NEW PRODUCT: TBLeague PL2021-180 Imperial Guardian 1/12 Scale figure (Part 2)

Product Description

From TBLeague comes the 1/12 scale Imperial Guardian figure. This figure is highly poseable and comes with several weapons and accessories!

Product Features

1/12 Scale
Made of plastic and fabrics
Highly poseable body with a head sculpt and rooted hair
Includes fabric clothing, armor, and weaponry


Box Contents

Imperial Guardian figure
3 Interchangeable guantlets
Helmet
Dress
Underpants
Pair of stockings
Chest guard
Pair of shoulder armor
Pair of forearm armor
Pair of elbow armor
Corset
Waist armor
Pair of shows
Pair of leg armor
Pair of knee armor
Spear
Sword
Base


PL2021-180D (Blue)












PL2021-180E (Red)












PL2021-180F (Yellow)

So much for no new product announcements in 1/12 from TBLeague!

 How many versions are there?

When will they be released?

How much will they cost?

These are gonna be a limited window pre-order item, aren't they?

I want 'em all!

But right now, when I say I'm broke, I mean my hobby funds are seriously tapped out, and likely to remain that way for some time!

Are there three versions? Or two versions each of three versions, making six in total?

Awww, man!

Okay, here we go: they're about a hundred bucks apiece, and there are six versions available. Estimated release date is October 2021, so coming up fast!

Giantoy: https://giantoy.com/products/tbleague-pl2021-180-abcdef-1-12

BBTS: https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Search?SearchText=Imperial+Guardian+1%2F12

The figures are nice, but I'm totally distracted by the Meet the Spartans digital army-building special effects.

GubernatorFan wrote:The figures are nice, but I'm totally distracted by the Meet the Spartans digital army-building special effects.

The effect is cool... and effective from a marketing angle! Makes ya wanna get a hundred of 'em, doesn't it?

GubernatorFan wrote:The figures are nice, but I'm totally distracted by the Meet the Spartans digital army-building special effects.

Given how much these things cost, that’s about as close as any of us are going to get.  

I just got this mental image in my mind of having a board get-together and re-creating that picture by combining all of our figures.   Then the pictures are taken, and it’s like “Mine was in the third column, fourth row.” “No, MINE was in the third column, fourth row!”  Then someone bumps the display table and they all fall over on top of each other.

ID: I WANT THEM ALL!
SUPEREGO: Can't really justify spending 600 bucks on 6 nearly identical figures.
EGO: To be fair, the similarity is part of the attraction...
ID: WHAT EGO SAID!
SUPEREGO: But that's still a lot of money to spend all at once...
EGO: You could just pay three of them now and the other three later...
ID: WHAT EGO SAID!
SUPEREGO: Okay, but it's still 600 bucks...
EGO: If we ever need the money back we can always sell them. We take good care of them...
ID: You wouldn't...
SUPEREGO: How many have you sold so far?
EGO: Erm... one boxed figure and one body. But I haven't needed to!
ID: SEE???
SUPEREGO: But you could have used the money elsewhere...
EGO: But I haven't HAD to...
SUPEREGO: You really don't need another redhead.
EGO: But the armor is red!
ID: MIX AND MATCH!!!!
SUPEREGO: I'm lost for words...
ID/EGO: VICTOOOOORIOUSSSSSS!!!!

It's looking good for a 1/12 Spartan Army Commander line-up...

Diana wrote:
EGO: You could just pay three of them now and the other three later...
ID: WHAT EGO SAID!
SUPEREGO: Okay, but it's still 600 bucks...

They'll sell out, and cost twice or three times as much on the secondary market!
And you only need to put down a deposit right now!

1). Two of these cost the same as one 1/6 figure. So don’t think of it as though you’re buying six 1/12 figures. Think of it as though you’re buying three 1/6 figures.

2). Although they’re being sold individually, they are obviously meant to be bought as a set. Do you only buy three of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Do you only buy two of the Three Musketeers? Do you only buy Huey and Dewey and pass on Louie? Do you buy a new set of silverware and say “I want everything except the forks, please?” No, you do not.

