Answers to our questions sent on 1/22:

1) Can you give us the story behind the blockbuster 2-packs? – Rozwell

Hasbro: As we have talked about in numerous Q&As, we release figure assortments far in advance of when they are scheduled to hit retail, but because of the slowdown in Legacy we were left with a glut of figures. These packs, which consist of two blue/white line look Legacy figures lined up back to back with a "Blockbuster Value" sticker, consist of those figures. Knowing that we have great waves of red/white Legacy coming for last Fall that we had to get in to retail, we pulled aside all of the remaining blue/white cards to make way for the red/white. As some collectors will note, these packs consist of figures that received scant distribution at retail in Spring 2009, which might lead some folks to think that we re-released figures for the 2-packs. That's not the case...in fact, what happened is that the slowdown was so severe that a sizable part of our production run for some figures ended up in these packs. Rather than scrap or close them out to the discount channel, we worked out a deal with the major retailers to bring them in before the holiday in the 2-pack format.

2) Is it possible to get 3-packs of figures like those that you do for the Joe line (a small box with figures in clear tubes) - a Commander and 2 soldiers of sorts? Or, perhaps even something like the 5-figure trooper battle packs for G.I.JOE at TRU - 5 Crimson Guards in a box or the 5-packs of generic Joe troopers? It would be great to see things like 3 figures of AT-AT drivers, AT-ST drivers, and Tie Fighter Pilots. Or, a Biker Scout, a Stormtrooper and a Death Star Trooper. For the Rebels you could do a 5-pack of a Rebel blockade Trooper, a Ceremonial Guard, a Hoth Trooper, an Endor Soldier and a Rebel Flight Tech, I could go on.... These are great sets for collectors and kids and they have a lot of iconic figures. I'd by them all. – Redleader76

Hasbro: We have attempted to make out Battle Pack format a home for troop builders, and many of our sets have followed this exact formula with numerous Clone Trooper sets, the Tantive IV set, etc. While we keep many OTC troop builders in rotation in the mainline basic figures (Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers, Sandtroopers, Scout Troopers, etc), we realize that demand exists for virtually every other OTC troop builder as well so we are thinking about some additional ways to bring more troops out to fans. We should have some news later this summer about some new exclusive packs in the Fall, and hopefully we will have some more exciting ones lined up for 2011 if all goes as planned.

Really? I see a Battle Pack as a home for troop builders if you get two troops. Not one figure that is a troop builder and a bunch of other figures. Case in point the Battle for Endor. You get Luke Skywalker (who wants and army of him?), an Ewok (I don't view them as troop building as they have specific names and looks), an Ewok glider (now that is what I want and army of!), and an Imperil Officer (who is the only troop builder in the pack!). So lets see all the 2009 Battle Packs and their troop building prowess.

2009 Battle Packs
Battle of Endor - Discussed
Birth of Darth Vader - No troops
Duel on Mustafar - One Shock Trooper who is in Saga Legends and 3 Non troop builders
Gelagrub Patrol - Valid Troop builder, but you don't get 2 of anything.
Geonosis Assault - Only truly Valid Troop builder as you get two troopers
Kamino Conflict - No troops
Resurgence of the Jedi - No troops
Scramble on Yavin - Valid, but you don't get 2 of anyone.
Tatooine Desert Ambush - No troops

So there is only 1... 1! Battle pack that is built for troop building. I really hope there is change in the future.

agreed- thus my question. The only real OT troopbuilder set mentioned by them and it was a while back was the Tantive IV set- 2 good, 2 bad and one lame vader.

They can sell 1 non specific commander figure and 2 troops for both Imperial and Rebel easy enough- ehhhhhh at least they answered the question.

I just really don't understand their logic! What battle pack flew off shelves? That would be Scramble at Yavin. Which ones didn't fly off shelves... Every other one! Whenever a case comes out with a Stormtrooper, Snowtrooper, Hoth Trooper, or any other OT troop builder they fly off the shelves. The clones are starting to sit. My rational, they would rather get full price for OT troop builders than given them to us cheaper in Battlepacks. I tell you, Hasbro is really ticking me off this week! Yet I bought a Snowtrooper today. Hahahahaha!

the clones sit because they have some many different types out- in movie based style and CW style, too many choices, too many repaints- they are everywhere in single cards, 2 packs, battle packs and evo packs.

But OT you just have on the pegs:
Stormtrooper
Sandtrooper- though with different pauldrons
Spacetrooper
Snowtrooper
Bikerscout

Pilots that hit the pegs:
AT-AT driver- a few different releases now
AT-ST not even sure when the last release was either maybe Han in disguise 2004?
Tie Fighter Pilot- HA! last release was what 2004?

So when they do release these as single carded figures the numbers are low and we see them disappear quickly.