, even if it was something that today I would consider tiny and cheap. So it's nice that TLG is keeping that in mind with their new battle pack strategy.

Edited January 23, 2013 by pranas

[Lobot]

I prefer the older single-sided versions (8083 & 8084 for example) but I can see why Lego have gone down this new path. If you want to army build there's always Bricklink or, alternaltively, buy the sets and then sell the unwanted figures on Ebay!!