3). How do we know that all six figures will be produced in the same quantity? What if the one(s) you decide to pass on had lower production runs than the rest and the prices soar on the secondary market?

4). What if you decide to hold off for now and TBLeague decides to cancel one or both sets due to not receiving enough preorders? Remember the Nordic Warriors?

5.) What if this is TBLeague saying “We’re going to give 1/12 and warrior women one last shot, and if this doesn’t work, it’s back to nothing but 1/6 Egyptology.” Is that what you want? That’s not what I want.

6.) What about the people who are actually scheduled to manufacture these figures? I’m sure most of them have families to feed. “Sorry, but most collectors only ordered one or two, so you’re going to have to find work elsewhere.” Nice.

7.) If this doesn’t work, they’ll never try it again, and even if it does work, it may be too cost prohibitive to try it again. We may be looking at a once in a lifetime opportunity here.

8.) How are you going to feel when they’re released and everyone here on the forum is posting all these cool pics of their six Imperial Guardians? Yep. “I can’t believe how great these turned out. Why didn’t I preorder all of them when I had the chance?!?”

9.) If the Imperial Guardians do well, not only does it send a message to TBLeague, it sends a message to every company in this industry. 1/12th sells! If we want better figures and more variety in this scale, we need to vote with our wallets!

10) These will only appreciate in value. Can you say that about most other things you would end up spending the money on instead? I don’t see many empty Starbucks cups selling on eBay!

Excellent points! Very persuasive!

Does this mean you, too, have placed a deposit on all six?

I have paid in full for A and B, and paid the deposit on C and F.
The universe will tell me whether I should get red and blue as well if they are still available for PO next month.

Diana wrote:I have paid in full for A and B, and paid the deposit on C and F.
The universe will tell me whether I should get red and blue as well if they are still available for PO next month.

 

Sounds like we have them ranked them more or less the same:

Gotta have ‘em: A & B
Gonna get ‘em: C & F
Groin’ on me: D
Might as well: E

davidd wrote:Does this mean you, too, have placed a deposit on all six?

Just A & B so far. I’ve been spending a lot lately, so I need to check the finances and see where I’m at before putting a deposit down on C & F. I probably will by this weekend. D & E will have to wait until my next paycheck.

Xavion2004 wrote:Sounds like we have them ranked them more or less the same:

Gotta have ‘em: A & B
Gonna get ‘em:  C & F
Groin’ on me: D
Might as well:  E

Exactly! D is too cute, even if the orange hair is a litte weird. And the red version... well,... I already have Sariah and Sonja and Captain Sparta... all redheads and... oh what the heck. Might as well.

Comparison.

Oh, c'mon – red armor!


There's no way that the "E" version could possibly be relegated to "might as well" status! I think you mean, "and two of that one" status!



I need to stop looking at these or that "two" scenario might actually happen!

I think the problem Diana and I may be having is that she reminds us too much of Sariah who we both already have. But then again, you have Sariah now too, right?

davidd wrote:Oh, c'mon – red armor!

There's no way that the "E" version could possibly be relegated to "might as well" status! I think you mean, "and two of that one" status!



I need to stop looking at these or that "two" scenario might actually happen!  

Xavion2004 wrote:I think the problem Diana and I may be having is that she reminds us too much of Sariah who we both already have.  But then again, you have Sariah now too, right?

So true. But you're right. The red armor is spectacular. (Thanks for pointing that out... )
And while the head seems the most boring... it could be swapped out of course.

I do think it's a shame that they all have the same hair style. But it seems that I'll soon be having a new shelf full with the 1/12 ladies, especially since Super Duck has announced Tifa and will no doubt follow up with something else irresistible soon, as will TBL. There will be plenty of options for mix and match fun.

Diana wrote:... especially since Super Duck has announced Tifa....

And thank you for pointing that out!

We're all doomed, aren't we?  

(And yes, I also have a Sariah! )

A 1/12 Super Duck Tifa?!! That will be hard to pass up, but I really don’t want to get into the habit of having the same figure in two different scales.