Are Vehicles Really Gone From Star Wars Toys?

 The last new vehicle for the VC I bought was the Rogue One Hovertank. It's impressive! I missed out on the Troop Transporter from the Mandalorian only because I needed to pay bills. But, with the most recent VC vehicle being Anton Merric's X-Wing having an MSRP of over $100, fans have said that's too high a price. Oh, the Hovertank? I found it at Ollie's for $20. It should have retailed for $40-$45. It was at $50 for retail. The Mission Fleet line, while geared to kids has reasonably priced vehicles, albeit in the 2 inch figure scale. But what about the signature line of 3.75 inch scale? Well, it's time for the hard talk.

Let's face it. Mission Fleet is where it's at for the vehicles. The toys fit inside the ships, or other vehicle and I don't know many collectors who don't keep their figures in the vehicles. Unless it's a troop transport or something like that. In my hollowed out Big Millennium Falcon that mostly sits empty while my Force Awakens MF has the 5 POA 2 pack of Han & Chewie from ANH. The scale is perfect for vehicles and as I've said before, kids like the line. So do collectors as well. It has appeal, the costs are what VC fans have said are within reason for vehicles (it is well known that Hasbro adds a large percentage to their Star Wars toys to cover the licensing fee. They have applied this to the lines they own like GI Joe and Transformers as well). The quality is good, and the toys are designed for rough play. Plus the Outlander TIE piloted by Moff Gideon made it's debut in this line, as well as Kylo Ren's awesome TIE from Episode 9 (TIE Whisperer). If you want vehicles to interact with figures, this is the best option available to you. But there are other vehicle options.

Hot Wheels has done vehicles for a few years now. Micro Machines had a great run in the 1990's and even did some Expanded Universe sets! The X-Wing miniature gaming pieces have been fun as well. You can use them for gaming or for making space battle dioramas for a fun display. The prices can be quite high but they have more detail and selection over Hot Wheels, and some Micro Machines on the secondary market also don't cost as much. While the fighters and freighters are in scale, the capital class ships are not, same as with Hot Wheels and Micro Machines. Some models, which can be found at local hobby stores can be in scale with your miniatures, but they only make Imperial Star Destroyers and not ships like Admiral Ackbar's MC 80.

I don't want to forget LEGO! While they don't exactly look like the onscreen vehicles, many enjoy building them. Not me, it requires patience and I have none, LOL! The premium stuff they make is really good though. Could they make 1/18 scale (3.75 inch) vehicles? Quite possibly yes. Will it meet collector demand on details? No.

So what should happen? Should vehicles just be HasLab or retail exclusives? Or, should Hasbro go back to the model they used from 2013-2017? Well I have my opinion on this, and it's yes to answer all questions. Retail space is limited in 2022. Back in 1995, there was Sears, Toys R Us, Target, Wal Mart, Service Merchandise, KayBee Toys, K-Mart and local toy stores and the occasional big box retailer like JC Penny and Macy's which carried toys at Christmas time. Now? It's only Wal-Mart and Target that are the brick and mortar retail giants. Amazon rules the online market. Target has had some success with the Blue Leader X-Wing, although you have to find it on Target's website as only a few made it to stores. Target also did the Smuggler's Run Millennium Falcon which also had a small number sit on shelves, although not for long if they did. This too was more online. Letting retail outlets sell the vehicles online, like Target, Amazon and Entertainment Earth have done is the way to go. No retail space is wasted, and collectors can get what they want, provided that Hasbro makes enough numbers to satisfy demand. So yes, retail exclusive vehicles is actually a good idea.

What about HasLab? Jabba's Sail Barge & The Razor Crest have been successful for the VC as far as getting new vehicles into the mix. Limited retail space, great detail and a price many were willing to pay, especially for the Razor Crest as it is the top HasLab Star Wars project ever. But sadly, this is the only way I see new vehicles being made. Sure, we got the Hovertank and the Imperial Troop Transport but those hit clearance in most instances. With HasLab, there is no clearance, it's easy money if it gets funded. If Hasbro ever does The Ghost, this is the only way it would happen for the VC.

Back in 2013, Hasbro took a new approach and went to a smaller size and more economically friendly approach to vehicles. Gone was the attention to detail, but you could easily fit a 5 POA figure in the cockpit of a fighter, or even Slave I, which reused the Kenner mold, but had a new weapon feature added to it. The cost was reasonable, some of the vehicles like The Grand Inquisitor's TIE Fighter went for $25 (would probably go for $55 now), and Slave I went for $30. Now I'm not advocating for the 5 POA line to come back, but some of those vehicles were really good. Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer from the Episode 8 line was a great toy, especially with the G1 Force Link, it's one of the best ships Hasbro has made, IMO. Yes it cost $50 when it came out but you got a figure with it. Hasbro also released Anakin and Obi-Wan's Jedi Fighters, not as much detail but the figures fit inside the ship. A big advantage is Hasbro possibly still has these molds, which would be good for making a "value" vehicle line. Most new VC figures could fit in those cockpits, and some of those vehicles, like the TIE Fighter from Solo are VERY well made and designed! Plus that TIE looks like the Vintage Kenner one. Electronics really aren't needed here. And not only old Kenner molds, but the only way we see a new Darth Vader TIE Fighter is if Hasbro reissues the POTF2 version, maybe with a detailed cockpit borrowed from the VC or Solo TIE. And yes, I want Hasbro to repack the POTF2 A-Wing from ROTJ.

There is a way to get vehicles back in the one true scale. But right now, Mission Fleet is where it's at. But if they return, it isn't going to be the way collector's want, as I don't see Hasbro tooling new vehicles for general release. Repacking is the way they'll be done. But, if Hasbro repacked the Legacy AT-AT, many collectors would just tell Hasbro to shut up and take their money!